JUST IN - Saints To PLay In San Antonio !

The best of a bad situation

Saints would be wise to make San Antonio '05 home

Posted: Thursday September 1, 2005 1:51PM; Updated: Thursday September 1, 2005 1:51PM

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After the damage inflicted on the Superdome this week by Hurricane Katrina, it's unlikely the Saints will be home this season.
AP


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<SCRIPT>if(cnnEnableCL){if(!(location.hostname.indexOf('cnn.com')>-1)) {cnnAddCSI('contextualLinks','/.element/ssi/misc/2.0/contextual/story.html','');}else{ cnnAddCSI('contextualLinks','http://cl.cnn.com/ctxtlink/jsp/si/cl/2.0/si-story.jsp','category=sihome&url=http:/\/robots.cnnsi.com/2005/writers/don_banks/09/01/saints/index.html&desccharcnt=80&site=cnn_si_dyn_ctxt&origin=si');}}</SCRIPT><IFRAME id=iframecontextualLinks style="VISIBILITY: hidden; POSITION: absolute" name=iframecontextualLinks align=right src="http://cl.cnn.com/ctxtlink/jsp/si/cl/2.0/si-story.jsp?domId=contextualLinks&time=1125602194593&category=sihome&url=http://robots.cnnsi.com/2005/writers/don_banks/09/01/saints/index.html&desccharcnt=80&site=cnn_si_dyn_ctxt&origin=si" width=0 height=0></IFRAME></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>With the enormity of the situation in New Orleans just now starting to sink in, all we really know about the fate of the Saints' 2005 season is that it almost certainly won't play out in the city that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

Football is a long way down on the city's list of priorities right now, but with the Superdome sitting dank and damaged, and mayor Ray Nagin predicting it could be up to three to four months before New Orleans is fully inhabitable, it's clear the Saints have no home to come home to in time for their Sept. 18 home opener against the Giants.

The most logical and probable scenario for the team is to make its temporary move to San Antonio permanent for the year, in essence becoming in Texas' third NFL franchise while New Orleans recovers and rebuilds.

San Antonio just makes sense. Not only do the Saints have something of a comfort zone there -- owing to the three days the team spent there last September when Hurricane Ivan forced them to evacuate -- but team owner Tom Benson's also has long-standing business ties to the city. Benson formerly owned car dealerships in San Antonio.

Naturally, the NFL isn't crazy about having the Saints play their "home'' games 550 miles from New Orleans. But this is a case of having to make the best of a very bad situation. The Alamodome seats 65,000 for football, it was built with the hopes of luring an NFL tenant and it has played host to both the Cowboys' training camp and some preseason contests in the past.
 
Glaken said:
Its a done deal, just reported on Fox News.

Not so fast! From the Times-Pic
Saints eyeing Baton Rouge for home schedule

LSU may make Tiger Stadium available to Saints

Thursday, 7:50 p.m.

By Jeff Duncan and Mike Triplett
Staff writers

LSU athletic director Skip Bertman pledged to assist the Saints in their attempts to recover from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, including making Tiger Stadium available for home games.

Bertman said he had spoken with Saints officials but acknowledged that university officials have been made aware of the team?s interest in playing at least some of its home games at Tiger Stadium this season after Hurricane Katrina damaged parts of the Superdome roof and rendered the city uninhabitable indefinitely.

?We?d certainly look at that,? Bertman said of hosting the Saints? games. ?If that was in the best interest of the state that is what LSU does. If it?s good for the state, it?s good for LSU.?
 
I'm stickin with Shephard Smith of Fox News...he says San Antonio is a done deal....BUT .... Wouldn't be my first mistake today.:+waving-5
 
Glaken said:
I'm stickin with Shephard Smith of Fox News...he says San Antonio is a done deal....BUT .... Wouldn't be my first mistake today.:+waving-5

:+counting San Antonio! Its only right the Saints play the majority of their home games in the State of Louisiana.
 
Obviously if the AD at LSU made the offer after 4PM EST then this would change things....I actually think that the Saints might benefit from the Tiger fans passion for football....I went up there for a Gator(Gators Suck) game several years ago and barely escaped with my life.
 

CHOPTALK

EOG Veteran
That news story about Baton Rouge is 2 days old. The Saints are playing in Texas this season. The move in my opionion is probably permant. I live out here in Louisiana 2 hours from N.O. This deal is signed sealed and delievered.
 
CHOPTALK said:
That news story about Baton Rouge is 2 days old. The Saints are playing in Texas this season. The move in my opionion is probably permant. I live out here in Louisiana 2 hours from N.O. This deal is signed sealed and delievered.

I always believed when Shep Smith says its a done deal its a done deal.....he's a good guy from the South and don't play the BS game...
 
CHOPTALK said:
That news story about Baton Rouge is 2 days old. The Saints are playing in Texas this season. The move in my opionion is probably permant. I live out here in Louisiana 2 hours from N.O. This deal is signed sealed and delievered.

Yea ok, I suppose his comment about NO never being rebuilt is "signed sealed and delivered" as well!:+textinbu

Until the SAINTS announce their plans it is all speculation, especially where Smith is concerned!
 

Capping Tigerz

EOG Enthusiast
what we are hearing here locally is that the Saints will be playing in Texas , San Antonio to be specific. Many people here would like to see them stay in state with these games but at this time it doesnt seem likely, as the deal seems to be done.
 
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