Rita sues!!!!

01-23-2015, 12:53 AM

Family, that why you get to pick your friends. Just sad. We know this is not going to end well.

RailBoss · 01-23-2015, 04:33 AM

Boy Christmas dinner at Tom's house is gonna suck next year!

xan · 01-23-2015, 04:55 AM

I think that we need to start a B&G collection to raise enough money to buy the club. It is not a stretch that the result of all this fighting is the dissolution of the trust and the exposure of the entire estate to federal and state(s) taxes. As was pointed out, Benson may be wealthy, but he is likely not to have $5 billion in assets that will protect the $1.7 billion value ascribed to the two franchises.

We need to be prepared. Halo? Set up the B&G trust!

SloMotion · 01-23-2015, 05:50 AM

Originally Posted by vtiger72

This article adds an interesting element. Apparently, Benson may not legally be able to remove the Saints and Pelicans from the trusts. It definitely seems he has under valued them.

Benson’s gambit to remove Saints, Pelicans from heirs’ trusts could fall flat | HomeGarden | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, Louisiana

<sigh> ... it's always the fans who suffer,

. Lotta' good points on the trusts being irrevocable. That's probably why they set 'em up in the first place ... Mr. Benson wouldn't be the first old guy to do something peculiar, just sayin'.

Originally Posted by from the article

“With these kinds of dollars at stake, there’ll be fights over everything,” predicted Joel Mendler, an expert in estate planning at the law firm Baldwin Haspel. “The only ones who will win will be the lawyers."

saintsfan1976 · 01-23-2015, 07:48 AM

We may have Rita and Tags to thank for bringing the Saints back to New Orleans but we have Payton & Brees to thank for KEEPING the Saints in New Orleans.

Winning cures all and now that things are funky, my gut tells me Benson is back to his old tricks. I'd almost forgotten how sneaky the old days were....

lee909 · 01-23-2015, 08:14 AM

The worse thing that can happen will be split ownership between the two.
Leaves the team in limbo with two parties pulling it in opposite directions.
I may not be from the city but if this leads to the team to leave New Orleans I'm done.

Its the one aspect of US sports I can't stand,the team belongs to the fans nobody else

SmashMouth · 01-23-2015, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by lee909

The worse thing that can happen will be split ownership between the two.
Leaves the team in limbo with two parties pulling it in opposite directions.
I may not be from the city but if this leads to the team to leave New Orleans I'm done.

Its the one aspect of US sports I can't stand,the team belongs to the fans nobody else

Well said...

Mardigras9 · 01-23-2015, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Halo

As I remember it, after Katrina, it was Tom Benson who wanted to move the team to San Antonio claiming the new facilities on Airline drive were un-usable when they were not even touched by the storm. His new bride, Gayle, encouraged the move because that's where she was from and wanted the team there. Internally it was Rita Leblanc Benson, Tom's granddaughter, who started to resist and change the mind of her grandfather. Eventually it was Tagliabue who put his foot down for the sake of decency. After Katrina and the Saints return, Rita earned herself an executive spot and a face of the organization.

Tom says ownership needs to shift to Gayle to keep the team in New Orleans long term. My question is, when recently has the long term location of the team been in question? Why is that even mentioned? Sounds like boy who cried wolf and a PR move. Gayle gets the team and it can move at anytime. No one has to fulfill a "promise".

Totally agree.
Yes, that is how I remember it also.

foreverfan · 01-23-2015, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by saintfan

Time for another "open the books" debate?

If I understand, he can pull the assets out of the trust, but he has to replace them with assets of equal value. How much are the Saints worth?

Hopefully they will find the money I got screwed out of when I bought a car from Benson years ago.

Beastmode · 01-23-2015, 10:44 AM

This is the second darkest time in team history. Could you imagine working in the front office right now with no real leadership having to watch your back at all times. Nobody of quality is going to want to work for this organization in this climate to include FA's even after it's sorted out. If the wife runs the show it's going to unravel rather quickly. All the recent statements by Benson she released, how is that even possible if he's losing his mental facilities. Impossible.

01-23-2015, 12:53 AM	#61
Threaded by QBREES9 Moderator Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New Haven Ct Posts: 23,985 Rating: (0 votes - average) Family, that why you get to pick your friends. Just sad. We know this is not going to end well. Halo and OldMaid like this.
Views: 39434

01-23-2015, 04:33 AM	#62
RailBoss 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Of The Mason Dixon Line Posts: 7,113	Re: Rita sues!!!! Boy Christmas dinner at Tom's house is gonna suck next year! Halo, Dasidreidia and OldMaid like this.

01-23-2015, 04:55 AM	#63
xan Professor Crab and Site Donor 2014 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Princeton Posts: 3,371 Blog Entries: 34	Re: Rita sues!!!! I think that we need to start a B&G collection to raise enough money to buy the club. It is not a stretch that the result of all this fighting is the dissolution of the trust and the exposure of the entire estate to federal and state(s) taxes. As was pointed out, Benson may be wealthy, but he is likely not to have $5 billion in assets that will protect the $1.7 billion value ascribed to the two franchises. We need to be prepared. Halo? Set up the B&G trust! Halo, saintfan, RailBoss and 2 others like this.

01-23-2015, 05:50 AM	#64
SloMotion 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 6,776 Blog Entries: 15	Re: Rita sues!!!! Originally Posted by vtiger72 This article adds an interesting element. Apparently, Benson may not legally be able to remove the Saints and Pelicans from the trusts. It definitely seems he has under valued them. Benson’s gambit to remove Saints, Pelicans from heirs’ trusts could fall flat \| HomeGarden \| The Advocate — Baton Rouge, Louisiana <sigh> ... it's always the fans who suffer, . Lotta' good points on the trusts being irrevocable. That's probably why they set 'em up in the first place ... Mr. Benson wouldn't be the first old guy to do something peculiar, just sayin'. Originally Posted by from the article “With these kinds of dollars at stake, there’ll be fights over everything,” predicted Joel Mendler, an expert in estate planning at the law firm Baldwin Haspel. “The only ones who will win will be the lawyers." Halo and saintfan like this.

01-23-2015, 07:48 AM	#65
saintsfan1976 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 10,846 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Rita sues!!!! We may have Rita and Tags to thank for bringing the Saints back to New Orleans but we have Payton & Brees to thank for KEEPING the Saints in New Orleans. Winning cures all and now that things are funky, my gut tells me Benson is back to his old tricks. I'd almost forgotten how sneaky the old days were.... Halo, RailBoss, jeanpierre and 1 others like this.

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01-23-2015, 08:14 AM	#66
lee909 Site Donor 2015 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Watford England Posts: 8,809 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Rita sues!!!! The worse thing that can happen will be split ownership between the two. Leaves the team in limbo with two parties pulling it in opposite directions. I may not be from the city but if this leads to the team to leave New Orleans I'm done. Its the one aspect of US sports I can't stand,the team belongs to the fans nobody else Halo, SmashMouth, jeanpierre and 3 others like this.

01-23-2015, 08:34 AM	#67
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 38,200 Blog Entries: 29	Re: Rita sues!!!! Originally Posted by lee909 The worse thing that can happen will be split ownership between the two. Leaves the team in limbo with two parties pulling it in opposite directions. I may not be from the city but if this leads to the team to leave New Orleans I'm done. Its the one aspect of US sports I can't stand,the team belongs to the fans nobody else Well said...

01-23-2015, 09:31 AM	#68
Mardigras9 Site Donor 2015 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Land Mass between LA and AL Posts: 4,375	Re: Rita sues!!!! Originally Posted by Halo As I remember it, after Katrina, it was Tom Benson who wanted to move the team to San Antonio claiming the new facilities on Airline drive were un-usable when they were not even touched by the storm. His new bride, Gayle, encouraged the move because that's where she was from and wanted the team there. Internally it was Rita Leblanc Benson, Tom's granddaughter, who started to resist and change the mind of her grandfather. Eventually it was Tagliabue who put his foot down for the sake of decency. After Katrina and the Saints return, Rita earned herself an executive spot and a face of the organization. Tom says ownership needs to shift to Gayle to keep the team in New Orleans long term. My question is, when recently has the long term location of the team been in question? Why is that even mentioned? Sounds like boy who cried wolf and a PR move. Gayle gets the team and it can move at anytime. No one has to fulfill a "promise". Totally agree. Yes, that is how I remember it also. Halo likes this.

01-23-2015, 09:46 AM	#69
foreverfan 12,000 BS Posts Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Metairie, LA Posts: 13,457 Blog Entries: 5	Re: Rita sues!!!! Originally Posted by saintfan Time for another "open the books" debate? If I understand, he can pull the assets out of the trust, but he has to replace them with assets of equal value. How much are the Saints worth? Hopefully they will find the money I got screwed out of when I bought a car from Benson years ago. saintfan, RailBoss and OldMaid like this.

01-23-2015, 10:44 AM	#70
Beastmode 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,126	Re: Rita sues!!!! This is the second darkest time in team history. Could you imagine working in the front office right now with no real leadership having to watch your back at all times. Nobody of quality is going to want to work for this organization in this climate to include FA's even after it's sorted out. If the wife runs the show it's going to unravel rather quickly. All the recent statements by Benson she released, how is that even possible if he's losing his mental facilities. Impossible. OldMaid likes this.
Beastmode 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,126

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