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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says New Orleans coming back 'better than ever'
By Brian Allee-Walsh, The Times-Picayune
October 18, 2009, 10:47PM
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was a special guest of New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson.

Goodell said he previously attended a game at the Superdome on Sept. 25, 2006, when the Saints hosted the Atlanta Falcons in the first home game in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
"I like what I've seen all around the city, the spirit, the passion, the tremendous optimism, " Goodell said prior to kickoff. "There obviously is more work to be done, but it's coming back better than ever."
Goodell said the Saints' new long-term stadium agreement with the state "is a symbol of a great public-private partnership, where this team and the public sector -- all the way up to the governor -- worked very hard to structure a deal that is good for everybody. It's great for this community. It'll be great for the Saints, and it'll be great for the NFL."
Goodell attended a party Saturday night at the home of Olivia and Archie Manning, whose son Eli was on the short end of Sunday's blowout loss as the Giants' quarterback.
"I tell Archie I wish he had more kids, " Goodell said, laughing.
"The Mannings are very special people, and to be the parents of three really terrific young men and two great NFL players right now is a great thing, " Goodell said, alluding to the Mannings' oldest son, Cooper, and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. "It's not only that they're great players, they're great people."
Goodell declined to handicap Sunday's game, but he made it clear his thoughts on the possibility of the Saints reaching Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.
"That would be great for the NFL, " Goodell said. "But, more importantly, that would be great for this community. What this community and this team represent is a bond that is very special. I talk about it all the time. This team reflects the community in such a way that it brings that same total spirit and unity together. I think that would be great for this community that's had so much to overcome and they have done it."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says New Orleans coming back 'better than ever' | New Orleans Saints Central - - NOLA.com

Rugby Saint II

It was good that Goodell watched the game with Benson because the NFL has consistently given us the shaft. There was the home game in NY and I still can't believe we keep having to play the games that are played in another country. It's not something a struggling team needs to do. Let the high profile teams do that.