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Catahoula Saints Fans Take In Saints Champion Tour

Thursday, July 15, 2010 - David W. Ryan

An estimated crowd of more than 10,000 Saints fans, several from Catahoula, flocked to the Riverfront Center in Alexandria for the New Orleans Saints Champion Tour stop Wednesday. Fans got autographs, took lots of pictures, played games and took in exhibitions; the Lombardi Trophy, George S. Halas Trophy, replica Super Bowl rings, and signed memorabilia from quarterback Drew Brees and the Saints first Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson.

“It was all first class, especially the people,” Freddie Delhoste of Jonesville said about the event. He and his son Robin were in Alexandria on business when they heard the news and rushed over to see what it was all about. “I just walked up and started talking to Michael Lewis (former Saint player who currently works in the Saints front office) and probably talked to him about an hour; he was great.”

Delhoste did move around the room to see other things and what struck his eye even more than the Saintsations or the World Champion’s trophy; how about the ring.

“Yeah, that ring was something else,” Delhoste said. And he wanted everyone to know he got to slide the ring on his finger. “Well actually the guy wearing the ring, slid it off his finger and held it really tight while I slid my finger in that ring. That was unbelievable.”

While it was only for a few seconds he admitted it took a pretty good “story” to get the Saints official to let him just slide it on for a few seconds. Oh yeah, Freddie said to mention he eventually got a picture with the Saintsations too!

Stacy Williams of Harrisonburg, who has been a diehard Saints fan since childhood, said she and her daughter 18 year old daughter Allison had to make the trip.

“It was great, I mean all the people were just so nice,” Stacy said with excitement in her voice. “I’ll tell you was really nice; Michael Lewis.”

Stacy said they took lots of pictures or everything, “Oh yeah, the trophies, Super Bowl ring, just everything.”

“It was a good showing by the Saints,” Stacy said while also noting, “The Saints won the Super Bowl on my Dad’s 75th Birthday and that really made it special.”

Perhaps the biggest contingent to the tour was Robin Aplin and her two sons Connor and Caden and her niece Lauren; with super Saints fan her mom, Shelia Book.

“Mama is actually the diehard fan in the family. She has cheered them on all these years win or lose,” Robin said of her mother. “I also figured this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us and just hated to pass it up. Hopefully, there will be many more to come but if this is the one and only Lombardi for the Saints we have a picture with it!”

While “Mama” is a part of the “Who Dat Nation” Robin’s oldest son, eight year old Conner is a big Colts fan. However, that changed momentarily when he got around the Saintsations.

“I've never known him to have a bashful bone in his body but he went speechless and turned every shade of red when the cheerleaders asked him to take a picture with them.”

If you or someone you know from Catahoula attended the event we would love to post your pictures and remind you what Stacy Williams said at the conclusion of her interview; WHO DAT!

Stacy Williams (right) along with her daughter Allison really enjoyed this photo with former Saints player Michael "Beerman" Lewis.
The whole family got to take a photo with the Lombardi Tropy including die-hard mama Shelia Book.
While Connor enjoyed the Saints stuff, he had to give out one big cheer: Go Colts!
Conner cozy's up to the Saintsations for this photo. Not hollering go Colts now are ya!
Sir Saint, the mascot of the Saints shows everyone who is Number 1 as he poses for this photo with Robin Aplin and her two sons Caden (in arms) and Connor.
From his camera phone Freddie Delhoste got his son to take this picture of him with the Saintsations.

 

 

 


 

 

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