"To visiting Giants fans, I offer some advice. Pack your battle garb. And wear your thickest skin.

San Francisco fans are rough customers. As a Saints fan at Saturday's divisional playoff game, I can tell you that baiting visitors is as much a part of 49er game-day amusement as waving fan flags and downing super dogs.

"I think I know how Marie Antoinette felt on the way to the guillotine," I told my husband as we strolled the tailgating lot pre-game. The unwavering chorus of boos was punctuated by shouted taunts.

We'd been warned that 49er fans are among the NFL's most obnoxious. But they take fan intimidation to new levels. Really.

The game was tense, an emotional roller-coaster, full of stress and nail-biting drama. Still, it was an exhilarating thrill ride for fans on both sides.

Until the last whistle, and the onslaught from the people in red."