NFL/NBA now have a Donald Sterling problem with Gayle Benson (5 Viewers)

[NCSaint]

Guaranteed this will blow up big time. Just watch how the media and reporters will run with this. Its what they do. Rich white owner being mean to a black employee. Get ready to see this erupt. Will it stick? Who knows but I bet that it will and if it it doesn't it will tarnish just enough to keep things rocky around the team. Players will note this as well and steer clear of the team. We need new local owners quick. The Mannings? Hell even Lauscha and Loomis.

 

[Matteoma1]

Giving was the wrong term. Stipulate that he's in charge of the franchise or something to that effect.

I think that's what they were trying to do when they moved the team out the trust the first time. I don't think they can just remove the team and place it in another trust without being replaced with assets of equal value.

 

[crosswatt]

I don't have any inside connections, and I have no idea what the real story might be. But I find that most people in the organization, and members on this site who have known or interacted with Ms Benson have very positive things to say about her.

The only criticisms seem to be from those who stand to lose out on money due to her relationship with Tom. My spidy sense tells me that this is not a coincidence.

 

[RaginCajun83]

I hear you. After Tom Benson isn't owner, I have no faith any new owner will keep team in N.O. Tom tried to leave too . No one seems loyal or competent to run the New Orleans Saints (jmo).

Things have changed in the last 10 years, the Saints are now entrenched in the community like never before. The team has a lease for the next 10 years with the Dome as well. If they leave then they leave, I'm not loosing sleep over what the wife of the owner did or didn't do. I swear this place is worse than a sowing circle sometimes

 

[NCSaint]

Things have changed in the last 10 years, the Saints are now entrenched in the community like never before. The team has a lease for the next 10 years with the Dome as well. If they leave then they leave, I'm not loosing sleep over what the wife of the owner did or didn't do. I swear this place is worse than a sowing circle sometimes

I doubt any of us lose sleep either. I don't care much either accept to say if she treated the guy like that she's just another evil and angry person in the world. I know lose sleep over it but my point in the post above is that media is just looking for stories like this to blow up. And they will. Just watch.

 

[Jackavelli]

Things have changed in the last 10 years, the Saints are now entrenched in the community like never before. The team has a lease for the next 10 years with the Dome as well. If they leave then they leave, I'm not loosing sleep over what the wife of the owner did or didn't do. I swear this place is worse than a sowing circle sometimes

What are you talking about. She is not just the wife, she is potentially the next owner of the Saints. Forgive me for wondering about the possible owner and leadership of the team I am a fan of. I don't have the attitude of if they leave, they leave. I actually care.

I don't understand (I do) why ppl can't have different opinions around here without being insulted.

 

[Jackavelli]

I doubt any of us lose sleep either. I don't care much either accept to say if she treated the guy like that she's just another evil and angry person in the world. I know lose sleep over it but my point in the post above is that media is just looking for stories like this to blow up. And they will. Just watch.

If true it should blow up. If not he should be sued.

 

[Eman5805]

Feels like a character assassination plot by certain dirtbag individuals who we would loath to gain majority control over our beloved team.

 

[Saint Jack]

What are you talking about. She is not just the wife, she is potentially the next owner of the Saints. Forgive me for wondering about the possible owner and leadership of the team I am a fan of. I don't have the attitude of if they leave, they leave. I actually care.

I don't understand (I do) why ppl can't have different opinions around here without being insulted.

This may look bad now, but it'd be 1000x worse if this was revealed while she was owner.
As of this moment, she is only the wife of the owner of the team.

 

[texasjefe]

Nothing a little 7-figure settlement can't make go away. Better sell a few more Rolls Royces.

 

[Da Living Saint]

Mr. Benson is playing a dangerous game.

it is possible, however unlikely, that even if he manages to win the LA court cases over the teams that the NFL will reject Gayle as an owner. this isn't the first issue she's had in her adult life that may give the owners pause. i'm not saying any of this is likely, but it is possible. i find it highly unlikely that the richest man in Louisiana, the man who owns a civic institution as important as the Saints, will lose a court case in the People's Banana Republic of Louisiana, but it's not impossible.

what Mr. Benson needs to do is sit down and hammer out a LONG long-term extension with the State that starts at the end of the current lease, whereby a serious study will be done toward determining the best way for the team and state to move forward on a rebuilt stadium inside the Superdome shell. i'm talking about 50 years. this would give everyone protection. that way even if the Rs somehow did win control of the team they'd be bound to New Orleans for the foreseeable future, at least until the sea swallows the city.

 

[Jackavelli]

This may look bad now, but it'd be 1000x worse if this was revealed while she was owner.
As of this moment, she is only the wife of the owner of the team.

True. I'm not losing sleep or pulling my hair out, it's more concern that it's always something with this team. Patriots can get away with that, I'd prefer Saints to stop all the nonsense . It will work itself out , just would be nice to see competent people in charge and trying make team better.

 

[st dude]

Sorry, this seems fishy. The assistant files a wage claim in November alleging he was owed back wages. So far as I understand, no allegations of racism made then. Any labor lawyer worth his salt suing the saints back then presumably would have vetted his case for all actionable claims. Why are no claims made then?

So the Saints file to have the suit dismissed alleging it is covered by an arbitration clause. It sounds like the case might be thrown out of court and into arbitration, where no plaintiff wants to be.

Wait says the lawyer, I have an idea, lets convert it to a discrimination claim and keep it in federal court. What do you got, he asks his client. Well she made me stay in a room that wasnt nice once.

Not enough for a discrimination claim. What if we say she called me a black sob? Then it make it sound like my un-airconditioned room was like slave quarters and will really make them look bad.

I have seen many discrimination claims. Some have merit, some are contrived because when the race card is played, just the innuendo makes it hard to defend.

Its certainly possible Gayle made these comments. I was not there, I don't know her. I dont know the plaintiff.

But I do know law and what due diligence goes into filing a law suit. And if I read the article correctly, this suit was first filed in November and the new suit came after motions to dismiss the first on an arbitration clause.

If a super labor lawyer has a valid discrimination claim, why did it take him three months to amend? Why after the motion to dismiss?

I hope for his sake he has credible and independent witnesses to back this up and its not just the word of the plaintiff. If Gayle is a racist there should be lots of evidence of her using racial insults, not just the claims of a disgruntled worker.

If there is credible evidence she mistreats employees on the basis of their race, then she is not fit to be the owner of the Saints.

Lets see how it plays out. First question up is why does this claim only come after the first suit was being challenged on an arbitration clause. The second question is can they show some pattern of discrimination or is it just that Gayle did not like this guy?

According to Henry, the Saints put him on an annual salary of $50,000 rather than an hourly wage, exempting him from collecting overtime pay under federal law. But the suit contends such a status normally is reserved for high-ranking executives, which Henry was not, and he therefore should have been paid the typical 1 1/2 times his regular salary on the frequent occasions he had to work more than 40 hours a week. Last week, the Saints countered by saying Henry had signed a work agreement requiring him to turn to National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell to arbitrate any disputes he had concerning his employment with the team.

Henry responded on Tuesday by adding the Bensons as individual defendants in an amended lawsuit that now alleges he was routinely “treated ... with disdain and disrespect” by Gayle, often over the objections of her husband.

http://theadvocate.com/news/neworle...was-over-testifying-in-mental-competency-case


On its face it sounds like racial allegations were thrown in as afterthought because they were mad saints were claiming arbitration clause. Did it just dawn on the plaintiff and the attorney this week that the plaintiff was the victim of a racist employer?

 

[meily]

When all else fails claim racism.

Claim racism...that's funny...claim racism....just sounds funny when you say it out loud...like its made up....that white privilege boy I tell ya....

 

[RaginCajun83]

What are you talking about. She is not just the wife, she is potentially the next owner of the Saints. Forgive me for wondering about the possible owner and leadership of the team I am a fan of. I don't have the attitude of if they leave, they leave. I actually care.

I don't understand (I do) why ppl can't have different opinions around here without being insulted.

As someone who owns season tickets and lives in Houston, makes 8 trips a year, I've gotten to the point in my life where stupid stories like this doesn't bother me. I really don't give a **** what they do in their personal lives. This has NOTHING to do with Tom right now, who IS the owner. She's not the next owner until Tom dies, she could die tomorrow for Christ Sakes and never become the owner.