Football in New Orleans is Over For Good

[neilfish2]

ABC reported at halftime of the Seminoles vs. Hurricanes that the SuperDome will be torn down.

 

I kinda figured that, but hadn't heard it for sure.

 

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Dude let me say something to you, don't believe everything you hear. Your not in this city I AM. For starters how can they report that the Superdome is going to be torn down. For your info and the stupid media that you are hearing this from, (by the way there is a NAVY copper flying over my house right now) they are just starting to pick up the 1000's of bodies floating in our city. You need shut up!!!!!

Beside why would the city send in inpectors into a dome that is surrounded by Water donkey

[CaptainHook]

Khloe, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian is your problem? Don't attack me! I didn't cause the hurricane.

 

The report was from a guy standing in the middle of New Orleans. It's not like I'm sitting here making this up!?!

Edited September 6, 2005 by CaptainHook

[neilfish2]

Hurrican Katrina is the excuse the NFL has been looking for to get a team in Los Angeles.

 

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Lets see heres one.

[Vet]

Dude let me say something to you,  don't believe everything you hear.  Your not in this city I AM.  For starters how can they report that the Superdome is going to be torn down.  For your info and the stupid media that you are hearing this from, (by the way there is a NAVY copper flying over my house right now) they are just starting to pick up the 1000's of bodies floating in our city. You need shut up!!!!!

Beside why would the city send in inpectors into a dome that is surrounded by Water donkey

 

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I guess you have electricity back. And internet service. That's good to hear - sounds like they're making progress.

[CaptainHook]

I'm a bad guy for suggesting that Benson is going to pull a punk move and move the team? I didn't say I agreed with it! I just thought it might happen. Chavez's post (Post #18) shows that the process may have already begun.

 

I'm missing the part where this is my fault. . .

[Pope Flick]

I'm a bad guy for suggesting that Benson is going to pull a punk move and move the team?  I didn't say I agreed with it!  I just thought it might happen. Chavez's post (Post #18) shows that the process may have already begun. 

 

I'm missing the part where this is my fault. . .

 

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Dude you opened a topic that is no doubt going to touch some VERY FRAYED nerves. If someone else started it, they would be the target of vitriol. As it is, it was you hence you are the target because in a sense you 'asked for it' because posting something here implies you are looking for a conversation/response/debate etc.

[CaptainHook]

Dude you opened a topic that is no doubt going to touch some VERY FRAYED nerves. If someone else started it, they would be the target of vitriol. As it is, it was you hence you are the target because in a sense you 'asked for it' because posting something here implies you are looking for a conversation/response/debate etc.

 

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I opened it? Read who started this topic and the first post again.

[neilfish2]

Sorry Capt. you just can't beleive a word that the national media is saying. Hell while I was away the national media was saying that people were killing people in the dome, rapes happining, suicides all not true. CNN, CNNBC, FOX they are all f'in a-holes. I came back Wendseday and it sucked. Yes I was one of the lucky ones only minimal damage to my house, I haven't seen my family for a week just got my power on yesterday. But the superdome is fine. What you see is only a covering (light weight to hold up the stucture). Yes we are hoping that we can get a new place, but first the death needs to leave this city.

[revhookem]

I heard the same allusion to the Superdome being torn down. Evidently they will report on it during the news coverage after the FST-MIA game.

 

Regardless of the Superdome, the situation in NO makes it highly unlikely that the Saints can return, even next season. The best case scenario would be a return in 2007, I think... and only then if the city is back to the point where it could support the team, not only with attendance, but with hotels and tourism. I would LOVE to see that happen, as NO is one of my favorite cities to visit. But right now, that seems almost impossible. I can't blame the NFL for that. In fact, if it's feasible, I think they'll eventually try to rebuild in NO. But I think that may be several years... if ever. It seems to me that San Antonio is their likely home for the next two seasons. After that, who knows?

 

Having said all of that, everything is speculation at this point. Until the water is pumped out and the clean-up has begun, no one will really know what the future holds for NO. In the meantime, the prayers of the nation - and the world - are with those most directly effected. And although I'm a diehard Cowboys fan... I'll be pulling HARD for the Saints this season, as will many others.

[neilfish2]

Football in New Orleans is over.  Both the Govenor of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans were and are opposed to partly fund a new arena for the Saints orginization to play future games in.  The Saints were entertaining the idea of moving anyway, and Katrina will make their decision for them.  So who pays for the next franchise?

 

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This dude, he has no clue. For starters the mayor has absolutly nothing to do with the Saints staying or leaving. Its only the Gov. and Benson. Right now yes it put on the backburner. As far as the Saints Enertaning the idea of moving the answer is NO. Yes the hurricane has put a wrench in the plans, but once we get back I expect the state and Benson work out a deal.

[Ursa Majoris]

Please, for God's sake no more expansion!

 

We already have people like Joey Harrington and Kyle Boller holding starting QB jobs in the NFL.  If that isn't watered down enough, I don't know what is.

 

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Couldn't agree more.

[neilfish2]

I heard the same allusion to the Superdome being torn down.  Evidently they will report on it during the news coverage after the FST-MIA game.

 

Regardless of the Superdome, the situation in NO makes it highly unlikely that the Saints can return, even next season.  The best case scenario would be a return in 2007, I think... and only then if the city is back to the point where it could support the team, not only with attendance, but with hotels and tourism.  I would LOVE to see that happen, as NO is one of my favorite cities to visit.  But right now, that seems almost impossible.  I can't blame the NFL for that.  In fact, if it's feasible, I think they'll eventually try to rebuild in NO.  But I think that may be several years... if ever.  It seems to me that San Antonio is their likely home for the next two seasons.  After that, who knows?

 

Having said all of that, everything is speculation at this point.  Until the water is pumped out and the clean-up has begun, no one will really know what the future holds for NO.  In the meantime, the prayers of the nation - and the world - are with those most directly effected.  And although I'm a diehard Cowboys fan... I'll be pulling HARD for the Saints this season, as will many others.

 

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AMEN

[Pope Flick]

I opened it?  Read who started this topic and the first post again.

 

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My bad. I just remembered your several comments from the previous page and forgot tocheck out who started it. My apologies.

[Pack Mentality]

I saw Ted Koppel's report too. However as of midnight Central time, none of the major news or sports outlets have yet made any mention of the Superdome being condemned on their Web sites. If it's true it's probably curtains for the Saints in New Orleans, but before Koppel's report I'd not heard anything about the Superdome being damaged severely enough to be unsalvageable. The place was built to last, and except for the roof damage it appeared to have done just that.

[Bill Swerski]

What happens when the city of New Orleans defaults and cannot pay this money, which I believe is closer to $15 million per year?  Plus, the payments escalate each year.  There is NO WAY the city can justify that spending now.  The lease will be broken.  The Saints will be free to leave.  This is going to be an ugly situation.  No one wants to say it right now, because it is an incredibly insensitive thing to do.  But the city cannot support the Saints, and probably can't for several more years. And my guess is that the NFL finds a way to put the team in Los Angeles.

 

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Unfortunately for the people of Louisiana, I agree.

 

I don't understand why so many people are pi$$ed at Benson. Would you want to keep your franchise in New Orleans right now? Granted, this was a very poor time for him to make those comments, but he'd be an absolute idiot to stay at this point.

[DaFreak]

I said it once and Ill say it again, the Superdome is coming down and a new stadium will be built...Now, whether it is the Saints as you know them playing is another question but I do know New Orleans will have an NFL team, one way or another....

[kraftykraft]

Please, for God's sake no more expansion!

 

We already have people like Joey Harrington and Kyle Boller holding starting QB jobs in the NFL.  If that isn't watered down enough, I don't know what is.

 

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Quoted for truth...

 

That and the NFL just completed realignment and has an even 32 teams now. If the Saints move, and a new expansion franchise is given to New Orleans, then a second expansion franchise has to be added somewhere else. While I suppose that LA or San Antonio could be the site for that franchise (whichever one didn't get the Saints if they move), having to add two new franchises would complicate things. Also, the franchises wouldn't be joining up until new stadiums are built in New Orleans and the expansion cities (with the $500M+ expansion franchise fee that the NFL would charge, you would need a new stadium to pay off the debt).

 

So it would be 4-5 years before the expansion franchises would be ready anyway.

 

That being said, it looks like Benson went to the Art Modell school of community relations...

[1STEELERFAN]

Quoted for truth...

 

That and the NFL just completed realignment and has an even 32 teams now.  If the Saints move, and a new expansion franchise is given to New Orleans, then a second expansion franchise has to be added somewhere else.  While I suppose that LA or San Antonio could be the site for that franchise (whichever one didn't get the Saints if they move), having to add two new franchises would complicate things.  Also, the franchises wouldn't be joining up until new stadiums are built in New Orleans and the expansion cities (with the $500M+ expansion franchise fee that the NFL would charge, you would need a new stadium to pay off the debt).

 

So it would be 4-5 years before the expansion franchises would be ready anyway.

 

That being said, it looks like Benson went to the Art Modell school of community relations... 

 

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Unfortunately, yes he did.

 

According to ESPN, the NFL has potentially 3 teams that can move if certain "requirements" are not met. Those teams are the Vikings, Saints and Jaguars. The Vikings have a new owner who sounds comitted to staying in Minnesota. They want a new stadium and may or may not get it. The Jags have a nice stadium, but low attendance. The Saints have (had) low attendance and a stadium that was considered to be obsolete prior to the events of last week.

 

The Saints were considered to be the front runner to relocate. However, with everything that has happened, I think it would be a public relations nightmare for the NFL to even consider moving the Saints permanently out of the Gulf Coast without some sort of compensation (an expansion franchise a'la the Browns/Ravens move being one idea). BUT the New Orleans area lacks the financial backing of large corporations, making it undesirable to place an expansion team there.

 

So it's a fine line that Benson and the league are walking here. If it was me running the league (hey, a guy can dream), I would keep the Saints in the Gulf Coast for at least the next 2 years. They can play in Shreveport, Baton Rouge, Jackson, MS...wherever. There's nothing those folks in the Gulf are going to need more than a distraction that NFL football can provide. And it's not like Los Angeles or San Antonio are beating down the fences to get a franchise. The risk you run in that situation is that Benson will probably file for bankruptcy and the league will end up owning the team like MLB owned the Expos.

[CaptainHook]

SAN ANTONIO -- Saints owner Tom Benson, who drew criticism for his silence concerning where the team should play home games in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, prefers to call Baton Rouge home.

 

In a statement issued Tuesday, Benson echoed players and coaches who've said they prefer to play in Tiger Stadium on the LSU campus. Benson said he told the NFL he would like the Saints to play there "to the extent circumstances allow."

 

NFL spokesman Joe Browne said the league has been in contact with LSU and Baton Rouge officials and hopes the Saints eventually will be able to play home games there.

 

There are logistical issues potentially blocking the Saints from playing some early season home dates at 92,000-seat Tiger Stadium about 80 miles northwest of their longtime home, the storm-damaged Louisiana Superdome. The LSU campus currently is home to relief efforts that even forced the Tigers to postpone their first home game and move their second one this Saturday to Arizona State.

 

Benson also assured season-ticket holders they will be refunded if they are unable to attend games, wherever they may be played. He said the team was still finishing the details of its refund policy.

 

"The entire New Orleans Saints organization would like to extend its prayers and best wishes to all of our fans throughout Louisiana and the Gulf South region," Benson said.

 

Benson added he wants the club to be "a source of pride and joy in these difficult days."

 

"As we move forward together, the Saints look forward to serving as a leader in the rebuilding and revitalization of our great community," Benson said, noting that the club is setting up a relief fund for the storm-ravaged region.

 

For home games that can't be played at Tiger Stadium, the Saints say their other options include playing at the stadium of their scheduled opponent or in San Antonio, where the club is practicing and has set up temporary headquarters.

 

The Saints already agreed to play their first scheduled home date in New York against the Giants on Sept. 19. The next home game in question is Oct. 2 against Buffalo.

 

link

[neilfish2]

SAN ANTONIO -- Saints owner Tom Benson, who drew criticism for his silence concerning where the team should play home games in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, prefers to call Baton Rouge home.

 

In a statement issued Tuesday, Benson echoed players and coaches who've said they prefer to play in Tiger Stadium on the LSU campus. Benson said he told the NFL he would like the Saints to play there "to the extent circumstances allow."

 

NFL spokesman Joe Browne said the league has been in contact with LSU and Baton Rouge officials and hopes the Saints eventually will be able to play home games there.

 

There are logistical issues potentially blocking the Saints from playing some early season home dates at 92,000-seat Tiger Stadium about 80 miles northwest of their longtime home, the storm-damaged Louisiana Superdome. The LSU campus currently is home to relief efforts that even forced the Tigers to postpone their first home game and move their second one this Saturday to Arizona State.

 

Benson also assured season-ticket holders they will be refunded if they are unable to attend games, wherever they may be played. He said the team was still finishing the details of its refund policy.

 

"The entire New Orleans Saints organization would like to extend its prayers and best wishes to all of our fans throughout Louisiana and the Gulf South region," Benson said.

 

Benson added he wants the club to be "a source of pride and joy in these difficult days."

 

"As we move forward together, the Saints look forward to serving as a leader in the rebuilding and revitalization of our great community," Benson said, noting that the club is setting up a relief fund for the storm-ravaged region.

 

For home games that can't be played at Tiger Stadium, the Saints say their other options include playing at the stadium of their scheduled opponent or in San Antonio, where the club is practicing and has set up temporary headquarters.

 

The Saints already agreed to play their first scheduled home date in New York against the Giants on Sept. 19. The next home game in question is Oct. 2 against Buffalo.

 

link

 

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put this in your think tank. come Oct. I can see the Saints playing the Miami Dolphins in Tiger stadium....Nick Saban back in Baton Rouge. 92,000 people to see a NFL game played outside....

[wiegie]

ABC reported at halftime of the Seminoles vs. Hurricanes that the SuperDome will be torn down.

 

I kinda figured that, but hadn't heard it for sure.

 

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just to add a link

The Louisiana Superdome was so heavily damaged during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath that it likely will have to be torn down, according to a spokesperson for Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/06/katrina.impact/index.html