Lost in the surprise ruling from an internal appeals panel on Friday vacating the suspensions imposed on four players as a result of the Saints’ alleged effort to raise and distribute money for hits that inflicted injury is the fact that the Saints and their basketball counterparts will be raising and distributing money to help those folks impacted by Hurricane Isaac.
From now through September 19, fans can buy tickets for a unique raffle. The Saints version includes a suite for 20 at the September 23 home game against the Chiefs, with 20 pre-game sideline passes. The Hornets version has two floor seats and a pre-game player meet-and-greet for the November 7 game against the 76ers. (The Hornets raffle is open until October 23.)
Tickets are $2.00 each.
“As we have shown before in trying times, we will band together and help our neighbors when they need support,” Saints and Hornets owner Tom Benson said. “Nearly everyone that lives in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast were negatively impacted in some way, shape or form by Hurricane Isaac. While we are excited for the start of the 2012 season, it is with a heavy heart that we witness what our neighbors are dealing with, whether it is significant damage to their homes, disruption of employment or having to leave their homes because the storm was so destructive.”
Folks in the region will get a much-needed diversion today, when the Saints take the field with recently-unsuspended defensive end Will Smith and linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Though Vilma won’t be playing, he’ll surely be leading the charge, and the Superdome will be a-rockin’.
It would be wise to not go a-knockin’.