Steve and Donna Muscato

Superbowl 44 was "the icing on the cake." My wife and I have been Saints fans for a very long time. We have, as has many devoted fans, sat through years of ups and downs and we always stood true to the Black and Gold and to the city of New Orleans. Back in 2005 we moved to Las Vegas after becoming empty-nesters and immediately had our home Sainted.

During our Super Bowl run season we had access to many large TV screens throughout the casinos and the one thing that stood out was we were always outnumbered by other team's fans where ever we were.
The Super Bowl was a week away when I received an invite to view the "The Big Game;" at Sam's Town Live. At the time my wife was a banquet server who was happening to be working Sam's Town Live that day. When I arrived I was immediately out numbered by Colts fans 20 to 1. Remember the Colts were favored that day and the number of Colts fans showed that.

During the first half of the game I tried to keep to myself watching my team and noticing that the nervousness of our team was going away and the Colts players were also noticing that the Saints came to play. During halftime Colts fans were strategizing on how to finish this game and I just sat there watching. Then the second half started and the whole vibe in the room changed. I could see in the eyes of the Colts fans they were not favored any more. Still I sat there just watching. The room seems to quiet down and then Peyton Manning throws an interception and touchdown and still I sat there quietly. What I saw in the eyes of all those Colts fans was they were losing to a great team and as the Colts fans started leaving most stopped by and congratulated me, as if I won the game, and again I sat there quietly. My wife told me later that she was in the kitchen area and all of a sudden they heard a loud rumbling throughout the building and when she returned to Sam's Town Live she found out why.

Being a longtime Saints fan a load was lifted and now started a new chapter in watching Saints football every week. As far as me sitting there quietly during the game….SURE…we won.

Donna Benson, Grayson

I have been a Saints fan for 40 years! Through the good, the bad, the terrible, I have remained faithful. The Super Bowl win was a fantastic event. I am thankful that I was able to watch the game with the best friend ever! My friend was ill for several years. I actually missed church that night to watch the game with her. We had a fantastic time and yelled and screamed (she was on oxygen full time) so I did all of the jumping and dancing! She passed away two years later but watching the Saints win their first Super Bowl with a special lady is a very special memory for me.

By the way, I got to attend my first Saints game live this past season. What an awesome experience! Ready to see another! Saints vs ? Super Bowl 50!! 

Dan Roach, Pecos, N.M.

I was home recovering from a car accident that broke my pelvis... I knew I was healing well when Tracy Porter intercepted Manning and I jumped up out of my chair crying like a baby!

Yesterday I worked in the ER during the Super Bowl wearing my Saints gameday gear.

Love my Saints... Even in New Mexico!

Mark Langenback, Greenfield, Mass.

I'm sitting here reliving the memories of Super Bowl 44 and trying to come up with a part of it that stood out as a favorite memory. It's not that easy. The whole thing just seemed so unreal, so amazing, almost too good to be true. As a lifelong Saints fan (though I've never lived in or even close to New Orleans) I've lived through all of the hard times, the so few ups and the so many downs. I made it past being called an "Aint", I sure did hate that term. I guess for me the SB44 memory starts with the championship game in January. Throughout the fourth quarter of that game, I sat in my recliner with my laptop in hand, the Internet dialed into the NFL ticket exchange and my finger poised and ready to buy. We all know how nerve-racking the fourth was and then came OT. When Hartley hit that field goal, I looked at my girlfriend's daughter and calmly said, do you want to go to the Super Bowl. She answered, yes, why. My finger hit the button on my laptop and I said, because we are going. That is the moment that stands out the most. The moment that I realized that my New Orleans Saints were going to the Super Bowl and we were going to see them.

The three of us went to Miami and I temporarily turned two die-hard Patriots fans into Saints fans. I'm still in awe of SB44 and what my team was able to accomplish that day and that season. The "Who Dat" chants, the onside kick at half time, the interception that sealed the victory, the confetti and the way Sun Life Stadium swayed with all of the Saints fans jumping up and down and rejoicing, strangers hugging strangers, grown men crying in the stands. All of it is a memory that will live with me until my last breath is consumed.

Thank you New Orleans Saints, for the memories. Let's do it again real soon.

Angie Johnson, Napa, Calif.

As a New Orleans native who had Saints season tickets when Archie Manning was our quarterback, I agonized for weeks whether to pull for the Saints or Peyton and the Colts. I would be thrilled with either winner. Finally asked myself how I would feel if each won. The thought of the Saints winning the Super Bowl brought tears to my eyes; Peyton would surely have another chance at a second Super Bowl ring. After the game, I thought about my late grandmother, who dearly loved the Saints, and whom I took to the home games at Tulane Stadium. She's up in heaven, smiling at something the Saints finally did right.

Lou Soto, Philadelphia

I'm the only Saints fan in my family. Growing up in Philadelphia, home of fans who "bleed green," I'm definitely an outcast for about six months. After watching what the Colts did to the Ravens and Jets in 2009 was a performance in itself. Peyton Manning and company were poised to win and everyone reminded me of it. I remember a surprise onside kick that made me shout louder than I ever have. We shut them out completely in the fourth quarter. It was the first time that I have ever been silenced by a sports game. In a room full of excitement and partying i sat and watched Drew Brees raise the championship trophy. My dad was a Saints fan. He raised me that way and never actually got to see them enter, let alone win a Super Bowl. I am happy to carry on the tradition and my son will watch that game and hopefully feel the way I felt watching Tracy Porter return an interception for a score, and let me know we won it all.

Melanie Burton, Houma

My best friend and I drove to Miami. We did not have tickets for the game but just wanted to be there for the experience. And what an experience it was. On Saturday, we spent most of our time at Fat Tuesday in South Beach and went back there for the game on Sunday. Got there at 11:00 to make sure to get a good seat at the bar. I drank something called "Hurricane Force Brees" all day and vaguely remember the game. Good thing I was videoing so I would have something to remember. At 5:30 pm on Saturday, Fat Tuesday had run out of beer. We went to the Hilton that night for the pep rally and they had run out of a lot of liquor. Miami had no idea what was coming with the Who Dat Nation.  It was a weekend to remember and I am so glad we were there. GEAUX SAINTS !!!!!       

Carol Ann Nick, Vinton

After waiting since the Saints were born for the day when they'd be in a Super Bowl. This was crazy! From the moment Garrett Hartley kicked that field goal that sent them to the Big Game it was insanity! 

My husband and I are both natives of NOLA so went home for the game. We went to my in-laws' house in Metairie. 

From that onside kick to Lance Moore's 2-point conversion, and Porter's pick-six hat a ride! I can remember the neighborhood went nuts toward the end of the fourth quarter! I was so thrilled when that final gun sounded let me tell you.  But when I saw Drew Brees holding up Baylen and he got all teary-eyed I just lost it. That for me probably in a nutshell will be my go-to image when I think of this game.

By the way Saints I would LOVE to have that Super Bowl feeling again! It's only fair to Drew's other kids that he get to lift them up also. winks

Amanda Robinett, Beaumont, Texas

My favorite memory is watching the Saints win and the tear-filled phone call I made to my father when that moment happened. The following April my father passed away. I buried him in his Saints jersey and in honor of his memory I wore my Saints Jersey to his funeral to represent what we both loved. Even though losing my father devastated me, it brings joy to my heart my father got to watch his team win the Super Bowl! As early as I can remember my father was a Saints fan even though we lived in the state of Texas. I followed in his footsteps and made New Orleans my team, win or lose they have been and will always be my team.  The following football season I wore my jersey proud and kept my father in my heart. I was a waitress and on Sundays the staff was allowed to support their NFL team. I waited on a man that did nothing but tell me about how much the Saints sucked and we would probably never accomplish another super bowl win. Did I mention he was a Cowboys fan and had to hear about how many wins they had (like more than 10 years ago dude). This man finally asked me why I was a Saints fan living in Texas. I said let me tell you a story: Growing up my father was a huge Saints fan even when fans wore paper bags, I grew up loving them and won't ever give up on them. My father very unexpectedly passed away in April but he got to watch New Orleans win the Super Bowl and that's why the Saints will always be my team. Needless to say the man apologized for giving me so much grief.  With that being said watching them win was my favorite memory.

Stacey Conway, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

A group of us from Canada, all HUGE Saints fans, spent Feb. 7, 2010 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We watched the game at our resort and the staff made the game and the win extra special for us. The game was so exciting! The staff at the resort were all cheering for the Saints as well and near the end of the game they brought out bottles of champagne for us and celebrated right along with us! We spent the rest of the evening on the beach celebrating. It was the best memory of the best game that we could ask for!
Thanks Saints!!

Nicole Scott, Hahnville

We had a trip planned for May 2010 to France. I gave that up in order to go to Miami for SBXLIV.  My husband, my father and myself couldn't have asked for a better trip. The night before the game we ate at an Italian place near the hotel. I cannot remember the name but the glasses had pigs with wings on them. Pigs were flying on their glasses!!!! We knew that was a good sign that our boys were going to get us a win. To avoid bad karma, I did not "borrow" a glass but I do have a picture.

Angela Alvarez, Burney, Calif.

I am a Broncos fan since birth so I wasn't excited about the fact that my team wasn't in the playoffs that year. But I had just met a combat Vet through my work named Robert Hubley aka Hubbz and we had become great friends. Hubbz was a lifelong Saints fan and I remember when I met him I kept teasing him telling him that he was probably the only Saints fan in the world. Even with all the teasing Hubbz loved the Saints and never went anywhere without his Saints ballcap on. Since the Broncos were out I watched the Saints in the postseason and by Super Bowl time I was supporting the Saints whole heartedly. Hubbz' enthusiasm was infectious. I will never forget watching Brees holding the Lombardi Trophy and looking over at Hubbz seeing tears come out and the biggest smile I've ever seen on a man. Hubbz was killed in a car wreck exactly 34 days after the Super Bowl and ever since then I have been a member of Who Dat Nation with the Saints coming second to only the Broncos in my heart. I am thankful that Hubbz saw the team he loved his whole life go all the way and win a ring. Every time I watch a Saints game I know Hubbz is watching from heaven with his Saints cap and a smile.