Good morning and welcome to my weekend thoughts. Each Monday, I will share my thoughts on what's happening in and around SE Louisiana and give my opinions on some random topics that are on my mind. I'll also answer some questions that our readers send in so hit me up on anything from sports, music, food and more...

1. November is here and that means it's time... the "unofficially" official start of the holiday season. While it is still 80+ degrees outside, that doesn't stop retailers from decorating everything with Christmas decor. Sale holiday sales ads starting to leak, television stations like Hallmark, Freeform and Lifetime are to airing their holiday movies and Holly, Sirius/XM's 24/7 Christmas music station is back in action.

I watched Elf on Saturday, because I saw it was on and it's one of my favorites. Honestly, I would watch it in June. In fact, I probably have before. LOL!! Anyways, I hope for some cooler weather soon because Fall is my favorite season, and this is my favorite time of the year. Give me bonfires, hot cocoa and s'mores!

2. The Saints played the 1-7 Carolina Panthers yesterday, a game they should have won but instead they lost... now their 7th straight game. Next up are the Atlanta Falcons, who are 6-3 and sitting on top of the NFC South.

I don't know what is going on or how to fix things but what I do know is that we have seen darker days than where we are right now. Many younger fans don't remember those times because they weren't around and have been spoiled by the Payton/Brees era. They don't know anything about blacked-out games, bag heads, empty training camp practices, and no waiting list for season tickets.

While I don't know what will happen in the very near future, what I do know is that, as someone who grew up in New Orleans, the Saints are not just a football team to this community. It is about so much more. I have witnessed what they have done and continue to do for the area.

Yes, they are currently a 2-7 football team, but it could be worse, much worse. New Orleans could be without an NFL franchise, and life in and around the city would look very different without the Saints.

While they are not playing their best football right now and fans are throwing insults at everything we write, telling me how much the team stinks and they feel sorry that I have to cover the team, I don't feel that way. I love my job. I love this city, and I love this team. I have for as long as I can remember. That will never change.

Yes, I would prefer that we were sitting at 7-2, but we are not. We are in a dark hole right now. But just like the holes we have fallen in before; we crawled out of them and will do so again.

When you hit rock bottom, there is no place to go but up.

3. The Pelicans are also struggling to win games and with injuries. Last night, they lost to the Atlanta Hawks 126-111. As for their roster, Herb Jones is expected to miss 2-4 weeks with right shoulder strain and partial tear, and CJ McCollum is expected to miss 2-3 weeks with a right adductor strain. Zion Williamson missed last night's game due to hamstring tightness.

The Pelicans will try to bounce back in the win column tonight at home, as they face the Trail Blazers.

4. So, I hear there is big game in Death Valley on Saturday night... Yep, LSU plays Alabama this week. This is always such a fun Rival week. (I swear it seems that LSU plays Bama, and the Saints play the Falcons together on the same week pretty often.) Anyway, Bama is favored 2.5 points over the Tigers. Huh?

Saban is no longer Bama's coach, but you didn't think you would get rid of him that easily, right? Yep, he is back as College Gameday will be in town.

Truthfully, I disliked Nick Saban, "the coach" but love him as an analyst and his commercials crack me up.

Who knew?

5. So.... there is tropical disturbance brewing in the Carribean. I know we are still in Hurricane season till the end of the month, but it's not that common to have something develop in November.

This storm will be named Rafael and early forecast tracks have it coming toward Louisiana. I know that can and will probably change and thank goodness, because sadly, too many areas are still dealing with issues from Beryl and Ida. This year has been a rough one with 2 major catastrophic storms hitting the Eastern U.S.

We will know more mid-week, but I think it's time we close up for the season.

Well, that's all folks. See you next week... same time, same place.

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