Giants awarded 9th home game

[Danny White]

Saints to play opener at Giants Stadium
By DAVE GOLDBERG, AP Football Writer
September 2, 2005

NEW YORK (AP) -- The New Orleans Saints, driven from the Superdome by Hurricane Katrina, will play their home opener against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium.

It is not clear, however, when the game will be played.

NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said Friday the game, scheduled for Sept. 18, is being moved to the Giants' home in East Rutherford, N.J.

The New York Jets, who share the stadium with the Giants, are scheduled to play at home against Miami on Sept. 18. As a result, the Giants-Saints game most likely will be played Saturday, Sept. 17, or the following Monday.

The league said it was also possible the game could be played as part of a doubleheader Sunday, with the one game at 1 p.m. and the other at night. The Jets are now scheduled to start at 4:15 p.m.

``We are in the process of working out the specific arrangements, including the day and kickoff time and plans for television coverage,'' Tagliabue said. He added that information on tickets will be announced in a few days by the Giants.

He said the Saints and Giants had agreed to donate part of the gate receipts from the game to the hurricane relief fund.

``We think the league's decision to move our game with the Saints to Giants Stadium will allow us an even greater opportunity to contribute,'' Giants chief operating officer John Mara said.

The Saints, who spent the past week on the West Coast, are moving their headquarters to San Antonio for the immediate future. The Alamodome in San Antonio, which holds 65,000, had been considered a strong possibility for the game.

Tagliabue indicated, however, it was best to get the game out of the area struck by Hurricane Katrina. The Alamodome and other facilities in the San Antonio area, a little more than 500 miles from New Orleans, are being used to shelter hurricane victims.

Tagliabue said he made the decision to move the game to the Giants' home stadium after consulting with Saints owner Tom Benson and other officials.

``There are many reasons for this decision,'' Tagliabue said, ``including recognizing that the overwhelming priority for public and private resources in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region in the weeks ahead must be the essential needs of the public and restoration of the area's infrastructure.''

The Saints will open at Carolina on Sept. 11 before playing the Giants.

``Our main concern is with the people of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region who have experienced the recent tragedy,'' Benson said. ``We are attempting to carry on in these difficult times and are looking out for the best interest of our coaches, staff, players and their families. My prayers are with each of those who have been adversely impacted.''

The last game to be moved was two years ago, when wildfires in Southern California caused a game between Miami and San Diego to be moved from San Diego to Phoenix. Last season, the starting time of a game in Miami between the Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers was moved from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. to allow Hurricane Jeanne to move through south Florida.

Of all the options they had, they decide to move the game to New York, giving the Giants an unprecedented 9th home game. At least three different cities volunteered their stadiums, and the team expressed a strong preference to play in Baton Rouge... and this was the best idea they came up with?

I also heard this morning on Sirius NFL (and this article suggests as well) that they may have the game on Monday night and possibly bump the Skins/Cowboys MNF back to Sunday.

Maybe I'm coming across petty here, but I think this is a bad move by the NFL. Listening to Riggins on NFL radio this afternoon he thought so as well... even Tiki who they were interviewing acknowledged it was an advantage for the Giants.

What think you all? Maybe I'm wrong here.

 

[AbeBeta]

I think worrying about how this is an advantage to the Giants and might inconvenience our TV viewing is petty here. There seem to be much much much bigger issues outside of the impact on football.

 

[Danny White]

I think worrying about how this is an advantage to the Giants and might inconvenience our TV viewing is petty here. There seem to be much much much bigger issues outside of the impact on football.

You may be right. I may be making a small mountain out of a molehill.

It was an interesting decision by the NFL, though, and not one that absolutely needed to be made. Since it may affect the Cowboys I thought it was worth posting.

Thanks for giving your thoughts on it.

 

[CactusCowboy]

I think this is a terrific decision. The people of NY understand tragedies. Who cares if it effects the Cowboys, it's only a football game!

 

[dcdallaschick]

I had this sudden impulse to buy tickets, dress in black & gold, and go cheer for the Saints, just so somebody would...

Amazing where the misfortune of others will take you.

 

[Kevinicus]

Yes it's only a football game, but this is the WORST possible solution. There are a lot of stadiums across the country, many of which I'm sure they could have found a way to use, and they choose to play at the home stadium of the other team?? I don't think so. That is so blatantly wrong. It would be one thing if it was like Dallas/Houston, two relatively close cities, where the fan support isn't halfway across the country. This is just insane. Play the game out of the region if you must, but at the very least find somewhere nuetral. The Saints will already be disadvantaged some by not having a normal home game, so they make it worse by making it a home game for the other team? It's just plain stupid. And they will NOT move the Cowboys/Skins game. ABC I'm sure wouldn't go for it. They'd just have to have 2 Monday night games. I believe Miami had to play on a Monday night a few years ago after/before a hurricane. It wasn't on national TV though. I have tickets for that Sept. 19 game. I have to drive 8 hours to get there. I can't make it there on the 18th. I have prepaid hotel reservations. I would be extremely pissed if they messed around with that game, just so the Giants could have another home game. BS I say, 100% BS.

 

[CactusCowboy]

I am betting the Saints had a say in this????

 

[JDSmith]

I think worrying about how this is an advantage to the Giants and might inconvenience our TV viewing is petty here. There seem to be much much much bigger issues outside of the impact on football.

And moving the game to NY does exactly what to address those issues? Moving the game to NY has little to no bearing on the bigger issues facing New Orleans and the surrounding areas. They are completely seperate things. If we were concerned about the bigger picture we wouldn't follow sports at all because there is always some major disaster or horrific conflict going on somewher in the world.

 

[AdamJT13]

The Cowboys' game would not be moved to Sunday. They'd just have two games that Monday night. (It's been done before.)

 

[Juke99]

You may be right. I may be making a small mountain out of a molehill.

It was an interesting decision by the NFL, though, and not one that absolutely needed to be made. Since it may affect the Cowboys I thought it was worth posting.

Thanks for giving your thoughts on it.

I don't think that caring about the people who were devastated by the hurricane and also being bummed about the NFL's decision are mutually exclusive.

I think it's conceivable that we could be ticked about the schedule and still very moved by what happened this past week.

 

[JDSmith]

The Cowboys' game would not be moved to Sunday. They'd just have two games that Monday night. (It's been done before.)

One on ESPN and one on ABC?

 

[TheSkaven]

I don't think you're being petty at all - I had the exact same feeling. There were plenty of other good options, including stadiums closer to the fan base. I was shocked by the decision. How bad is it that you force the team to play basically a 9th road game? This decision was driven by greed - the NFL wanted to ensure they'd sell out the stadium, and playing in Giant country, sell out they will.

 

[jobberone]

They just happened to put the game in the largest market in the country. It is BS and I do care about this catastrophe. It's quite normal to have an opinion about the mundane in the midst of chaos.

 

[Tuna Helper]

I live among the Saints fans, and not a single person here is even talking football in light of the recent event. WWL normally airs Saints games on radio. They didn't even air the game last night...how could they?

Truthfully, I don't think the Saints or their fans care right now about where they play.

 

[JackMagist]

Personally I see nothing wrong with this decision. The people of New Orleans have much bigger things on their minds than a football game. Many are going to be out of work and completely displaced and many others will not have the resources to spend on an afternoon of football. Their fan base has been devastated and will still be able to see their team on TV which is likely the best most of them could hope for anyway.

To play in a neutral city would not be likely to generate a great deal of interest and the actual fans of the Saints would still not be likely to get to the game. By playing in New Jersey they will be pretty well assured of a full audience meaning more revenue with some (hopefully significant) portion of it going to the relief fund. It is simply making the best of a bad situation and is the best solution available for the short term.

BTW the effect that it will have on the Cowboys will be minimal. Certainly it gives the Giants a homefield advantage in the game and tips the scales slightly in their favor to gain one game on the season. But realistically does anyone think that the Saints are going to be anywhere near as effective with all of the distractions of this event as they would have been without this disaster? Remember that the players live in New Orleans too and their own houses are likely underwater at this very moment; their families are in distress and their lives in flux. The Giants are going to have the advantage in this game regardless of where it is played.

 

[jksmith269]

Total BS it should be close to NO not as far away as possible give the fans there something to cheer for. Play it in Houston have the saints org send lists of tickett holders and let them in Reliant stadium no disrepect intended but I'm sure a lot of them are already in Houston give them a break from what they have been going through. The NFL and Tags have really screwed the pooch IMO

 

[MapleLeaf]

Personally I see nothing wrong with this decision. The people of New Orleans have much bigger things on their minds than a football game. Many are going to be out of work and completely displaced and many others will not have the resources to spend on an afternoon of football. Their fan base has been devastated and will still be able to see their team on TV which is likely the best most of them could hope for anyway.

To play in a neutral city would not be likely to generate a great deal of interest and the actual fans of the Saints would still not be likely to get to the game. By playing in New Jersey they will be pretty well assured of a full audience meaning more revenue with some (hopefully significant) portion of it going to the relief fund. It is simply making the best of a bad situation and is the best solution available for the short term.

BTW the effect that it will have on the Cowboys will be minimal. Certainly it gives the Giants a homefield advantage in the game and tips the scales slightly in their favor to gain one game on the season. But realistically does anyone think that the Saints are going to be anywhere near as effective with all of the distractions of this event as they would have been without this disaster? Remember that the players live in New Orleans too and their own houses are likely underwater at this very moment; their families are in distress and their lives in flux. The Giants are going to have the advantage in this game regardless of where it is played.

..I agree, it would be very difficult for the Saints to have a promising year on the field. If all reports are correct and NO does not get back on it's feet for at least six months, there may not be a focused year for the Saints, their fans and their support staff.

I have feeling that the Giants were selected because they were willing to adopt a progressive revenue sharing agreement. Look for Benson to find any kind of revenue handout he can muster. His homefield revenues are no longer available at this time.

The Saints schedule may end up being a patchwork quilt.

 

[roughneck266]

I guess they are doing the best job they can do with the circumstances that have been handed to them. That said it really doesn't matter to me what day Dallas hands Washington's butt to them.
As far as the rest of it is concerned, it is gonna be a really tough year for the Saints. It seems as though the NFL is doing everything they can to make it a seemless as possible though.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

To all those saying they don't care, will you be singing the same tune if the Giants win the game and end up beating us out of a playoff berth by one game due to having an extra home game?

 

[baj1dallas]

To all those saying they don't care, will you be singing the same tune if the Giants win the game and end up beating us out of a playoff berth by one game due to having an extra home game?

No, I'd say that's a weak excuse.