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I read today in an article on ESPN insider that the Saints have held their training camp in Bowling Green before. Did anyone know when this was? I thought it was pretty interesting that a team that far away would come to BG for training camp.

Stat of the week: The New Orleans Saints are close to an agreement that will move this year's training camp to Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss. It would mark the 10th different summer training camp site in 40 seasons for the Saints, who have posted just nine winning records in 39 years. Four of the past camp sites -- Metairie (at the team's permanent facility), Thibodaux, Ruston and Hammond -- were in Louisiana. The other sites have included: Hattiesburg, Miss.; San Diego; Bowling Green, Ohio; Vero Beach, Fla.; and LaCrosse, Wis.

I hadn't heard that before.

But then again, I didn't realize the Saints have been around for 40 years, either.

That's true. I used to have a football card and my Father used to tell me the picture was taken in BG during training camp.

New Orleans needs to give up their NFL franchise... when your city has less people then Toledo... are you really capable of supporting an NFL franchise?

redskins4ever wrote:New Orleans needs to give up their NFL franchise... when your city has less people then Toledo... are you really capable of supporting an NFL franchise?

But if New Orleans gives up their franchise, the hurricanes have won!! We can't have that!!!

It has been reported that Saints season tickets are at an all time high. If the city can lose 2/3 of its population and do that well with season tickets, I'd keep the team there.

Personally, I'd love to see the Saints move to San Antonio. It's a town that gets behind it's pro team (Spurs) and already has the stadium vacant and available. They love football in that area, and I think a pro team would be well received.

Then again, it'd take another natural disaster to move the team now. The city has a contract with the team to have them play in the Super Dome and since it'll be available by football season, they have to honor the contract or pay mucho dinero.

If the Saints don't move, I'd love to see 2 teams team added through expansion to San Antonio and Los Angeles.

That support for the Saints will be short lived, especially if they aren't winning... when your team is supported by a state subsidy... and the only way you get fans to show how much they care is to threaten to move the team... look what happened to Tulane when they almost pulled the plug on their program... and I bet that within the next year or so their paltry attendnace will return...

The saints deserve a better city that will fully support the team win or lose...

The Saints were in Bowling Green for training camp, around 1970-2. Billy Kilmer was their QB then, Tom Fears was their coach, and for all of you OSU fans, Jim Otis (Celina and OSU) was a rookie on that team. We actually got to know most all of the rookies that year and had a party for them before they broke camp over at the Stadium View pool and party house.
Billy Kilmer "held court" almost nightly at Lums, which was at the end of the strip mall across from the stadium, and usually bought for all the boys. It was quite a time in BG, as things were a little crazier at training camps than they are in current times.

redskins4ever wrote:New Orleans needs to give up their NFL franchise... when your city has less people then Toledo... are you really capable of supporting an NFL franchise?

In truth: Yes. A city the size of Toledo could probably support an NFL team.

I doubt Toledo could. It's awfully close to Detroit and an easy drive to Cleveland, and it may not have the demographics needed to charge what NFL likes for luxury suites.

But there is a long, long list of American cities that could easily support an NFL team, it seems to me: Portland, Birmingham and San Antonio are three that come immediately to mind. There is always Los Angeles. And there are a number of other markets I'll bet could be made to work: Columbus, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Grand Rapids, Hartford, and Salt Lake City, for example -- and I'm just throwing markets out there.

Heck, if the CFL ever wanted to cash in and merge with the NFL, I'll bet six or seven of those teams would make it (only Saskatchewan and Hamilton strike me as sketchy. The CFL just suspended operations in Ottawa, but if it works as an NHL market, why not the NFL?) Most of these CFL games don't sell out right now, but I'm guessing they would for NFL football.

With an eight home-game schedule, selling out games isn't really the issue. That's not so hard.

I tend to think the NFL keeps the number of franchises lower than it could be because it enjoys playing cities against each other. Also, the markets left on the map just don't add a lot. The NFL is so important that people will watch whether or not they have a local team.

To see that, look at the way the NFL has treated Los Angeles.

Most sports leagues see it as criticial to have teams in New York and Los Angeles and Chicago. Networks insist on it.

The NFL is above that. They don't even seem concerned about getting into LA any time soon.

To be bigger than LA is big.

fact, as usual you are right on target. In 1970, I caught/shagged some field goals for one Saints practice at BG. The kicker? Tom Dempsey- one of the most celebrated and unique kickers of all time.

Go Falcons!

I think that NO is Atlantis...and as such should be returned to the bottom of the sea...

Rebuilding a city that has been claimed by the sea, with only the garuntee that it will happen again is just wastfull.

Kind of like re-building 2 towers that got knocked down by airplanes?

If the doom and gloom climate merchants get their way, New York won't fare any better off than New Orleans. I'm with MacMan, though: as much as I've enjoyed some time in New Orleans, its not on my shortlist for property speculation.

But any property you would buy is eventually likely to be waterfront property, the reby increasing its value dramatically.