44 years of football frustration was lifted on one majestic kick in the Superdome Sunday as the New Orleans Saints beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 in overtime on Sunday to claim their first NFC Championship and a trip to Miami for the Super Bowl XLIV.
The Mardi Gras parades may not be starting for another week, but the partying got an early start after Garrett Hartley's 40 yard overtime kick went through the uprights.
The city that has hosted four Super Bowls is in the unfamiliar position of scrambling to get tickets to watch their beloved Saints play in one.
And in light of all the drama the city has gone through post-Katrina, they deserve it.