It was wonderful yesterday writing about how next year’s Super Bowl will feature the Oakland Raiders pummeling Dallas by about 87 to 3. Yet, family members who realize I bleed Raiders black and gray interrupted the joy; this column needs to be about this year’s Super Bowl. Or so they say.

Nevertheless, I wanted to convince family members that the Raiders will be in the big game next year. So I asked around:

• Oldest son Stan: No particular interest.
• Middle son Diego (Tennessee Titans fan): Raiders don’t deserve it.
• Youngest son Ben (New York Giants fan): See above.
• Daughter-in-law Connie (Seattle Seahawks fan): See above again.
• Daughter-in-law Heather (Arizona Cardinals fan): See above yet again.
• Grandson and namesake Arthur Roland (Titans fan): See above one more time.

If a team could win the game on just deserts, local fans would clinch it for the New Orleans Saints in Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIV. Most of those interviewed — most of them strangers to me previously — would like to see the team of Hurricane Katrina survivors take home the trophy.

The Saints, though underdogs, clearly are the preference of Las Vegas fans. Here is some reaction:

Albert Tafoya, Larry Martinez, Bruce Andersen, Ernest Encinias, Sandy Brown, Maire Lopez, Irene Taylor, Rosita Griego, Manuel Ortega, Suzette Rudolph, JoAnn Gonzales and Paul Archuleta have the Saints as sentimental favorites. The team that last week spanked the peripatetic Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings just came out of nowhere to win 13 regular season games. Remember, they were 4-12 in 1980.

Because this is a new experience for the boys from the bayou, lots of people are rooting for them.

Albert Tafoya, a wellness supervisor at the City Recreation Center, puts it well: “The Saints are well balanced on offense and defense. They’re playing on all eight cylinders.” Tafoya, a Dolphins fan, predicts a 24-20 score with New Orleans on top.

Larry Martinez, a librarian at Luna Community College and a loyal Raider fan, said, “I’m always for the underdog.” Yet, he says, “the Colts will probably win because of their experience; they’ve been there before, but it depends on who shows up for the game.” Martinez emphasizes that “showing up” applies to virtually any endeavor, not just football.

Bruce Andersen, a podiatrist, predicts the Saints will win it “by three points or as close as one point.” Andersen said, “I pick the Saints because of their energy. They’ve never been there before.” He’s more a fan of particular quarterbacks, namely Joe Montana, Doug Flutie and Kurt Warner. Andersen’s ready to scratch Bret Favre off his list.

Ernest Encinias, a media technician at LCC, is a Dallas Cowboy fan. For this game he prefers New Orleans, “but the Colts’ Peyton Manning is too tough, too accurate.” Like most others interviewed, Encinias says the Saints deserve to win, as they’ve “never been there before.”

Local physician Sandy Brown is a Dallas fan “because I’m from there.” He expects the Colts to win by 10 or more points because of “good offensive routine and experience, especially with Peyton Manning.” Yet, Brown prefers a Saints win.

Maire (pronounced “Mora”) Lopez, deputy city clerk, is impressed by the Saints’ “strong game against Minnesota in the playoffs.” She’s a Bears fan, her mother being from Chicago. Maire hopes for a Saints victory.

“After all they’ve been through, they deserve it,” Irene Taylor said of the Saints. Taylor, a home health care worker who also works at Semilla Natural Foods, needed to be reminded about who this Sunday’s combatants are. (It’s the Saints and the Colts, Irene.) She’s a Dallas fan.

Irene’s friend, Rosita Griego, who’d just finished working out at the recreation center, agrees that the “Saints deserve it … and we can’t forget Katrina.” Rosita, from Peñasco, is working on a master’s degree in educational leadership at Highlands. Her gridiron tastes range from the Dolphins to the Broncos to the Dallas Cowboys. Rosita predicts a 14-7 victory for the Saints.

JoAnn Gonzales has a temporary position at city hall, as she works for the upcoming municipal election. Her input: “Who’s playing? That’s how much I know.” And yet, often some of the least addicted fans have the best predictions. JoAnn says the Saints are deserving and “It’ll probably be close.” Wisely, she’s a Raider fan, which means things will be looking up just a year from now.

Dallas fan Paul Archuleta, has been in Las Vegas for the past 10 years. He said he hopes the Saints win. He’s retired from Juvenile Services in Eagle Nest. He predicts a close game.

Johnny Martinez works with the railroad and is also the girls’ assistant basketball coach at West Las Vegas. The Tecolote resident expects the Colts to win because “They’ve been there, done that.” Martinez said he likes the Colts’ “vast experience, especially for Peyton Manning.” Martinez is a Raider fan.

Suzette Rudolph, a control clerk for the City Recreation Center, opines, “That’s a tough one” when asked to predict Sunday’s outcome. But like most others, she favors the Saints “because they’ve never been there before.”

Manuel Ortega, a cook at the Subway in Romeroville, believes the Saints are deserving of a win “because they’re the underdogs.”

Ortega obviously knows his football. When asked his favorite team not in this year’s Super Bowl, he named the Oakland Raiders. The man even has a professionally applied tattoo on the front of his right calf. Now that’s dedication.

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Now, as for the unusual number of Raider fans — Larry Martinez, JoAnn Gonzales, Johnny Martinez and Manuel Ortega — I can only claim coincidence. These four Oakland fans probably represent 75 percent of the local Raider Nation.