Slaying of former Saints player resonates in city he loved (Yahoo Sports)

People across Louisiana sought to process the news that one of the Saints' much-loved players, former defensive end Will Smith, was shot in the back Saturday night in what police called a deadly act of road rage. Smith, 34, arrived in New Orleans in 2004 as a No. 1 draft pick and played with such passion and power that he quickly became a defensive captain. Off the field, he won hearts in his adopted city, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and rejuvenated when the Saints won the Super Bowl in 2009.