BREAKING NEWS!! Tom Benson has just fired Arnold Fielkow Vice Pres.

[NINERS4LIFE]

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl101705fielkow.103d51863.html

Saints Exec. Fielkow let go by Benson

Disagreement over number of games in San Antonio caused rift, Fielkow says

05:38 PM CDT on Monday, October 17, 2005

Jim Henderson / WWL-TV Sports Director

In his six years with the New Orleans Saints, Arnold Fielkow, Saints Executive Vice President of Administration, has been given much credit for a 36-game sell-out streak in the Superdome, a $187 million reimbursement deal with the state of Louisiana, and re-positioning the organization in San Antonio after the most unsettling situation in NFL history.

But apparently that was not enough to keep Fielkow employed by the Saints.

In a conversation with WWL-TV Sports Director Jim Henderson on Monday afternoon, Fielkow said he was called into Tom Benson's office Monday and told that he had five minutes to sign an agreement giving up all his rights under contract while vowing confidentiality or be fired.

Fielkow, a lawyer himself, said he wouldn't sign anything without the advice of counsel, walked out of the office, and was dismissed.

According to Fielkow, Benson told him, “We just don't see eye to eye. I fear for your health. You don't look good. Flying is a problem for you and it's wearing on you.”

When Fielkow said he told Benson, “I've never hurt you," Benson replied, according to Fielkow, "You hurt me two months ago."

Two months ago was approximately when Fielkow took Benson on over the owner’s desire to move all the Saints games to San Antonio this season. Fielkow supported not abandoning the citizens of this state in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and supported the plan later endorsed by the NFL to play four home games in Baton Rouge.

With no other substantial reasons given for Fielkow’s dismissal, that concern for Gulf Coast Saints fans apparently cost him his job.

The Saints offered no comment on the incident, but they confirmed that Fielkow is no longer affiliated with the team.

[NINERS4LIFE]

HERE IS A VIDEO LINK:

http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=beloint_wwltv&props=livenoad

THEY REALLY ARE STARTING TO HATE US !!!!!

[TheWriter]

It's getting hot in here.

[Clandestino]

well, when benson saw all the fucking money that he will be losing by playing in baton rouge, someone had to get fired over it...

[NINERS4LIFE]

I think this may pave the way for the:

SAN ANTONIO ________ ( you fill in the blank for team name)! :elephant

[slayermin]

Wow. I'm am shocked but happy for San Antonio. I guess the Saints are serious about moving to SA.

[goliath]

Not only is Bensons silence deafening

Not only does Benson not dispute what the mayor says the last week about the Saints

But now he fires the ONE person in the org who publically spoke in favor of staying in Lous.

I agree with N4L

[goliath]

The fans on Saintsreport are reacting as if this was the final nail in the coffin.

Oh and ESPN.com has this headline:

Mayor, Saints owner to negotiate at season's end

Nothing really new from what was in the paper but still...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2194464

[gameFACE]

San Antonio Saints.......the logo will probably have to change to something a little more spanish?

how about that cross in the avatar?
That's not bad. The mascot could be fitted with a pair of Stacy Adams.

[TheWriter]

http://www.flags.net/images/largeflags/SPAN0102.GIF

Something like this but an S and an A in place over the A and W.

[TheWriter]

Maybe an S or the Saints logo in the middle the cross.

[Vashner]

lol so he got owned because he pushed the Baton Rouge fiasco? hahah

I love it.. it's like a soap opera!

Tom Benson friggin rules!

[Kori Ellis]

I heard that he was fired earlier today, but I thought everyone else knew but me so I didn't post it. :lmao

[dknights411]

Perhaps San Antonio Saints for a couple of years a la Tennessee Oilers. Then adopt a new name from there.

[TheWriter]

Perhaps San Antonio Saints for a couple of years a la Tennessee Oilers. Then adopt a new name from there.

The Titans didn't play in Nashville because their stadium was being built.

San Antonio isn't making a play to "host" them for a couple of years. They want the team here.

And I think it has to do more with Benson's grand daughter more than Benson himself. His grand daughter lives in San Antonio and wants the team here. She will take over the team once Benson is unable to.

[Marcus Bryant]

Saints works in SA due to the missions as well the rather important fact that "San Antonio Saints" doesn't sound bad.

[samikeyp]

"San Antonio Missionaries....position yourself for a good time this season!" :lol

[batman2883]

I think this may pave the way for the:

SAN ANTONIO ________ ( you fill in the blank for team name)! :elephant


Falcons?

[batman2883]

San Antonio Saints fits perfectly here in san antonio especially since the name of the city is a name of a saint, and the majority of residents are catholic...i wouldnt see any harm in keeping it that way. Lets just hope they dont adopt some fiesta color's a la the spurs original logo. ...

[Extra Stout]

Something like this but an S and an A in place over the A and W.

That's not a 'W,' that's a lowercase omega.

And I don't see the connection between Asturias and San Antonio.

Although now I'm going to have Andres Segovia playing in my head all morning.

I guess the Spanish equivalent of the fleur-de-lys would be the Aragonian lion errant, if one were bound and determined to make a change. That seems a better choice than the Castilian castle.

However, one could make a case for keeping the fleur-de-lys. There are three of them on the Spanish flag. The royal banner for Philip V, who commissioned the colony in San Antonio, is covered with them.

No other obvious symbols come to mind. Don't put a simple cross on there. It's not a church team.

[Kip Fanatic]

Saints works in SA due to the missions as well the rather important fact that "San Antonio Saints" doesn't sound bad.

From the guy who all day yesterday was saying that the Saints weren't serious about moving here.

[NINERS4LIFE]

Well since everyone is calling us Looters, how about:


SAN ANTONIO STEALERS :makemyday

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I was highly skeptical of Benson moving the team here.

I'll say this for him though - he's definitely going through all the motions now, starting with any front office puke in his way.

[Marcus Bryant]

How about being skeptical of Benson returning to a New Orleans that was underwater for a month? NO was already a shitty market before Katrina hit. Unless he's ready to reverse himself and sell or relocate to Los Angeles, it's down to SA versus NO.

This is it for NFL football in SA for the next 2 decades. Hopefully SA doesn't find a way to fuck it up.

[Obstructed_View]

Wasn't the Fleur de lis a Conquistadore symbol? Doesn't get much more Spanish than that. Let's try not to make it a catholic team. :lol

[Marcus Bryant]

Yeah, the Saints can join the CYO.

[blaze89]

I was highly skeptical of Benson moving the team here.

I'll say this for him though - he's definitely going through all the motions now, starting with any front office puke in his way.

I'm still skeptical, and I still see us (San Antonio) only as a bargaining chip. Let's see what happens...

..stay tuned.

[Marcus Bryant]

SA isn't competing with L.A. it is competing with New Orleans. SA is only a bargaining chip if the city doesn't step up and take advantage of the situation.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Define irony: the old mayor wanted to spend $120 million on a couple of soccer fields and an MLS team.

Don't know what the price tag will be, but the current owner is going for the big time in an NFL team.

At least the people of SA got that part right.

[ChumpDumper]

I can't see Benson using SA as leverage against NOLA. In the best of times he needed a subsidy from the state to stay in business. How much is it going to take with half your fan base gone?

Tags needs to be realistic about this. NOLA isn't going to be profitable for a long time, if ever. No one should be able to force Benson's business into the ground when there are alternatives -- and he'll likely win in court if it comes to that.

Gurantee NOLA the Super Bowl for five or ten years after they get a new stadium. That would help.

[blaze89]

SA isn't competing with L.A. it is competing with New Orleans. SA is only a bargaining chip if the city doesn't step up and take advantage of the situation.

The city has to step up for Benson can get what he wants out of Louisiana, if the city just goes through the cosmetic motions (as it always has done in the past) then Benson loses out.

However, Hardberger can't live up to the "no public funds" stance on the NFL for long cause eventually that is what money the city will cough up.

[Marcus Bryant]

What if the city can put together a more attractive deal than what NO is offering?

That's when you cease to be a temporary home and bargaining chip.

SA was a more attractive market than NO before Katrina hit. SA already has a facility in place. What it needs is a plan ASAP.

[Marcus Bryant]

I can't see Benson using SA as leverage against NOLA. In the best of times he needed a subsidy from the state to stay in business. How much is it going to take with half your fan base gone?

Tags needs to be realistic about this. NOLA isn't going to be profitable for a long time, if ever. No one should be able to force Benson's business into the ground when there are alternatives -- and he'll likely win in court if it comes to that.

Gurantee NOLA the Super Bowl for five or ten years after they get a new stadium. That would help.


Well, if the Superdome is gone then there's the impetus for the new facility Benson has wanted. But you are correct in that the city is in disarray and will be for some time.

Ultimately, it's up to Benson. Sure, this could be a ruse but given how F'ed up South Louisiana is at the moment, the ruse could turn to reality if SA can put together a package to get Benson to stay here permanently.

If ever SA was going to get a team, this is it.

[blaze89]

What if the city can put together a more attractive deal than what NO is offering?

That's when you cease to be a temporary home and bargaining chip.

SA was a more attractive market than NO before Katrina hit. SA already has a facility in place. What it needs is a plan ASAP.

I'm not saying that San Antonio is not an attractive market when compared to New Orleans.

If the city can put up an attractive offer to the Saints, Benson can than take that to the Louisiana legislature, the legislature will see that and then counteroffer if possible.

The more San Antonio is serious about it, the more it works for Benson. It will be all up to the Louisiana legislature.

[ChumpDumper]

It looks like the NOLA press is Modell-ing Benson as we speak. Enough negative stories could cause the citizenry to hate Benson more than they like the Saints. Add to that a few platitudes from Tags about giving NOLA first shot at any expansion team and a few Super Bowls, then NOLA can be the one-franchise town it probably should be.

If Oklahoma City doesn't steal the Hornets.

[Low End Specialist]

"San Antonio Missionaries....position yourself for a good time this season!" :lol

:lol poi-fect

[TheWriter]

The more San Antonio is serious about it, the more it works for Benson. It will be all up to the Louisiana legislature.

With what money are they going to use?

The Gov of LA and Mayor of New Orleans are in Washington DC at this moment begging for more funds.

No way are they going to create some incentive deal or package to keep the Saints.

[TheWriter]

If Oklahoma City doesn't steal the Hornets.

I don't think Okie can steal the team but another city without an NBA team can. St Louis, San Diego, the east side of LA or which ever area of that crap hole doesn't have an NBA team.

[ChumpDumper]

Possession is 9/10 of ownage.

[Marcus Bryant]

Again, sure, Louisiana is going to make an offer. The point is, again, that SA needs to step up. That's when you move from chip to winner.

[blaze89]

With what money are they going to use?

The Gov of LA and Mayor of New Orleans are in Washington DC at this moment begging for more funds.

No way are they going to create some incentive deal or package to keep the Saints.

You never know when it comes to politics now.

[TheWriter]

You never know when it comes to politics now.

New Orleans has no money, Louisiana is becoming dried up.

No way will take from the kitty pot in order to come up with some deal. Not while New Orleans is a complete swamp and not while Louisiana's major city is losing money day after day.

[blaze89]

New Orleans has no money, Louisiana is becoming dried up.

No way will take from the kitty pot in order to come up with some deal. Not while New Orleans is a complete swamp and not while Louisiana's major city is losing money day after day.

Then why not come out and say the Saints will leave New Orleans after the 2005 season. The team will use the Nov. deadline (can't think of the actual) date to terminate the contract.

Give the great big speech that the Saints are no longer economically viable for New Orleans or in New Orleans. Forget the PR, if this is the intention, quit the footdragging.

But that's just me and my cynical nature

[Marcus Bryant]

New Orleans has no money, Louisiana is becoming dried up.

No way will take from the kitty pot in order to come up with some deal. Not while New Orleans is a complete swamp and not while Louisiana's major city is losing money day after day.

TheWriter speaks from experience. He has no money either.

[TheWriter]

TheWriter speaks from experience. He has no money either.

:lol :lol :lol

Is that why I live in my own place?

:lol :lol :lol

[Marcus Bryant]

Oh yeah, that means you have $. At least more than someone begging for $ at a stoplight.

[TheWriter]

Oh yeah, that means you have $. At least more than someone begging for $ at a stoplight.

A lot more than a panhandler and I'm pretty sure, a lot more than you. :elephant

[Marcus Bryant]

Keep dreaming.

[TheWriter]

Keep dreaming.

Go work on a "project."

[Marcus Bryant]

I am. Go work for a change.

[TheWriter]

I am. Go work for a change.

I do work.

I guess that's how I pay for my apartment. Man, are you not smart. :lol

[Marcus Bryant]

You're the one living in the apartment.

[TheWriter]

You're the one living in the apartment.

Probably because I don't have a family and well, a house would be too big for a 21 year old.