Henderson: Bleak season on and off the field

Jim Henderson, is a "stand-up" guy!

Written at 6:38 PM CDT on Monday, October 24, 2005

Jim Henderson / WWL-TV Sports Director

If this were last year or the year before that or the year before that and the Saints were coming off a loss as disheartening as Sunday's to fall to 2-5, today's discussion would focus on the merits of firing the coaching staff. Those were the good old days by comparison.These days are much worse, focusing as they do not on the direction of the season but the direction of the entire franchise.There was no shortage of possible scenarios in the Saints locker room Sunday, only a shortage of smiles. I can't recall seeing any among the grim-faced coaches and staff. "We're coming back to New Orleans. We're staying in San Antonio. We'll be playing in Baton Rouge. We'll be playing next season in San Antonio and then relocating to Los Angeles."I heard all of those but none offered with assurance.And that, coupled with the Saints recent play, has made for an absolutely dreadful situation. Do I sell my house back in New Orleans? Do I keep it and miss out on a seller's market only to find out we'll never be back? Do I buy in San Antonio with no assurance we're staying or staying for long? Maybe I'll just get out of football and get a job back home in New Orleans. But what would that job be? What jobs are there? What jobs will there be? Wouldn't anything be better than this? Do I bring my family to San antonio or go back to them in New Orleans? What about the kids? Where will they go to school? If it seems likely that those life-altering decisions left in limbo are making it difficult to give your job your complete attention, of course they are.This unsettled environment contributes to bad football which contributes to the unsettled environment. The organization from top to bottom is worn out, road weary, and depressed. That makes winning harder. And when winning eludes you for another Sunday, it magnifies the cares and concerns for another long week.Meanwhile the fans you had to leave behind become less concerned and care less about your return, asking themselves how much I should invest psychologically and monetarily in this. And so the cycle revolves again with every morose Monday. And the good people who are being consumed by it begin to care less what the direction of this franchise is and more that they know that at least there is a direction.In the meantime they are powerless to change the direction of their lives which seem to have no direction at all.

Yea, we have a Governor that hasn't a clue as to what is taking place these days, and New Orleans has a mayor that has so much faith in New Orleans that he purchased a house in Dallas Texas! Blanco is a one termer, and so is Nagin! So, we're losing the Saints! What a "scumbag" that Benson is! What a legacy he leaves behind! I guess Benson, hasn't realized that he has a soul!

Compiled by Kevin Arnovitz.

Picking at the Carcass: As an Angeleno and likely season-ticket buyer for a hypothetical NFL franchise in Los Angeles, I want no part of this pillaging:

Saints owner Tom Benson declared this week that nothing will be decided on the franchise's future until after the season. But ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that, based on information from key league sources, the team has probably played its last game in New Orleans.

According to Mortensen, San Antonio is a likely home for 2006 and Los Angeles is the preferred destination beyond that.

Benson makes Bob Irsay look like Raoul Wallenberg. Surely L.A. can steal a franchise the old-fashioned way—through municipal bribery and extortion ... KA 12:10 p.m.

Benson Boogey or Texas two-step?

Here is an editoral written about Tom "the-devil" Benson, the owner of the Saints!
Billy Gomila

Sports Editor(The Bogalusa Daily News)
It's a punch to the stomach.

More so than any of the numerous losses. More than any of foolish missteps.

In the wake of a city's destruction, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson appears set on taking his show on the road permanently - to San Antonio.

Of course, San Antonio has long been Benson's threat. His supposed ace in the hole to make sure the city and state would be ready to step up financially to make sure the team stays around.


But now, with New Orleans just coming back from the brink of some twisted John Carpenter movie and the Superdome bearing the scars of whatever went on during those hellish days, Benson is acting about as loyal as Benedict Arnold and Caesar's Brutus combined.

Loyalty.

It's a word that Tom Benson must have skipped over during his education and that's the word that best describes a Saints fan. They've ridden a rollercoaster with this team that's had far more valleys than peaks. They've taken the heart-wrenching futility for over 30 years and always come back for more. They've shrugged off the Russell Erxlebens, the Shawn Knights and TWO Billy Joes and have always come back for more, selling out 36-consecutive games this century while watching a .500 football team hover on the brink of mediocrity.

People in the national media talk about the suffering of Cleveland Browns or Philadelphia Eagles fans, but they know nothing of the pain of a Saints fan. It's pain that deserves a hug. What the fans are getting is a stab in the back.

There are a lot of unknowns about this state's immediate economic future. The truth is it may be decades before Louisiana would be able to support the Saints again. But to leave now without giving New Orleans even a chance to keep its team, is unforgivable.

Its easy to use hyperbole in sports, and its easy to blow perceived slights out of proportion. That being said, Mr. Benson had best be prepared for his karmic comeuppance. There have been many men in the history of big business that pushed their greed to the extent of becoming symbols of it. Tom Benson may have just joined the club.

Darkness has fallen over the Saints!

It's a dark day for the Saints!


It looks as though the Saints are leaving Louisiana. The NFL is a strong, and tough orginization, that can basically do anything it wants to do! The Saints have been with us since 1967, and it's a damn shame that Benson has taken advantage of the fine folks in Louisiana for so long. I guess he want have us to kick around anymore? I called and talked with the NFL this morning, and was told that they still might play Superbowls here, thanks for nothing, NFL! Benson is the devil!

Blanco(Blanko)~Benson!

Is Benson going to hell?


Blanco, our Governor of the great state of Louisiana is going to talk to Tom Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints, about moving the team back to Louisiana permanently, now how in the hell is she going to do that? Benson, is going to do what he wants to do! What do you expect from a former "used-car-salesman". Benson may have all that money, but if he does move the team, it will show that he clearly has no moral compass, and that he will most probably go to hell! Louisiana is a great state, from Shreveport on down to New Orleans, we have the finest women,and most probably the finest women in the world, but we have the most under-handed politicans on the planet!

LSU-Tigers

Last night LSU played Auburn at home in "Tiger-Stadium", and what a diaster that it alsmost was! I mean, what is wrong wrong LSU these days? LSU has a really good defense, but as of late, the offense just sucks! Coach Les Miles, I don't think will a long term coach at LSU, he is using the talent that Nick Saban hand-picked, and after this season, the talent level is most certainly to fall off! Last night in overtime, LSU, 20, and Auburn 17.

Here in Shreveport Louisiana

I live in good ole Shreveport Louisiana, which is 167 miles from Dallas Texas, and folks think that most of Louisiana is in the swamps, and while that is true of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, it's not true up here in Northern Louisiana. Shreveport is a strange place, in some parts, you feel like your in Texas, and in other parts, you feel like you are in South Louisiana. I feel like I live in Mayberry, North Carolina, that is the way most people that live here, act like. I have a sister that is moving to Katy Texas, and I think it's great! My brother Victor, lives in Uxbridge Massachusetts, and he says he likes it, but I don't believe it, and then my other brother Wayne, lives here in Shreveport with me, and his hobby is chasing "crack-whores", but he likes it! I raise budgerigars, and "homing-pigeons", and it's a blast raising birds, I guess I would consider myself a "bird-freak"! I ask myself, "why in the hell, do I live in Shreveport Louisiana, when in fact, I have been offered "major-market" radio jobs in other large cities, but I'll most probably die here in good ole Shreveport! In Shreveport, we have fine women, casinos, and a lot of hard-working people, that are just trying to get by! We have James Burton here, who played for Elvis, we have Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Terry Bradshaw, and Tim Brando. America, come and visit Shreveport, we'll get you drunk, or maybe you'll find a "crack-whore"!

New Orleans~Still need your help!

Please do not forget about the folks of New Orleans, Misssissippi, and Alabama! Those folks lost a lot down there in the gulf, and it will take years to recover! In New Orleans, we have, or should say, we had a couple of professional sports teams, like the New Orleans Hornets, and the other franchise, you may have heard of the "New Orleans Saints", but the guy, that owns the Saints is a devil, with no moral values! When Benson purchased, the team, he said that he would keep them in New Orleans, and now the no good-S.O.B is trying to move the team to San Antonio! Benson is a liar, so are the people of San Antonio! They are just as bad as he his! Benson is going to try and beat the state of Louisiana out of 81 million dollars. He says there is no plans to move the team to San Antonio, but he is already in the middle of trying to cancel his lease at the Saints practice facility in Metarie Louisiana. What a bastard Benson is, to turn his back on the people of Louisiana, that has supported that team since, 1967! Benso, you devil, you should be ashamed of yourself! Let, us folks in Louisiana, purchase the team, leave them here, in our state, and then you and your Niece, Rita, can haul your asses out of here!

Tim Brando, the sports guy!

It's in my honest opinion that Tim Brando, is by far, one of the best broadcasters of sports today. I put him up there with Joe Buck, he is really, really good, and he makes a lot of sense! If you have never heard this guy, you can catch him during the week at on www.sportingnews.com, and on the CBS network on the weekends, where he is the host of the college game-day show. Check him out, you'll love Timmy "B"! Tim is not related to the late Marlon Brando, but I'm sure that they could both say, "STELLA"!

Tom Cruise~Katie Holmes are ignorant asses!

We all know by now, that a twenty-six year old kid, is having sex with Tom Cruise, but who the hell cares! Right now people you know, people on your street, in other countries, and other cities are having sex. Katie Holmes will not always be with Tom Cruise, she'll wind up leaving his ignorant ass one day, it's just a matter of time. Katie says, and I quote, ""It's a dream come true," the actress said on the syndicated entertainment news show "Access Hollywood" Thursday. "I feel great, (being pregnant) is so beautiful. I've never been so happy. ... I'm beaming." She also went on to say, "As for wedding plans, Holmes said, "We don't have a date just yet. There is so much excitement going on." To me, that is how some whore would talk! Damn, Tom, you get someone, pregnant, you marry them, you ignorant ass! I feel sorry for Nicole Kidman, Tom didn't want to have kids with her! The hell with Tom and Katie!

Tom Benson~George Benson, which one is a brother?

Tom Benson! The devil!
Tom Benson of the New Orleans Saints, or I should say "team owner", should be put in the class of the "carpet-baggers", that drifted through the south after the "Civil-War" taking advantage of what and who they could. I don't know what to think of Mr.Benson, he is saying things that make no sense. He was saying today, that he has made no plans to move the team to San Antonio, but he's trying to get out of his lease at the Saints practice facility, as well an enforcing a clause in his Superdome contract before November 29th that would allow him to get out of paying the state of Louisiana 81 million dollars if he were to leave before the 2006 season. Reports out of New Orleans, is that the practice facility is usable and the team, could be practicing there now, but like vintage Benson, he is out and out lieing about moving the team, and the practice facility. Mr. Benson, owns the team, he can, of course, do what he wants, but he is a "sinful-human-being", for what he is doing to the folks of Louisiana, that has lined his pockets ever since he acquired the team. Benson, if he does take the team to San Antonio, he needs to at least have the diginity of leaving the Saints name behind in Louisiana. We may never recieve another team in Louisiana, but at least we'll have our dignity with our history of our Saints left in Louisiana, where it belongs!

Bloomberg

I'm sorry but these politicians are driving me crazy! Mayor Bloomberg is running for another term, and he has lost his mind! I get so tired of those damn commercials about how well he's done everything for New York! Bloomberg has so much damn money! Have you ever heard of the Bloomberg Network? It's my honest personal opinion that Bloomberg should retire and do something else! Go back to working at your network!

Tom Cruise!

How can you be happy for Tom "dumb-ass" Cruise? I'm not, nor should you be! He goes out and has sex with a twenty-four year old kid, and we all know that the relationship will not last, due to his track record. His two marriages before never worked out, and I doubt he'll ever marry Katie Holmes! If I were Katie Homes Mom and Dad, I would kick Tom Cruise's ass all the way to hell! I say, boycott, Tom Cruise movies, he has become a disgusting human being! Nicole Kidman, thank God, that you are no longer with that garbage! P.S. KATIE IS KNOCKED-UP!