If a secret potion actually exists to overcoming a raging Super Bowl hangover, it should stun no one that the New Orleans Saints insist they have the remedy.
There's only one tried and true method for the Saints to recreate the magic of last season, and it's not a Bloody Mary chaser.
It's more like the hair of the NFL dog -- a repeat Super Bowl championship.
The players and coaches know the score, and history isn't on their side.
Five of the last 11 Super Bowl champions missed the postseason all together the following year, while the New England Patriots (2003 and 2004) are the only team during that time frame to repeat.
The talk of a Super Bowl hangover is already making the Saints woozy, and has defensive coordinator Gregg Williams on the offensive.
"I keep on hearing you guys talking about this Super Bowl hangover," Williams said. "And it's starting to chap me a little bit. It really is. I'm being real honest. If you could see behind the scenes our offseason program from April 19 on, ... I don't have any qualms about the way our defense is because all they did was show up with more hunger, more fire, wanted me to be a bigger jerk and get on their ass more. They begged for me to get on their ass more. So far, I've seen nothing that would not indicate that we can't make another run at this."
Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees called the talk of a hangover "old" one practice into training camp. But Brees has the hangover target all over his chest considering the national spotlight that's shined on him since he held his headphone-wearing son, Baylen, high above his head as the confetti fell in Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
"I got to fly with the F-16 Thunderbirds up in Shreveport which was awesome," Brees said. "I got to go on a USO trip to Dubai, Turkey and Djibouti. I got to play golf with Jack Nicklaus. The ESPYs just a few weeks ago was a thrill, just having so many guys there and our team being a part of so many of the awards.
"That week after the Super Bowl will always be one of the craziest times of my life when you look at Disneyworld and then the talk shows and then the Super Bowl parade, which was just unbelievable and then Mardi Gras, being king of Bacchus. The list goes on and on and is kind of never-ending, but it was all fun."
Was it too much fun? Poll your average Saints fans and they'd tell you it wouldn't be a major disappointment if the Saints failed to "Two Dat" as they're calling it in New Orleans.
It's perception Brees and the Saints will stare down and battle throughout the season. That's certainly not lost on Brees as he said the stigma won’t subside until "we go out and show them that it's not true."
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