NFL, SAINTS Waiting To Gauge Extent Of Damage To SUPERDOME

Superdome Sustains Damage From Katrina
Originally uploaded by RLabay.

(From Sports Business Daily)

The NFL's "belief is that there WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM" with THE SAINTS' first home game on September 18th, "no matter how much damage was done to THE SUPERDOME" as a result of HURRICANE KATRINA, according to THE NFL NETWORK's ADAM SCHEFTER.

Schefter -- "THE SAINTS will be able to play September 18th against THE GIANTS in NEW ORELANS."

NFL Vice President/Public Relations GREG AIELLO said of THE SUPERDOME, "Our game operations people are monitoring it. We'll have to see what the extent of the damage is. If THE SAINTS want to relocate for the week of practice before their opener against THE PANTHERS in CAROLINA, that's up to them, and we'd obviously help them out."

In SAN ANTONIO, TOM ORSBORN reports THE SAINTS spoke with city of SAN ANTONIO officials "about moving the game to THE ALAMODOME."

ALAMODOME Director MIKE ABINGTON -- "We would love to have them. A lot of our citizens would love to watch them."

Orsborn notes SAN ANTONIO has never hosted A REGULAR-SEASON NFL GAME.

SAINTS Owner TOM BENSON was once a car dealer in SAN ANTONIO and "still has strong ties to the area."

THE SPORTING NEWS' DAN POMPEI -- "If the SAINTS do have to play somewhere other than THE SUPERDOME, the most likely candidate is going to be SAN ANTONIO, THE ALAMODOME. That might even be a dry run because there's been some talk that they could be interested in moving there if things don't work out in NEW ORLEANS."

An NFL spokesperson said that "various options are being studied" should the SUPERDOME not be ready by September 18th, but "neither THE L.A. COLISEUM nor THE ROSE BOWL are among them."

ESPN's CHRIS MORTENSEN noted that in addition to THE ALAMODOME, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY'S TIGER STADIUM or playing the game as a road game in GIANTS STADIUM are possibilities.

With the team training at SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY and playing THE RAIDERS in OAKLAND in a preseason game Thursday, SAINTS Linebacker COURTNEY WATSON said, "I don't know if we can go back to NEW ORLEANS or if we're going to CAROLINA."

SAINTS Quarterback AARON BROOKS, on KATRINA's impact on NEW ORLEANS -- "It’s not A 9/11 DEAL, but it has the feeling of it."

GIANTS Vice President/Communications PAT HANLON said, "Our concern right now is for the well-being of the people along THE GULF COAST, not where we might play a game in almost three weeks."

LSU is scheduled to play THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS (UNT) at 7 pm CT Saturday at TIGER STADIUM, which "sustained no visible damage" from the storm.

LSU Assistant Athletic Director HERB VINCENT -- "We wouldn't think we'd have to postpone the game."

In BATON ROUGE, SCOTT RABALAIS reports TIGER STADIUM and the "rest of THE LSU ATHLETIC COMPLEX appeared to fare well during the storm. No 'significant damage was apparent during a visual inspection by members of the LSU ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.'"

LSU Senior Associate Athletic Director DAN RADAKOVICH -- "It's in as good a shape as can be expected."

Construction crews on Sunday suspended work on a $60 MILLION renovation project, which was "expected to be mostly usable for LSU's first two games and completely finished for its third game" September 24th.

Meanwhile, TULANE UNIVERSITY, which plays its home football games at THE SUPERDOME, is scheduled to play its first home game on September 17th against MISSISSIPPI STATE. Tulane is scheduled to visit THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI (USM) this weekend, but in JACKSON, TIM DOHERTY writes it appears USM for the second consecutive year "will have to postpone its home football opener because of a hurricane."

USM Athletic Director RICHARD GIANNINI said that he will talk with CONFERENCE USA and TULANE OFFICIALS today, "with a decision reached no later than Wednesday morning."