Who Dat?!

[Jester]

I like to see people root for a football team for a reason that has something to do with the team itself.

You mean like having an exciting offense that puts up points in bunches and tries just about everything and anything, often in new and unique ways? Or a defense that may not be the best in general, but has a field day with forcing turnovers? Dude, the Saints were fun to watch, and that was why a lot of people were rooting for them.

No one roots for any of the California teams after earthquakes, mudslides, or wildfires.

The last earthquake to destroy a California city was in 1908. There were no professional teams in CA at that time. And mudslides and wildfires suck, but again, none have caused the devastation that Katrina did, nor displaced nearly as many people.

No one rooted for the Jets/Giants because of 9/11.

Perhaps not the Jets or Giants, but certainly the Patriots in the Super Bowl against the Rams and the Yankees in the World Series against my beloved Diamondbacks. I can't tell you how sick I was of hearing how the Yankees, with 26 titles to their name (more than any other pro sports team in North America) "deserved" to win the WS that year. While 9/11 was devastating, it was devastating to the entire country. Also, and this is an important distinction, none of the teams you mentioned were forced into playing all their games of the year on the road, as the Saints were in '05. Not only was the City of New Orleans devastated by Katrina, but the Saints team itself was forced to become traveling vagabonds, losing most of their games because of the unstable situation they found themselves in. You wanted a football reason? There's another one for you.

Why should the Saints get special treatment?

City destroyed. Population decimated, many being killed or forced to relocate far, far away. Team forced to be essentially homeless. By many, Katrina was considered to be the worst natural disaster to hit the U.S. ever.

Yea, that really doesn't make sense. They dominated all year. They have one of the best QBs in the league. Other than their defense, they were freaking amazing.

Their D may not have been ranked highly, and they certainly gave up a lot of yards, but they had either the best or one of the best turnover ratios in the league. Don't sell the D short. After all, they DID have the game-icing play.

That onside kick was legendary.

Of every unexpected onside kick, that was the best disguised one I've ever seen! Not just a ballsy call, but absolutely amazing execution.

[Pagan]

I can't tell you how sick I was of hearing how the Yankees, with 26 titles to their name (more than any other pro sports team in North America) "deserved" to win the WS that year.

I'm a Yankees fan. (Well, not so much the Yankees as a certain player.) But even I wasn't thinking that they automatically deserved to win the World Series that year.

(I come from a mixed marriage and am a Cardinals fan, too.)

City destroyed. Population decimated, many being killed or forced to relocate far, far away. Team forced to be essentially homeless. By many, Katrina was considered to be the worst natural disaster to hit the U.S. ever.

Not to mention that there was serious talk about the Saint's leaving New Orleans. But they came back and there is quite the bond between the team and the citizens now.