Upshaw tells Saints that return to New Orleans likely

ABC News:

"Saints players say a recent meeting with NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw left them with the impression that they'll most likely report to work at the team's undamaged training headquarters in suburban New Orleans next season.

Upshaw met with Saints players in San Antonio and said he favored returning them to their training facility in Metairie and having them split their eight regular season home games between Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge and the Louisiana Superdome, if possible, players said.

'That's the feeling we got. It's all subject to change,' cornerback Fred Thomas said. 'He's not the man who'll make the decision. … They're basically telling us that to give us some light at the end of the tunnel.'"

Fan patience with Benson and with the Saints' losing ways is beginning to wear very thin. This better be resolved in January with a strong commitment to NO and a new coach (or an entire new staff)there will be a mass defections of fans and season ticket holders. Of course, that's very probably what Benson wants -- so he can twist arms at the NLF and move to San Antonio permanently.