Before a football team goes north and south, it first must travel hither and yon.

Since the team’s founding in 1967, the New Orleans Saints have pitched its training camps in such cooler locales as Bowling Green, Ohio; Oxnard, California; La Crosse, Wisconsin; White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia and San Diego; and at such steamy cities as Jackson and Hattiesburg Mississippi; Vero Beach, Florida; and Ruston, Hammond, Thibodaux and Metairie.

On July 31, 1989, a hopeful sign was posted at the Saints training camp in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It read: "181 days until the Super Bowl." It was off by 7,134 days, to be exact, to the Saints' win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. Winning in the NFL is hard. The road to victory starts at training camp.

New Orleans Saints head coach Tom Fears, left, leads quarterback Ronnie South (11), split end Gene Howard (29) and other team members in exercises at Cal Western University in San Diego in 1968.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Gary Cuozzo takes the snap during a drill at the Saints inaugural training camp in 1967 on the California Western University campus in San Diego.

Quarterback Billy Kilmer drops back during the 1970 New Orleans Saints training camp at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Rookie quarterback Archie Manning, left, shows a picture to receiver Danny Abramowicz and lineman Jake Kupp during the 1971 training camp at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. 

New Orleans Saints running back Andrew Jones runs a play during the 1975 training camp at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

Hokie Gajan, center, and other New Orleans Saints players take a break from the heat at Dodger Town in Vero Beach, Florida. in 1981.

Before the New Orleans Saints stepped foot on the practice field for their 1985 training camp in Ruston, they had a new owner. Saints owner Tom Benson and Saints president Eddie Jones react to one of Gov. Edwin Edwards' trademark one-liners during a press conference to announce the sale of the football franchise from John Mecon Jr. to Benson in 1985. After a brief shower of praise from Benson the governor quipped 'I sure hope you're on the jury.'

New Orleans Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson greets a young admirer Sunday after finishing a mile and-half run in 10 minutes, 43 seconds at the Saints' 1987 training camp at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. Lightening and ran did not deter local residents from turning out.

A hopeful sign posted at the 1989 New Orleans Saints training camp in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It was off by 7,134 days, to be exact, to the Saints' win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. 

Saints owner Tom Benson, left, and Saints General Manager Jim Finks during morning drills at the 1988 training camp in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

New Orleans Saints coach Mike Ditka gestures during a press briefing during the 1999 training camp in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks looks for a receiver inside Stopher Gymnasium at Nicholls State University at Thibodaux during the 2002 training camp. The practice was moved inside due to rain.

Saints running back Deuce McAllister high-steps through the middle of the line during the 2004 training camp at the Saints facility in Metairie.

New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush rolls a ball down his arm as he talks with head coach Sean Payton during the 2006 training camp at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.

Running back Fred McAfee, left, and wide receiver Joe Horn race their scooters through the stadium on their way to practice during the 2006 training camp at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. 

New Orleans Saint's quarterback Drew Brees, left center, is surrounded by backup quarterbacks Jamie Martin, bottom left, and Jason Fife, top left, and Tyler Palko, back right, at they warm up their arms at the Saint's 2007 camp at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. 

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees walks through the small groove of pine trees between the practice field and the locker room following the last practice of the afternoon during the Saint's 2007 camp at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. 

With the heat index topping 100 degrees, New Orleans Saints players take the morning off for some cool fun at a water park near Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi., the site of their 2007 training camp.

The Lombardi Trophy is guarded by U.S. Marine Corps at the Saints' 2010 training camp in Metairie following their Super Bowl win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Singer Jon Bon Jovi, right, shares a laugh with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, left, and New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton during a joint football practice in Foxborough, Massachusetts. in 2010.

Mountains serve as a backdrop as New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees tosses the ball during the 2011 training camp in Oxnard, California. 

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees kisses his pregnant wife Brittany as he holds onto his second son Bowen Christopher following practice at Saints' 2012 training camp at the team facility in Metairie.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan, left, and defensive tackle Akiem Hicks find relief from the blazing sun in the shadow of a lift used for the overhead camera during the team's 2013 camp at the Saints facility in Metairie.

New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson and his wife, Gayle, chat with quarterback Drew Brees during the 2013 training camp at Saints headquarters in Metairie.

New Orleans Saints running back Travaris Cadet leaps into the arms of offensive tackle Tavon Rooks after scoring a touchdown at the Black and Gold scrimmage during 2014 training camp at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia.

A shaft of light beams down on the New Orleans Saints training field after a late afternoon rain shower at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, the site of the Saints 2015 training camp.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan signs autographs during the first day of the 2017 training camp at the Saints headquarters in Metairie. 

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara vaults over a pile of pads during Saints' 2017 training camp at the team's headquarters in Metairie.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas runs a drill during the 2022 training camp in Metairie. 

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