Parade down Bourbon Street in a dress
What: Longtime New Orleans sports commentator Bernard “Buddy” Diliberto, frustrated by his team’s endless failures, made the promise to radio listeners back in 1994. Alas, Diliberto passed away in 2005 before he could have the pleasure of fulfilling his pledge. So last Sunday, some of his biggest fans did it for him — Buddy’s son Chris Diliberto donned a knee-length black zip dress and marched through the Big Easy, as did former Saints quarterback Bobby Herbert and an army of dress-wearing men calling themselves “Buddy’s Broads.”
Get This: Buddy anointed the Saints’ with their long-cursed nickname, the “Aints,” after the team’s 1-15 season in 1980. He also started the tradition of Saints fans wearing paper bags over their head, to hide the shame of rooting for a failing franchise.
It’s a big weekend for The Big Easy. The Saints play in the Super Bowl and there’s a mayoral election. New Orleans Times-Picayune reporter David Hammer talks with Kai Ryssdal about how it’s the Saints vs. candidates in today’s Marketplace.
Special thanks to Darlene Bolesny of the Public Insight Network for this idea!
