San Antonio Saints?!
According to a report in USA Today, the New Orleans Saints owner, Tom Benson, is working with Texas officials to permanently relocate the team to the Lone Star State. N.O. mayor Ray Nagin was none to slow to voice his disapproval, stating that New Orleans wanted the team back, but the owner could stay:
"I'm ready to go to the NFL and to (commissioner Paul) Tagliabue and say, 'Give us the Cleveland plan,'" Nagin added, referring to the league awarding Cleveland an expansion team almost immediately after the Browns moved to Baltimore after the 1995 season. "Whatever the Saints want to do, you let them leave, but they can't take our logo, they can't take our name, and you give us a promise to give us a franchise when this city's back."This is a pretty big slap in the face to the city that has forked over millions of dollars over the last several years to develop and improve facilities for the Saints at Benson's demand.
Labels: David C. Price
posted by DAVID C. PRICE at 10/19/2005 09:25:00 PM
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3 Comments:
This is something I've been waiting for. As soon as t Saints announced that they would play some of their "home" games in San Anotonio I expected Benson to announce they would stay there. He's been trying to move the team there for years and I fully expected him to take this opportunity to do so. It's not nice, but it's not surprising either to anyone from Louisiana.
Nagin evidently feels entitled to a football team just as he feels entitled to all sorts of handouts. What an idiot. Sorry Ray, the Saints are a privately held entity - yes even their logo, name, and all that. The owner, in conjunction with the NFL, can do what he wants. You may or may not agree with his decisions.
So what if the city forked over millions to the Saints? Maybe they should have spent that money more wisely. I don't mean to be insensitive, but I'm just tired of this dude.
Honestly, with whats left of New Orleans, and the population exodus looking largely permanent, it only makes sense for the Saints' owner to explore his options to move to a city that can support his team (I don't just mean root for them, but support them by buying tickets, etc.) That's the difference between Cleveland and New Orleans.
Now, stop holding back, Alex...tell us your honest feelings. :-)
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