We asked New Orleans Saints fans to send us their memories of the loudest games they have attended at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. We have included a sampling of their responses below.
Give their stories a read and if you're going to the Saints-Dolphins game tonight remember to MAKE SOME NOISE! Christen Oats of New Orleans
The loudest Saints game I have been to had to be when they returned to the Dome back in September 2006. The roof practically came off the building!!!! The fans' energy and excitement was almost outweighed by the excitement of the players who were pumped up to be back in the Superdome, a place which had just recently been home to such sorrow and grief was transformed into a place of joy and the promise of a new future!
Best game ever!
Chris O
The loudest Saints game I ever attended was also my first - this year's season opener against the Falcons. I just moved to New Orleans and I was amazed and overwhelmed by the energy of the crowd. From the pre-game festivities, to the victory celebration afterward - the afternoon was in the words of WWE superstar "the Miz" - awesome! The game was a nail-biter and it's one of the best I've watched, ever! The music and the participation of the fans was unlike anything I have ever seen or heard. I can't wait until I go to another Saints game!
Juan Daniel Barnes Jr. of New Orleans
The loudest Saints game I've ever been to is no doubt the reopening of the Dome after Katrina. Sitting in Tiger Stadium in 2005 just a few months after the storm and wondering if I'll ever see the team at home in the Dome where they belong made the night more special. From the player warmups, to the U2/Greenday concert, the Falcons' first possession where they went three-and-out to finally the blocked punt by Gleason. It was pure jubilation from start to finish. Nobody would have beaten us that night.
Jeffrey B. Ward of Gulfport, Miss.
The loudest game I have ever been to, was without a doubt, Falcons vs. Saints last season, 2012, at home, ending the Falcons' undefeated season. It was SO loud. Not a fan was seated. The four of us were seated third row from the field, at the corner of the end zone. What an amazing game, and a goal-line stand by the Saints that I will never forget. The Saints held them and everyone was giving each other high-fives. At that moment, "the worst defense in NFL history," did not matter. The Black and Gold came and played like champions.
Scott French
It was the final game of the 2011 season against the Panthers. The first regular-season game my kids got to see in the Dome. That would have been exciting enough, but we also got to witness some NFL records by Brees. And, yes, it was LOUD! Great time and great memories.
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Neal Dronet**
The loudest and greatest Saints game was the 2006 playoff game against the Eagles. My dad and I attended the game. We sat around the 50-yard line in top section of the Dome. The game was so loud that I had to keep my fingers in my ears the whole game. This game was not only great because we won but I got to experience it with my father. It was the beginning of our tradition of going to the Saints games. It was an amazing experience. Thank you Saints and all the staff for what you do.
Who Dat!
David Kendrick of Woodstock, Ga.
Was Monday night, Oct. 3, 1988 when the Saints played the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys scored late to tie it, but they left the Saints 24 seconds to drive. Mel Gray had a big kickoff return, and the place was going absolutely nuts the whole time. Bobby Hebert hit Brett Perriman with a 30-yard pass or so, and the cheering was deafening enough when Morten Andersen went on to try the field goal with two seconds left, I think 50 yards for the win. I was sitting in the lower level right behind the uprights Andersen had targeted. I was a senior at the University of Delaware and took the train in for the game. My relatives were watching on TV. When that kick went through – oh my. Pure noise. The best night I've ever had with 80,000 of my best friends.
Jennifer Horton of New Iberia
The loudest Saints game that I had ever been to was Oct. 7, 2012. It was against the Chargers. The Dome was packed and fans were crazy that night. We were on the 20-yard line on the Saints' side. We had gone to this game simply by a wild hair. We had just drove seven hours from San Antonio, and I said let's drive two more hours and watch Drew Brees break Johnny Unitas' record. Sure enough we got tickets and watched it happen. It was the most incredible experience. I even met Joe Unitas right before the game started. When Drew threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Devery Henderson to break the record the Dome went crazy. It was so loud that you could not even hear yourself think.
I remember feeling the ground and seats vibrate. I had lost my voice for a few days after that. I remember hugging and giving high-fives to everyone. It was definitely the loudest and one of the best games I have ever been to. I am so glad we were able to make it to that game.
Jennifer Chapman of Westwego
Flashback: 11/11/12
ATL at N.O.
The Falcons were coming into that Dome, OUR home, undefeated. Due to the baby daddy drama my cousin was going through, I got invited to go with her to that coveted game. A game others would have traded in weeks of tickets just to see in person. It was my first regular-season game ever. That one game was the best one last season. No other game mattered to us fans as long as we sent those Dirty Birds home with their first fall. They didn't fly that day in the Dome but I got to feel a heavenly presence due to our Saints. Being born and raised a Saints fan by true-blooded down to the bone DomePatrol ChaChing Whodat shouting parents I was already equipped with every chant, saying, and phrase I needed to cheer our blessed boys on to their ultimate victory.
We hung out in Champions Square till it was time to make our way into the sea of Who Dat Nation fans flooding the Dome with our excitement, energy, and positivity. We left with that same glory. Around and around the Dome we went looking for our seats shouting playfully Who Dat to every red and black jersey we spotted. We got to our seats, next to four guys; friends who attended each other's favorite teams games. They were there for that other team. But as soon as we sat down and the players began to make their way onto the field, we were all united. The shouts were registered on the LED projector - Get Louder! Go Defense! It was the most memorable sporting event I ever attended. We won. I had screamed, hollered, wanted to laugh, cry, & shout some more by the time that game was over. And I left still TALKING LIKE THIS!!!
When I think about that game, to this very day, I still 'talk' about it THE SAME WAY. From Champions Square, through the tunnels and the hallways of the Superdome, in the brand new seats of that home and out onto the streets of downtown New Orleans, we reverberated Saints spirit that day. We believed and people heard. That was the loudest (and livest) game I EVER attended.
Amanda Dailey of New Orleans
Atlanta at New Orleans last year. It was so loud at one point I actually reached up to my ears to see if blood was trickling out and down my neck. True story:). Who Dat!
Bryan Dronet
My son bought two playoff tickets between the Saints and Eagles in 2006 for a birthday present. I was a fan since it all began when Gilliam ran back the first kickoff for a touchdown. I watch the Saints duing good times and paper bag times and would on occasions go to a game. Neal always said that if they make the playoff he would buy tickets. It was the loudest noise that I ever experience. My ears rang for days after that game. The fans did not sit down the whole game, and nobody was drinking beer, because we did not want to go to the bathroom in case we would miss something. I'm deaf in one ear and wear a hearing aid in the other and that hearing aid was turned off. I do not remember how many decibels the loudest was, but it was one of the loudest ever recorded. We were on the waiting list for season tickets, and the following season after that year, we purchased season tickets. We very much enjoy going to the games. The playoff games when we finally went to the Super Bowl came close as well as the Atlanta game this year, but in my opinion the Eagle game was the loudest my son and I ever experienced.
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Royce Whitted of St. Rose**
On that day and the particular game I witnessed a dome RISE AND scream. I sat in Section 648 and it was so loud the stands were SHAKING! All game long while the Vikes had the ball on offense we got up and made as much noise as we could. Then I had an asthma attack and passed out! And when I woke up, I see Garrett Hartley setting up to take the game-winning field goal. And it went up and it was good and we're on our way to Super Bowl XLIV. That's the loudest Saints game ever. No debate.
Lance Toups
The loudest Saints game I ever attended in the Dome was the Saints vs. Vikings NFC championship. Literally thought my ears were bleeding for the kickoff it was so loud. But when Tracy Porter intercepted Bret Favre I think we broke the sound barrier. Loudest I ever heard it.
Cindy Paulin
It definitely was the win over Atlanta after Katrina. The greatest uplift I ever experienced after living through the Katrina tragedy. It was a true testament to the saying "Bless you boys!"
Jermon Wilson
I've been at and worked games, but no game was like the feeling that went through this Dome when Gleason blocked that punt on September 25, 2006. I never heard the Dome so loud in my life. That was Katrina frustration, all kinds of pressure erupting that night. There was no way the Falcons could've won. It was even bigger than the NFC championship.
Tina Gray of Lucedale, Miss.
It was in 2000 Saints vs 49ers. I believe the final score was 31-19. Before the game started I put a spell on the kicker of the 49ers and every time he MISSED he would look in my direction. The section we were in knew what I did and we all went crazy. The best part of this game was that it was my first and unfortunately the last with my husband but I still bring the kids and my Mama. WHO DAT!!!!!!
Jeremy Arwood
The loudest home game that I attended would definitely have to be the Monday night game versus them sorry Dirty Birds. The game when Drew broke the single season passing record. For a moment I thought I was back in the Marine Corps on an air base with fighter jets taking off!
Jason Seidman
The NFC Championship was the loudest game I've ever attended. Not only was it the loudest game I've ever attended, but it was the loudest noise I've ever experienced and it was continuous for nearly four hours.
While normally I sit in Section 336, for that game I sat in the first row of Section 545. There's no other way to say it: The sound quite literally made me sick. Don't get be wrong, I was the happiest and most excited I'd ever been to be sick in my life. After researching it, I realized that I was experiencing "Tullio phenomenon." the technical name for sound induced dizziness and nausea. I think it's important to point out that I've never experienced anything like that before in my life. I don't get car sick, I'd never gotten light-headed "and I'm never ever sick at sea." So I was legitimately scared for a few minutes, until my father told me that it was completely normal - for 70,000 people yelling at the top of their lungs indoors that is.
The noise was in fact deafening. Yet, to this day, I still believe that I could hear my father crying after Hartley kicked the winning field goal. I know it's impossible, but I will swear up and down 'till the day that I die, that I could hear him balling like a baby. That will forever be part of my "loudest game experience," because he passed away shortly after that.
It was the first game we'd been to together in years, and it was the last game I'd ever watch with him. A few days after the game, he had a heart attack, then had to have surgery. We were supposed to be in Sun Life Stadium, but we were obviously unable to make it. We asked them to push up the surgery as early as they could, so he'd be conscious as possible for the Super Bowl 28 hours later. He forbade me from watching the Super Bowl with him in the hospital room, because he wanted me to watch it out in the bar with all my friends. When I saw him the next day, I'd never seen him so happy in my life. Long story short, he held on for another few months, but ultimately didn't make it to the next season. When he passed, he was wearing his white shirt that read simply, Saints.
So, the NFC championship game, was indeed the loudest noise I've ever experienced in my life, but I could still somehow hear the tears of joy bursting from my father. The experience that would soon come to be mine and my father's last game together. At which point it retroactively (and once again) became the happiest and most exciting experience of my life.
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Monique Peddy of Lafayette**
The loudest game had to be the playoff game for the NFC against the Vikings. Not sure if it was louder during the game or after!
Nicholas Goodwin of Metairie
I have been waiting to tell my story and here goes. I have been fortunate enough to be at what I believe to be the three greatest and loudest moments in Saints history. Each game in its own right holds a different meaning of loudest. In chronological order we start with "Hakim drops the ball." This was the first playoff game the Saints ever won. I was 17 years old and I had never been in a place where people screamed for so long. After the initial eruption caused by the muffed punt people did not stop cheering all the way home. Next was the first game back in the Dome after Katrina.The city was in a state of mourning so it was initially not as loud as it would normally be. When Gleason blocked that punt I still cannot believe the top of the Dome did not blow off and it was as if someone had let off a stick of dynomite in a library during finals. The loudest initial reaction and if I had to bet I would say this would have been the moment when the highest decibel readings would have occurred.
I still can't remember being able to here any of my own thoughts if I even had any. The last was when Hartley made the kick that put pigs into flight. Take the first two moments and put them on steroids. The first was loud and long. The second was the moment with the highest spike in decibel level. But the last had all that and more. Imagine a baby throwing a crying tantrum in a nice restaurant, crying and screaming while you try to enjoy your meal peacefully. Imagine just winning the biggest Powerball ever, or trying to eat potato chips while taking a test in the library. Whether you were crying or jumping up and down with joy you were yelling at the top of your lungs and I still have no idea what was being said on the field which was being played through the PA system because it was so loud, and I tried real hard to listen to what everyone was saying. So to I think it is unfair to say that one game was the loudest unless we are solely basing it on decibel readings. But I must say that from beginning to end, the one game that the crowd as I like to call us, "The 12th Man Dome Patrol," never took a play off was the NFC championship game.
Jade M. Reaux of New Iberia
Lots of great games in recent memory at the Dome but you always remember your first. Sept. 13, 1987 vs. the Browns the day after seeing Pope John Paul II at the Dome. Game tied 21-21 going into the fourth quarter had the intensity in the Dome very high, Having never been to a professional sporting event before the noise level I experienced after the first to two safeties in the fourth quarter and then on the Morten Andersen field goal to ice the game is something I will never forget. For a 10-year-old on his first ever trip to New Orleans, first ever Saints game, and getting to see the Pope that is one weekend I will never forget.
Cedric Meyer of Metairie
I bought season tickets in 2000 when I was 14 years old. Never in my life have I attended an event as loud as Sept. 25, 2006 when the Saints made their triumphant return to the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina. I've been to the biggest college football games, European soccer matches and rock concerts and none of those held a candle to that night.
It was the only sporting event I've ever attended where every person was in their seat 30 minutes to an hour prior to kickoff. You could feel the buzz build with each passing minute. The Falcons took the field and everyone emptied their lung capacity onto the field. When Scott Fujita stripped Michael Vick on third down, the roof almost blew off. However, the ball trickled harmlessly out of bounds forcing a punt and a play that would change the course of a franchise and a city.
I was sitting on the 2-yard line, Saints side, Plaza level. My sightline was somewhere between Michael Koenan and Steve Gleason. I will never forget the sound of that indescribable moment. We stood nearly the entire first half, with the rest of the Superdome, exhausting our lungs. Refusing to let the pulsating pain of my temple stop me, I continued yelling until I was physically exhausted. It was so worth it. Following the game, Vick noted that he "Never heard a crowd roar so loud." That's about the only thing we've ever agreed on. And to this day I've never heard a more defeaning, consistant wall of noise that was brought by the crowd on that glorious night.
Debbie (debbie072356@yahoo.com)
I was at the first game back after the Saints won the Super Bowl. When Tom Benson came out on the float with Harry Connick Jr. playing "When the Saints go Marching In", you could hear the crowd anticipation. When Mr. Benson said "New Orleans, your championship banner" and they unveiled the banner with streamers coming down, the roar of the crowd was deafening. People around me were hugging and kissing each other like we were long lost buddies. I've known those people for a long time (season ticket holder since 1972), but it was a little freakish. Haha! Then when the team ran out on the field, the noise just continued to escalate all the way through the Who Dat chant! What a magical night!
Kim Langlois
I'd have to say the loudest game I've ever been to was Saints/Vikings 2009 NFC championship game. It was sheer luck that I ended up at that game (a friend got sick and couldn't go). It was the experience of a lifetime. I've been to games at Tiger Stadium (including Alabama) and I have to say the Dome was rockin and at times was louder than Death Valley (I know it's hard to imagine, but it's true). It's something that I can promise you I will never forget.
Kevin Compagno of Kenner
The loudest Saints game that I have ever been to was about 20 or so years ago when I was in grammar school. It was a game in the Superdome when we played the Bengals and Boomer Esiason was their quarterback. I believe we had the Dome Patrol on defense also. It was so loud in the Dome that the Bengals' o-line could not hear Boomer calling the snap count. He had to start using up all his timeouts because of the play clock running out. Once he was out of timeouts he just started throwing his hands up in the air looking at the refs because he could not get the play off.
If memory serves me right when the game could not continue the referees started penalizing the defense for delay of game or something because of the crowd noise. After about two penalties they were finally able to get the game going again. Till this day I have never seen that happen again anywhere.
Wendy Hirsch
It's rare that we can afford to attend a game, but we were very lucky to get to go to the Chargers game last year when Drew broke Johnny Unitas' record. The Dome was electric, holding back the surge, just waiting for that touchdown. And then it happened. And the earth shook. Grown men were teary-eyed. My 10-year-old son was so ecstatic his feet never touched the ground. Best game (for us) ever.
Misty Childress of Natchitoches
The loudest Saints home game we attended, so far, would be when they played the Falcons on Dec. 26, 2011 and Drew broke the record for most passing yards in a single season. It was also the first time we got his autograph! We will be front row this Monday and will definitely be trying to make this the loudest we have attended!
Who Dat!
David John Code
Saints vs. Vikings 2009. It was the first season that my family had season tickets. it was so loud that I could not hear myself think during the game. It was a lot of fun.
