New Orleans and football are not synonymous with winning. But do not tell that to the New Orleans VooDoo.
New Orleans’ arena football team, owned by Tom Benson, is 5-1in its inaugural Arena Football League season.
Compared to other football teams playing in the Big Easy, the VooDoo are an anomaly. Just take a look at Benson’s other endeavor, the New Orleans Saints, with their one playoff victory in 36 years of existence.
And everyone knows about Tulane football. Or maybe they don’t. I mean, no one even goes to those games.
The VooDoo have yet to win a playoff game. But the five wins by the VooDoo this season are already more than the Saints mustered in their 1967 inaugural season.
Tulane would kill for a five-win season. They have not been good since the 12-0 campaign in 1998.
The VooDoo boast a number of exciting athletes, and because the league is so high-scoring, it all starts on the offensive side of the ball. That is why there is an offensive specialist position in arena football.
That man for the VooDoo is Aaron Bailey. Donning Mike Vick’s No. 7, Bailey looks like the flashy Atlanta quarterback on the 50-yard field. In six games, Bailey has 12 touchdowns — most on the team.
Quarterback John Fitzgerald calls the signals for the VooDoo behind center. Fitzgerald’s 21-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio lands him a 91.7 quarterback rating and he has thrown for 1,247 yards this season.
The VooDoo are headed by coach Mike Neu, a graduate of Ball State University. Neu was an accomplished quarterback with Ball State, holding the career passing records for yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns.
Neu also was named the Mid American Conference’s Most Valuable Player in 1993 in leading Ball State to a MAC Championship.
In the AFL, Neu gets an opportunity to relive his past glory on the field. Not because he gets to play, but because the coaches in the AFL stand on the field during the action.
The VooDoo won their last game against the Detroit Fury on Friday in the New Orleans Arena in front of 15,303 fans — largest in franchise history.
Among the attendees were Saints’ receivers Joe Horn and Boo Williams, who could be seen taking notes on the sidelines.
One Fury player even paid homage to Horn during a touchdown celebration, when he held the football up to his ear like a cell phone.
Horn was later seen jaw-jacking with the Fury defensive backs.
Fellow Reveille sportswriter Dave Theard made a brief appearance on the JumboTron with his best John Travolta impression during the dance fever segment of the game.
Arena football is about more than just winning and losing. It is about having a good time and enjoying the experience. The fact the VooDoo are winning is just a bonus.
It only costs $12 per person, and some tickets come as cheap as $6 a seat.
I sat 10 rows from the top of the arena. I could not catch a T-shirt, get in a contest or ask Horn for his autograph.
But I did have fun. More importantly, I watched a New Orleans football team win a game.