Colin Cowherd blasts New Orleans as unsafe (audio)

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ESPN Radio talker Colin Cowherd blasted New Orleans on Tuesday for its lack of safety and hotel rooms. Cowherd said the city could be considered to host the NFL Pro Bowl in the coming years. He said the city is unsafe and that he doesn’t understand why New Orleans is becoming the default city for sports destinations.


“It is the least-safe major city in the country — not my opinion; statistically, the least safe,” he said in his program. “I have been to every major city in the country outside of Kansas City, and there are only two where locals will tell you, ‘Turn around. Don’t go that way.’ — Detroit and New Orleans. Nobody from Louisiana could debate that,” he said. “It doesn’t have a world-class airport. It is not geographically easy for much of the country to get to.”

Listen to the audio, here:

He added that he visited the city during the BCS game and had an FBI agent escort him around the city.

He did say, however, that everyone should give New Orleans and Louisiana credit for attracting the events and movie productions in the city.

He went back to criticizing New Orleans over the lack of hotel rooms: “If you lined up cities, championships, I want a lot of hotel rooms, a great airport, good weather, safety. New Orleans is not top 15 in any those…You have to watch where you walk at night. It’s not the safest place in the world. Especially at — post-8 o’clock at night. I don’t know. I don’t have an answer. Maybe it’s the tax breaks (the city) is giving these major corporations,” Cowherd said.

In response, many of the city’s tourism leaders have invited Cowherd for a visit, reported WDSU-TV.

“Well, it’s certainly disappointing that someone would say that because it’s not true,” said Mark Romig of the New Orleans Tourism & Marketing Corp.

Tourism and city leaders acknowledge there is a crime problem. Visitors WDSU spoke with said they have had few encounters with undesirables but Cowherd’s rant did not stop with safety concerns.

“His thoughts are the opposite of what we’ve heard from hundreds of thousands of visitors and with the organizers of these sporting events such as BCS and Final Four about their experiences in New Orleans,” said Kelly Schultz of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The comments come as the Superdome and New Orleans Arena are constantly in the national spotlight. The city has hosted a string of high-profile sporting events without a hitch.

Tourism leaders said Cowherd should make another visit to the city.

“I’d say you love New Orleans and it loves you right back,” Romig said.

U.S. Cedric Richmond even weighed in on Cowherd’s comments by saying, “I am extremely disappointed in Colin Cowherd and I resent his recent attack on the city of New Orleans.”

This is not the first time a sports figure has blasted the city. Last year, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jarred Allen compared the city to a third world country and former head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, has had some harsh words about the city as well.

See the WDSU-TV story, here

3 COMMENTS

  1. This guy, as well as Jared Allen, are already known to be mental midgets. They’re known for being ignorant about almost anything they open their mouths about. Phil Jackson just thinks he’s someone special and likes to run his mouth just to get a reaction. None of these individuals’ egomaniacal bloviating surprises me.

    If New Orleans was such a poor place to live or hold events then why is it so culturally diverse? Why does it have such a rich history? If these imbeciles don’t have the time to visit, then read a history book. Speak with people who live here who are well-known…say uh…Brad Pitt and Angelina, John Goodman, the Mannings, Dan Akroyd, Spike Lee, world reknown musicians, Andrew Zimmern, Tony Bordain, etc.

    This is ignorance, plain and simple. ESPN, for once, needs to back-pedal and apologize. This is the same city that the Pope has visited, where the WWII museum, Aquarium of the Americas, Audobon Zoo, and numerous other FAMILY attractions are world famous. Do you think Tom Hanks helped open the WWII museum because it’s such a terrble place? Shut up, Colin. Stop acting like some 18-year old frat boy and grow up!

  2. As someone who worked in New Orleans after the 2008 hurricane, Colin is exactly right! A dangerous city with basically stupid residents, a nice double play!

  3. i feel the need to be the tie-breaking comment on the matter. while both comments were incredibly rich in facts, knowledge, & passion, the “basically stupid resident” mike is right on the money. maybe its because im a “bsr” myself, or the fact that tts’ comment just cemented his/her own ignorance. tts, while beaming immaturity on the matter, reponded like a 8 yr old on the playgound… ‘oh yeah, well ur ugh, ugh, stupid.’
    lets see, hmm, millions of tourists from all over the world visit “the big easy” because… its deep rooted history at the mouth of the mississippi, world class cuisine, music & nightlife thats 2nd to none, cultural diversity, & hospitality that amazes tourists more than any city, that they move here & become permanent residents. what hurricane in ’08 was that tts? you & colin don’t have a clue what this city is about, but thanks for us, the millions of tourists who visit yearly have a diff opinion on the matter.. they Love it,

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