Local fans go crazy for Super Saints

Published 12:03 am Monday, February 8, 2010

NATCHEZ — Quite a few trinkets line the walls at Fat Mama’s Tamales, but the owners will be making room for one more soon.

A lucky Who Dat cigarette lighter earned its place Sunday night.

Waitress Whitney Granger had a knack for holding the lighter aloft and flicking it on just as the Saints made a good play.

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Fortunately, the lighter had enough fluid in it to help the Saints overcome a 10-0 deficit for a 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLVI.

“Of course it’s my lighter that’s doing it,” Granger said after the Saints scored to take a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter. “I’ll take credit for it.”

She first started out with an Aim-N-Flame in an attempt to boost the Saints fortunes.

That didn’t work, as Indianapolis scored to take a 17-13 lead.

So the long lighter went to the counter and was replaced with her personal cigarette lighter.

Then, the magic started to happen. One light, the Saints make a field goal to cut the lead to 17-16.

Some more lights as New Orleans drives the field to score the go ahead touchdown.

And the most important light came right before Tracy Porter’s 74-yard interception return for a touchdown that sealed the game.

So after being a good luck charm for a team that has been in need of one for 43 years, the lighter is in need of some posterity.

“It’s needs to go in a frame on the wall,” Granger said after the game. “I’ll put Who Dat on it and put it up on the wall.”