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Saints are left searching for a home

The team deals with logistics as money and support flow in during Katrina's aftermath.

The New Orleans Saints might play home games either at Baton Rouge's Louisiana State University, San Antonio's Alamodome or Houston's Reliant Stadium because of damage to the Superdome caused by Hurricane Katrina.

The Saints evacuated New Orleans last weekend ahead of the storm and moved to San Jose, Calif., where they have been preparing for tonight's exhibition finale at Oakland. Next, team spokesman Nick Karl and NFL officials said, they will move operations to San Antonio at least until the regular-season opener, Sept. 11 at Carolina. After that? Nobody knows, but there might not be games any time soon in New Orleans, where the Saints' home opener had been scheduled for Sept. 18 against the Giants.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said a decision on where to play Saints home games will be a joint decision made by team and league officials.

They'll consider "a number of factors, as you would expect," McCarthy said. "Is the Superdome even remotely playable? Then, will there be power restored to the community? What we're doing is continuing to monitor, along with the Saints, and exploring alternatives. It could range from LSU to places in Texas.

"We'll have to look at a number of factors - in terms of where competing teams would come in from, and what makes sense for the league."

Water has filled the Superdome's lower parking decks and rooms. There is no electricity or running water, and sewage backups have been complicated by evacuees located there.

Monday's storm also did serious damage to the stadium's roof, leaving at least two holes and calling into question the structural integrity of the building.

Reliant Stadium is home to the NFL's Houston Texans, and stadium president and general manager Shea Guinn offered the stadium.

Mayor Buddy Dyer of Orlando proposed the Saints try the little-used Citrus Bowl. There was no indication the Saints were even familiar with that offer.

HORNETS: Some members of the NBA's New Orleans Hornets' front office have relocated to Houston and are working out of the Toyota Center. Also, the New York Times reported on its Web site that NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik sent an e-mail to all the teams in the NBA to prepare them for the possible relocation of the team.

"Even if the arena is operable, it still may be impossible to play games in New Orleans for some time," Granik wrote in the e-mail message, a copy of which was obtained by the New York Times.

The e-mail message said plans were under way to find sites for the Hornets' training camp, which starts in just over a month, and preseason games, and the league will start searching for alternative sites for the regular season next week.

ST. PETE TIMES FORUM: In an effort to help the victims of the hurricane, the St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa Bay Lightning and Tampa Bay Storm are teaming up. Donations will be accepted 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the Times Forum box office.

The Times Forum will accept monetary donations as well as tangible items such as bottled water, non-perishable food items, convenience foods, can openers, baby food, diapers, wipes, hygiene items, picnic supplies, small charcoal grills and charcoal, tools, gloves, tarps, plastic, construction materials, over the counter medication, first aid kits, flashlights, batteries, candles, trash bags, generators, chain saws and hand tools.

OTHER OUTLETS: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are organizing relief efforts during their Sept. 18 home opener against the Buffalo Bills at Raymond James Stadium. Details will follow next week. Also, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair said he will match donations up to $1-million given during tonight's game at Tampa Bay. ... The New York Yankees and the NFL are each donating $1-million to the American Red Cross. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said the league is also working on other efforts to aid the relief effort. ... The NBA players' association will help deliver supplies to the hardest hit areas. ... Florida State will take a collection at Monday's game against Miami at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee for the American Red Cross. Fans not going to the game but interested in contributing can call 878-6080 or 1-800-435-7669 (HELP-NOW). ... Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair teamed with Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre and arranged to fill a tractor-trailer with relief supplies bound for Mississippi. McNair, who has a home near Favre's in Hattiesburg, Miss., is offering to swap an autographed photo for each minimum donation of $100 to his foundation. ... Serena Williams announced she would donate $100 for every ace she has the rest of the year, beginning with her two in Wednesday night's second-round victory at the U.S. Open. ... The Houston Astros will host a relief drive at Minute Maid Park on Saturday and Sunday.

Gator's family safe

GAINESVILLE - More than 48 hours after he last heard from his family, Florida senior safety Deshawn Carter received word Wednesday morning his family was safe in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

"We got great news today," coach Urban Meyer said Wednesday morning. "Today we got the call. It's been a tough situation. Even when you call Deshawn on his cell phone, even though he's here it doesn't go through because of the New Orleans prefix. But everybody's good. There's obviously a lot of damage, but everybody is healthy."

Carter, who is from Hammond, La., is the only Gator who had not been able to find his family, Meyer said.

"Deshawn was a mess, as you can imagine," he said. "He kind of broke down a little (Tuesday) saying I'm the one person when they get a chance to call, they call me. But his dad called the office (and talked to assistant coach Doc Holliday) and everyone is fine."

- ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times staff writer

RULES REPRIEVE: The NCAA is considering temporarily changing some of its rules that place restrictions on travel costs and benefits being given to athletes' families as players and universities recover from the storm's destruction.

The NCAA has already been contacted by officials from several conferences, including the Big 12, Conference USA, Southeastern and Sun Belt, to discuss potential scheduling problems. But because of communication problems along the Gulf Coast, the NCAA has not yet spoken with officials from schools such as LSU, Tulane and New Orleans that face the biggest recovery challenges.

JACKSONVILLE: The Dolphins' season opener at Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond, La., will not be rescheduled. Jacksonville will host a scrimmage Friday at D.B. Milne Field with a $5 admission fee charged to benefit the American Red Cross and its hurricane relief efforts.

ON THE MOVE: Tulane, based in New Orleans, sent its football team to Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Southern Mississippi, based in Hattiesburg, Miss., relocated to Memphis, Tenn.The two schools were scheduled to play their season-opening game this weekend in Hattiesburg. The game was postponed until later this month.

PREPS: With Texas high school coaches already being approached by Louisiana residents about joining their teams, the University Interscholastic League said it would allow displaced students to compete at the schools where they enroll.