The New Orleans Saints picked the perfect time to drop the ball.
While DeflateGate was dominating every sports headline this week, Saints and New Orleans Pelicans owner Tom Benson fired his grandaughter, Rita Benson LeBlanc, as Saints owner and vice chairperson. He also cut ties with his daughter Renee LeBlanc and his grandson Ryan LeBlanc, sending them this letter.
[tweet https://twitter.com/GordonRussell1/status/558360439298752514 align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/GordonRussell1/status/558360498543271938 align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/GordonRussell1/status/558360545498525696 align=’center’%5D
The 87-year-old Benson had been grooming Benson LeBlanc as his successor, but their relationship became tumultuous over the years. She was relieved of her duties Tuesday, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, and Benson passed the torch to his wife, Gayle, on Wednesday.
Though La Canfora noted that the two sides of the family have clashed and made up in the past, Benson LeBlanc and Renee and Ryan LeBlanc filed a lawsuit against Benson. The Times-Picayune reported Thursday that the supporters of Benson LeBlanc are claiming that Benson’s wife does not have the business credentials to own football and basketball teams and that Benson’s deteriorating health has rendered him too incompetent to make such decisions.
Thumbnail photo via Chuck Cook/USA TODAY Sports Images
