BATON ROUGE, La. -- Tom Benson was a no-show for New
Orleans' game against Chicago on Sunday in Baton Rouge, staying
true to his earlier promise never to return to the city where last
week he swatted at a TV news camera and argued with a heckling fan.
However, Benson's granddaughter, Rita Benson LeBlanc, did come
to the game. LeBlanc, who has the title of owner/executive, is
Benson's heir apparent.
After the Saints' loss to Miami a week ago, Benson fired off an
e-mail to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue saying his trip to Baton
Rouge was a "total disaster," adding that he and his family
members could have been injured or killed and that he would no
longer attend games in Baton Rouge either this season or if any
Saints games are scheduled here in 2006.
Saints spokesman Greg Bensel later said Benson wrote the e-mail
out of frustration and still may attend one of the remaining games
scheduled for Baton Rouge. Bensel did not immediately issue a
statement on Benson's behalf during the Chicago game.
Fans booed when a public address announcement mentioned Benson
while soliciting donations to the Saints' Hurricane Katrina relief
fund.
The Saints, based temporarily in San Antonio, play twice more in
Baton Rouge, on Dec. 4 against Tampa Bay and Dec. 18 against
Carolina. Their final home game will be in San Antonio on Dec. 24
against Detroit.