Calling the Shots:

Super Bowl Sunday will sure to be extra special for Ray Rando, a Newport Beach resident who grew up in New Orleans.

There’s no doubt he loves the Saints. He’s been a die-hard fan ever since he was a child. When he was 8, he met Archie Manning, one of the all-time greatest Saints, during a training camp practice and went home with an autographed football.

Rando later became a friend of Manning’s son, Cooper, and he watched Peyton grow up when they all would sometimes work out together at the Archie Manning Gold’s Gym.

So Rando’s been rooting for the Saints back when they were the “Aints,” and a paper bag to cover the face was the proper attire for home games.

When kicker Garrett Hartley nailed a 40-yard field goal in overtime to win the NFC Championship game, it was as if the city of New Orleans smiled. Some wept with joy. In Newport Beach, Rando celebrated too.

Now the Saints will face the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.

“It‘s a dream,” said Rando, 40. “Just for them to be there is the dream of my life. I just bought some new stuff online. I got shirts and a Super Bowl hat. This is like a once-in-lifetime thing. But I’m hoping it’s not once in a lifetime.”

Being a Saints fan was a way life for Rando while growing up in New Orleans. It doesn’t hurt that he loves football, too. He had his fun as a running back for Archbishop Rummel High in Metairie, La.

He also played Division III football at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.

He, just as many in New Orleans, has been inspired by the story of the Manning family, of how Archie Manning’s father committed suicide, but yet Archie overcame that adversity to become a pro quarterback. Peyton and Eli each went through their own trials before becoming Super Bowl champions with the Colts and Giants, respectively.

In reality, Super Bowl Sunday is a win-win situation for many Saints fans.

“The city can’t lose because we love the Manning family so much,” Rando said. “If we have to play anyone, it’s best we play them.”

After earning his Master of Business Administration degree at Tulane University, Rando moved to San Diego to specialize in pharmaceuticals. He then became involved with the artificial turf business and moved up to Orange County, where he became one of the founders of FieldTurf. That’s how he came to know Rudy Kaminski and Todd Carson, owners of Rudy’s Pub & Grill in Newport Beach.

Rando went to the restaurant/sports bar and noticed that artificial turf would add to the atmosphere. They all became friends. After Rando sold his interest in FieldTurf and later was without work, the pub owners gave Rando a job as a bartender.

He had been working at their Foothill Ranch restaurant for a few months, until now. He’s going to try to work in precious metals trading. He’s been training for the past few weeks. Sunday will be a time to forget about work.

He’ll keep it somewhat simple, just watching the game at home with his girlfriend. But he’ll have all his Saints garb around, including his, “Who Rat,” a stuffed nutria-rat doll. He even has a black ghetto blaster that has the Fleur de Lis, the Saints insignia, and “’Nawlins,” scrawled on it in gold. Just to keep with the Mardi Gras party theme, he also wears beads around his neck.

He last visited New Orleans for the holidays to see his family. He said everyone had Saints fever and that was before the team reached the Super Bowl.

His brother, Steven J. Rando, is an attorney in New Orleans and was there when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. He saw all the devastation and watched older people die as they couldn’t deal with the loss of their homes.

“It was a surreal experience,” said Steven, who had his picture in the Washington Post, wading through the water as he tried to clean his office.

The Saints have been helpful in the rebuilding of the city. Winning acts as a symbol for the fighting spirit of the citizens.

Steven, a Saints season ticket-holder, went to the NFC Championship game at the Superdome with his son and his father, Sal. When Hartley’s kick in overtime sailed through the uprights, Steven went wild. He turned to look at his 75-year-old father and saw him crying.

“It wasn’t just him crying, but I saw about 50% of the people there around me crying,” he said. “It was something to see, man. These people have been through a lot.”

Now Ray Rando and his family hope they can celebrate a Super Bowl win.