hno:
Bertman says Tiger Stadium open for Saints if they need it
August 31, 2005
<!-- SIDEBAR --><!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --><!-- ARTICLE BODY TEXT --><!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->By Glenn Guilbeau
ggulbeau@gannett.com
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SCRIPT language=JavaScript></SCRIPT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>BATON ROUGE -- Tiger Stadium is open for the New Orleans Saints, who may have been rendered homeless for the 2005 NFL season.
The Louisiana Superdome suffered roof damage from Hurricane Katrina on Monday, but more importantly, the hurricane-ravaged city may not be ready to host an NFL game on Sept. 18. The Saints, who are in Oakland for a preseason game Thursday and open the season on Sept. 11 at Carolina, are scheduled to open the home season on Sept. 18 at noon against the New York Giants and New Orleans native Eli Manning.
Saints owner Tom Benson is considering other cities for possible relocation as his team's Metairie facility is also in a flood area.
One possible site for future Saints home games is Tiger Stadium.
"If the Saints call, naturally I will consider taking their request to the Board of Supervisors," LSU athletic director Skip Bertman told the Gannett News Service on Tuesday. "Because they're our Saints, too, and we're all in this together. But obviously, I couldn't do anything without board action."
Bertman, who has been critical of the Saints receiving incentive-free money from the state in the $12-to-$18-million range a year to help make ends meet, said as of yet he has not been contacted by the Saints.
LSU postponed its season opener on Saturday against North Texas indefinitely because the campus -- located 87 miles northwest of New Orleans -- has been designated by the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness as a major emercency evacuation center with its basketball arena and fieldhouse serving as medical triage units.
The Tigers plan to open the season at home on Sept. 10 against Arizona State. LSU is open on Sept. 17 and conceivably could host the Saints-Giants game on Sept. 18 scheduled for the Superdome.
"We'd have to arrange something as far as a rental agreement," Bertman said. "And it would have to work with the LSU football schedule. I'm not sure we could play football on a Saturday night and have it ready for Sunday afternoon."
LSU, North Texas and Louisiana-Monroe officials are exploring postponing the North Texas-ULM game of Oct. 29 to Dec. 3 so LSU could play North Texas on Oct. 29 instead. LSU has an open date on Oct. 29.
August 31, 2005
<!-- SIDEBAR --><!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --><!-- ARTICLE BODY TEXT --><!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->By Glenn Guilbeau
ggulbeau@gannett.com
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SCRIPT language=JavaScript></SCRIPT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>BATON ROUGE -- Tiger Stadium is open for the New Orleans Saints, who may have been rendered homeless for the 2005 NFL season.
The Louisiana Superdome suffered roof damage from Hurricane Katrina on Monday, but more importantly, the hurricane-ravaged city may not be ready to host an NFL game on Sept. 18. The Saints, who are in Oakland for a preseason game Thursday and open the season on Sept. 11 at Carolina, are scheduled to open the home season on Sept. 18 at noon against the New York Giants and New Orleans native Eli Manning.
Saints owner Tom Benson is considering other cities for possible relocation as his team's Metairie facility is also in a flood area.
One possible site for future Saints home games is Tiger Stadium.
"If the Saints call, naturally I will consider taking their request to the Board of Supervisors," LSU athletic director Skip Bertman told the Gannett News Service on Tuesday. "Because they're our Saints, too, and we're all in this together. But obviously, I couldn't do anything without board action."
Bertman, who has been critical of the Saints receiving incentive-free money from the state in the $12-to-$18-million range a year to help make ends meet, said as of yet he has not been contacted by the Saints.
LSU postponed its season opener on Saturday against North Texas indefinitely because the campus -- located 87 miles northwest of New Orleans -- has been designated by the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness as a major emercency evacuation center with its basketball arena and fieldhouse serving as medical triage units.
The Tigers plan to open the season at home on Sept. 10 against Arizona State. LSU is open on Sept. 17 and conceivably could host the Saints-Giants game on Sept. 18 scheduled for the Superdome.
"We'd have to arrange something as far as a rental agreement," Bertman said. "And it would have to work with the LSU football schedule. I'm not sure we could play football on a Saturday night and have it ready for Sunday afternoon."
LSU, North Texas and Louisiana-Monroe officials are exploring postponing the North Texas-ULM game of Oct. 29 to Dec. 3 so LSU could play North Texas on Oct. 29 instead. LSU has an open date on Oct. 29.
I dont see it myself. dont hav any insideinfo but there are hurdles...for 1 the stadium is under construction, and thats behind schedule as it is..2 lsu is in this for big bucks,doing anything that would hurt lsu football is a big no no....3 lsu and bertman dont even own the whole stadium....both new additions are owned by the tiger athletic foundation, a taliban like group who know nothing but green..as in money! they wont let the saints in at a reasonable price i assure you...4 the saints and state govt are not on the greatest of terms right now as it is......
i think the earlier reports of the saints going to san antonio for the season are much more likely....
i think the earlier reports of the saints going to san antonio for the season are much more likely....
ProPokerPlayer said:
This would be true under normal conditions but we are in a serieous state right now. Do you remember how everyone got along the first 2 or 3 months after 9/11? How the republicans and democrates worked together for the comman good. You can bet your bottem dollar that LSU will not do anything to hinder anyone from N.O from having a chance to make things a little bit easier for everyone. This would be the worst PR nightmare you have ever seen in your life!!!!! LSU and the govener knows this all too well.
They have to play there. If they played in San Antonio or LA they would be lucky to draw 25,000 to games. At least in Tigerland they should get at least 50,000, maybe even more. Just wonder though if the NFL will say its not a sellout and no local TV unless they get 92,000 in the house? That would be so in line with the usual NFL bullshit we all have to deal with.
WildBill said:
I promise you the NFL will lift the blackout rule for the Saints this season. If they do not I will never watch another NFL football game ever again. I dont think the NFL is that stupid. It least they better not be.
