NEW YORK -- Jerry Jones believes this is not the time to
talk about moving the New Orleans Saints.
"We have to address the basic situation for the people of New
Orleans and the conditions there," the Dallas Cowboys' owner said
Tuesday. "There's no solution today that's acceptable."
The Saints have been based in San Antonio since being driven
from New Orleans in late August by Hurricane Katrina. They been
practiced in San Antonio and played some home games there at the
Alamodome and in Baton Rouge, La.
Their "home opener" was played at the home of their opponent,
the New York Giants.
The team has a contract to play at the Superdome through 2010,
but could opt out by Nov. 29 under certain conditions. The building
was badly damaged by Katrina.
But there have been reports Benson would like to move the team
to San Antonio and has been talking to city officials there. He
also fired executive vice president Arnold Fielkow, an outspoken
proponent of keeping the team in New Orleans.
Last week, Benson responded to those reports with a full-page
advertisement in Louisiana newspapers.
"After reviewing the reports about our team and the abundance
of wide-sweeping negative media commentary and columns, I offer
this: No decision has been made about the future of the team," the
letter said. "We have continued to operate and represent the city
and fans of New Orleans. When the time is right and the factors
that are yet unresolved are resolved, a decision of the future of
the team will be made."
On Monday, commissioner Paul Tagliabue also attempted to quash
the San Antonio talk.
"The Saints are Louisiana's team and have been since the late
'60s when my predecessor Pete Rozelle welcomed them to the league
as New Orleans' team and Louisiana's team," Tagliabue said. "Our
focus continues to be on having the Saints in Louisiana."
Jones, in New York to introduce Sheryl Crow as the halftime
entertainer for the Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day game, said he would
have no objection to an NFL team in San Antonio, even though Texas
already has teams in Dallas and Houston. The Cowboys have a strong
fan base in San Antonio and trained there in the past.
But he emphasized that he's not pushing for it.
"Football has been an inspiration to people who have other
troubles," Jones said. "There are problems throughout New Orleans
and Louisiana. We owe it to those people not to take football from
them."