The Saints Finally Got The Band Back Together, But It Wasn't Supposed To Happen Like This

It wasn't supposed to be like this, that's for damn sure. It was supposed to be a cheerful event when the members of the 2009 New Orleans Saints finally came back together. It certainly wasn't supposed to be a somber event to honor one of their members prematurely being laid to rest. In actuality, I was supposed to be writing this three years from now following the ten year reunion of our Super Bowl Saints. It was supposed to be a time filled with happy hugs, not consoling embraces. A time reserved for laughing until you cry, not crying until you possibly, begrudgingly laugh. The first word that came to my mind was "bittersweet", but there's really nothing sweet about it. The likes of Sean Payton, Steve Gleason, Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Jabari Greer, Malcolm Jenkins, Roman Harper, and Sedrick Ellis all in the same place again and it happens to be while they have heavy hearts? It just doesn't seem right that the most celebrated Saints team in franchise history will never be able to truly celebrate themselves without acknowledging the senseless absence of one of their teammates. These pictures were supposed to bring a smile to the face of the Who Dat Nation, not cause it's collective heart to sink. A homecoming should never be as melancholy as the Saints visitation for Will Smith was. The positive is that it proves that the New Orleans Saints truly are a family, but I don't think they needed to suffer a loss so great to be able to say that with confidence.
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