S.A. Express News columnist says city should 'surrender to reality', give up on seeking Saints

San Antonio Express-News columnist Richard Oliver has penned a piece for today's edition entitled "It's time for S.A. to focus on itself", wherein he wrote that the city should "surrender to reality" and give up trying to rip the Saints from New Orleans.

The column, which focuses not only on the Saints but all professional sports, is a follow-up to recent news in San Antonio that a consultant told the city pretty much the same thing.

Oliver also devoted two paragraphs to the Saints, their owner, and their fans:

"Here in New Orleans, where the Saints' resurgence from disaster has taken them from South Texas to the NFC title game two months ago, the team announced this week that it has sold 68,000 season tickets for the 2007 campaign. Additionally, it is closing in on selling out its 137 luxury suites at the resurrected Superdome, again a sparkling downtown centerpiece.

"No matter owner Tom Benson's longing gazes toward the west, battered New Orleans has put its money where its heart is."

Oliver failed to also point out that the season ticket wait list now runs over 25,000 deep. But he gets the point, and kudos to him for being somebody from that city who recognizes that the Saints belong in New Orleans, the fans have shown their support in record-breaking fashion, Benson now seems focused on keeping the team in New Orleans, and the league just is not interested in moving a team to San Antonio.

Now, if certain others (i.e. Red McCombs) get the memo, maybe we can finally stop hearing about San Antonio trying to steal the Saints.

In the meantime, we just need to see how negotiations between Benson and the state pan out. Hopefully we'll have some indication on that front within the next 11 days or so.

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