I remember the first time we drove back into New Orleans after the levees failed.

Tired, sad, and scared half to death of what we might find at our home, we came in across the Causeway, and the sight of the skyline simultaneously lifted and pierced our hearts. At the skyline's own heart was the no-longer-white curve of the Superdome, torn open to its skeleton, our symbol of hope become a symbol of helplessness and death.

Standing in the middle of the Dome last night, Coach Sean Payton said, "Th...