WhoDat

I was told by my father that yesterday's Morning Advocate (the paper in Baton Rouge) had an editorial piece about the State's negociation with the Saints. Again, I didn't actually see it, but I did hear that it basically outlined the issue as being New Orlean's problem and not the State's.

This type of Anti-New Orleans sentiment, which has existed in Baton Rouge for a LONG time, is what scares me about these negociations. I mean, the Morning Advocate has a section dedicated to TULANE athletics and not the Saints. How is that possible? All of their top sports stories are about LSU - shocker.

Point is, Blanco (and all of Baton Rouge) seems pretty unsympathetic to the Saints. With New Orleans being a shrinking market in which fewer and fewer people are educated, and where the standard of living is amongst the lowest in the country, there's no reason if you are Tom Benson not to move to San Antonio, Portland, or some other emerging market (I'm leaving LA out of this).

At least there you would have a new stadium and a government dedicated to keeping you and participating as compared to one that is smug, broke, and generally unfriendly. I'm telling you guys, if something doesn't change the Saints will be gone by 2010 or there about. If the State renigs... well, 2006 think "Your San Antonio Saints!!!!"

St.Shrume

I used to live in Baton Rouge, yeah it\'s definitely a college town. DIe-hard LSU fans, the Saints were always lagniappe for most.

But i went to USL in Lafayette (ULL now), and there, since our football team wasn\'t all that, the Saints were bigger. Plus there was no black out in Lafayette! So more games seen by the locals, and so a stronger bond.

Note: Gov. Blanco is from Lafayette area..so...

BUT the big thing is that the SAINTS make a lot of money for the New Orleans area. True, it doesn\'t always translate to money for the rest of the state, but Shiiiiii, Louisiana needs to make money any way it can.

Do you think New Orleans residents would be willing to pay an extra tax for the Saints?

Or maybe the Saints should go public, and we all own shares in them. That is why I have much respect for the Packers, and root for them when not in the Saint\'s way. Because they are owned by the people of Green Bay, a small city, not some old man who can jet when he sees fit.

I do think Benson has been loyal to New Orleans so far. You know he can make a lot more in many other markets. But this is his legacy, so he won\'t just skip town....unless it gets really bad, which it may.

Man, i can\'t fathom not having the Saints in Louisiana. i live in DC now, and they are my lifeline to the state. As much as i love football, i\'m not sure if i\'d watch it as regularly and as fanatically.