Saints Dependence Day is Tuesday, July 5

It's all but official - Louisiana will issue a check of around $13 million to the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday, July 5, according to theneworleanschannel.com. Those fireworks you'll see that night on Airline Drive won't be for Independence Day. No, they'll be for what should now be known as Saints Dependence Day.

(In a related story, several in Louisiana will wear black on Tuesday to commemorate the occasion. Yes, I'm kidding. I think.)

I wonder what Saints owner Tom Benson will be doing this Saints Dependence Day. I wonder whether he'll be celebrating Saints Dependence Day on Lake Pontchartrain in his luxurious yacht. I also wonder what Benson will get with this year's annual Saints Dependence Day gift.

In other news, I just found the following quote regarding Benson, by Rep. Juan LaFonta from New Orleans, in a June 2, 2005 Times-Picayune story :

"(My constituents) see a greedy old man with a huge yacht in Lake Pontchartrain while other things in the city are falling down."

According to the same article, LaFonta already is positioning for what will be done with the $81 million in Benson/Saints exit clause money if that clause is exercised after the 2005 Saints season. (FYI, LaFonta would like the City of New Orleans to get all of that money if it comes available...which is perfectly appropriate since the Saints' contract is with the State of Louisiana, and the check last year and this Tuesday will be from the State of Louisiana. Yes, I'm being sarcastic.)

Isn't it telling that in a Q&A on the Saints' official web site, it's revealed that the Saints' logo is a symbol of King Louis XIV of France? Here's a quote on Louis XIV from wikipedia.org:

"Louis's efforts did not bring prosperity to the common people of France. His numerous wars and extravagant palaces effectively bankrupted the nation, forcing him to levy high taxes on the peasants. As the nobility and clergy had exemption from paying these taxes, the peasantry came to resent them."

Draw your own conclusions.

In any event, I wish every Louisiana citizen the best Saints Dependence Day possible. If you wish to send more of your own hard-earned money to Benson than the state has already allocated, here's the address:

New Orleans Saints
Attn: Tom Benson
5800 Airline Drive
Metairie, LA 70003