Posted on 09/01/2005 6:17:43 PM PDT by KevinDavis
NEW YORK (Sept. 1, 2005) -- NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue says it's unlikely the Saints will play in New Orleans this season after the devastation Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath inflicted on the city.
"At this point you have to proceed on the assumption ... that they may be unable to play in New Orleans at all for the entire season," Tagliabue said in an interview with CNBC.
"If things evolve in a positive way, then that would be something that we could adjust to. But our assumption is that for planning purposes, we should assume it will be difficult if not impossible to play in New Orleans at all this year."
The Saints will move into a hotel in San Antonio, Texas, this weekend and practice in San Antonio in preparation for their regular-season opener at Carolina Sept. 11. They have spent this week in San Jose, Calif., and played their final exhibition Sept. 1 in Oakland.
But it still hasn't been decided where they will play their home opener Sept. 18 against the New York Giants or play the rest of their games.
The New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, which runs Giants Stadium, has offered to host the upcoming Giants-Saints game there. It would likely be played Monday, Sept. 19, because the Jets will play Miami that Sunday at Giants Stadium.
Tagliabue said moving the game to New Jersey was one possibility.
He also said games could be played at another NFL stadium or at a non-NFL stadium. He didn't name any specifically, but the Alamodome in San Antonio seats 65,000 for football, about the same as the Saints' regular home at the Superdome in New Orleans, which was heavily damaged by Katrina.
Tagliabue, who announced that the NFL was donating $1 million to the recovery effort, added that the emphasis should be the total recovery of the region hit by the hurricane. So did Gene Upshaw, the executive director of the NFL Players Association in a statement released, although Upshaw did not immediately say what form the union's help would take.
"We want to really emphasize above all that sport is a small part of life," Tagliabue said. "We want to use are visibility and the respect we have with the public and the respect our teams have to support the national recovery program. That's the big thing."
ya think.
The New Orleans Ain'ts - Spend what's necessary and compassionate to help the people. Don't spend one dime to rebuild a city that's 6-12 feet below sea level.
WOW. This guy gets paid how much every year to brainstorm like this????
I am awed by this monument to making obvious statements.
City is going to be rebuit....
Don't just love it when someone states the obvious.
I know... Why doesn't the Saints play in Mississippi??
Hello Captain Obvious
Why you are saying that to me?? Say that to the NFL Commissioner...
The Astrodome, no doubt.
NFL Ping...
ping to NFL list
Unless there are ways to play around the refuges....
That's who I was talking too. The Superdome is full of crap every football season but I think we all already knew they wouldn't play there this year.
Well, at least there are probably going to be 10000 Saints fans already there...
How much have we spent to rebuild Florida? How many hurricanes have hit it in the last few years?
Donated to both Pelosi and the President? For the most part, Captain Obvious seems to be a good guy, though.
They could play at Lambeau Field! (Yeah right)
Gee, Mr. Tagliabue, ya think?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.