AntiQuickie, a rebuttal site for ESPN’s Page 2, is on track with their assessment of Tom Benson (and so is Page 2), but misses something really important.
Screw Tom Benson. He is such a baby, taking a swipe at a TV camera that regularly films him leaving the stadium. Was someone mad that over 61K showed up for that game? Don’t worry about a repeat of that. The Saints had season ticket holders waiting until the 3rd quarter to get into the game, spoiling the experience for many. I really think Benson has lost his mind.
Spoiling the experience? The team had already done that.
Those folks that didn’t get into the game until the 3rd quarter didn’t have to suffer through:
Saints 1st Quarter Highlights
2nd and 8 at MIA 16 (8:38) A.Brooks pass incomplete to D.Stallworth
1st and 10 at MIA 11 (7:41) A.Brooks pass incomplete to D.Stallworth.
3rd and 7 at MIA 8 (6:56) A.Brooks pass incomplete to J.Horn.
4th and 7 at MIA 8 (6:52) J.Carney 26 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-K.Houser, Holder-T.Bouman.
PENALTY on NO-M.McKenzie, Face Mask (15 Yards), 12 yards, enforced at NO 24. Pass 49, Run 5
3rd and 4 at NO 6 (4:00) G.Frerotte pass INTERCEPTED by D.Smith at NO -2. D.Smith to NO 26 for 28 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by MIA-V.Carey at NO 29.
2nd Quarter Highlights
2nd and 8 at NO 27 (6:32) A.Brooks sacked at NO 15 for -12 yards.
3rd and 20 at NO 15 (6:00) (Shotgun) A.Brooks pass to A.Stecker to NO 13 for -2 yards.
One of my personal favorite possesions:
1st and 10 at NO 20 (3:14) A.Brooks pass to J.Horn to 50 for 30 yards. Yay!
1st and 10 at 50 (2:27) A.Brooks sacked at NO 41 for -9 yards. Come on Brooks!
Timeout #1 by NO at 02:22.
2nd and 19 at NO 41 (2:22) A.Brooks pass to D.Stallworth to MIA 46 for 13 yards. Yay!
Two-Minute Warning
3rd and 6 at MIA 46 (2:00) (Shotgun) A.Brooks sacked at NO 28 for -26 yards. Negative 26 yards?!? Bouman! Bouman!
Penalty on NO-J.Brown, Illegal Formation, declined.
4th and 32 at NO 28 (1:49) M.Berger punts 32 yards to MIA 40, Center-K.Houser, fair catch by W.Welker.
Those season ticket holders didn’t miss anything. They were lucky to be standing in line and not forced to watch this game. But, the Saints never want to leave anyone out, so by the time everybody got seated by the third quarter, Brooks and company treated them to this:
3rd Quarter Highlights
3rd and 6 at NO 42 (12:20) A.Brooks pass intended for D.Henderson INTERCEPTED by R.Howard at NO 46.
3rd and 3 at MIA 48 (9:32) A.Brooks FUMBLES (Aborted) at 50, and recovers at 50. A.Brooks to 50 for no gain.
Another great possession, after which Dave and I put on our paper bags:
1st and 10 at NO 15 (2:37) A.Brooks sacked at NO 8 for -7 yards. FUMBLES, and recovers at NO 8. A.Brooks to NO 8 for no gain.
2nd and 17 at NO 8 (2:07) A.Brooks pass incomplete to J.Horn.
3rd and 17 at NO 8 (2:00) (Shotgun) A.Brooks sacked in End Zone for -8 yards, SAFETY. Oh Yeah!
I can just imagine some Saints fan, in his #57 Rickey Jackson jersey, excited that he is actually going to be able to use his season tickets and see some games this year, driving up from his house that sometimes has power, sometimes has water, doesn’t have a phone or cable tv. He waits in the god-awful New Orleans-Baton Rouge traffic. He’s an LSU fan too, so this is a huge game. It will be good to get out of the city for awhile. He gets there and can’t get in until the 3rd quarter. He manages to get to his seat just in time to watch Brooks hold on to the ball way to long in the endzone and go down for a safety.
Not being able to get in until the 3rd quarter was only a small part of a spoiled experience.
I’m proud of the Saints fans that sold out that game, though. We love this team, no matter how they treat us. There’s still hope that things will get better once Haslett and Brooks (and hope-against-hope, Tom Benson) are gone.
I guess I should have elaborated more. By spoiling the experience, I mean that many people are not going to go back because they didn’t have a good time. True, the team’s performance contributed to that. I’m not sure where you are at, but here in Baton Rouge, I’m not hearing radio spots. I don’t see TV spots. I just don’t see an effort to market the team. I hear a lot of complaining about having to make the trip over here. And Shanhoff was on point – Benson should have been fined.
We’re in Atlanta currently, but I’m a New Orleans native.
I don’t think Benson wants to make an effort to market the team. He’d be pretty happy if no one showed up. And I bet that trip is awful. It’s awful on a Friday afternoon. I can’t imagine on a Sunday for an NFL game.
I’m absolutely amazed that the NFL imposed no fine on Benson, too.
I don’t know if you saw the game, but huge sections in the South endzone were empty. Why? The Saints did not make the tickets available. Nice job. Keep your eyes peeled. They are sabotaging the Baton Rouge games.
I definitely remember remarking during the game, it sure doesn’t look like they sold out. There were a LOT of empty seats.
But, because its the Saints, no one in the media will care. It’s just not that big a story, I guess. Better to do another piece on Tedy Bruschi.