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We all know and loathe those familiar NFC South rivals in Atlanta, Carolina, and Tampa. But how about those other NFL franchises that make us cringe just when we see their logo.
We all dislike certain teams for very specific reasons. Here are some of the more common ones:
- Because they are "media darlings"
- Geographical proximity to you and/or the Saints
- Certain players or coaches you may dislike on those teams
- A self-righteous sense of entitlement by the franchise or fans
- The annoying and obnoxious nature of certain fan bases
And of course...
-Damage they've done to the Saints in the past
The number one team on my list fits all of the criteria above:
Yeah, of course it's the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners have all of the traits most Who Dats need to put them right at the top of the list. They are now, and will be for the foreseeable future, the national media pick to win the Super Bowl. Also, as much as I'm sure the Who Dat? chant annoys the hell out of our opponents, it's infinitely catchier and more clever than Who's Got It Better Than Us?, Nobody!
They've got football's biggest toolbag as their head coach as well, and his "act" has been adopted by his team as a whole. I never liked him at Stanford, and I like him less in the pros. As for the fans, they're a special breed. Raider fans get all the negative attention and the bad reputation, but it's their neighbors across the bay that are the embodiment of that reputation.
Looking to be threatened or much worse? Wear that Brees jersey to Candlestick or actually *gasp* cheer for the Saints in any way while at the game. Living in SoCal, I'm surrounded by Niner fans and obnoxious just scratches the surface here. Look, obviously respect goes out to those tried and true Niner fans who've been there through thick and thin, putting up with some lean years without flinching. It's the special few who threw away their T.O. jerseys after 2002 and stopped paying attention from 2003-2011 that make the most noise unfortunately.
Who's got it better than you, indeed.
They would be number one on my list for the playoff game in January 2012 alone. That's the kind of loss that builds a bitter rivalry, and that one did. Actually, it rekindled a long-standing rivalry dating back to the Saints' NFC West days before division re-alignment in 2002. The Saints and 49ers are natural rivals and I think we may all have been destined to hate them.
Second on my list is:
The Rams, another old NFC West rival who gave the Saints fits for years. Actually, they continue to give the Saints fits. In the leanest of years, long after the "Greatest Show on Turf" pulled down the tents and moved down the Mississippi, the Rams have inexplicably pushed far better Saints teams when they had no business doing so. Most egregious of all was the 2011 loss in St. Louis. I really don't like these guys.
Third, and last on this list is:
The Chicago Bears, the franchise that the Saints are 0-2 against all-time in the playoffs. I'm not a huge Bears hater but I must say I enjoy seeing them continue to fall apart every season. Actually, I feel slightly sorry for them this season since they just drastically overpaid for Jermon Bushrod and now they're about to get their fragile quarterback destroyed. Bears fans will be seeing more of this in 2013.
By season's end, Cutler will likely sue the Bears front office for reckless endangerment due to the Bushrod signing. I left off the obvious choice of the Dallas Cowboys because I could care less about them. I know the fans in Shreveport and other communities closer to North Texas and in Texas have to deal with Cowboy fans and their special brand of obnoxiousness, so I'm sure "America's Team" will come up in the comments section. I'm satisfied knowing Jerry Jones has done far more damage to his own franchise than the Saints could ever do on the field.
We want to hear from you Who Dat Nation! What teams are on your list? Who do you love to hate outside of the NFC South? Let's get this discussion started, this should be fun.