Seems I can look forward to making more trips back home for many falls and winters to come, as the Saints and the state are ready to announce a deal keeping the team in the Superdome through 2025. This not only thrills the fans, who were growing tired with the, "they're going to leave you in two years" talk, but must also make local businesses rejoice, as New Orleans is now back on the map to host another Super Bowl. Millions of tourism dollars in the coffers; job well done.
And whether you think Gov. Jindal looks like Kenneth the Page or not, the man deserves a lot of credit for untangling a large mess first created by Gov. Mike Foster and further exacerbated by Gov. Kathleen Blanco.
And let's not forget the other party in this: Tom Benson. In less than four years, he's gone from being the most hated person in the state of Louisiana (and that's saying A LOT), to, well he's not totally beloved, but at least the fans aren't booing him and making him fear for his safety following games, right? I mean, that's a step up for us! Last year during one of our shows on 'Forecast Radio,' I told Ralph I believed a deal would be done if for no other reason than for Benson to secure his legacy in the city and state that have made him a very wealthy man.
Something kept telling me that Benson, who's getting up there in age, would not want to go out and be remembered as the guy who tried, and then successfully, moved the team out of the region after Hurricane Katrina. Maybe his wife and daughter have softened him up behind the scenes, who knows? What IS fact, however, is that Benson deserves his share of credit for keeping the team in town for another fifteen years.
Now, the real pressing question is: how many Super Bowls can we win in that time, huh? Three? Nine? Twelve? I'll settle for one. Nah, maybe two; just two.
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