[WWL audio: Intro music plays.

Henderson: It was a return to football as usual as we kicked off the decade of the ’80s.]

Jim Henderson: I always thought of myself as a reporter and anchor. And I kind of found my way into play-by-play through the back door, with no experience whatsoever. But the fact that I was with WWL, which had the radio rights and was this colossus of a television station—and I just remember, before I said the first word, to myself I said, “Well, here goes. Open your mouth and say something.” And so that started in ’86. And I did it until most recently, February of 2018.

[WWL audio: Crowd noise.

Henderson: Confetti fills the air. Saints fans on their feet. Everybody in black and gold having the time of their lives.]

Henderson: Some of my only lucid moments are driving around, mowing the lawn on my riding lawn mower, thinking about what I would say during certain situations. And I remember riding around one time. I said, you know, what would I ever say if the Saints won the Super Bowl? And in the course of doing Saints games, there would always be some guys down in the lower level who would bring signs. And when the Saints were playing well, they might hold up a sign that says, “Pigs Fly.” Or they might later hold up a sign that said, “Hell Freezes.” So I said, you know, if the Saints ever won the Super Bowl, that’s what I’d say. Pigs have flown, hell has frozen over, the Saints have won the Super Bowl.

[WWL audio plays.

Henderson: He has been the mentor for Garrett Hartley, who is about to attempt to kick the Saints into the first Super Bowl in their forty-three-year history.]

Henderson: So when he lined it up and he kicked it, I remember saying to myself, you know, I had this call for winning the Super Bowl. But maybe I better not press my luck. Maybe I should use it now.

[WWL audio plays.

Henderson: Snap. Placement. Kick by Hartley. And it is—it is good! It’s good! It’s good! [laughs] Pigs have flown. Hell is frozen over. The Saints are on their way to the Super Bowl.]

Henderson: And then afterwards [laughs], I heard from a bunch of people. And one lady had sent me in, while we were down in Miami, preparing for the game, said, “You know what? What you ought to say if the Saints win the Super Bowl, is say, ‘Get ready to party with the Lombardi, New Orleans.’” And I’m thinking, that’s a much better line than I could possibly have. So fortunately, we probably knew in the last two minutes of that game that the Saints were going to win. So I was able to use that call then, which got a lot of play. But it wasn’t original. This lady had sent it to me. So it was just, just a great run. And fortunately, they won, so. I mean, that’s something I’ve often said I wish other people that do what I did, around the NFL, would get the chance to call a winning Super Bowl. Everybody should have that opportunity. And unfortunately, not everybody does. So I feel very fortunate.

[WWL audio plays.

Henderson: Get ready to party with the Lombardi, New Orleans!

Hokie Gajan: It’s already, it’s already started. I promise you, my friend [laughs]. Have mercy.

Henderson: The miracle in Miami has happened. The Saints have won the Super Bowl.]

Henderson: This is a football city. I always said that covering sports in New Orleans is a pyramid. And at the very top of the pyramid is the Saints, in good times and bad. And this is as far as interest, as far as coverage. The passion for football is just unmatched. It’s different in the NFL here than in most places, because the passion is so deep and widespread and lingers year after year, generation after generation.