NEW ORLEANS — It's been called the 12th man at a football game. Noise levels from the home crowd that can have an affect on the game, just like the 11 men on the field.
Sunday, Coach Payton referred to the crowd as "fantastic." And there is no doubt those of you in the Dome caused some problems for the Eagles.
There were some false starts and burned time outs for the Eagles. It looked like the noise in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome from Saints fans may have forced the defending Super Bowl champs to punt. Coach Sean Payton could be seen exhorting for noise from the more than 70,000 fans in the stands. And while fans say their personal sound meters registered around 105 decibels, a level that when sustained can cause hearing damage, another fan noticed something else.
@BourbonAndBeer noticed, and posted on Twitter, his plain bottle of water shaking and vibrating.
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So we turned to UNO Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Dr. Norma Jean Mattei for an explanation. Can all those screaming Saints fans cause water to move?
"Think about how powerful sound waves can be, where the opera singer has a crystal wine glass and hits that perfect note, that shatters the glass. That was sound," explained Dr. Mattei.
And think about how you can physically feel sound from big fireworks.
But what about all the banging and stomping, especially in the upper levels of the Dome? Dr. Mattei says not to worry about it, structures are built to move. It's called deflection.
"Have you ever been stuck on the Huey P. Long bridge, stand still, and a train's going by? Not only do you feel the vibrations, but you're bouncing up and down in your car," she noted.
So for the NFC Championship Game, cheer, scream, yell and sing 'Choppa Style' as much as you want. The structural engineer expert says you are safe and sound.
"Hurricane wind, yes, but a bunch of people yelling, 'Go Brees,' no," Dr. Mattei laughed.
During a post game press conference, some of the Saints players say Sunday's game was the loudest they have ever heard the fans in the Dome.