From LA to L.A.

From all accounts, it appears that the Saints will not be returning to New Orleans next season. From today's Washington Post:

"...the league is concerned that the area will not be able to fully bounce back and is thus open to the possibility of having the Saints play in San Antonio next season and then move permanently to Los Angeles."

That' s a bunch of crap, of course; Saints owner Tom Benson has been wanting to move the team for a while and now he has a palpable excuse. It's a real shame; the city needs the team more than ever now. Benson, by following the money, is bringing some seriously bad voodoo upon himself; you can be certain of that.

But Los Angeles? I don't know. I haven't lived there, but I've spent a lot of time there in the past few years and I just don't see it as a football city. After all, there's a reason the Raiders left in the first place. Yes, there are tons of Raiders fans left there. Will they convert into Saints fans? Eh, we'll see. As my aunt (who's lived there for 30 years) says, "L.A. doesn't need or want football." Many do, I'm sure, but it's clear that the sport hasn't been missed. L.A. is a basketball/baseball town.

THIS JUST IN:

Infielders Damian Jackson and Bernie Castro signed one-year, free-agent contracts with the Washington Nationals on Thursday.

Jackson, 32, offers versatility and speed: He appeared at six defensive positions for the San Diego Padres this season (second base, third base, shortstop and all three outfield spots) and stole 15 bases in 17 attempts.

Castro, a 26-year-old second baseman who made his big league debut in 2005, batted .288 with six steals in 24 games with Baltimore. He hit .315 and stole 41 bases in 47 attempts at Triple-A Ottawa.