Buckle your seats America, this one is gonna be a dandy! GLORY ROAD... The truth behind the trophy. History lesson on the political asterisk that is attached to the New Orleans Saints Championship Trophy of 2010. Story by W. M. Garrison, Jr. The story starts and goes back to the morning of August 29th 2005 when Hurricane Katrina ravaged the southern Gulf Coast. Nearly destroying one of the worlds most famous cities in the tourism market and closing down the richest port in America. Definitely one of the most productive ports in the world, if not the richest. Which brings us to the New Orleans Saints Football Team and their Owner Tom Benson. With the city being in shambles after the storm 2005-2006 the New Orleans Saints were forced to spend time away from home in the state of Oklahoma to play a long NFL football season that was just getting started. Having hopes that their first round draft choice RB Reggie Bush from the University of USC would bring them championship glory. The season came and the season went, but there was no glory road at the end. It is now 2007 and another autumn of football has begun. The fans, the Saints and Owner Tom Benson are all back home in the New Orleans, Louisiana Superdome. Still another season comes and it goes, but at seasons end there is still no glory road. Going into the 2008 season Tom Benson spreads word of threatening to move the team to Mississippi if he doesnt get a new stadium. Commissioner Goodell and the board tries to convince Benson that this would be a very bad move for all of the obvious reasons. So the Commissioner, the league and the owners discuss ways of satisfying Benson without having to give him a new stadium, while at the same time keeping the Saints in New Orleans. The city and Superdome has hosted more Superbowls than any other city or stadium, it is the NFLs #1 venue in marketing revenue and tops for tourism. With the revenue alone that the league brings in from Superbowls, many other events and the city of New Orleans having the Saints stay at home is not something the league or Commissioner Goodell were willing to lose by Benson moving the Saints . The league discusses Superbowl Championship with Tom Benson and would that persuade him to keep the team in the city of New Orleans? Of course Benson accepted the leagues offer and sat back patiently waiting on his chance at history to walk with his team down glory road. In just a few short years after Hurricane Katrina nearly destroyed their city a demolished their homes the New Orleans Saints became the darlings of the NFL. In the 2009-2010 season the New Orleans Saints seemed unstoppable on their way to face the city of New Orleans own prodigal son, QB Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. With all signs showing it was the New Orleans Saints and Tom Bensons year, the Saints defeated the Colts and Manning 31-17 in Superbowl XLIV. Solidifying their place in pro football history as the 2010 darlings of the NFL and hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy for all the world to see. We now fast forward to the present, its now 2013 and the Saints are 5-1 heading into a bye for week 7 of the season. Will they continue to flourish or fall off as theyve done in prior seasons before and after there famed title year. Unfortunately the New Orleans Saints havent experienced much success on the field in years that followed their championship run of 2010 or in the years before. Which brings us to the question.... Are the New Orleans Saints really one of the elite teams in the NFL to consider a superbowl possible or are they just a wanna be contender who were once given a championship title to save a city in ruins? I would now like to take this time to thank the NFL for the decision they made in deciding to give Benson and the franchise a trophy to save the city. Benson didnt move the team, he has a newly renovated stadium, the Saints have their title and the fans are back home. And those who arent home are still cheering Who Dat? from the east coast to the west coast. Kudos Mr. Goodell, I applaud you my man on a job well done!
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 04:34:18 +0000
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