Saints agree to put off decision on leaving until at least 2007

[tgrgrd00]

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWL110405bensonlease.2aaa1dc3.html

All I can say is WOW. Didn't see this coming. :wow

This guy must have multiple personalities or something.

[TheWriter]

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWL110405bensonlease.2aaa1dc3.html

All I can say is WOW. Didn't see this coming. :wow

This guy must have multiple personalities or something.

It's called extending the deadline so he doesn't have to enact it during a time when he'd recieved such large backlash.

It's been reported as early as this evening that Benson will still claim "force majure."

So it really changes nothing.

It was also reported today that Benson and the Saints are looking for permanent office space for next season.

[Extra Stout]

That should give New Orleans enough time to figure out what they can do to keep the team.

Or else, if it's not enough time, then the Saints would be needing to move on anyway.

Looks like that group of eight owners is talking some sense into Benson, and he's back to making halfway rational decisions.

However, I'm not sure that La. fellow was correct when he said that the agreement means that the Saints will play in Louisiana in 2006. Just because Benson agrees not to terminate the lease doesn't mean that a suitable place to play in Louisiana magically appears. It's a non sequitur. But there's a lot of baloney coming from La. officials. It's SOP over there.

In the meantime, if San Antonio is serious about this NFL thing, be it for the Saints if N.O. can't hold them, or the Jaguars, or whomever, they have about 18 months to come up with some sort of an arrangement either for a significantly refurbished Alamodome or a new stadium. Whether it's public or private financing, or a combination, it doesn't matter. Just shit or get off the pot, S.A.

[TheWriter]

Actually this move is more about PR backlash than anything.

This thing is pushed back because if done within the next month or two, Benson and the NFL get a ton of bad PR. If it is done after the season when the NFL is out of the sports spotlight and it seems like both the NFL and Saints have exhausted all their resources, they'll recieve a ton less backlash.

[Vashner]

We need to do my plaza to lux box conversion this off season... We could start the day after the December Saints game and have it done ez...

Just pickup all those workers downtown at that place... you know /wink wink (the migrant worker hangout by the jail).

[Shiner Bock Girl]

Well at least it will give them time to repair the dome properly and then Benson can weigh his options by playing some games there next year to see how well they do...If SA ends up with the Saints in the future, i'd rather it be after all efforts were made to play the games in NOLA first. Then he can make a business decision if he feels he's losing money. And it could also work out where NOLA does well. Either way, i hope these players can finally get some stability either home or here.

[exstatic]

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWL110405bensonlease.2aaa1dc3.html

All I can say is WOW. Didn't see this coming. :wow

This guy must have multiple personalities or something.

Or, he's not the devil you made him out to be.

[tgrgrd00]

Or, he's not the devil you made him out to be.

I wouldn't go that far...like many posters are saying this doesn't mean that the Saints are staying in N.O. It doesn't even mean they are playing in LA next year. It just means that they are putting off terminating the lease. This isn't over by any means and Benson is probably just doing this for PR reasons.

[Kori Ellis]

Tim Coulon of the Louisiana Superdome Commission said the agreement means the Saints will play in Baton Rouge or a combination of New Orleans and Baton Rouge for the coming season.

Why did Coulon conclude that this agreement means they'll play in Louisiana next season? Couldn't they still play games anywhere they decided was fit?