Saints' run, influx of college football exciting fans in Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS - The buzz in Louisiana is all about bowls, from Florida superstar Tim Tebow's last bow at the Sugar Bowl to the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl run.
And it all began with last Saturday night's Saints-Dallas Cowboys game, which the Saints lost 24-17 to end their perfect season.
The New Orleans Bowl followed last Sunday, bringing in crowds for Southern Mississippi's 42-32 win against Middle Tennessee State.
"It's football heaven in town this weekend," said Mary Beth Romig of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The French Quarter started hearing "Who Dat's'" early and often as Saints fans celebrated the team's 13-0 start and began getting ready for the Cowboys, said Pam Fortner, who co-owns three bars in the Quarter.
"They've even got the people who came in early for the New Orleans Bowl doing it," Fortner said. "Everybody that lives here has the fever and a lot of the people that just visit catch it."
All her bars have 65-inch televisions tuned into every game, she said. "And the bands aren't allowed to play while the game is on."
And that's just the start.
Up in Shreveport, the Dec. 28 Independence Bowl sold out early and fans of Georgia and Texas A&M are apparently planning to make more than a quick visit.
Less than 200 of the city's almost 10,000 hotel rooms were available for the days surrounding the game.
"We knew we'd sell out for the game," said Brandy Claiborne at the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tou
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Saints' run, influx of college football exciting fans in Louisiana
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