Saints owner attacks WWL-TV camera

wwltv.com ^ | 10/30/05 | Mike Bland / WWL-TV

[Ellesu]

Saints owner Tom Benson lunged at an Eyewitness News camera, ripping off a microphone and then got into a shouting match with a fan upon leaving Tiger Stadium Sunday.

According to Eyewitness Sports’ Lee Zurik, he and cameraman Mike Bland were in the press box with about five minutes to go when he saw Mr. Benson leaving the game.

Saints owner Tom Benson lunges at the Channel 4 camera, knocking it down and causing a microphone to fall off the equipment. Benson also got into a verbal argument with a fan.

Zurik and Bland went downstairs to get some video of Mr. Benson leaving and were “7 to 10 feet from him” when Benson lunged and then swatted at the camera, ripping off a microphone that was attached.

Zurik said Benson then got into an argument with a fan and tried to lunge at him as well.

Benson has been publicly criticized for his apparent interest in moving the team to San Antonio full time. Though Benson has not said that he is interested in moving and he took out a full-page ad and ran television commercials this week stating his intention to return home, the mayor of San Antonio has been quoted as saying the Saints owner wants to relocate there.

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was at the game and Benson was scheduled to meet with Governor Kathleen Blanco.

[Ellesu]

[Senator Goldwater]

"Benson then got into an argument with a fan and tried to lunge at him as well"

They'll be a lot more of this if he keeps it up. I'd like to see them lunge at that moron Tagliabue as well.

Sell the team to a local investor. New Orleans has been good to the NFL.

[ncountylee]

Looks like Benson was with a babe. Mrs Benson?

[Cagey]

Maybe he's on steroids.

[battlegearboat]

Give him the ball!

[4everontheRight]

Benson has been threatening the people of NO with moving the team if he didn't get a new stadium, etc. for years! As a NO fan for the past 30 something years, I can tell you that Benson is the key to why the Saints don't win! They have had great athletes and great coaches and Benson is the only thing standing in their way of winning!

[Sometimes A River]

He's a lot tougher than his team was yesterday ;)

Go 'Phins!

Ricky and Ronnie: 40 carries, 188 yards.

[Sometimes A River]

I agree with you...it starts at the top.

No team can win with bad ownership.

[jimboster]

Excellent! LOL!!!

[Jhensy]

Wellinton Mara he ain't.

[metesky]

The Patriots were never winners until they finally dumped the Sullivan family.

[mom4kittys]

such a jackass

[Red Badger]

Saying Benson is the reason the Saints don't win is as silly as saying The Cowyboys don't win because of Jerry, uh....... ............wait a minute, nevermind.................

[LA Woman3]

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was at the game and Benson was scheduled to meet with Governor Kathleen Blanco.

Guess the meeting didn't go well??

[4everontheRight]

My sister still works in NO and sent me an article the other day about people putting , among other things, their refrigerators to the road for waste pickup from Katrina and spray painting things like "Do not open...Benson inside" and such....they hate this guy!

[dfwgator]

Lord knows he showed a helluva lot more aggression than the Saints "D" did yesterday.

[LA Woman3]

Update....

www.wwltv.com

The Saints say they won’t comment and the NFL says the incident where owner Tom Benson lunged at an Eyewitness News camera, yanked it down and engaged in a vulgar shouting match with a fan is much ado about nothing much.

Saints owner Tom Benson was being filmed by an Eyewitness News camera at a distance of about seven feet, according to Sports Anchor Lee Zurik, when he lunged at the camera, grabbed it and pushed it down, knocking off a microphone in the process.

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said they would not comment on the incident and that stance wouldn’t change.

The NFL said they will not fine Benson.

“It was nothing more than pushing a camera aside,” said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. “It appears to be not much more than a brief heated exchange. It was a tough day for the Saints and their fans. Emotions were flying high, but it never reached anything beyond that."

When questioned as to whether the NFL frowns on an owner lunging at and cursing a fan, Aiello responded that “nothing happened.”

Benson has been vilified by fans after reports that quoted the San Antonio mayor as saying the Saints owner wanted to relocate the team there. In addition Benson recently fired one of his top assistants, who alleged that Benson didn’t want to play any games in Louisiana this season.

The Saints ran an aggressive media campaign last week aimed at convincing fans that the team wants to return, but that the economics of a rebuilt New Orleans had to be answered first.

[packrat35]

Why should he stay in New Orleans. It's dead and has almost no fan base left.

[sinkspur]

Saying Benson is the reason the Saints don't win is as silly as saying The Cowyboys don't win because of Jerry, uh....... ............wait a minute, nevermind.................

Better look at the Cowboys again.

Jerry's brought 3 SB victories to Dallas in the last 20 years. If Parcells will just let Bledsoe do what Bledsoe can do, the Cowboys will have a very good year.