Who Dat? Who Dat? Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?

This is the chant shouted by Saints fans on Sundays in the Superdome. The chant’s origin began from iterations of “who said that?” by performers in southern jazz bars and was popularised when versions were adapted to local sports teams (e.g., “who said they were going to beat us?”). Who Dat may also be used as a noun, describing a Saints fan. Used in a sentence, one might say “Oh my, judging by his array of Saints apparel, it is clear to see this gentleman is a Who Dat.” In recent years the phrase Who Dat Nation has become a popular term for the entire community of Saints fans. And the Superdome is the Mecca for that community.

As I mentioned before, this is not just any other sports stadium. Not only does this building routinely host the largest concerts and sports championships in the United States, but for 5 days in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina, it was literally the home for New Orleans.

Below is a statue of Steve Gleason, sports hero and New Orleans legend. His statistics are not extraordinary, he recorded 65 tackles during his seven year career. His play was not dominant, each season he fought for one of the final roster spots on special teams. His athletic ability, by professional standards, is not exceptional. But the impact he made on a single play may be the most dramatic moment of inspiration that New Orleans can remember.

The statue is called the Rebirth of New Orleans with great reason. During Hurricane Katrina the city was decimated. For perspective, hurricanes are divided into 5 categories:

Category 1 : Winds 74 to 95 mph (Minor damage)

: Winds 74 to 95 mph (Minor damage) Category 2 : Winds 96 to 110 mph (Extensive damage) can uproot trees

: Winds 96 to 110 mph (Extensive damage) can uproot trees Category 3 : Winds 111 to 129 mph (Devastating) can break windows and doors

: Winds 111 to 129 mph (Devastating) can break windows and doors Category 4 : Winds 130 to 156 mph (Catastrophic damage) can tear off roofs

: Winds 130 to 156 mph (Catastrophic damage) can tear off roofs Category 5: Winds 157 mph or higher (The absolute worst) can level houses

Hurricane Katrina was category 5 at it’s peak and much of the city experienced sustained speeds of category 2 winds for hours. People fled to every other state in the country but not everyone had the time or ability to leave. Many had nowhere to go even if they could.

550 National Guardsmen and 9,000 evacuees were confined to the dome at the start of the storm. As search and rescue teams continued bringing in more people, the number would rise to approximately 15,000-20,000 stranded citizens. Although enough food for 15,000 people was brought to last 3 days, evacuees would spend 5 days here. There was no water purification equipment on site, nor any chemical toilets, or antibiotics stored for a crisis. There were no designated medical staff at work in the evacuation center, no established sick bay within the Superdome, and very few cots available that had not been brought in by evacuees. The dome was used a refuge of last resort. Although it was used as an emergency shelter, it was neither designed nor tested for the task.

Superdome, 2005

Superdome, 2005

During the 5 days, there had been three deaths in the Superdome: two elderly medical patients and a man who is believed to have committed suicide by jumping from the upper level seats. Crime went unchecked and anarchy ensued. After a National Guardsman was attacked and shot in the dark by an assailant, the National Guard inside the Superdome used barbed wire barricades to separate themselves from the other people in the dome. To keep spirits up people resorted to marching in song together through the stadium, lap after lap, not knowing when rescue would come.

While the Superdome had protected the people from the harsh outdoor conditions, the stadium was a disaster and much of the roof had been ripped apart. The following season, the Saints played every game on the road and there was talk of relocating the team. Owner Tom Benson, a New Orleans native, assured this would not be the case. One year and $185 million later, the stadium was rebuilt and the Saints returned to New Orleans.

People were faithful to the team despite the Saints long history of disappointment. The Saints lived in the NFL basement having only made the playoffs 6 times in 38 seasons, with only 1 win and 5 losses of those appearances. Fans would wear paper bags over their heads with “Aints” written on them. Despite this, the re-opening of the Superdome was highly anticipated because the renovated Superdome had become a symbol of the city’s recovery. If the stadium where so many had suffered could be rebuilt then so could the rest of the city and it’s people. That season, they hired a new coach, signed a new quarterback and drafted the Heisman trophy winner (College football’s Most Valuable Player). There was a sense of excitement surrounding a fresh start.

Grand Re-Opening, September 25th, 2006

On the grand re-opening of the Superdome, the entire team played phenomenal. They knew they were a part of something more than just football that night. Few knew so well as Steve Gleason. He had played his entire career for the Saints when Hurricane Katrina hit, while they were on the road all year, and during their return. He knew everything the city had gone through. It was Gleason who proved to be the catalyst that would lead the Saints to a 23-3 slaughter of their division rivals.

Early in the 1st quarter, Gleason blocked a punt that would become the most iconic image in Saints history. The punt was recovered for a Saints touchdown, the first Saints score in the Superdome in 21 months, and the stadium erupted with the power of 100 Mardi Gras.

“WHO DAT! WHO DAT! WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS!”

“WHO DAT! WHO DAT! WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS!”

“WHO DAT! WHO DAT! WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS!”

The saints wear the Fleur de Lis ⚜️, the unifying symbol of New Orleans, as their team logo, and when Gleason blocked that punt (an uncommon and momentous play even in a standard football game), it was like the entire city threw Katrina back into the ocean. New Orleans prayed to the Saints for rebirth and Steve Gleason answered.

The blocked punt is now the symbol of the Rebirth of New Orleans. That one play would spark the Saints to win their first game back home. That spark became a fire as the team had their most successful season to date, unexpectedly making it to the NFL semi-finals. That season established a winning culture previously unknown to New Orleans that would endure. And four years later, the Saints went marching in to New Orleans as super bowl champions. The 2006 season featuring the Rebirth of New Orleans was the year I began watching football and that moment is when I started cheering for the Saints.

The story could end there and it would be uplifting but incomplete.

The remarkable thing about Steve Gleason is that his most significant life achievements have come after his NFL career. To pay Gleason proper respect his full story must be told. In 2008, he would retire from his NFL career after 8 seasons, all playing for the Saints. In 2011 Gleason was diagnosed with ALS. Since then, he has been determined to inspire others through his actions despite his diagnosis. He continues to pursue life adventures and has founded Team Gleason, an organization dedicated to life sustaining and enhancing technology. Gleason believes that, until there is a medical cure for ALS, technology can act in that cure’s place.

In 2015, Gleason spearheaded a crusade on Capitol Hill to pass legislation that makes speech-generating devices available and affordable to all who need them. He knows what it takes to maintain an authentic connection with the people he loves and fights to protect that connection.

Gleason also memorably helped organize the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised awareness and generated more than $100 million to fight the disease. Furthermore, Gleason challenged Microsoft to create a method for people who are completely paralyzed to navigate their power wheelchairs with their eyes. Not only did they complete the request, Steve, Team Gleason, and others are working collaboratively to make the technology widely available to all who need these liberating devices.

In 2019, for his work as an advocate for people with ALS, Steve Gleason was awarded with the Congressional Gold Medal. This is the highest honour Congress can bestow upon a civilian and Gleason became the first NFL player to receive the award. Previous recipients include the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, Sir Winston Churchill, the 1980 U.S. Summer Olympic Team, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

⚜️ Who Dat! ⚜️

Steve Gleason, September 25th, 2006, immediately after the blocked punt touchdown