King Kaufman's Sports Daily

The NFL's Big Show returns to the Big Easy: Real symbolism shouldn't obscure the devastation that remains in New Orleans.

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Sept. 25, 2006 | The NFL and NBC insist that Sunday night is the new Monday night, that the big prime-time show is now the Sunday game on the Peacock, not the formerly reigning Monday game, now on ESPN, usually with the sound turned off.

At least this week, that's just not true.

The Atlanta Falcons visit the New Orleans Saints in a surprisingly important NFC South game between two teams off to 2-0 starts, but of course the main event is the return of the NFL to New Orleans and the Superdome, site of so much suffering during Hurricane Katrina, even after accounting for the false rumors reported as news 13 months ago.

The Denver Broncos beating the New England Patriots on the road Sunday night was a pretty good show, two of the stronger conference's marquee teams doing a lot to establish their 2006 personalities.

But U2 didn't show up and play, if you know what I mean.

The NFL kicked in $15 million of the $185 million needed to get the ravaged Superdome game-ready, ending the Saints' one-year exile. The team was headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, last year, playing home games there, in Baton Rouge, La., and, on one sorry occasion, on the home field of its opponent, the New York Giants, in New Jersey.

There's all sorts of symbolism going on here. Not only is the return of big-time pro sports to the Big Easy symbolic of the city's rebuilding effort, but the Saints are a symbol of hope, if you're into that sort of thing.

Coming off their literally disastrous 3-13 season in 2005, the Saints have won their first two games, beating weak opponents but winning nonetheless. Even more uplifting, Saints fans, local businesses and others have rallied behind the team and bought up the entire season's worth of tickets, the first season sellout in franchise history.

And here's more symbolism: The Superdome has been fully cleaned and sanitized since it served as a shelter. It has a new roof, a new field, new paint, new sheetrock, new seats. But the luxury boxes are still a mess, lacking carpeting and permanent furniture. The rich folks and fat cats have had to wait while the People were served.

Next page: There's still so much to be done. ESPN shouldn't skimp on conveying that. Plus: Fair-catch kick!