Gordon Doiron was there at Tulane Stadium in 1967, watching with his dad when John Gilliam made the famous
94-yard kickoff return to give the Saints their first touchdown in franchise history.
Since then, Doiron’s love for the Saints has never wavered. In 1989, he purchased season tickets and has rarely
missed a game since. But it was at the 2010 Halloween night game against Pittsburgh that Mad Datter made his
first costumed appearance alongside his wife and best friend, Dat Girl. They were an instant fan sensation.
Mad Datter is a fantastic rendition of Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. Crafted from various
costume and thrift-store buys, Doiron added Saints accoutrements and black and gold touches to make it his
own. On game day, he spends about two hours to get his makeup just right. He even wears special contact lenses to complete the look.
Doiron can’t imagine not cheering on his team as Mad Datter. He believes in the New Orleans tradition of
costuming and is proud to be part of it. Once people put on a mask, he says, it allows them to push the envelope a little. And really, pushing the envelope is what being a Super Fan is all about.
