Sometimes I wondered if he was in a cabal with the late Bud Adams and Jerry Jones in some kind of super elite sports franchise club who took joy out of torturing fans, with at times odd trades (Jerry's favorite move) and threatening to move the team out of town (Bud Adam's bag of tricks).

But one must respect and hold dear a self-made billionaire who was described himself as a workaholic and after all he was the inventor of the "Benson Boogie".

Minnesota Vikings v New Orleans Saints
Getty Images - Thomas Milton Benson, July 12, 1927-March 15, 2018
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Thomas Milton Benson was not just the owner of the New Orleans Saints and NBA Pelicans, in all respects, he was a philanthropist as well as a businessman.

Rising from tough roots in New Orleans 7th Ward and growing up in America's toughest era ever The Great Depression of the 1930s, he joined the Navy in 1945 and utilized the GI Bill to attend college for accounting. He got his business start at a car dealership and the rest is a history of hard work and accomplishment.

Benson bought the Saints in 1985 to prevent them from moving away from the city and eventually won a Super Bowl. He was hospitalized last month for treatment of potential flu and pneumonia and remained in ICU until his passing.

He was an ardent fan of New Orleans, loved the military and God and he was a kind and ardent philanthropist.

New Orleans, the United States, and the world are a poorer place this evening without Tom Benson. May he rest in the Peace of our Lord.

 

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