After the confetti had dropped, after the tears were shed, after they stood in front of the cameras and the microphones and tried to put the greatest night of their professional lives in perspective, Sean Payton and Drew Brees shared a quiet moment together.
They hopped on the back of a golf cart, each with a hand on the shiny silver Vince Lombardi Trophy that rested in Payton's lap, each with a wide grin across their faces.
"Don't you just want it to slow down and last longer?" the coach said to his quarterback.
Lucky for them, the feeling won't go away any time soon, now that the New Orleans Saints have become Super Bowl XLIV champions for the first time in their 43-year history, thanks to a thrilling 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at Sun Life Stadium on Sunday night.
The victory party will last into the early morning hours today and spill into a championship parade Tuesday evening that will meld into the most exuberant Mardi Gras week the city has ever seen.
