FinSaint

Yes, Benson threatened to move the Saints, but the key here is: he didn't no matter what the circumstances were behind the decision. It could've just been a businessman using his assets to get himself a better deal.

You have to remember that Benson originally bought the Saints in '85 when it was strongly rumored that the other parties interested in buying the Saints were planning on moving the franchise to Jacksonville.

jeanpierre

Not enough credit goes to Governor Edwards who brokered that deal, put state/public funds, tax concessions, etc forward to guarantee the sale value provided Benson agreed not to move the team...

After Katrina, Paul Tagliabue, who Benson had been an adversary of Tagliabue since Finks' candidacy to challenge for the Commissioner's job, put money forward to assist in reconstruction of the market and indirectly instructed Benson in Public Forums that the NFL wasn't going to condone the Saints moving in the region's hour of need...

The saavy businessman he is - no dispute there...

But to threaten to relocate the team, taking advantage of the Post-Katrina environment was, at the very least, bad form...

But to put him among the "honored" of the franchise is disingenuous...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...