mssaint

Of course there have been many mixed signals, but I can't help but feel Benson's ultimate plans are to move the team. However, right now, I don't see the NFL giving there approval. If I were Tom, I would stay put. He'll get his new stadium in a few years. If he leaves, he is heartless and plain stupid...

A league source tells us that NFL Commmissioner Paul Tagliabue had multiple heated exchanges with Saints owner Tom Benson this week regarding reports that Benson planned to use the Hurricane Katrina tragedy as a catalyst for moving the Saints out of New Orleans.



Per the source, Tagliabue accused Benson of being "heartless," and Tagliabue told Benson that the league would not allow itself or the Saints to appear opportunistic in the face of the disastrous circumstances in and around the Crescent City.



Several other owners also were involved, we're told, to support Tagliabue's position that Benson should abandon any short-term intentions to lay the foundation for a permanent move based on Katrina and its aftermath.



Word of Benson's plans first surfaced on Saturday, September 3, when The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that team exec Arnold Fielkow had told Louisiana state senator Mike Michot that a permanent move was a possibility. Two days later, New Orleans sports radio host John Marie forwarded to us an e-mail from Fletcher Mackel of WDSU-TV regarding further statements from Fielkow regarding Benson's intention to provoke a fight with the Louisiana legislature by refusing to provide refunds to season-ticket holders.



The next day, Fielkow issued a statement that implicitly conceded the accuracy of the comments attributed to him by Michot and Mackel.



Benson later issued a statement of his own expressing a clear commitment to New Orleans -- and to declare that refunds could be requested -- presumably after Tagliabue twisted some arms and/or booted some boo-tay.



And if it is Tagliabue's intention to slap a muzzle on Benson, the Commish also should pay a visit to Benson's buddy, former Vikings owner Red McCombs. Big Red is trying his damnedest to lure the Saints to San Antonio, ostensibly for 2005 only. But our guess is that Red's unseemly enthusiasm for capitalizing in the short term on the New Orleans situation will eventually give way to a more calculating plan to keep the Saints in San Antone.



And with McCombs whispering in Benson's ear, no amount of yelling from Tabliague will make a lasting difference.