Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

A year after Hurricane Katrina blew the roof off the stadium, the Saints returned to bring down the house.

I don’t mean to get too corny or witty writing about what was a tragedy. After seeing the devastation that hit New Orleans and the sickening sights from the stadium-turner-shelter, I’m actually quite shocked pro football was able to return so quickly. Some argued it never would, and still more said it never should.

I have to admit to being one of the latter. There was a time I found it hard to believe football mattered to the people of New Orleans. There was, and still is, far too much work to be done without worrying about repairing a playground for a bunch of millionaires. How could people even think about pouring hundreds of millions into a stadium when so many remain without homes? I heard residents of the Big Easy speak about how important the Saints were to the region’s morale, but I really didn’t get it.

And then I watched Monday Night Football. If you didn’t see the entire show, pre-game and all, I doubt words can do it justice. You hear about a venue being filled with electricity. This was something totally different. You could almost feel it coming out of your television set. Players and coaches say they’ve never been in a louder venue. Often times, those are just words. They weren’t kidding on this night. The crowd was amazing and never let up till the final whistle. Watching residents with tears in their eyes, if you didn’t feel something move inside you, you’re not human.

Pro football is back in New Orleans, and so are the Saints. Count me among those who’ve changed their mind and think that’s great news!

P.S. I’ve never been a big U2 fan. It’s not that I think their music stinks. It just doesn’t do much for me. Except when Bono is rocking the Superdome.

I was there for the emotional Super Bowl halftime performance after 9/11. It was then I first realized why people shelled out big bucks to see the band perform live. They were awesome. The only question in my mind was whether I really liked the performance, or if I just got caught up in the moment, with the scrolling names of the victims in the background and all.

I’m still likely to flip the station when a U2 song comes on the radio, but once again, Bono reminded me last night how good he can be in a live setting, and how he feeds off the emotion and the crowd feeds off him.

I won’t run out and buy any of their albums, but if the government were to enact a law making U2 the mandatory performers for any emotionally charged big event, they won’t get an argument from me.

Did you see all the festivities Monday night? What did you think? Tell me you didn’t feel a chill run down your spine? Can the Saints feed off that energy all year?

What about U2? Why is it I can’t get into them on radio, but I find them fascinating live?