They'll have to move somewhere - not Tulane or Loyola. Somewhere - maybe LSU? I haven't heard that Baton Rouge suffered as much. I know it seems petty but I'm sure the owners have been strategizing and agonizing over that question for a couple of days now. They have to play - it would disrupt the balance of the entire league!

I hear ya Cindy. As much as they are our rivals, I wish them and their families well, and for them to get their stadium back so we can )-

Where will the Astros and Texans play while the homeless people
are in their stadium?

Astros and Texans don't play at the Astrodome any longer. They each have new stadiums. I have heard that the Saints may play in San Antonio. The used to have a USFL team there when that league existed. I also heard they may play at the Texans stadium. The Texans are home the same week that the Saints have their first homegame, so the game could be moved to Saturday or Monday night to accomodate.

Tonight on both ESPN and CSS they said that the NFL is considering
San Antonio, Houston, and Birmingham. I wonder if they will take
into consideration that Birmingham would practically give the Falcons
2 home games against the Saints. I know it is a small thing for
natives of Louissiana right now but the Saints are destined to have
a horrible season.

I hope it is Birmingham. I was supposed to be going to that game and if it is in Houston or San Antonio, I can't go because of the distance. I have to be back at work the following day. It won't be the same, though, not partying on Bourbon Street the night before . That had become a tradition.

I read they are moving refugees from the the dome in N.O. to the astrodome because it's not used anymore.

My guess would be Baton Rouge...would be kind of interesting I guess to have 2 teams playing there this year, but LSU would be the team to finish with the better record... 56yr23

I just heard that the Astrodome is full and will not be accepting anymore refugees. Man, this is just nuts.

Tagliabue: Saints unlikely to play at home

NFL.com wire reports

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.

From nfl.com

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."

I think they will play at LSU...that will be cool....Anyone seen the stories about the looters?

yeah...and the whole world is laughing at how our "civilized society" is reacting! I am ashamed of those worthless scumsucking assholes stealing when they should be doing something productive...like helping out! I can see if a man is going to steal food or diapers (to survive and things of that nature), but TV's, shoes, etc???? And to shoot sisters over bags of ice? Institute martial law, and shoot those idiots that wanna loot and harm others.

Here is a thought...I wonder how many of them scumsuckers are receiving some sort of governement aid (before the hurricane).

Well not that I'm in favor of it, but shit happens....I'd say about 70% of people would loot under these circumstances.

According to what you mean by looting when you say 70%.
If you mean food, I would agree. If you mean theiving TVs
and jewelry, I would think it would be much lower percentage.

BTW, can you call what the Saints ever did as "playing"?? 56yr23

I hear you, but I still say that most, roughly 70% would loot goods, and not just for survival. Don't forget Humans are conformers, and very base at the core....

BD, that's BS...we're not conformers..for the most part we all know right from wrong, and regardless of whether or not we could get away with something, we're not going to start stealing and looting just because everyone else does...that's like saying if your friends jumped off the bridge, would you?? /b6

I understand your point, but if human's aren't conformers why is their an industry for fashion? Why is the majority of our population stuggling to weigh under 200lbs. yes there are some who aren't lemmings (30%) but I am convinced that humans are the great unwashed masses....well 70% of them anyway.

I understand your point, but if human's aren't conformers why is their an industry for fashion? Why is the majority of our population stuggling to weigh under 200lbs. yes there are some who aren't lemmings (30%) but I am convinced that humans are the great unwashed masses....well 70% of them anyway

See....here's the problem, you're taking unrelated examples and trying to use them to back up your point. The fact that humans see items such as clothes, cars, houses, computers, etc and say, "Hey, I like that too," doesn't mean they're conforming to anything. That's simply playing up to something they're attracted to... There are many different reasons that there are so many obese (myself included) people in this nation, and I can assure you that none of these reasons are "Gee, he's fat, so I guess fat must be sexy and A OK"...If you wanted to discuss the obese problem at length, I'd be glad to, but I don't think you're really wanting to do that, but rather just trying to make your point about people are conformers. Sure, there is a degree conformity in all of us, but to assume that because the majority of us "conform" to the laws of society, like to eat out, like to wear nice clothes or drive nice cars, we would all or 70% of us rather, would suddenly begin looting because we saw the Joneses do it, is a bit presumptious and quite unfair. Conformity hints at the "socially acceptable" aspects in society, and it will never be socially acceptable to loot or steal TVs, cars, etc, as long as we exist in a society of laws. Now if the entire nation, and quite possibly the entire world, suddenly became utter and complete chaos, and the laws that govern our actions were to suddenly be thrown out the window, and neccesary supplies of life such as food and lodging were to become wide open to those that were prepared to go out and take it, well then in that very specific situation, I'd have to say that yes, the majority of us would probably resort to looting for essential items. However, this doesn't mean we'd become "looters" of luxury items such as jewlery, dvd players, etc...I think the majority of people realize what is truly important in life, and what are truly must have items, as opposed to the inconsequential and "not worth dying for" items of life.

At least I hope so... ;)

I'm kinda glad to hear you say that - or read you post that.

It's getting harder to sympathize with people who are committing criminal acts - not just looting - rape & murder. There is desparation and then there is raw violence. The NO mayor is mad that President Bush didn't physcically visit NO. I for one do not want the President in that war zone! We as a country are vulnerable enough what with the gas situation and so much of our resources, both human and material, being funneled to one area for disaster relief. The last thing we need is for the president to be killed by ..what did you call them.. scumsuckers!

I know there are thousands of good and decent people who have been left with nothing and I try to keep focusing on that and not the awful people committing crimes.

I just saw on TV that Bush is headed to New Orleans.

Well, for those of you who hate Bush and want to see him go to hell... looks like you will get your wish.

I hope he is okay. You know just as those looters stole things like tvs and jewelry - they were bound to have stolen the guns and rifles and any other weapons they could.

Would be a very bad thing to take out the President here...remember, Chaney is the guy that will take over... n7rryb ftyhyh

there was just this man on the news, almost in tears because his 80 year old mother might not last another day and he was talking about how he didn't want to bury her. it was heartbreaking.

it's taken far too long to get help to these people.

ya right man :unsure:

keep rockin in the uk man g6wvuymh87 g6wvuymh87 g6wvuymh87 g6wvuymh87 g6wvuymh87 g6wvuymh87

Death, after watching it unfold on CNN this week, do you
still maintain that 70% figure? Looked to me more like
the reverse. I say 30% at most was guilty of looting.

Superdome future uncertain
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The Louisiana Superdome, a symbol of frustration and failure after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, has just turned 30 but may never see 31.

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It will be up to Gov. Kathleen Blanco to decide whether to invest at least $100 million to repair the downtown New Orleans landmark or just bulldoze it.

"It's very early at this point to speculate about the future of the Dome and whether it can be repaired," Doug Thornton, an official with the company that manages the state-owned facility, told the Baton Rouge Advocate. He said the damage is extensive but will take 60 days to properly assess.

The massive downtown arena became the "refuge of last resort" for people who could not afford or otherwise did not evacuate the city. It also was a grim reminder of government's failure to provide adequate relief.

After stories of extreme deprivation, many were evacuated from the Superdome, the last climbing aboard buses Saturday.

Displaced New Orleans Saints in San Antonio: A logistical quandary

Tim Price
Canadian Press


September 7, 2005




SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Signs posted throughout the New Orleans Saints' hotel direct players to the place where they can get their ankles taped. Other signs guide them on a 400-metre path to a foot bridge, over the Riverwalk and across a busy street to the building where team meetings are held.

In the makeshift headquarters, right past a uniformed San Antonio police officer who serves as a security guard, players come to a handwritten board that points them in different directions - the offence going one way, the defence another.

And when meetings end - sometimes interrupted by a ringing telephone because the rooms double as coaches' offices - the team piles onto buses for a 10-minute drive to the high school fields that have turned into their practice facility.

Such is the new life for the Saints as they try getting ready for the NFL season after being driven from their home by hurricane Katrina.

The team moved into San Antonio last weekend and began practising Monday for the regular-season opener Sunday at Carolina. Coach Jim Haslett has reminded his players and staff that, considering what is going on in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast, any complaining about their temporary home will ring hollow.

"I think when you feel sorry for yourselves, you go upstairs and watch TV and that kind of goes away," Haslett said. "We're kind of crammed into some quarters - we're short a copying machine and I've got a couple of coaches sleeping at the Alamodome - but we're not behind at all in our preparations. It's not going to hurt us one or another being here at all."

Even the Saints' media relations office is making do. Daily news releases are copied onto plain paper - the team letterhead was left behind, so more is being printed.

With each day, things are increasingly returning to normal - or at least whatever normal is, considering the circumstances.

Quarterback Aaron Brooks and his wife were among many families spending Tuesday's day off trying to rent a home in San Antonio. Receiver Joe Horn said he's considering buying a place.

"Unfortunately, it's our new home, temporarily," Brooks said. "We're going to have to accept that and be as comfortable as possible and get into a normal schedule for the regular season."

In a way, temporary living arrangements are similar to what players face when they switch teams during the season.

"The players want an automobile and a place to live," Haslett said. "Once they get that, they have a place where you can drive over to work and go home and lay down. That's all you really need in this business."

General manager Mickey Loomis said the team is planning to practise in San Antonio for the remainder of the season. They may even end up playing one or more home games in the city's Alamodome.

The Saints' first choice is moving to LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., and the league is still exploring all options, including having them play all 16 games on the road.