2008 Woodie Awards
Short of the 10-yard line
Erich Pilcher
Issue date: 9/29/05 Section: Opinion
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One of the many sites devastated by Hurricane Katrina was the Superdome, home to the NFL's New Orleans Saints. Recently, a member of the Superdome committee stated (hastily I might add) that the only way to fix the Superdome was to tear it down and rebuild it.
Wait a minute, is that the best solution this committee could come up with - tear the Superdome down and rebuild it?
The Superdome houses numerous sporting events other than Saints football games. The Superdome hosts two college bowl games, the New Orleans Bowl and the Nokia Sugar Bowl and is on a cycle with the NCAA to host the final four games of the men's and women's basketball tournament. Now let's estimate that to rebuild the Superdome it could take three or possibly four years.
With the Superdome possibly in line to host the Super Bowl in the next couple years, it seems that it's just not feasible to rebuild it.
Saints owner Tom Benson has been looking to get the Saints out of New Orleans. If this committee decided to rebuild the Superdome, Benson would have a supreme opportunity move because the Saints would not have a stable practice facility or stadium to call home for some time.
With the Saints playing three of their home games in San Antonio, beginning in late October, it could be possible Benson could see the opportunity San Antonio offers.
For a city that has been ravaged beyond recognition, sports are the only safe haven victims of the tragedy have.
For the three hours a game is on, people can get away from the thoughts of loss that are rightfully so consuming their minds. So with this in mind, do not take away the one thing these people have.
Wait a minute, is that the best solution this committee could come up with - tear the Superdome down and rebuild it?
The Superdome houses numerous sporting events other than Saints football games. The Superdome hosts two college bowl games, the New Orleans Bowl and the Nokia Sugar Bowl and is on a cycle with the NCAA to host the final four games of the men's and women's basketball tournament. Now let's estimate that to rebuild the Superdome it could take three or possibly four years.
With the Superdome possibly in line to host the Super Bowl in the next couple years, it seems that it's just not feasible to rebuild it.
Saints owner Tom Benson has been looking to get the Saints out of New Orleans. If this committee decided to rebuild the Superdome, Benson would have a supreme opportunity move because the Saints would not have a stable practice facility or stadium to call home for some time.
With the Saints playing three of their home games in San Antonio, beginning in late October, it could be possible Benson could see the opportunity San Antonio offers.
For a city that has been ravaged beyond recognition, sports are the only safe haven victims of the tragedy have.
For the three hours a game is on, people can get away from the thoughts of loss that are rightfully so consuming their minds. So with this in mind, do not take away the one thing these people have.