Who Dat Say Dey Own "Who Dat"?

I'm sorry, but this is too stupid to be an issue. I saw it yesterday in the Fishwrapper. It seems the NFL is uprightously protecting their potential earnings which an intrepid T-shirt merchant was jeopardizing. The entrepreneur in question was selling souvenir shirts with the phrase, "Who Dat" on the front.

Wow, who dat thinks dats a copyrighted name or slogan? Apparently the NFL seeks injunction against the T-shirt peddler claiming that they own the innocuous phrase which is regularly chanted in the Superdome when the Saints (formerly 'Aints) are playing.

Now, we've got rebuttal from the senator from LA:

We Own Who Dat Says Vitter

New Orleans "owns" the two-word phrase says the law-maker.

Well, riddle me this.

The chant started in the '80s. From the establishment of the team in 1967 until then there was no connection to the phrase. But that doesn't mean it didn't exist.

I went to USAF pilot training in 1964 at Williams AFB in Arizona. The student pilots were assigned to a Student Squadron, the 3526th Sturon. The squadron also included the instructors for all academics and for officer training. The squadron patch was a white shield with a standing Sylvester the Cat, nemesis of Tweety Bird. Sylvester was zipping into a tiger suit and had a flying helmet under his arm. Of course, the primary trainer was the T-37 Tweety Bird.


Distinction was made between students and instructors in the squadron by different patches. The instructor patch had "Who Dat" on the patch with one word on each side of Sylvester's shoulders. Student patches did not have the phrase. The image and slogan were used with permission of Looney Tunes.

When I returned to the base after my F-105 time, I instructed in flight as well as in academics and was assigned to the 3526th once again. And, as an instructor in the squadron, I had the squadron call-sign with a two-digit number. My call-sign for flying was "Who Dat two-four."



So, as the possessor of a firmly established prior claim from well before any claim by the NFL or city of New Orleans or state of Lousiana, I wish it clearly understood that "Who Dat" is now at least partially my property and all rights and privileges relating to usage for profit will require my consent and approval. Since the 3526th Student Squadron and Williams AFB are no longer in existance, there is no claim available there. If other former instructors from that organization and possessing a legacy original Who Dat patch wish to share in the royalties of this claim, they are welcome to do so.