After reading about the New Orleans Saints’ victory in the Super Bowl (and watching video on nfl.com), I had a random thought:

If enough people want a certain team to win an event … and they are a big enough percentage of the whole … can they somehow influence the course of events?

I suppose this is a spiritual concept. It isn’t rational.

But I have a sense that most Americans wanted the Saints to defeat the Indianapolis Colts. Not because they hated the Colts, but because they 1) remember what New Orleans went through, during and after Katrina; 2) have fond memories of the city from visits there; and 3)  understand that the Saints had never been nowhere and never done nothin’ and embraced them as an underdog.

So, if maybe 75 percent of Americans watching the game — and there were more than 100 million of them — were pulling for the Saints to win, with more enthusiasm than generic fans bring to a game … can all that psychic goodwill somehow effect the outcome of a physical event?

I wonder.

Did you see Colts quarterback Peyton Manning late in the game? He was supremely frustrated. Scowling. Throwing towels.

It was as if he knew the Colts ought to be ahead. But they weren’t. They had more yards, more first downs. But just those 17 points.

It was as if the Saints were meant to win.

I’m trying to think of another examples of this. I’m not sure there are many because most big sports events usually have a fairly even distribution of support. Maybe the New York Giants over the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2008. Maybe Penn State over the Vinny Testaverde Miami team a generation ago. Oldtimers might suggest Joe Louis over Max Schmeling in a famous 1938 boxing match.

I’m not going to get too deep into this, because most of the time I don’t think it matters what we want. Usually, the better team or athlete wins.

But that Saints game … just made me reconsider. For a moment.