LISA MARCHESONI, Senior Writer
Posted: Sunday, February 7, 2010 6:50 am

Sammi Langley made herself a die-hard Saints fan after the Titans cut her favorite player. TMP/L. Marchesoni

Upset Tennessee Titans fan Sammi Langley dropped the team when they dropped former MTSU player Tyrone Calico after the 2005 season.

Langley, now 21, of Smyrna decided to find her own team. She watched the New Orleans Saints lose two games but liked the way they played. She’s never been to New Orleans but dreams to one day watch a game in person.

“I made myself a Saints fan,” the vivacious Langley said as she twirled the silver Saints’ fleur-de-lis symbol necklace she wore. “I’ve been a die-hard since then.”

Langley, a server at Coach’s Grille on Southeast Broad Street, liked the Saints so well she had the team symbol tattooed on her backside.

When asked why Langley decided to get the tattoo, manager Jonathan Mischke answered with a smile, “Alcohol.”

She actually consumed two drinks when her roommate’s boyfriend’s friend offered to do a Saints tattoo. She agreed.

“It looked horrible,” Langley said at she made a face and described the tattoo as a prison tattoo. She got it fixed Nov. 30 at Straight Edge.

“I love my tattoo,” Langley grinned impishly. “Customers love it (and ask to see it). It’s my tip maker, especially on Sunday when I wear my Saints jersey.”

She wears the jersey of her favorite player, running back Reggie Bush.

Although a Saints fan for only a few years, Langley has been a football fan all her life. Her mother started her obsession as a child by singing “Rocky Top” while watching University of Tennessee football games.

Her boyfriend, Anthony “AT” Thompkins, is a die-hard Atlanta Falcons fan who hopes the Saints will lose because he wants the Falcons to win a Super Bowl first.

During the fall season as the Saints remained undefeated, Langley became more confident the team would be Super Bowl bound.

“I think it’s destiny,” she said simply.

The Saints fan takes the abuse but loves to dish it out too.

During the playoff games, Coach’s owner Wayne Lawson wore his Dallas Cowboys jersey and joked with Langley to “take off her fake jersey.”

“I love rubbing it in their face,” Langley said, smiling about the memory of Dallas losing in the playoffs. “We definitely need a win so I can rub it in their face even more – or I’ll cry.”

She asked off work last year for Super Bowl Sunday and plans to watch the game with friends “or praying in a room the whole time.”

Langley believes the Saints’ defense needs to “hurt” Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning abilities and hopes defense end Dwight Freeney won’t play due to an injury. She hopes Saints safety Darren Sharper will be a playmaker against Manning, who doesn’t need a second Super Bowl win.

“We’re gonna win,” Langley vowed. “We’ve never been. Give us some slack.”

Lisa Marchesoni may be reached at 615-869-0814 or at lmarchesoni@ murfreesboropost.com