Kim Ramsey, New Orleans
I'll never forget the euphoria my husband, three sons and I felt once we secured that Super Bowl victory!!! We were there in person to witness the momentous event. Imagine that, the New Orleans Saints catapulted from last to first place in my lifetime! It's still unbelievable!
C.C. Culver, San Jose, Calif.
My favorite memory: After a beautifully blessed couple of days in San Francisco, I watched the Super Bowl at my mom's house. Sitting on the couch my feet began running in place, making an audible tapping sound on the floor at my mom's house, as if I was running with Marques Colston down the field after intercepting the ball going step for step to the end zone for the touchdown and win! My second favorite memory: Watching Drew Brees pick up his son, ear protection and all, celebrating the moment!
Ashley Brown, Pensacola, Fla.
My dad had season tickets to the Saints and took me to most games in the late '70s and '80s; I usually left crying. So when we had that amazing undefeated start to our season in 2009, we were beyond thrilled. About halfway through the season I started thinking about going to the Super Bowl, and I just had a feeling. At first I thought I'd get tickets to Miami, but then realized I would rather watch the game and celebrate in New Orleans, with all my fellow fans/sufferers! So I booked a downtown hotel room for Super Bowl night (We had moved to Pensacola in 2000). And then the playoff games...and pigs flew!! I invited my dad to come with me, and we headed over. The Quarter was a madhouse - I have never seen so many happy people.(The picture with the balloons is my dad.) We decided to watch the game at Antoine's Hermes bar, and we set ourselves up at a tall bar table with a view of the TV. That was the most amazing few hours of my life. When Tracy Porter had that interception, we just knew. The whole place went crazy. Toward the end of the game it sank in that we were really going to win the Super Bowl!! We were jumping up and down and crying; as soon as it ended the bar started playing the old Who Dat song and "I Believe" over and over, and we all second-lined around the room whooping and hollering. They brought out champagne for everyone. I still have the napkin that I used to second line with! Then we headed out into the street for the party, and found our way to Deanie's, where we watched Bobby and Deke, so hoarse you could barely understand them - and perhaps just a little drunk as well ;-) - go on and on about what a fantastic game it was and what it meant to our city to finally have a Super Bowl victory. We stayed until we could barely keep our eyes open, then headed back to the hotel where I opened the bottle of Who Dat champagne my dad had given me years before, saying, save this for a Super Bowl!! Then we got up early the next morning to get some copies of the paper, headed to the pro shop in the Dome to get championship T-shirts, then ate breakfast at Betsy's.
BEST.NIGHT.EVER.
It truly was one of the very happiest moments of our lives and we are eternally grateful to Coach Payton, Drew, and the whole team and organization for giving us that!! Bless you boys!!
Matt Brunner, Berkley, Mich.
I've been a Saints fan for as long as I can remember, despite growing up in Ohio, going to college in Indiana, and now residing in Michigan. One of my favorite Christmas gifts I'd received growing up was an authentic Saints cap. I remember getting excited when the Saints won their first playoff game in 2000 against the Rams. I hadn't been able to watch the game, but my grandma recorded it for me to watch later. I was in fifth grade.
Then, 10 years later, my team made it all the way to the Super Bowl. I was a sophomore in college and couldn't contain my excitement. Almost all my friends were rooting for the Colts, mostly because I was attending college in Indiana. I watched the game with my friends in the college's cafeteria, getting more and more excited as the game went on and the Saints pulled ahead. I erupted with elation when they emerged victorious!
With my birthday being the next day, the Saints winning the Super Bowl was the best birthday present I could have asked for.
Sherry Nicols, Lafayette
I was so excited to get this email asking fans for their Super Bowl stories! I am 43 years old, and have been a Saints fan for my whole life! My very first Saints game was at the Dome when I was 9, and we played the Falcons. Spending those times with my dad, a man of few words and who very rarely displayed any emotions, was such a gift to me. The Saints were that for my dad and I.
Like I said, he didn't say much, wasn't an emotional man, so sometimes conversation could be a struggle…..but when we talked about his SAINTS??!!! His demeanor changed and we had MUCH to talk about!
My husband and I surprised my dad with Super Bowl tickets, and it's a day I will never forget. None of us knew at the time of the Super Bowl, but my dad was very sick. He passed away in May 2012, only 5 months after receiving a stage 5 lung cancer diagnosis. My dad was such a hard worker his whole life. To know he passed away so young, without even having a chance to retire and enjoy the fruits of his labor, see his grandchildren grow up, or to travel with his soulmate, my mother, and enjoy the last chapter of their lives together ... it is tough to think about.
However, my entire family takes great comfort in knowing that he got to see his beloved Saints win the Super Bowl in Miami and our seats were AMAZING!!!!!
We were sitting in the end zone when Tracy Porter intercepted and our story is, he was pointing at us! I know he was:)
My dad was a Who Dat fan with every fiber of his being, and even went to games when the fans were wearing bags over their heads. Even though his children had to wake up early for school and needed all of their sleep, when the Saints were in the playoffs my dad would BLAST "Saints Go All the Way" every morning at 4 a.m., over and over, while he was getting ready for work.
The Saints have given me some priceless memories with my dad, and for that, I am forever grateful.
Crystal Morvant, Hallandale Beach, Fla.
So many memories, couldn't pick just one!!!
Fond memories:
- The quiet sound of the Colts fans as we were loudly cheering Saints chants walking to the stadium.
- The comeback victory!
- The unbelieveable feeling of actually winning a Super Bowl!!!!!
- The enormous XLIV signs on Fort Lauderdale beach
- As I am now of current resident of South Florida, I have never seen South Beach so packed on a Saturday night. Oh, what fun we had!!
Casey-Lynn Jarrell, Gretna
When I saw that you were asking for memories from SB44, I immediately thought of this:
My family and I were gathered around the television, watching in awe. The clock was so close to 00:00, and the Saints were so close to winning the Big Game. And then finally, it was over! We had won! My brother grabbed his trumpet, rushed out to the street, and began to play "When the Saints Go Marching In!" The best part is that our neighbors came out and started to sing with him. Still my favorite Saints moment to this day.
To add to the story, my brother Alex Jarrell, has Asperger's syndrome. It's a high functioning form of autism, so he has trouble interacting with people. But Alex has no trouble talking about the Saints! This team has helped him break out of his shell. His role model is Drew Brees (like any good New Orleanian) and knows all of his statistics. Just to sum it all up, this teamed has helped my family in so many ways. So a big "thank you" to everyone! For the ultimate Saints fan, Alex. Who Dat!
Brian Savoie, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
My favorite memory of our Super Bowl 44 victory is actually after the game. The hero of the game, Tracy Porter, was being interviewed about the pick-six he had to seal the game and crush the Colts' spirit. In true honest and pure of thought fashion, Porter said, "Well, that was just great film study by me. I know their tendicies and took advantage of that knowledge."
That special season is full of great memories, but that quote was my favorite.
Jane Brewster, Nashville, Tenn.
Let me preface this story by saying I was born in New Orleans in 1964. As a very small child, I remember my dad and brothers talking about Archie Manning and the Saints. Some of my early football-related childhood memories include my dad in front of the TV, hand in a bowl of popcorn, rooting for the Saints. I lived through the years of the "Aint's". I actually lived just down the street from the old Saints facility and used to get so excited when the players jogged past my house during training. I remember the crawfish boil parties that always took place on Super Bowl Sunday. They were never really about the game, more about the party and the crawfish though.
I moved to Dallas in 1994, tried to become a Cowboys fan, but deep down, I was still a Saints fan in my heart. My dad would call the Cowboys the Cowgirls and it made for great fun through the years as the Cowgirls and Saints played each other. It was always in good fun.
In July 2009, my dad passed away at Ochsner in New Orleans. He was 80 years old. My mom survived him. The football season that followed my dad's passing ended in the Saints winning the Super Bowl. By then, I had been in Dallas for years. With the migration of New Orleanians to Dallas after Katrina, running into fellow Saints' fans (Who Dats) wasn't hard to do. It was an amazing season, no doubt. For my mom, it took on a different meaning. With each passing WIN by the Saints, she'd say she was sure my dad was in heaven 'helping' the Saints play. She'd say, if they win again next week, I'll just KNOW it was your dad in heaven helping them. And, each week, they'd win, and she'd say... if they win next week... I'll know it's your dad helping.
And, they did win. Week after week after week. My mom was, and still is, convinced my dad was helping. As the Saints marched their way to the Super Bowl, I remember the event held downtown in honor of Buddy "D", who had also passed prior to getting to watch the Saints go to, and win, the Super Bowl. Buddy D said he'd wear a dress if they ever went, and everyone went downtown and they all did wear dresses to support the Saints and in honor of Buddy D. Who knows, maybe my dad (CB Brewster III) and Buddy D were in heaven together in their lazy-boy chairs, popcorn in hand, cheering together.
The day of the Super Bowl, I wore my Who Dat T-shirt with pride around Dallas all day long. I was high-fived by other fans also wearing their Saints gear. It was a day I will never forget. There were Super Bowl parties being held everywhere. but I wanted to focus on the game. I wanted to give every ounce of my positive energy to the Saints, to their winning the Super Bowl. Deep down, I didn't know if it would happen or not, and I promised myself I'd be a proud fan, win or lose. But, I really wanted them to WIN! For my dad, and for my mom who so wanted to think he was up in heaven enjoying it all.
The first half of the game was a blur. The onside kick to start the second half made me jump clear off the sofa and take notice. Yep, I'm almost certain I saw an invisible hand guide that ball into a Saints' player's hands. And toward the end of the game, when that interception was caught and run all the way back for the winning score, I'm almost certain I saw that same invisible hand guide that ball into the Saints' player's hands and pave the way into the end zone. I'll ever forget sitting on the edge of my sofa. Completely stunned. Amazed. We - the Saints - the Who Dat Nation - my dad, Buddy D - WON THE SUPER BOWL!
My phone completely blew with text messages after that. I couldn't read any of them because the tears were running down my face. Happy tears. To this day, my mom (and I) believe my dad helped them that season. It was, and still is, comforting to think it happened, anyway.
Nope, not your typical Saints Super Bowl story, but it's mine and I'll treasure it always. I live in Nashville now, but I'm still a Saints fan tried and true. I wear my Saints gear every time they play. I even have a T-shirt that says I may live in TN but my heart is still a Saints fan.
