If ever a moment showed proof of sports’ power to unify and inspire people in the face of hardship, it occurred on the evening of September 25, 2006 during a game between the Saints and the Falcons. About one year after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and damaged the Louisiana Superdome, permanently forcing the Saints onto the road for a 3-13 season, they were back at a renovated stadium and playing on Monday Night Football, in front of 70,003 rabid fans and a sympathetic nationwide audience. After a coin flip by a former president and performances by Green Day and U2, and after the Saints forced a three-and-out on Atlanta’s first drive, the Falcons’ Michael Koenen went back to punt. The Saints’ Steve Gleason sprinted down the middle untouched and blocked Koenen’s kick; the ball rolled into the end zone, where New Orleans’ Curtis DeLoatch picked it up for a touchdown and performed a reverse dunk on the goal post. From that point it was over: the Saints won 23-3, improving their record to 3-0, and the collective spirit of a city had been lifted.