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Born on this day: Honoring Tom Benson

Pelicans.com

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Remembering Pelicans owner Tom Benson

Jim Eichenhofer

1)      Week 23 of the NBA season for New Orleans (30-42) includes road games against Dallas (28-41) and Orlando (33-38), followed by a three-day break from games, then Sunday’s home tilt vs. Houston (44-26). The competition gets progressively more difficult record-wise, with the Magic in contention for a playoff berth and Houston on its way to another postseason trip.

2)      The Pelicans will try to get back into the win column Monday, visiting Dallas at 7:30. The winner of tonight’s matchup will be in third place in the Southwest Division.

3)      The local and national focus on Monday’s meeting in Texas will primarily be on longtime Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki, who is four points from passing Wilt Chamberlain for sixth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

4)      Read about Tom Benson's influence on New Orleans and the NFL, NBA.

5)      In case you missed it, check out a feature on Jrue Holiday’s defensive prowess.

five-things-to-know-about-the-pelicans-on-march-18-2019

Five things to know about the Pelicans on March 18, 2019

If there still are times when it feels as if Tom Benson is attending a game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome or Smoothie King Center, watching a practice at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tom Benson Way, or making clear his vision at an NFL or NBA owner’s meeting, that’s understandable.

Today marks the one-year anniversary of Benson’s death at the age of 90, and it’s easy still to feel the presence of the New Orleans titan.

But while the state, NFL and NBA all fondly can reflect on Benson’s life and legacy today, and New Orleans can commemorate on how it galvanized during one of its most significant celebrations of life a year ago, two franchises can warmly look to the past and hopefully approach the future because of the foundation laid by Benson.

Benson’s wife, Gayle Benson, now occupies the role of sole owner for the Pelicans and Saints – and with it, likely assumes the mantle of Most Powerful Woman in Sports – having been prepped for her current role by no less of an authority than her late husband. And several of his trusted lieutenants, including President Dennis Lauscha and General Manager Mickey Loomis, remain in place.

The seamlessness of transition – one that Benson crafted – helped allay concern over the fate of the franchises. And it highlighted the cohesion with which the principals operated, through the emotionally trying time that was Benson’s illness and death, to triumphs by GMB Racing, a playoff series victory by the Pelicans in 2018 and playoff wins by the Saints in the ’17 and ’18 seasons.

Obviously, Gayle Benson’s role can’t be overstated.

The Saints and Pelicans owner not only took over the leadership position for two pro sports franchises, but has flourished in it while injecting her own thoughts and vision. She was credited with influencing Tom Benson’s decision to buy the Pelicans in 2012, steadfastly has maintained that the Pelicans are not for sale and will not be moved on her watch, and is a regular at home and road games.

Beyond the sports presence she has maintained the charitable outpouring that only appears to have increased the last several years.

There was the Christmas gift she presented to hundreds of shoppers, when she paid the tab for 408 customers’ layaways at a local Walmart, totaling nearly $100,000. And, more recently, she donated $5 million in February to Jesuit High – the largest gift in the school’s history – toward improving the school’s athletic facilities. The basketball arena will be renamed the Gayle and Tom Benson Arena.

And as philanthropic and successful as Benson has been outside the sports arena, her football and basketball teams and stable have been as noteworthy inside those environs. The Pelicans won’t advance to the playoffs this season, but last year swept Portland in the first round. GMB Racing had two Kentucky Derby starters in 2016 (Mo Tom and Tom’s Ready) and Lone Sailor made headway in 2018.

The Saints, whom Tom Benson bought in 1985 and who never had a winning record prior to his ownership, won the Super Bowl in 2009 under Tom Benson and advanced to the NFC Championship Game in 2018 – the third NFC Championship Game in franchise history – under Gayle Benson.

But all roads lead back to Tom Benson, whose memory has not faded and, likely, won’t fade any time soon in New Orleans, if ever.

It’s not because of the statue overlooking Champions Square outside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, or the myriad photographs of him inside the Ochsner Sports Performance Center during different high points of his ownership period; raising the Lombardi Trophy, welcoming Anthony Davis to the franchise, joined by a few dozen Pro Football Hall of Famers in 2015, months after an $11 million donation to the Hall, the largest contribution ever made by an individual to the Hall. The stadium was renamed Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in his honor.

More, his DNA courses through the empire that he built, even now.

A year later, Tom Benson’s fingerprints remain on the businesses that he loved, and his influence remains a comfort to the people that he cherished.

If there still are times when it feels as if he’s attending a game, watching a practice or wielding his influence, that’s understandable.

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Tom Benson's influence remains in New Orleans, NFL, NBA

Xavier University Honors Gayle and Tom Benson

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WYES-TV presents New Orleans Saints and Pelicans fans with a new documentary – Tom Benson: The Life and Legacy of a New Orleans Saint, presented by Ochsner Health System. The hour-long documentary will premiere on WYES-TV/Channel 12 on Wednesday, May 23 at 7 p.m.

Narrated by Angela Hill, a longtime friend of the Bensons and former news anchor for WWL-TV, the documentary traces the life of the business tycoon.

Filming of the documentary began in August 2017 with the 90th birthday celebration for Tom Benson at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Production continued throughout the football season and provides a behind-the-scenes look at Benson’s game day traditions that begin with a private mass in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Hill sat down with Tom and Gayle for candid interviews about their lives. Interviews also include Benson’s nephew Larry Benson, Jr., Archbishop Gregory Aymond, president of the Saints and Pelicans Dennis Lauscha, Executive Vice President and General Manager Mickey Loomis, Audubon Institute President Ron Forman and others who offer insight into the homegrown hero.

Tom Benson: The Life And Legacy Of A New Orleans Saint Presented by Ochsner Health System was written and produced by Terri Landry. Associate producer is Dawn Smith. edited by Larry Roussarie. Photographers are Lenny Delbert and Lenny Delbert, Jr.

The documentary repeats Thursday, May 24 at 9 p.m.; Saturday, May 26 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, May 27 at 6 p.m.; and Thursday, May 31 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, June 2 at 4 p.m.; Sunday, June 10 at noon; Wednesday, June 20 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 24 at 9:30 p.m.

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WYES-TV premieres Tom Benson documentary May 23

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Funeral mass services for owner Tom Benson

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Honorary Second Line for Tom Benson

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