Who Dat Nation gathers to watch game

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Even before kick-off Sunday, Saints fans started gathering at the French Market Café on Government Street. The restaurant hosted its first official "Who Dat Nation" meeting. And what better time than the Super Bowl to do it.

Gregory Howard says he's been a Saints fan for years, even when it wasn't so popular.

"You know I always knew that this day was gonna come. You know every dog has its day, and I figure my day was gonna come. So this is it. We're happy to see it happen," Howard said.

Owner Lyle Degelos has had a lot of hardship in recent years. Hurricane Katrina destroyed his home and business in New Orleans in 2005. His wife was diagnosed with cancer the same year. She died just before the restaurant opened. Degelos said she'd be proud of the support Mobile has shown to the business and the family.

He's just glad to share these good times with friends and family, and he says the "Who Dat Nation" is here to stay.

"What if the Saints lose, what happens to the Who Dat Nation?" we ask. "The Who Dat Nation don't go away. You know they stay, and they watch, and they look. But they're gonna beat these people," Degelos said.

Carlos Broadnax said he's waited for this day most of his life.

"It's unbelievable to go from a team that, just two years ago, nobody else in the United States probably knew about the Saints. They were just a team that every other team could run over," Broadnax said.

You might think that you would only find Saints fans at the first Who Dat Nation Party, but that's not true.

Christie Hunt wore a Indianapolis Colts tee-shirt with pride as she made her way to the party along with her Saints friend.

Hunt is from Indianapolis, and she's not afraid to say so.

"The Colts gonna do it, Colts gonna win. 'So when they make their scores you're not gonna be afraid to cheer? ' Oh no, I'll be jumping up," she said.

Hunt says her team is the favorite in most of the country. But, Saints fan Noel Nelson said not here in Who Dat country.

"It would be my dream season for the Saints to win the SuperBowl the same year Alabama wins the National Championship."

We've also posted other comments from the Who Dat party here on our website.