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Jones: Remember Big Easy, not Alamo
Cowboys owner says now's not time to discuss moving the Saints to Texas
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
NEW YORK - Jerry Jones believes this is not the time to talk about moving the New Orleans Saints.
"We have to address the basic situation for the people of New Orleans and the conditions there," the Dallas Cowboys owner said. "There's no solution today that's acceptable."
The Saints have been based in San Antonio since being driven from New Orleans in late August by Hurricane Katrina. They been practiced in San Antonio and played some home games there at the Alamodome and in Baton Rouge, La.
The team has a contract to play at the Superdome through 2010, but could opt out by Nov. 29 under certain conditions. The building was badly damaged by Katrina.
But there have been reports Benson would like to move the team to San Antonio and has been talking to city officials there. He also fired executive vice president Arnold Fielkow, a proponent of keeping the team in New Orleans.
Last week, Benson responded to those reports with an ad in Louisiana newspapers.
"After reviewing the reports about our team and the abundance of wide-sweeping negative media commentary and columns, I offer this: No decision has been made about the future of the team," the letter said. "We have continued to operate and represent the city and fans of New Orleans."
On Monday, commissioner Paul Tagliabue also attempted to quash the San Antonio talk.
"The Saints are Louisiana's team and have been since the late '60s, when my predecessor, Pete Rozelle, welcomed them to the league as New Orleans' team and Louisiana's team," Tagliabue said. "Our focus continues to be on having the Saints in Louisiana."
Jones, in New York to introduce Sheryl Crow as the halftime entertainer for the Cowboys' Thanksgiving game, said he would have no objection to a team in San Antonio, even though Texas already has teams in Dallas and Houston. The Cowboys have a strong fan base in San Antonio and trained there in the past. But he said that he's not pushing for it.
"Football has been an inspiration to people who have other troubles," Jones said. "There are problems throughout New Orleans and Louisiana. We owe it to those people not to take football from them."
Cowboys owner says now's not time to discuss moving the Saints to Texas
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
NEW YORK - Jerry Jones believes this is not the time to talk about moving the New Orleans Saints.
"We have to address the basic situation for the people of New Orleans and the conditions there," the Dallas Cowboys owner said. "There's no solution today that's acceptable."
The Saints have been based in San Antonio since being driven from New Orleans in late August by Hurricane Katrina. They been practiced in San Antonio and played some home games there at the Alamodome and in Baton Rouge, La.
The team has a contract to play at the Superdome through 2010, but could opt out by Nov. 29 under certain conditions. The building was badly damaged by Katrina.
But there have been reports Benson would like to move the team to San Antonio and has been talking to city officials there. He also fired executive vice president Arnold Fielkow, a proponent of keeping the team in New Orleans.
Last week, Benson responded to those reports with an ad in Louisiana newspapers.
"After reviewing the reports about our team and the abundance of wide-sweeping negative media commentary and columns, I offer this: No decision has been made about the future of the team," the letter said. "We have continued to operate and represent the city and fans of New Orleans."
On Monday, commissioner Paul Tagliabue also attempted to quash the San Antonio talk.
"The Saints are Louisiana's team and have been since the late '60s, when my predecessor, Pete Rozelle, welcomed them to the league as New Orleans' team and Louisiana's team," Tagliabue said. "Our focus continues to be on having the Saints in Louisiana."
Jones, in New York to introduce Sheryl Crow as the halftime entertainer for the Cowboys' Thanksgiving game, said he would have no objection to a team in San Antonio, even though Texas already has teams in Dallas and Houston. The Cowboys have a strong fan base in San Antonio and trained there in the past. But he said that he's not pushing for it.
"Football has been an inspiration to people who have other troubles," Jones said. "There are problems throughout New Orleans and Louisiana. We owe it to those people not to take football from them."