On Sunday, men wore dresses and paraded in the French Quarter led by former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert. The impromptu parade happened to honor a promise Hebert made by the late New Orleans sportscaster icon Buddy Diliberto, CBSSports.com reports. Diliberto, who passed in 2005, vowed long ago to parade down Bourbon Street in a dress if the Saints ever made the Super Bowl.
According to the New York Daily News, the crowd was close to 50,000 spectators and participants.
"It was above and beyond anything I expected," Hebert told the Daily News. "I couldn't even walk. They had to put me on top of a float. It was 50 degrees but everybody had enough antifreeze in them."
What better way to prepare for the big game than joining the fans by dressing up and enjoying the ride?
The seven Saints players who arrived early in Miami for the Pro Bowl joined the Who Dat nation by also dressing up. Their get-ups, however, lacked feathers and sequins. The players suited up in bellhop attire and were in place to carry their teammates' luggage as they got off the team bus on Monday.
Payton borrowed the antic from Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh, who did the bellhop routine in 1981 before the San Francisco 49ers played in the Super Bowl. The Saints’ coach played the practical joke on his players to ease nerves.
"One of Sean's great strengths is to constantly have a finger on the pulse of this team and know when it's time to work and when it's time to joke and have a good time," Drew Brees told media.
Joining the Saints’ quarterback in the gag were right guard Jahri Evans, center Jonathan Goodwin, right tackle Jon Stinchcomb, linebacker Jonathan Vilma and safeties Darren Sharper and Roman Harper.
The team enjoyed a laugh before going to an indoor practice to prepare for Sunday’s game. Who knows, maybe next Monday, New Orleans Saints players and fans can dress up and parade together.
