A tear is an ocean

There's not much time this morning to dwell on matters. I'm sorry the Saints lost. I don't think, however, that most Saints fans, upset as they may be, are really all that shocked. I wrapped up Friday's embarrassingly sappy post already doing some preemptive coping and maybe hinting that this could likely be the end of the road for this team.*

Anyway right about now I have to say that #iamnotworrieder than I have ever been #iamnotworried since the first time I ever #iamnotworried about anything. To those of you (few, we know) clear-headed football analysts who want to talk about the reasonable ways a clear-headed person can consider this 11-5 defending Super Bowl champion disappointing in some way go right ahead. But also don't be a dick.

... blah blah lame sappy shit you can go back and read if you want...

But even if it is over, so what? These have been the best five years in which to be a Saints fan. I've been lucky enough to sit in the Superdome terrace and watch this team come together, grow up, and exorcise 40 years of accumulated angst. In short, as a football fan, I couldn't be prouder.

Meanwhile, as I was being sappy, the clear-headed among us were pointing out the reasons why the Seahawks looked like a strong underdog. Oyster did this and did so, I cannot stress this enough, without "being a dick" about it.

I'll be shocked if the Saints run away with this thing, and wouldn't be surprised at all if everything is in doubt at the final 2 minute warning. Hopefully Seattle will help the Saints by blundering during crunch time. But right now, Saints minus ten seems like a very big, very ugly number.

For much of the past month the Saints have been a tired and lame football team. Their countenance each week very much resembled my own post-game Mondays. They looked like a guy pushing through the morning with a hangover. (No, not a "Super Bowl hangover", a real one.) And yes that takes guts. I think they've performed well under the circumstances. Did you notice that they almost persevered through that mess yesterday despite everything? But as anyone who has gutted through a hungover day at the office will tell you, that warm bed at the end of the day is far more satisfying than anything accomplished along the way there.

Today the Saints are sending out for pizza, pulling the shades, and crawling into bed. Let them sleep it off. God knows they've earned the right. Meanwhile, if you can pry your own eyes open for a bit today, have a look at this list of 28 unrestricted free agents the Saints will be making decisions about this off season. Looks like a big purge is coming. We'll have plenty time to talk about whether that purge will amount to a curative day or two of detox or a wholesale commitment to a long and difficult program later.

*I even cleverly selected a sappy song lyric for that post which I knew could be seamlessly followed by the next sappy line in that song for this one if need be.