Boycott The Nfl

my2hands

The Illinoisemakers wrote:

Don't pretend that college football is more pure then the NFL, because they are both about the money.

i agree

but we are talking about federal tax dollars fixing a football stadium before houses and schools are rebuilt?

chromiam

my2hands wrote:

what comes first, a football stadium or housing, schools, and hospitals?

come on now... there is housing and schools and hospitals open in NO... maybe not all of them are and not every house is rebuilt but is that what you want before any "unnecessary" rebuilding is done??? That's just ridiculous.

And if you want everyone who uses the Superdome to foot the bill for rebuilding it, then I guess you should just knock the Superdome down and put thousands of people out of work. It's just not feasible. Every event employs hundreds if not thousands of people and pumps millions of dollars into the economy yearly. There's the real contribution.

OneLove

I will be at the Redskins game on Sunday I'll be thinking of your disillusioned boycott as I am walking into the stadium, and looking at the booths for the various charitable organizations that are a mainstay at FedEx Field. I will likely, as I often do, make a small donation to one on my way up to the stands.

I would venture to say that the NFL is one of the more charitable organizations out there. Perfect? No... but atleast they are trying.

Solat13

my2hands wrote:

i think you are helping to make my point actually, why not have the people who have profited (and will continue to do so) foot the bill? that includes the circus, car shows, the NCAA and whoever else uses the place to make a buck ( the NFL being the largest i assume)

Well your point is to boycott the NFL which actually has done something and helped contribute money. The others haven't. So my point is aren't you blaming the wrong people. At least the NFL gave money and helped bring New Orleans back in the mainstream in a positive front.

Seriously, how many people other than people in the South really think of New Orleans a year after Katrina?

Seeing the people of the town united and giving the town something to get behind is so intrinsic in the redevolpment of New Orleans and it also puts the town and its people in the mainstream in a positive light.

my2hands

chromiam wrote:

then I guess you should just knock the Superdome down and put thousands of people out of work.

i would rather rebuild their home so they have somewhere to go after making $6 an hour hustling $7 beers

jlew24asu

my2hands wrote:

so they can get drunk and pay $200 for a ticket?

i do "understand" chief...the argument goes that you need business for people to come back and have jobs? i think you need people in HOMES before you can worry about a fucking football team

do you "understand" my point?

wanting people in homes is all well and good. but this stadium and fucking football mean alot more to the people of new orleanes then you. you still dont get it.

OneLove

my2hands wrote:

i would rather rebuild their home so they have somewhere to go after making $6 an hour hustling $7 beers

You still don't get it.

RainDog

my2hands wrote:

so they can get drunk and pay $200 for a ticket?

i do "understand" chief...the argument goes that you need business for people to come back and have jobs? i think you need people in HOMES before you can worry about a fucking football team

do you "understand" my point?

More than one thing can be done at the same time. Eighty percent of the homes in this city took on water; and they are being repaired (where allowed, some areas haven't been cleared for construction yet - and I don't mean "cleared" as in of debris, but regarding building regulations and what-not). These are individual homes, though, and individual homeowners are dealing with them. The Superdome sits downtown and is one of the largest structures in the city. Leaving it in a state of disrepair would have hurt the city more than the 185 million would have helped elsewhere.

And I'm not even much of a football fan.

chromiam

my2- read this and then see if you know how the people down there feel
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20060924-9999-1n24norleans.html

OneLove

RainDog wrote:

More than one thing can be done at the same time. Eighty percent of the homes in this city took on water; and they are being repaired (where allowed, some areas haven't been cleared for construction yet - and I don't mean "cleared" as in of debris, but regarding building regulations and what-not). These are individual homes, though, and individual homeowners are dealing with them. The Superdome sits downtown and is one of the largest structures in the city. Leaving it in a state of disrepair would have hurt the city more than the 185 million would have helped elsewhere.

And I'm not even much of a football fan.

Words of wisdom from someone who is directly affected by this, I would assume (do you still live in New Orleans?).

RainDog

OneLove wrote:

Words of wisdom from someone who is directly affected by this, I would assume (do you still live in New Orleans?).

Yes I do. And I work downtown. I can say from my own experience seeing that crumbling bohemouth on my ride into work was like a punch to the stomach everyday for months.

OneLove

RainDog wrote:

Yes I do. And I work downtown. I can say from my own experience seeing that crumbling bohemouth on my ride into work was like a punch to the stomach everyday for months.

My goodness. I can't imagine what you've been through, but I do wish you continued strength, and a rebirth of your city. Stay strong.

RainDog

OneLove wrote:

My goodness. I can't imagine what you've been through, but I do wish you continued strength, and a rebirth of your city. Stay strong.

Thanks.

I will say that I understand the contention some people have regarding the Superdome repairs, particularly the price tag and the fact that FEMA is footing most of the bill. But it is more than a football stadium, both literally and figuratively. It's our Skyline. It's one of our symbols. And, though no one can be sure how the future will play out, it is believed, safely I might add, that it will contribute to the rebirth of our city.

A lot of people complained about us holding Mardi Gras last year. "How can there be a party when there's so much to be done?" Well, a vast majority of the people asking that question simply don't live here. Most of those that do were glad to see some semblance of normalcy return in some way - any way (now, whether you can call Mardi Gras "normal" is another story). The Superdome and the return of the Saints is another one of those moments.

There are plenty of things to complain about down here (like the skyrocketing home and rental costs in areas that didn't flood - but who am I to complain about the **ahem** "free" market). There's also the schools - but they were a problem before the storm. Tackling that subject is thesis worthy. The repair of the Superdome simply isn't where complaints should be directed.

tybird

my2hands wrote:

the bottom line is that the federal government favored the wealthy's intertests over the poor and average joe, by funneling money into a stadium while people are still living in trailers becasue their homes have been destroyed?

i guess i just think that is fucked up, the NFL should have said no thank you, we can do this ourselves, please use the federal $ to help the people of the region

175 is a drop in the bucket to the NFL, shit teams have payrolls higher than that

not to mention the fact that the NFL uses tax $ to build these stadiums

How many times to you have to be told that the NFL DOES NOT own that building.....the NFL team does not own the building. The building belongs to the city, the parrish and the state. It is a revenue source for all three. It needs to be open where organizations will rent it....hire local people....pay local taxes...etc, etc.

FnCircus

my2hands wrote:

i would rather rebuild their home so they have somewhere to go after making $6 an hour hustling $7 beers

so are you down in New Orleans rebuilding homes.....or are you in Delaware bitching that other people aren't?

my2hands wrote:

why should the federal governemnt (me and you) pay the bill, we dont own the superdome either?

okay, so let me get this straight. Your tax dollars (and I would assume that after you filed your tax return, that you didn't get all of your money back in a refund, the total went all to the bill for rebuilding the Superdome? Your tax dollars didn't go anywhere else besides this project? Is this what you opted? You called the federal government and told them to put your tax dollars towards this? How do you know it was YOUR tax dollars that were included?

This is what I don't get about this argument. Our tax dollars go to many many things. I, for one, am glad if my tax dollars were included in the fund.

Lets not forget what caused this damage. A natural disaster. It could not be avoided. I have been to the subs of New Orleans many times (Jefferson Parrish, Violet to name a few), and have seen the damage before and after.

Although I am all for getting back to thier homes, whether restored or rebuilt, but building new homes will not prevent another natural disaster from happening. Steps have to be taken to deal with another situation, and if, God forbid, another disaster happens, at least people have a renovated place to go to.

And it just so happens that this place brings in money for the economy and houses the 3-0 Saints. The attention a good football team brings to a region also brings attention to the plight of that region. More people are now aware.

To me, only good comes out of renovating that building. Paul Tagliubue did a job keeping the Saints there, and for good reason, the region would not make it without them. The French Quarter can only do so much. And the Saints definitely would have been marching out if that building wasn't renovated.

NakedClown

Not to sound cold, but from a business persepctive: why would the NFL dump too much money into a city that may not have an NFL franchise after 2010? It's a business thing...

I'm glad to see that this has been an inspirational shot-in-the-arm to the people of New Orleans and that the League is heavily promoting the Saints; and the players seem genuinely interested in helping the community... we all hope the best for the city.

But pointing out the simple facts of A) who owns the building and the uncertainty of the future of the NFL in New Orleans, I think the 20 million (plus the money raised by the players) is no small amount of money... and certainly not worth boycotting the league over...

OneLove

RainDog wrote:

Thanks.

I will say that I understand the contention some people have regarding the Superdome repairs, particularly the price tag and the fact that FEMA is footing most of the bill. But it is more than a football stadium, both literally and figuratively. It's our Skyline. It's one of our symbols. And, though no one can be sure how the future will play out, it is believed, safely I might add, that it will contribute to the rebirth of our city.

A lot of people complained about us holding Mardi Gras last year. "How can there be a party when there's so much to be done?" Well, a vast majority of the people asking that question simply don't live here. Most of those that do were glad to see some semblance of normalcy return in some way - any way (now, whether you can call Mardi Gras "normal" is another story). The Superdome and the return of the Saints is another one of those moments.

There are plenty of things to complain about down here (like the skyrocketing home and rental costs in areas that didn't flood - but who am I to complain about the **ahem** "free" market). There's also the schools - but they were a problem before the storm. Tackling that subject is thesis worthy. The repair of the Superdome simply isn't where complaints should be directed.

Fair enough. I certainly understand the sentiment of your post. You all as a community need to find your own path, get back to "normalcy" in your own way.

macgyver06

my2hands wrote:

After learning that the Superdome repairs cost approx. $175 million, and that FEMA (aka me and your tax $) paid $160 million towards that, and the NFL contributed ONLY $15 million, i have decided to never watch another NFL event. I think it is flat out fucking disgusting that the NFL only kicked in less that 10% of the $ needed, and FEMA gave $160 million when houses are still not being built? I persoanlly think they should have paid the entire bill, because they are such a succesful business. I mean $175 million is chump change for that league and its EXTREMELY wealthy owners. Not to mention all the tax $ they have used to build their state of the art stadiums. Not to mention the extreme salaries these guys are making ($10 million a year for throwing a football when teachers in this country can barely make it day to day)

I know it is tough for some to do, i have grown up watching and playing football all of my life. Sunday's in my home were reserved for football, I watch monday night footabll like most everyone else, and I of course party it up for the super bowl like the rest of the country. But, i can only take so much greed, and i have had enough, no more of my money for these greedy fucks. I am through.


The Washington Redskins franchise is currently valued at OVER $1 BILLION DOLLARS? you cant tell me that federal tax $ had to go to the stadium when houses are still not being built?

WHO IS WITH ME?

not with you.

blackredyellow

Also the fact that a portion of the damage was caused indirectly by the federal/local governments. There was obviously a lot of exterior & roof damage caused by the hurricane, but much of the damage to the interior was because people were sent there, and left for days. A lot of money was spent replacing seats, the turf and other areas that were damaged due to the volume of people stuck there.

tybird

OneLove wrote:

You all as a community need to find your own path, get back to "normalcy" in your own way.

The proper way to address folks down here and down there is "y'all"