What of the 'Aints?

Bizzarofelice · Post by **Bizzarofelice** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:00 pm

Superdome won't be ready by opening day.
New Orleans fans won't be ready by opening day.

They gonna spend time in Baton Rouge? Joe Horn's next dance gonna be a canoe simulation?

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:08 pm

Looks like the Saints will play a few games at either LSU or possibly in Houston at Reliant Stadium.

Though, at the rate things are deteriorating, I wouldn't be surprised to see them lose a whole season at the Superdome.

Headhunter · Post by **Headhunter** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:11 pm

Word on the street is that the Saints have been talking to Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas about practice facilities. The Texans have offered up reliant park for practice. The smart money would be on the Saints playing in the alamodome, as there are less chances of scheduling conflicts. The Saints open on the road, so they have a few weeks to nail down the arrangements.

They won't be playing at reliant stadium for their home opener, as it conflicts with the Texans. Maybe a Saturday game, but that's pushing it.

Joe in PB · Post by **Joe in PB** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:54 pm

Finally a good reason to move to LA.......CA.

TenTallBen · Post by **TenTallBen** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:59 pm

I'll be pissed if they go to San Antonio as will many other Saints fans. That's why I doubt it will happen..

Saints exploring options after city's devastation

By SHELDON MICKLES
smickles@theadvocate.com
Advocate sportswriter

An aerial view of the Superdome and New Orleans Arena shows damage to the Dome's roof and the standing water caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Displaced by Hurricane Katrina like hundreds of thousands of fellow New Orleanians, the Saints made plans Tuesday to temporarily set up operations in San Antonio following Thursday night's exhibition game with the Oakland Raiders.
The Saints fled to San Jose, Calif., on Sunday afternoon in advance of the killer storm that devastated New Orleans on Monday after forcing thousands of people to seek shelter in the Superdome.

The stadium's roof was heavily damaged when Katrina barreled through southeast Louisiana packing 145 mph winds. The storm left about 80 percent of New Orleans under water and catastrophic destruction in its wake.

Considering the condition of the city and stadium, Saints officials have been in contact with the NFL concerning options for the team to practice and continue preparing for its Sept. 11 regular-season opener at Carolina. The home opener against the New York Giants is scheduled for Sept. 18.

Saints and NFL officials said no decision has been made about games that may not be able to be played in the Superdome. Rumors began circulating Tuesday that the Saints would play at LSU, San Antonio, Houston or Jackson, Miss.

"As of right now, nothing has been decided about where we'll play our home games for the time being," said Greg Bensel, the Saints director of media & public relations. "We are hearing the same rumors, and nothing has been decided. That will be a decision by the team, the league and potential facility -- and that has not happened.

"Plus, we still need to see the extent of the damage to the Superdome. We are hoping for the best at this time."

However, it became increasingly unlikely that the Saints will be able to play at the Superdome at all this season as the situation deteriorated throughout the day Tuesday.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said Doug Thornton, a regional vice president for SMG, the company that manages the Superdome, told him it would be "very, very difficult for the Saints to play their home games here this season."

Team owner Tom Benson and General Manager Mickey Loomis have both been in communication with the league office while the Saints practice at San Jose State for the game with the Raiders.

Bensel said Tuesday the team would temporarily relocate to San Antonio, leaving immediately after the Raiders' game. The Saints spent three days in San Antonio in September 2004 when Hurricane Ivan took aim at New Orleans before veering off and striking the Florida Panhandle.

"While (New Orleans) is still not in any condition to have people back there, our plan is to set up camp in San Antonio like we did for Hurricane Ivan," Bensel said. "They are equipped to handle us."

Greg Aiello, the NFL's vice president of public relations, said the Saints also considered practicing in Houston or Dallas.

"We've been in contact with the Saints the past two days discussing the situation and options -- both for practicing after the Oakland game and for the possibility of relocating games," Aiello said. "The goal on both key issues -- where they practice and where they'll play if the Superdome is not available on Sept. 18 -- is to try and find a place as close as possible to New Orleans. That's what the Saints want."

Aiello said Art Shell, the NFL's senior vice president of football operations, has already had several conversations with the Saints about the situation and will assist them in any way the league can.

"We've formed an internal task force to deal with the various issues and will be meeting regularly starting tomorrow and working through it," Aiello said Tuesday. "We'll continue to talk to the Saints and the others that will be involved."

According to Aiello, the Saints don't have to practice and play in the same place.

"But, the goal is to play as close to New Orleans as possible," Aiello said.

Aiello said the league office contacted LSU officials on Monday, but did not know what their answer was. He said LSU was merely one of the places identified as a potential game site and emphasized that no decision had been made.

Aiello said it was unlikely the Saints will have to play all of their games at the home stadiums of their opponents. But, he said the league has no formal policy or procedure in place for teams that are affected by natural disasters.

"We haven't focused that far down the line yet," Aiello said. "Again, if the games can't be played in New Orleans, every effort will be made to play as close as possible (to New Orleans) so Saints fans can attend."

NFL games in the past have been affected by hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires, he said, but none of the magnitude of this situation.

"I feel terrible for the people down there," Aiello said. "It's amazing."

Advocate staff writer Joe Gyan Jr. contributed to this report.

Bertman says Tiger Stadium open for Saints if they need itAugust 31, 2005
By Glenn Guilbeau

ggulbeau@gannett.com

BATON ROUGE -- Tiger Stadium is open for the New Orleans Saints, who may have been rendered homeless for the 2005 NFL season.

The Louisiana Superdome suffered roof damage from Hurricane Katrina on Monday, but more importantly, the hurricane-ravaged city may not be ready to host an NFL game on Sept. 18. The Saints, who are in Oakland for a preseason game Thursday and open the season on Sept. 11 at Carolina, are scheduled to open the home season on Sept. 18 at noon against the New York Giants and New Orleans native Eli Manning.

Saints owner Tom Benson is considering other cities for possible relocation as his team's Metairie facility is also in a flood area.

One possible site for future Saints home games is Tiger Stadium.

"If the Saints call, naturally I will consider taking their request to the Board of Supervisors," LSU athletic director Skip Bertman told the Gannett News Service on Tuesday. "Because they're our Saints, too, and we're all in this together. But obviously, I couldn't do anything without board action."

Bertman, who has been critical of the Saints receiving incentive-free money from the state in the $12-to-$18-million range a year to help make ends meet, said as of yet he has not been contacted by the Saints.

LSU postponed its season opener on Saturday against North Texas indefinitely because the campus -- located 87 miles northwest of New Orleans -- has been designated by the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness as a major emercency evacuation center with its basketball arena and fieldhouse serving as medical triage units.

The Tigers plan to open the season at home on Sept. 10 against Arizona State. LSU is open on Sept. 17 and conceivably could host the Saints-Giants game on Sept. 18 scheduled for the Superdome.

"We'd have to arrange something as far as a rental agreement," Bertman said. "And it would have to work with the LSU football schedule. I'm not sure we could play football on a Saturday night and have it ready for Sunday afternoon."

LSU, North Texas and Louisiana-Monroe officials are exploring postponing the North Texas-ULM game of Oct. 29 to Dec. 3 so LSU could play North Texas on Oct. 29 instead. LSU has an open date on Oct. 29.

©The Shreveport Times
August 31, 2005

poptart · Post by **poptart** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:59 pm

Saints are in Oakland now.

Playing a pre-season game tomorrow.

Compared to NoMoreleans, Oakland must look like paradise.

The world's gone ape shit.

TenTallBen · Post by **TenTallBen** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 4:01 pm

Joe in PB wrote:Finally a good reason to move to LA.......CA.

Why? So they can play in a stadium full of empty seats?

Headhunter · Post by **Headhunter** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 4:15 pm

Why would you be pissed if they played in San Antonio? Because SA has been trying to lure them for a few years?

I can understand not wanting to travel to see the games, but there are not many options that fit as easy as the Alamodome. It's an NFL size stadium with no home team.

We could rent out the Astrodome if you don't mind blowing out a few dozen knees and playing in front of 30,000 rats.

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 4:28 pm

poptart wrote:Saints are in Oakland now. Playing a pre-season game tomorrow. Compared to NoMoreleans, Oakland must look like paradise.

The world's gone ape shit.

Racist

sin

IB

TenTallBen · Post by **TenTallBen** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 4:33 pm

Headhunter wrote:It's an NFL size stadium with no home team.

And they built that why?

Louisianians need something to hold onto right now and the Saints bolting out of the state would not be cool. The Alamo Dome wouldn't be able to fill half of the seats for any Saints game. So I don't see the point in that. Wherever they would play in Louisiana would no doubt sell out, except for maybe Tiger Stadium.

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 4:46 pm

TenTallBen wrote:
Headhunter wrote:It's an NFL size stadium with no home team.
And they built that why?

For basketball. Texans are smart like that.

BBMarley · Post by **BBMarley** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:28 pm

poptart wrote:Saints are in Oakland now.

Playing a pre-season game tomorrow.

Compared to NoMoreleans, Oakland must look like paradise.

The world's gone ape shit.

Nah- I'd rather live on a roof and take a canoe to work every day than live in Oakland

Joe in PB · Post by **Joe in PB** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:45 pm

TenTallBen wrote:
Joe in PB wrote:Finally a good reason to move to LA.......CA.
Why? So they can play in a stadium full of empty seats?

Just change that gold and black to silver & black, rename them the LA inVaiduh's and you have an instant fanbase.

SoCalTrjn · Post by **SoCalTrjn** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 2:43 am

TenTallBen wrote:
Joe in PB wrote:Finally a good reason to move to LA.......CA.
Why? So they can play in a stadium full of empty seats?

Im sure the saints would sell out the HDC

kcdave · Post by **kcdave** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:51 am

The Saints will not play a game in New Orleans this season, and more than likely, they never will again.

JHawkBCD · Post by **JHawkBCD** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:53 am

Really, Marcus?

Qbert · Post by **Qbert** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 5:59 am

i'll support TTB's side on this....to an Extent...because of The Saints responsibilty to its Season Ticket Holders.

c'mon, these people have already ponied up their $$$$.

Dollars that they NOW won't have coming IN for long awhile.

most of them will be without Homes and JOBS for a really long time.

^^^^^^^

redundant...but, lets face it--->that area is uninhabitable until when...Mardi Gras?

if the SAINTS were to offer Full REFUNDS to their Season Ticket Holders; and, then playing the season out of State...that would be Fair.

otherwise...SAINTS--->give your Peeps a boost of self-esteem and play @ Baton Rougue.

Future negotiations are another thing.

~continue/extend/sign an agreement to play in a devistated City that might be rebuilt "under Sea-Level?????"

thoughts and prayers to ALL on the Gulf Coast.

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 11:41 am

The Saints have the perfect chance to wrangle a stadium out of this deal. The Superdome has been heavily damaged, possibly beyond saving. Furthermore, we the taxpayers are about ready to subsidize the biggest construction boodoggle in this nation's history. And all the Saints have to do to get in on it is to play the nice PR game and play in Baton Rouge.