It's not that he can't get tickets

It's that he doesn't want to pay for tickets.

In an interview with WBOK radio this morning, Nagin said his office has been in touch with the Saints organization but hasn't gotten the nod that he'll be offered a spot in the official team ticket block.

"Yeah, I'm going, I'm going," Nagin said. "I'm all set with tickets - not tickets - but hotel, plane. I still don't have tickets, but we're going to work on that. I don't have tickets. ...We called the Saints organization, and they said they basically that they have some tickets, and they're going to get back with us. So I'm waiting.

"My assistant was telling me yesterday that they might be able to get some $800 tickets," the mayor said.

Greg Bensel, vice president of communication for the Saints, said officials told Nagin's office Wednesday thye would give the mayor the option to purchase tickets. Bensel did not specify what seats or the price, however.

He's "all set" with travel and accommodations. I wonder how.

"But I just thought that as mayor of the city I would go to the (Super Bowl) as a representative of the city and of the Saints, and it wouldn't be an issue," the mayor said. "But maybe they've got some things they've got to work out, so we'll see. I'm hopeful that it's going to work out."

Since the airline and hotel costs come out of the "representative of the city" fund you would think that the man would be good enough to shell out the money for the tickets if he had to. Once upon a time this would have been a job for Greg Meffert's credit card.