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54
MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2016
the
Italian
issue
making his
Mark
interview by
Leo Singer
12-year-old Leo, a student at Isidore Newman
School in New Orleans, sat down with Mark
Romig, the voice of the Saints, in May. This
interview has been edited for space.
LEO SINGER:
What is your earliest memory
of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome?
MARK ROMIG:
When they announced that
this big stadium was going to be built in this
area of the city that was underdeveloped, it
was huge news. I was in high school and
I followed the construction like everyone
who lived in New Orleans at the time.
We saw the steel structure go up and I
even remember the day they were going to
connect the last girder and it was going to
be set in and you could hear it — the settling
of the structure — so you could hear it go
BOOM! That meant the steel structure for
the roof was done.
LEO:
Can you describe how it feels when you walk in on game day?
MARK:
I get butterflies. It’s like the big show, right before the
curtain goes up. I get there about four hours before the game starts.
If it’s a noon game I get there around eight and we go through the
script.There is a script for every game. Every minute, every second
is measured for a specific announcement, a movement on the field,
when the teams come out to practice, when the flags are brought
out, the national anthem.
LEO:
What is your favorite thing to say at the games?
MARK:
Well, ‘Touchdown Saints’ is my favorite thing because it’s
points. But I like ‘Iiiiiiit’s GOOD!’ I like to do that. That is just
fun. And ‘First Down Saints.’ And then there’s ‘Drew Breeeeees.’
Everybody loves that.
LEO:
You sound a lot like your dad (the voice of the Saints for 44 years).
MARK:
When dad retired in 2013, Marques Colston talked to him
and said will you please pass on to your son that if he could say my
name the way you say it (COLston) I would appreciate it. And so
dad said I have one request, and my mom was like you better sound
like your father, and I said mom don’t worry about it, we all have
the same sinus problems we all have the same nasal tone. There’s
another announcer in the booth, Chuck Edwards, great voice. He
has much more barrel. He’s a professional. I have my dad’s voice. It’s
the old Romig voice.
LEO:
Do the players like to hear their names called?
MARK:
Yes because that means something happened that was good.
LEO:
What happens if it’s something bad?
MARK:
I won’t call a sack on Drew Brees. I just can’t do it. I’m not
going to do that. I’m not going to say ‘Drew Brees sacked by such
and such.’ I just credit the defense with a name and say stopped by
such and such.
LEO:
What about Deuce — who invented ‘Deuuuuuce?’
MARK:
Dad did. He said ‘Deuuuuuce’ and also did ‘Reggie
BUUUUSH!’
LEO:
The Saints are like your family business.
MARK:
My dad was the stadium announcer for the Saints when
they played at Tulane Stadium. He also announced the Tulane
Green Wave for many years, so he was the first stadium announcer
when the Superdome opened, which meant me, my brothers, my
mom, my sisters, we would all go with dad, so it became like a
family thing to do. We grew up with it. I literally grew up with the
dome. And of course now I’m announcing the Saints games like my
dad. Dad did it for 44 years. I’m just in my 3
rd
year.
My brother Jay has been working for the Saints for 40 years. He’s
the administrative director —he has many responsibilities including
running training camp. He does the team hotel stays for road and
home games. He knows everything. During games at home he
operates the scoreboard. My sister Mary Beth is the spotter, so she
stands on the side of me and tells me what to say so I don’t look
stupid. She keeps track of the offense and stats.
[LEFT] Mark Romig — photo by
Edward Lallo
[RIGHT] Mary Beth Romig & Jerry Romig
“I like a lot of things, but I only love a couple. I love my mom, my
dad, my sister and the Saints. I have been going to games since I was
in my mom’s belly. I practically bleed black and gold.”
—Leo Singer