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I say good riddance to bad football
Saints marching from S.A.
Tom Orsborn
San Antonio Express-News
11/08/2005
The chances that the New Orleans Saints will play their 2006 home schedule in the Alamodome — something many considered a foregone conclusion just two weeks ago — appear to be fading fast.
A Louisiana Superdome official said Monday that an agreement reached last week between Saints owner Tom Benson and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco effectively binds the team to play in Louisiana next season and delays for at least a year the issue of relocation of the team, now temporarily based in San Antonio.
In a move encouraged by the National Football League, Benson and Blanco agreed Friday to postpone to 2007 two termination deadlines in the Saints' lease for the Superdome.
The extensions, Superdome Commission attorney Larry Roedel said, allow all sides to begin planning for the 2006 season without the threat of legal entanglements.
"The spirit of the consensus reached among the NFL, the Saints and the state last Friday was that the 2006 season will be played in Louisiana," Roedel said.
Roedel said the tentative plan for 2006 calls for Saints' home games to be played in Baton Rouge, La., and holds out hope that the Superdome, damaged by Hurricane Katrina, would be ready for use late next season.
Neither Benson nor any Saints officials could be reached for comment Monday.
Still, a representative of Mayor Phil Hardberger said Hardberger and Benson plan to meet after this season to talk about the Saints playing a full home schedule at the Alamodome next season and possible permanent relocation by the team to San Antonio.
"I can't dispute (Roedel's comments)," said Christian Archer, the mayor's special assistant. "But I can tell you nothing from our end has changed."
But Roedel is confident NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and other league officials will push for the Saints to play in Louisiana next season.
"The NFL sets the schedules and venues for the games, and we have their assurance that the 2006 schedule will be played here," Roedel said.
"Based on how they (league officials) have worked with us this season, we trust their credibility."
The Saints relocated to San Antonio after Katrina amid reports that Benson wanted the team to play all of its home games this season at the Alamodome. Benson, long at odds with Louisiana officials over his lease arrangements, already had passed word to city officials last spring that he was interested in relocating his franchise, possibly to San Antonio.
But Tagliabue quickly intervened in the situation and hammered out an agreement that moved three of the Saints' home games to the Alamodome and four to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
Tagliabue also encouraged Benson in a meeting Oct. 16 in Baton Rouge to extend the termination deadlines in the team's Superdome lease for the state-owned facility.
One of those provisions, known as force majeure, had a late November deadline for the Saints to void the deal and avoid an $81 million exit penalty by declaring that the Superdome is not usable because of Katrina.
That deadline was pushed back to Jan. 15, 2007, a move designed to buy time for the Saints and the state.
Roedel said both sides are in agreement that the prospects for economic recovery in New Orleans can't be determined at present and that Benson should be able to assess that factor when considering his team's future.
Roedel said the state is prepared to take the Saints to arbitration should Benson decide to give force majeure notice. The state, Roedel said, would contend that it trumped force majeure by giving the Saints another venue — Tiger Stadium — while the Superdome is being repaired.
Before last week's postponement of the termination deadlines, momentum appeared to be building for a plan that would have the Saints play their 2006 home schedule in the Alamodome.
It was expected that the Superdome would need a year or more to repair and that Tiger Stadium, because of conflicts with LSU games, would not be an attractive option.
Tagliabue, however, began to chip away at the Alamodome option when he addressed the media at the Saints' Baton Rouge opener Oct. 16.
Tagliabue, who declined to attend the Saints' first two games in the Alamodome, forcefully stated the league's intention to keep the team in Louisiana.
Benson's request for a force majeure extension came one week after Hardberger said that the city would not be the source of funding for a new stadium for the Saints.
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I say good riddance to bad football
well the saints were a projected playoff team this year...it ain't bad football, just bad luck, bad location, bad officiating, bad cir stances...
The Texans were a projected playoff team this year too. Projections don't mean much in the NFL.
is .
Enjoy your 30,000 a game, Tom.
It could be a tactic to do poorly in sales next year so he can excuse a final move from LA... or it just could be rumor mill ..
I'll belive it when I see it. Tom has burned his bridge in LA state now he better be carefull not to burn his Spur Fan bridge...
bad QB, bad owner
THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, I don't have to see anymore SAints t-shirts or San Antonio Saints signs anymore!!!
No more Stains? AW MAN!!!
Flash Quixote...
And San Antonio fades back into obscurity.
All is right in the world again.
Get off the bandwagon then... geeze people how many posts / articles / rumors and rants have we heard so far? LOTS and LOTS..
This is a rumor... that's all.
Better a fade than a wash...
Did any of you guys read the thing?
The spirit of the consensus??"The spirit of the consensus reached among the NFL, the Saints and the state last Friday was that the 2006 season will be played in Louisiana," Roedel said.
Translation: "The NFL said they want to play in Louisiana so we take their word."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2216933
NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue met with New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson Monday in Washington to discuss the team's plans for the 2006 season, ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting.
Benson prefers that the Saints play next season in San Antonio. Tagliabue and other league officials want more information before making a final decision with LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., as the preferred site.
we were never in obscurity.And San Antonio fades back into obscurity.
All is right in the world again.
seriosly, that's ed up, but
Bull on both references.
When Mr. Benson tells us what he's doing, that's when I'll say, "Oh hey! The Saints will be in ________ for 2006." Not before.
High Five, Flash.
Jesus. I thought Loose Cannon was back at home on SaintsReport.com. Enough of your
I agree. San Antonio is a great city for anyone that's spent any time there. Who really cares what anybody else thinks? And how would having the worst NFL team of all time owned by one of the worst owners of all time make San Antonio any better? Puhleeze.
It would be one step towards not being skimmed over when people mention the great cities of Texas.
Re: the "wash" joke. I don't live in New Orleans. As tasteless as your joke was, doesn't effect me. Try again.
When people mention the great cities of Texas...San Antonio is always mentioned.
Hopefully you will get to keep your team, but I still say they are going to L.A.
Wow after getting slapped here for a while, it's nice that you show your face again Loose.....
If you tell yourself you " slapped" me enough times maybe it will become true. Doubt it though.
Can't hurt to try
"I think I can I, I think I can, I think I can"
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