MIAMI -- We don’t get to hear from New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson all that often, but the Super Bowl has a way of changing things.
It’s basically a league rule that owners have to talk on media day and Benson played by the rules. He didn’t talk for the entire media period Tuesday. But he came out and talked for about 10 minutes while coaches and players were interviewed around him.
Benson didn’t have his own table or microphone. He stood and talked with a small group of reporters and came off as very folksy and very happy about the Saints being in the Super Bowl and how the New Orleans region has reacted to that.
“They haven’t stopped partying the last two weeks," Benson said.
As you would expect, Benson was asked to reflect on the time period after Hurricane Katrina. At that time, there was a lot of uncertainty about the team and there were reports that the Saints considered a move to San Antonio.
Benson said that never was the case.
“It was a lot different than most people thought," Benson said. “New Orleans needed the team there. At no time did we look at anywhere else. The questions were about the Superdome and if it could be fixed to play in again."
Obviously, the Superdome was fixed and the Saints returned in 2006 and the Saints are in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
“This is my 25th year in the league," Benson said. “Seeing this team here is a wonderful feeling."
It’s basically a league rule that owners have to talk on media day and Benson played by the rules. He didn’t talk for the entire media period Tuesday. But he came out and talked for about 10 minutes while coaches and players were interviewed around him.
Benson didn’t have his own table or microphone. He stood and talked with a small group of reporters and came off as very folksy and very happy about the Saints being in the Super Bowl and how the New Orleans region has reacted to that.
“They haven’t stopped partying the last two weeks," Benson said.
As you would expect, Benson was asked to reflect on the time period after Hurricane Katrina. At that time, there was a lot of uncertainty about the team and there were reports that the Saints considered a move to San Antonio.
Benson said that never was the case.
“It was a lot different than most people thought," Benson said. “New Orleans needed the team there. At no time did we look at anywhere else. The questions were about the Superdome and if it could be fixed to play in again."
Obviously, the Superdome was fixed and the Saints returned in 2006 and the Saints are in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
“This is my 25th year in the league," Benson said. “Seeing this team here is a wonderful feeling."
Pat Yasinskas | email
NFL- ESPN NFC South Blogger
- Joined ESPN in 2008
- Began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990
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Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
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