NEW ORLEANS — The frustration for Saints fans is understandable. The no call on that now infamous play, perhaps less so.
But there's nothing that can reverse that call. That's the reality for many fans who were planning to head to Atlanta for the Super Bowl.
"Of course we got from the Superbowl and it looks like Pierre Thomas autographed that one," Don Schindler said as he showed Eyewitness News a souvenir football he collected from the Saints first Super Bowl win.
Schindler is also known as 'Don from Lakeview,' a regular WWL-AM Sportstalk caller. He had high hopes of seeing the Saints raise yet another Lombardi trophy.
"And they had talked about if the Saints got to the Super Bowl would we be willing to come to Atlanta, to at least see the game, participate, maybe get involved in some partying," Schindler said.
Schindler says he was possibly thinking of meeting family in Atlanta until a referee missed that blatant pass interference call.
"He deprived those guys of a right to go and play for the Super Bowl," Schindler said.
Of course, he's not alone in thinking the Saints had a good chance. Destination Management Inc. told Eyewitness News they had at least about 120 people already booked for their Super Bowl package to Atlanta, and expected a lot more bookings.
As much as those fans may feel slighted, it doesn't compare to Matt Bowers.
"I have signs all over Atlanta, I have them north of the city, south of the city I have them downtown, and I have one in front of the stadium in Atlanta," Bowers said.
Bowers owns a handful of car dealerships around New Orleans and he's a die-hard, like Don from Lakeview, his plans to go to Atlanta were also dashed.
"I felt like 55 million people watched what happened, and threw a flag on their sofas, or in bars or wherever they saw the game," Bowers said.
To send a message to the NFL, and everyone, he's put up at least nine billboard signs. Of course, those signs cost a pretty penny, but he says he's just doing what many Saints fans would do if they could.
"I think the league should have the ability to buzz an official and say this is wrong, you made the wrong call, we need to fix this," Bowers said.
Signs saying the Saints got robbed may be up all the way until the Super Bowl, and they may help bring some fans a little bit of humor.
"I'm not so sure we would have done it or not, but again I would have liked to have that decision," Schindler said.
However, fans like Schindler say it's just a sad situation... Well that is until we all to through it again. The next NFL season starts Thursday, September 5th.