Drive through parts of New Orleans, not too far from the tourist theme park of the French Quarter, and the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 still remains.

Katrina blew through the US Gulf Coast four and a half years ago but houses in New Orleans still have no roofs, are left as they were abandoned during those August days, and still show the painted tags and crosses indicating when rescue teams searched the buildings and how many dead they discovered inside.

Katrina claimed more than 1800 lives.

More than 700 people are still classified as missing.

New Orleans is a city apart from much of the United States.

Like New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles it's almost a law unto itself with its own way of doing things.

Dallas Cowboys may be the self-proclaimed "America's Team" of the NFL but with their Super Bowl appearance this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts, almost as Middle America as you can get, New Orleans Saints may actually earn that mantle.

It turns out that, for those not Colts fans, there's a lot to love about the Saints.

The team actually has a handful of Louisiana locals on its roster (a rarity in pro sport), players for who the game in Miami on Sunday might just mean that tiny little bit more.

"I know the struggles and it's just a blessing to be representing your home state, and in my case my hometown, at one of the highest levels," Marlon Favorite, a defensive tackle, told reporters this week.

The Saints are making their first Super Bowl appearance after a history of mainly being rubbish.

Making the Championship game is as much a dream for fans as it is for professional players.

"It definitely makes it that much more personal," local Saint Tracy Porter explained at the team's pre-game media day.

"The amount of love that that state shows for the Saints, it's almost as if everyone down there is a Saints player."

Corner back Randall Gay, throwing professional non-commitment in the bin, revealed he was a Saints fan even when he was with New England Patriots.

"I've always supported them, no matter what," Gay said. "Even when I was in New England, I always supported the Saints.

"Every time I go out there and play football, no matter what team I'm on, I'm representing my state."

"I was born and raised here, this is where I'm going to live until I die, so to be part of something that's never happened before for your home state, it makes you feel you're going to always be part of the history."

This being New Orleans, there's also a touch of controversy where no controversy really exists.

Esteemed fellow columnist Jesse Fink can rest easy his beloved Pete Townshend, included on a list of sex offenders, can perform as part of The Who for the half-time show (last year was Bruce Springsteen, the year before Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers).

But the sometimes more interesting half-time commercial schedule has caused some fuss.

One ad set to run this year is an anti-abortion message from a group calling itself Focus On The Family.

This ad will be shown on broadcaster CBS.

Another, for a gay dating service, has been rejected by CBS.

Saints linebacker Scott Fujita spoke out about the broadcast policy, questioning the value of equal rights.

Fujita, adopted as a child and married, believes abortion is a woman's right and, while he's at it, is in favour of gay rights.

"It's not that courageous to have an opinion if you think it's the right thing and you believe it wholeheartedly," he said.

New Orleans, finally, has something to believe in.