Who Dat Gonna Cheer 'dem Saints?
Fierce and fearless, these standout Saints Superfans are part of a devoted crew that defends the Dome and fuels team spirit.
Recognized for their bold costumes, booming chants, and electric energy, these faithful fans are among the many Saints superfans who unite the Who Dat Nation at every game, home and away, celebrating every win and standing strong through every loss. Who are they?
First, meet the legendary Nelson Savoie of Houma—the oldest, longest-standing Saints superfan and famously known as the Umbrella Man. "I would hitchhike from Raceland to New Orleans to go to the Tulane Stadium and see the Saints," said Savoie, now 80 years old. "This is back in 1969 when the Saints first started out. I sat in the front row. Even today, I still got tickets."
Although Savoie has not attended a recent home game, the Who Dat Nation remembers the Umbrella Man, particularly when Saints owner Tom Benson was walking the field with his decorative umbrella. "I would open the umbrella when the Saints scored or to get the crowd riled up," Savoie said. "Tom Benson would use my umbrella on the field."
Before earning the nickname "Umbrella Man," Savoie began his fan journey dressed as "Swamp Dog" and later spent several years known as "Poo Dat."
"I wore a foam rubber suit with a teddy bear on the front of my chest and 'Who Dat' on my back," Savoie recalled. "While in costume, I would walk around the Dome. The 'Umbrella Man' was the last costume I had done."
Another veteran Saints superfan and New Orleans native, Mark Cuenca has been dressing as "Mack the Quack, the Who Dat Clown" since the 1970s, after becoming a season ticket holder in 1978. "Back then, I wore a rainbow or a gold wig," Cuenca said, an entomologist and volunteer insect chef at the Audubon Insectarium. "I believed the noise and the cheering upsets the team on offense. I had settled into my clown outfit when Bobby Hebert was playing in the 1980s."
At 76, Cuenca still spends hours perfecting his costume to rouse Saints fans with his booming energy and an even louder duck call. "Before I start with the face paint, I outline where everything goes, glue glitter to my cheeks, and use liquid latex to glue my nose on," Cuenca relayed. "I get the crowd going, cheering when we are on defense. I have not missed a home game in 48 years."
Longtime season ticket holder and Saints superfan Larry Rolling is famous for his iconic signs, but, away from the game, he has served as an elected public official since 2011. As "the Sign Man," he made his first sign in 1982 to help convey the public sentiment about the 57-day-long players' strike. "Back in 1982, I made a sign because the fans were not happy about the NFL Players strike," Rolling recalled. "Fans were being left out, and we were getting replacement players. It was a sign of displeasure."
Inspired by a former New Orleans sports commentator, Bernard "Buddy" Diliberto Jr., Rollings channeled Saints fans' passion through signs. "I used to listen to Buddy D. talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly on the radio," Rolling said. "He inspired me to be the voice of the fans in the Superdome. My signs were the pulse of the fans if it was good, bad, or ugly."
For Rolling, the unforgettable sign "Home Sweet Dome," which was featured in national publications across the country, carried deep meaning during the first Saints game after Hurricane Katrina. "I never tell anyone what my signs are going to say," Rolling admitted. "It's a surprise."
Above all, these loyal fans believe in being loud and proud, especially Leroy Mitchell Jr., better known as the "Whistle Monsta," and who's been doing it for 31 years. "I created this defense character when we needed to be loud," Mitchell said. "I have the same energy from the first kick of the game to the last tick of the clock."
Mitchell learned to whistle with his index fingers at age 15. Realizing his talent, he came up with the idea in 1995 to wear a whistle on his head to boost the noise at the Saints games. "The first costume was made of chicken wire and paper-mâché," Mitchell said. "Then it evolved to a football helmet, which looked more like a whistle."
These days, Mitchell lines up right behind the Saints' bench, giving him prime field position to blast his trademark whistle and fire up the team. "I can whistle right at the field, making the other teams feel like they're in a hostile environment," he said.
Whether it's game days or a community event, these Saints superfans, such as Randy "Elvis" Bonneval, aka the "Who Dat King," show up full force for the Black & Gold. "I wanted to do something to show my support because I love the team," Bonneval confessed, who also performs as an Elvis impersonator and officiates weddings. "Fans make the difference for the team. When the fans have a good attitude, they have faith."
For over two decades, Bonneval has been dressing as Elvis for Saints home games. "I've liked Elvis since I was 5 years old," Bonneval said. "Everybody can be a super fan for the Saints. We just go the extra mile."
Although over 50 superfans have been recorded and featured in the Fantastic Saints book by local photographer Ron Calamia, these die-hard Saints fans believe anyone can be part of the proud Who Dat Nation—even without full gameday gear.
For more information about Fantastic Saints, please contact Ron Calamia. He is also offering the books to charitable organizations and senior citizen facilities, free of charge.
