The Show Mustn't Go On...

Everyone meant well last night at Giants Stadium but you couldn't help but feel that the Saints were somewhat patronised - something that as Americans we do better than any other nation in the world - by all the pomp and show...

"This is not about a football game," said Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, "It's about the NFL and the Saints making a statement as to what we stand for as far as rebuilding in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region."

But really it was about a football game. What, winning suddenly didn't matter yesterday night? Thousands of fund raisers are going on around the country and it was nice for the NFL to do their bit, but this is game time, week 2, the road to Super Bowl XL and it was nothing more or less than a football game even if millions were raised from the accompanying telethon.

New York won the day 27-10 with Saints slowed by penalties and turnovers.

The Saints felt Monday night's bizarre "home" opener was unfair from the start.

"They made this seem like the Super Bowl," QB Aaron Brooks told the Associated Press of the NFL. "We played a team that outplayed us today, but it was way overdone. Setting up a stage, traveling here, it was uncalled for...try not to patronize us next time....saying we're playing a home game."

"We were in the visiting locker room, on the visiting field. It seemed like an away game." said coach Jim Haslett.

It was just another game....