ORLANDO, Fla. — Gayle Benson was steadfast Monday that the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans won’t be going anywhere now that she has replaced her late husband, Tom Benson, as owner of the two franchises.
“I don’t think there’s any other choice. I think that’s the only thing we could do is to keep his legacy alive. Where else would you go? I’m from New Orleans. My husband was from New Orleans. And we’re just like one big family over there,” said Benson, who was asked about her reaction to reports or rumors that surfaced after Benson’s death that she might eventually sell the Pelicans.
“It’s disappointing to think that somebody would think that I would mess up his legacy. But I guess everybody has their opinion,” Benson said. “But I would never sell. No.”
Benson, 71, handled herself with great aplomb as she met with a group of media members for the first time in her new role during the NFL meetings in Orlando. She repeatedly credited her late husband, whom she met and married in 2004, for putting the right leaders in place — including Dennis Lauscha, who serves as president of both the Saints and Pelicans; and Mickey Loomis, who serves as general manager of the Saints and executive vice president of both teams.
“He left an incredible footprint for us,” Benson said. “Everybody that’s in place is gonna stay in place. All the employees, all the vice presidents. Everything that we’ve been doing is gonna continue. I don’t want to change anything he’s done. In my mind, it was so perfectly set up that there’s nothing to change.” Gayle, whose previous career was in the interior design business, said Tom “groomed” her for this role over the past several years, teaching her a lot about the businesses and including her in all of his major decisions.
And she showed humility when she said, “He always thought I was smart, which I doubted that, but that’s OK. He always told me that I would be good in this role. It’s a little humbling to hear somebody of his power say that, but I’m very happy to continue his legacy.”
However, at the same time, Benson didn’t hesitate when she was asked if she felt she could make a tough decision if change was ever needed at some of those leadership positions.
“I think I can make difficult decisions. In fact, I know I can,” Benson said. “So I think I’ll be fine with that.”
Benson said she has appreciated the support of her fellow NFL owners, who have been so “gracious and kind” over these past two weeks since her husband died on March 15 at the age of 90. He spent nearly a month in the intensive care unit after being hospitalized for flu-like symptoms.
It has been an emotional two weeks for Benson, including two marathon days of public and private visitations last week where she personally greeted every well-wisher and the funeral mass and “jazz funeral” procession through New Orleans’ French Quarter — not to mention the Bensons’ horse, Lone Sailor, qualifying for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
But in some ways, Benson’s first set of NFL meetings as the official owner of the Saints was a return to normalcy — and a way to continue that legacy she spoke of.
“It was very busy. It was difficult. But … I’m trying to move forward, as he would have wanted me to,” said Benson, who credited everyone who helped with the funeral and visitation arrangements, as well as everyone who offered their support and well wishes.
“You know, he’s been grooming me for this for a very long time. I didn’t think it would come this soon, but yes I’m prepared for it. “I’m comforted to know that he’s happy and he wants us to move on and move forward. He wouldn’t have wanted us to stay home.”
Source : ESPN
