roundtable

Hey, gang:

I posted this elsewhere on the Internet and CheramieIII invited me to do the same here.

This is Les East with the Baton Rouge Advocate. I am working on a story in reaction to the NFL announcing the Saints' return to New Orleans, and I can use your help. The official announcement comes at 2:15 today.

I'm looking for comments from serious Saints fans about what happens next after Tom Benson brings his team back to New Orleans, albeit kicking and screaming.

If you would like to be quoted in my story, you can reply to this post or email me directly at reportersroundtable@hotmail.com. Keep in mind, that if we use your comments, they will be printed and attributed to you. We will need to use you full name and not just your handle.

My story will have a fairly narrow focus, i.e. the dilemma so many Saints fans must find a way to resolve -- how do you demonstrate the passionate and loyal support necessary to prove the Saints belong in New Orleans long term, when doing so requires you to put money in the pocket of the person most determined to take the Saints away from New Orleans?

I welcome your thoughts on that issue.

Fire away!

Thanks,

Les East

JOESAM2002

I have been a Saints fan since 1967. I always have and always will love this team. Right now I feel like I did when John Mecom owner the team. Mr. Benson cares nothing about the fans of his team. All we are is dollars in his pocket. I have been known to drive to Baton Rouge from Texas to see a Saints game, knowing I had no place to stay. I will do it again. However I will not drive to San Antonio for a game. It's not home! New Orleans is home!

Joe S. Irvine

P.S. I tried to email this to you. Use it if you choose.
J.S.I

ScottyRo

Benson has done everything he could to alienate the Saints' Louisiana fan base in order to fulfill his transparent desire to move the team. As a Saints fan and a Louisiana resident I am happy that the Saints will be returning to their undamaged and empty practice facility rather than continue to practice in parking lots this coming offseason. I am even more excited about seeing them play in the Superdome again. My biggest concern, however, is just what "deal" was hammered out in order to return the Saints to La. The prospect of this return being a short one year homecoming looms over everything that will be done and said from here on out and Saints fans for years have had to endure such too often.

Halo

BTW,

Guys, Les East is a writer for the Baton Rouge Advocate and has credentials approved and confirmed. Please welcome him to our board and join in conversation, and QA with him.

Les, welcome to the board!

Mark Clark
Editor@blackandgold.net

saintz08

Real Nice .......

By The Way ........

That's like coming home , having dinner and going through the routine to say :

By the way , dear we won the lottery .

Front page post and proper acknowledgement is a must here ......

Tobias-Reiper

I am a lil' skeptical... In 2 short weeks, Benson goes from "New Orleans is unlivable" to ""Recently I met with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and told him that I wanted the Saints to resume operations in our training and practice facility in Metairie," There has to be something else that's not being disclosed... either Benson was told to stay put one more year, or was being forced to move to Los Angeles, which is what would make sense to the NFL, financially speaking.

BlackandBlue

I have a short list of things that can hold my attention. The one constant on that list has always been the New Orleans Saints. Been a fan since 1978, but now reside in Texas. Benson played this scenario out to perfection, while we all sat, watched, and even referred to the guy as being, "insane." He's not insane, his main focus has been to see how bad he can piss the Lousiana fanbase off. How else can you explain the pricebreaks on tickets in San Antonio that you didn't see in Baton Rouge?
There are two choices of what I can do. Either continue watching from afar, as it all plays itself out, or, actively get involved and do what I can to help keep the franchise in New Orleans. People may view that as putting money into the pockets of someone who isn't deserving of it (which the fans really need to look past), I see it as a long term investment. If we sell out the dome next season, it would be hard to argue moving the franchise, which is exactly what Benson doesn't want. So I'm all for that I just hope that others, like myself, will come to their senses, and follow suit. I fear a New Orleans without the Saints franchise, I really do. Think about it- Benson is old, his time on this earth is waning- but the franchise will live on.
There will be some seats set aside for me, regardless of whether or not I am actually there for the game. All I ask is that what of my local homeboys puts a sign up that reads, "Reserved for BlackandBlue and Guests"

The waiting drove me mad....
I don't want to hear from those that know...
Everything has changed, absolutely nothing's changed

Eddie is a....draftnik?

BlackandBlue

Ummm....did someone get their peepee stuck in the hole in the wall again? What's with the snide comments, bro?

NFLDiva

I have no doubt Benson is being forced to stay in New Orleans, and he will still use any excuse he can to back up his argument that he should be able to move this team. So while I am happy they will be here for the 06-07 season. I can only wonder what that greedy Troll has up his sleeve for the following year.


SELL! BENSON! SELL!

Halo

I think it was harder than ever to sell tickets in Baton Rouge this season because people felt like they were putting money in the pocket of someone who doesn't deserve it. This offseason and next fall will be very interesting. I think Benson has a certain unlikable quality about him, he'll say anything for the almighty dollar.

I believe he intentionally pitted Louisiana against San Antonio so SA would take it seriously and think they had a shot at getting the team so they could sell tickets. I think putting Louisiana out of the mix fired up the fan base and hurt them all at once. Watch Benson make nice this offseason so he can sell some tickets because he "loves" New Orleans again.

And what about his leverage with the State in post Katrina Louisiana? He has more power than he had before. I don't like his tactics but he does play hard ball. He may end up back in Louisiana with a renovated Dome within the next 2 seasons. Before Katrina we had a governor and governement that could hardly honor a contract made by the State, and who openly campaigned that she didn't care whether the Saints stayed or not. That's not the tone she has now. Maybe he's a better businessman than I thought, or maybe not.