Cox Communications announced today that the Saturday night game on NFL Network between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys at 7:00 PM will be televised on Cox Channel 20 as part of a free preview of NFL Network for all Cox video subscribers in the Baton Rouge market. The move was announced by Cox Communications President & COO Pat Esser for both the Baton Rouge and Acadiana markets.

“While normally this game would be available on NFL Network as part of our Sports and Information Tier, we believed it was important to try to get access for all of our customers,” said Jacqui Vines, senior vice president and general manager for Cox Louisiana. “This is an extraordinary time for the Saints and this state. We are excited to be able to provide this service to all video customers in the seven parish Baton Rouge region. I couldn’t thank our Cox corporate leaders enough for this free preview of the great NFL Network content.”

The free preview of NFL Network on Cox channel 20 will be available from noon Saturday, Dec. 19 through 1 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21 in Cox service areas in all or parts of Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, St. James, and West Baton Rouge. Because channel 20 is typically not part of the Cox line-up, customers are encouraged to tune into the channel directly. They may need to conduct a channel scan to reset their television on Saturday to secure the signal.

While NFL Network on Cox channel 20 will be available on Basic Cable to all customers in Baton Rouge, Acadiana customers must subscribe to the Digital Sports & Information tier on channel 241 for access. To receive the game in high-definition, customers must have an HD television and HD receiver to access the NFL Network HD channel 771. The Baton Rouge area service centers will conduct normal business hours. The Lafayette service center, located at 1906 Eraste Landry Rd, will be open Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Customers can also call (337) 232-6323 in Acadiana to secure the NFL Network.

Digital customers in all Cox markets can preview pre-game and post-game coverage, as well as hundreds of hours of original programming, on the NFL Network On Demand, available on Cox channel 1.

I wonder what James J Griffin Jr. and James Harris are thinking?  These on-air personalities had the privilege of working in 1982 at what was then KTLD—Tallulah (LA) with maybe, simultaneously, the worst and best country music disc jockey in the history of radio. That would be me!  I was horrible if you liked country music…great if you couldn’t stand country, probably reveling in my cutting off country music classics in mid-twang for, what I perceived to be, the betterment of my show.  Mr. Griffin once invited me to be a fill-in soul disc jockey at the FM sister station.  For some strange, inexplicable reason, I was never invited back!

I’d imagine James and James are not thinking about “Soul Fine” (my on-air name during my 1 soul show).  But as big sports fans and alumni of Southern University, I hope they’re outraged.  I know I am. A great man and terrific football coach, Pete Richardson,

was fired by Southern earlier this week.  How tragic.

Richardson had a great record at Southern—134-62 in 17 years at the helm of Jaguar-nation. This includes 4 Black national championships, 5 SWAC championships and, most impressively, a 12-5 record in the Bayou Classic.  In fact, he defeated Eddie Robinson in the first 5 years that Richardson coached against the legendary coach.  On any list of great SWAC football coaches, once you mention “Coach Rob”, Ace Mumford, and a few others, Coach Richardson’s name has to appear.  In addition to producing a winning program, Coach Richardson always carried himself with class and dignity.

But, in the what have you done for me lately world of sports, I guess Richardson hasn’t done enough. The last 2 years, Southern has been a 6-5 team.  In the last 5 years, the Jaguars have also had 2 losing season.  They’ve not won the SWAC since 2003. Grambling has controlled the Bayou Classic, winning 4 of the last 6 games.  Admittedly, in the Jaguars last game of the year vs. Texas Southern, Coach Richardson was subject to very harsh but fair criticism of his coaching. (In the waning moments of the game, the Jaguars were confused as to how many time-outs Texas Southern had remaining. The scoreboard initially said TSU was out of time-outs.  Then it said 2 time-outs. Clinging to a 2 point lead, Southern ended up kneeling down prematurely and had to punt the ball away.  TSU scored and won the game.   How in the world Richardson and his staff were not 100% certain how many TOs TSU had left is beyond me.  If they didn’t know, then don’t snap the ball until you’ve unequivocally clarified the time-out situation with the officials.  Mind boggling.  On the surface, this, comparatively, makes LSU coach Les Miles look like a genius in the final 26 seconds vs Ole Miss.)

Why has the Southern program been average to mediocre for much of the last 5 years?  The biggest reason is facilities, or lack thereof.  Secondly, the Southern athletics administration, or lack thereof. Thirdly, Southern fans, like most fans, are front-runners.  Richardson, himself, comes in a very distant fourth.

Throughout his entire tenure, Richardson has had to work with sub-standard facilities.  Most high schools in Louisiana are more impressive.  In the early part of the decade, “Coach Pete” was promised a major upgrade.  Just this year, Southern football has moved into new offices, locker rooms and there’ve been other improvements.  Whereas other programs in the SWAC (and IAA programs in Louisiana that Southern recruits against) already had better tools to work with and were making improvements, Southern just withered away, putting Richardson at a major disadvantage.

Greg LaFleur is a talented guy.  But, the Southern AD really doesn’t run his program.  That would be the Southern Board of Supervisors and, most prominently, their Chairman, Tony Clayton.  This is a perfect prescription for athletics department/football disaster.  Want to know why LSU was a very average football/athletics program for much of the last 25 years of the last Century?  Because its Board of Supervisors meddled, were high profile, often making LSU athletics a 3-ring circus.  Then Mark Emmert came in.  Nick Saban was hired and given everything he demanded, quickly.  Skip Bertman became AD and was given the resources to make things work. There was clear leadership by qualified, full-time, athletics or athletics oriented people.  You didn’t hear anything from Board of Supervisors members anymore.  And LSU has won, big.  And, by and large, operated efficiently.  You want Barnum and Bailey.  It’s moved from South Baton Rouge to the Bluffs.  Clayton is the ringleader.

How bad is it? This year, Southern played a home game against arch-rival #2, Jackson State, in Mississippi.   The Jaguars moved a home game to Mississippi in order to make money! Are you kidding me?  Can you imagine LSU moving a home game vs Ole Miss to Mississippi (in the extraordinarily ridiculous hypothetical situation) if it would generate a lot more dough?  Sure, times are tough.  But, under no circumstances can you relinquish a home conference game and move it to your opponent’s place.  This made an absolute mockery of Southern football.

Southern fans have stopped showing up.  The team is so-so.  So, fickle fans are staying away.  And, yes, the economy has not helped out.  Football is big business on the college level. I’d imagine there’s been a precipitous drop in revenue.  Pete Richardson becomes the fall guy.

Some great names are affiliated with Southern University sports: Mel Blount,  Lou Brock, Roger Cador, Harold Carmichael, Marino Casem,  Tombstone Jackson, Avery Johnson, Ben Jobe, Butterbean Love, Rod Milburn, A.W. Mumford , PETE RICHARDSON, Isiah Robertson, Ricky Weeks, Aeneas Williams and many others come to mind.  There is a proud tradition, many great memories, many great moments.  The last week has been a nadir.  Right now, Southern University and Southern University sports have been greatly tarnished.

There’s an old country/crossover song by Johnny Paycheck.  It was one of the few songs I enjoyed listening to as a disc jockey in Tallulah.  I’m sure not too many folks at Southern are playing “Take This Job And Shove It”.  Pete Richardson would have been perfectly justified in telling the Southern higher-ups several times throughout the years this message.  But, he’s too classy and soldiered on.  How ironic.  With indefensible neglect, Southern’s Board of Supervisors created the perfect, ideal conditions for Richardson to fail.  Then, as any coach would struggle under these trying conditions, Richardson did and he’s fired for his hire-ups malfeasance.  Pete Richardson deserves a lot better.  This is a disgrace, an absolute travesty.

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Instant replay is here to stay.  If anyone had a question about its sustenance, the end of the Texas-Nebraska Big 12 championship should silence all doubters.  Initially, on the field, it was ruled that time had expired after Colt McCoy threw the ball out of bounds.  The play was reviewed.  It was determined that the ball hit the ground with 1 second left.

Given a reprieve, Texas kicked the 46 yard game winning field goal.  Final Score:  Texas 13 Nebraska 12.  Without instant replay, the wrong team wins.  Texas is denied a shot at a national championship. (They’ll get blown out by Alabama anyway, but that’s besides the point!)….Colt McCoy, and to a large extent, Mack Brown almost blew it.  Well, they did blow it, but were very fortunate that there, after instant replay, was a tick left on the clock.  Again, Les Miles is a genius, relatively speaking, in the waning moments of the Ole Miss game…Of course, Texas won, so all is forgotten by Horns’ fans and the Texas

administration.  In fact, Texas’ amnesia will now cost the UT athletics department $5,100,000/year for the one-time Tulane head man’s services.  Brown’s contract was re-worked this week to make him the highest paid coach in college football.  One would think that this doesn’t happen if Texas doesn’t advance to the National Championship game.—Certainly, not this week.  If he wasn’t previously, I bet Mack Brown is now a big fan of instant replay in college football!

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Hard to criticize Saints mastermind Sean Payton about anything right now.  The only thing Saints fans could quibble with is his replay strategy.  This was epitomized by Payton challenging Sedric Ellis’ fumble in the Patriots game.  Ironically enough, last Sunday, Payton came up with his most brilliant tactical utilization of replay without tossing the red flag.  By calling timeout in overtime, this gave officials enough time to realize that they needed to review Chris McAlister’s tackle of Washington’s Mike Sellers.  (In overtime, all reviews must come from officials.  Coaches are not allowed to challenge calls.)  It was determined that the ball was dislodged before Sellers was down.  Saints ball.  A short time later:  Final Score:  N.O. 33 Washington 30…Great job Chris.  Now here’s your pink slip. McAlister was waived by the Saints on Wednesday.

Great news and bad news for Saints fans with Arizona defeating Minnesota 30-17 on Sunday night.  The great news is that the Saints now have a 2 game lead over Minnesota with 4 games to play.  So, the magic number is now 3—any combination of Saints wins and Vikings losses that add up to 3 in the last 4 weeks of the regular season and the Saints have Dome field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. (Unless the Saints (12-0) lose their next 4 and Dallas (8-4) wins their last 4.—The Cowboys would have the tie-breaker having beaten the Saints.  Arizona and Green Bay are 8-4, too, and if either of them share 12-4 records with the Saints, they would control the tie-breaker because of a better conference record than New Orleans.  Philly is 8-4, but they can’t top the Saints, because the Saints defeated them earlier.  So, the Saints Magic Number vs. Dallas, Arizona and Green Bay is 1.  I have a better shot of a date with Sandra Bullock than any of these 3 teams catching the Saints!)  That’s huge.  The bad news?  If the Saints clinch prior to the last week of the season, there’s a pretty good chance that Payton will be very judicious in playing his starters, perhaps treating a game/games like he would pre-season.  Winning in the playoffs then becomes the #1 objective.  Remaining regular season games become meaningless.  In such a scenario, the Saints chances of a perfect 16-0 regular season probably go out the window.

Oh, it just occurred to me.  There is still one thing that we still question Payton about.  He’s a good friend of singer Kenny Chesney, subjecting him to country music!  Then again, maybe this is another shrewd tactical move by the Saints Head Coach.  Peyton Manning is also a good friend of Chesney. The Colts and the Saints are both 12-0.  That makes Chesney’s buddies 24-0!

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Sources indicate that there is a strong possibility that Alabama Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart will become the Defensive Coordinator at Florida State.  Reportedly, Smart and FSU coach Jimbo Fisher, who worked together at LSU, are good friends.  SportsGumbo reported this last Friday morning.  Not sure if this story might change, though. as Florida lost defensive coordinator to become the head guy at Louisville….Sad story about former Hornets guard Kirk Snyder, who has had all sorts of problems since leaving the NBA.  Most recently, he was imprisoned for allegedly removing an electronic monitor. Snyder is facing charges of a home break-in.  Snyder, whom the Hornets dealt a number 1 draft pick for in 2005, played for the Bees for only 1 season.  Interestingly enough, he played college ball at Nevada, where his coach was present LSU head guy Trent Johnson… Recent USA Today clip lists wins by a DI team without winning a national championship. West Virginia, with 681, tops the list.  Fourth on the list:  North Carolina, with 647.  LSU plays both in 2010.  (Second:  Va Tech, Third:  Miami (Ohio)…Kicking great Jason Elam was not so great in 2009 and was recently released by Atlanta.  Elam shares the record for the longest field goal in NFL history—63 yards– with Tom Dempsey of the Saints. Dempsey did it vs. Detroit in 1971.  Elam, with the Broncos, tied this mark in 1998 vs Jacksonville…One more Louisiana tie-in that is a few weeks old, but, I think is very interesting.  Kinda surprised that I’ve not read about this previously.  Infamous 4^th and 2 Belichick Sunday Night Football call has some very strong Louisiana connections.  Pass went to Kevin Faulk of Carencro HS and LSU fame.  Winning touchdown pass was from Peyton Manning (Newman HS, New Orleans) to Reggie Wayne (John Ehret HS, Merrero LA). Who kicked the winning extra point in the Colts 35-34 victory over the Patriots?  None other than Louisiana Tech’s Matt Stover. Play prior to pass to Wayne?  Ball carrier was Joseph Addai (LSU).  And, perhaps in somewhat of a reach in establishing all of these Louisiana ties in the 4^th and 2 controversy:  you might remember that maybe just about the only successful coach (collegiately anyway) from the Belichick coaching tree is Alabama coach Nick Saban.  If I recall correctly, there might just be some connection to Saban and the state of Louisiana!

———————–
Jon Fine, Producer, SportsGumbo.net

Jon Fine CO-hosts and produces SportsGumbo M–F, 8am-9am on radio stations in the River Parishes/Baton Rouge (KKAY, 1590AM), New Orleans (ESPN, 1560AM) and Lake Charles (KEZM, 1310AM). Most weeks, Jon is on Monday–Thursday…Jon also produces and calls play-by-play for Denham Springs HS football and basketball …and is the producer of THE High School Sports Show (all on The Score, 1210AM, Fox Sports Radio, in Baton Rouge). With Rick Cantu, Jon was co-founder of the SportsGumbo.net Broadcasting Network

The LSU Tigers will square off against the Penn State Nittany Lions on New Years Day in the Capital One Bowl.  The Nittany Lions (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten) were passed over as the Big Ten’s No. 2 BCS team, as Iowa, which had the same record as Penn State, was chosen over the Lions for the FedEx Orange Bowl. “Anybody that knows college football knows of Coach Paterno,” LSU coach Les Miles said of the 82-year-old Penn State coach. “I had visited with him briefly on a couple of occasions. I have great admiration and respect for not only his longevity, but how he’s guided that program through different times and how well he’s done.”

The LSU Tigers hoping for a 10-win season. Penn State is hoping for its first win in this game since Jan. 1, 1994. Players to watch are LSU QB Jordan Jefferson and Penn St. LB Navorro Bowman. Jefferson has been a wild card for the Tigers this season, while Bowman is the best defensive player for the Lions.

LSU will be looking for its fifth bowl win under coach Les Miles in five seasons. His 2007 team won the BCS national title, beating Big Ten champion Oho State.

Here are some statistics for both teams:

Total Yards
PSU 412.5 / 36th
LSU 309.7 / 108th

Passing Yards
PSU 246.6 / 43rd
LSU 199.8 / 94th

Rushing Yards
PSU 173.6 / 39th
LSU 129.6 / 84th

Points Scored
PSU 29.7 / 44th
LSU 25.5 / 74th

History of the Capital One Bowl:

The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl (1947-1982) and the Florida Citrus Bowl (1983-2002). Financial services company Capital One has been the title sponsor of the bowl since 2001 when it was the Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl but with the exclusive Capital One Bowl moniker since 2003. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Champs Sports Bowl and Florida Classic.

Since becoming one of the premier bowls, the Capital One Bowl is traditionally held at 1 p.m. EST on New Year’s Day, immediately before the Rose Bowl, both of which are televised on ABC. In 2004, the Capital One Bowl bid to become the fifth BCS game, but was not chosen, primarily due to the stadium’s aging condition. On July 26, 2007 the Orange County Commissioners voted 5–2 in favor of spending a total of 1.1 billion dollars on building a new arena for the Orlando Magic, building a performing arts center and upgrading the Citrus Bowl.

Former Names:

-Tangerine Bowl (1947-1982)
-Florida Citrus Bowl (1983-1993)
-Ourhouse.com Florida Citrus Bowl (2000)
-Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl (2001-2002)

“We shocked the world!” I heard New England Patriots player Willie McGuinest utter these words in jubilation the last time the Patriots were in the Super Dome. The Pats DE/LB shouted those words a few moments after the Patriots upset the heavily favored St. Louis Rams 20-17 and won the 2002 Super Bowl (2001 season).

Monday night, the Patriots returned to the Super Dome for the first time since their historic Super Bowl victory. But, this time it was the New Orleans Saints who shocked the world in their 38-17 dismantling of the Patriots. Shocking as in:

–258+. I give Drew Brees a mark of 258.3–100 better than a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating! An amazing stat provided by the MNF crew: Brees passed for over 5,000 yards in 2008, without a 1,000 yard receiver! We saw this in Brees’ performance on Monday night. Whether it was Colston or Henderson or Meachem or Pierre Thomas, Brees would find an open (or for that matter covered) Saints receiver with unerring accuracy. Heck, I think I even saw Touchdown Moses, Whistle Head and the resurrection of Fetch Master catch some passes!

–The Mac Attack. The Saints sign, activate and play Chris McAlister and Mike McKenzie. They excel. What’s truly amazing is both are in their mid-30’s and had not played this year. Apparently, they both have some fuel left in the tank and have overcome their injuries. What’s amazing, though, is their ability to fit into Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams’ intricate system on such short notice. Sure, they got help from a good Saints pass rush and the Dome crowd. But, these savvy veterans come off the street and help shut down the best wide receiver combo—Randy Moss and Wes Welker—in the NFL.

–Who are these guys? Sure, there is Brady, Moss and Welker. Some good running backs, including former LSU great Kevin Faulk. But, there are very few other recognizable names on offense. Defensively, there are even more unrecognizable names. Vince Wilfork is a stud. Adalius Thomas can have an impact. That’s about it for star power. McGuinest, Bruschi, Seymour, Vrabel, Harrison, Law, etc. These are all Patriots memories. Bill Belichick is a great coach. But, he doesn’t have a galaxy of great players any more, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. In fact, ironically, maybe Belichick’s 4th and 2 decision against the Colts was validated. Apparently, he felt this was a good gamble given the state of his defense. One more thing, though, pertaining to Monday night: Personnel aside, Belichick got schooled Monday night by Saints coach Sean Payton. And, with Brees executing the way he did, you can take all of these aforementioned Pats defensive players in their primes, throw in an Andre Tippett, put them on the field Monday night, and the Saints still win!

Is this the greatest moment in club history? If not, it’s right there with the team’s first playoff run in 1987, their first playoff victory in the 2000 season over the Rams, the MNF Katrina Domecoming vs Atlanta, and the last playoff victory in 2006 over Philadelphia. That’s about it. How great is it nationally? Right now, it is the talk of the country. Will it stand the test of time? Certainly it will be an everlasting MNF memory. Does it go down as one of the all-time great NFL victories? That depends upon whether the Who Dats register a win in another game: Sunday, February 7, 2010, in Miami—the Super Bowl. And, if the Saints victory in that game should result in a 19-0 season?…Given the MNF stage, a 10-0 Saints team coming in, the ignominious history of the Saints franchise, the Patriots being the team of this decade, the Brady-Brees match-up, and then, ultimately, it being part of the first ever 19-0 NFL season and the second ever perfect season in the 90 year history of the league…I truly don’t think, given these circumstances, I’m being hyperbolic in saying that WHAT WE SAW MONDAY NIGHT MAY BE REGARDED AS THE MOST STORIED REGULAR SEASON GAME IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL!!!

Wake up Saints fans. Quit dreaming. That’s Sean Payton sounding the figurative alarm. All we have to be worried about is Sunday, December 6, Noon, at Washington! One game at a time!

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I thought LSU’s coaching left a lot more to be desired in the last minute of the Arkansas game than the Ole Miss game. As discussed last week in FINE IDEAS, the only major mistake Les Miles made (and it was egregious) in the Ole Miss game was the 17 second lapse. In the Arkansas game, LSU threw 2 swing passes behind the sticks in the last minute with no time-outs and a good 20-30 yards to navigate to get into field goal range. They ran the ball on 3rd and 2 in the last 30 seconds, not being in field goal range. Credit Steven Ridley with making the plays…abetted by a very fortuitous out-of-bounds call by the official on the first swing pass. In the aforementioned situations, you must throw ahead of the sticks or, if not, right at the sideline to let your receiver get out of bounds. Josh Jasper kicked a 41 yard field goal to tie the game with :04 left. If 1 or 2 of those ill-advised plays worked against the Tigers, there is a good chance the Tigers would have lost the game in regulation.

I’m also not a big fan of the prevent defense, which LSU used on Arkansas’ last 2 big passes in regulation, including the go-ahead touchdown with just over 1 minute left. In all fairness to the Tigers, though, they had used this defensive scheme a number of times in the game previously to thwart the Hogs. But, late in the game? Against a supposed big-time quarterback Ryan Mallet?

So, why the hailstorm of criticism against Les Miles last week and virtually none this week? Ole Miss 25 LSU 23. LSU 33 Ark 30 (OT).

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Steve Johnson, of THE High School Sports Show fame, in the aftermath of the LSU football team’s loss to Ole Miss, said he has found the perfect tonic to take one’s mind off of LSU football: LSU basketball!!

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I like Florida in the SEC championship game. No way Alabama can move the ball consistently against Florida’s defense with Greg McElroy at quarterback. The Tide’s defense is terrific. But, Tim Tebow will make enough plays to be the difference…Of course, this comes from the genius who thought the Saints were going down last Monday night!!

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When does one eat a lot of the answer to a sports trivia question? Last week! Our Thanksgiving fill-in-the-blank trivia question:

Former NFL Defensive End Joe “__________”Jones Turkey
Baseball Third Baseman __________ Traynor Pie
Steel Curtain LB Jack ________ Ham

Winner was Dick from Baton Rouge, who won a $25 gift certificate from Tramonte’s Seafood & Meat Market/Restaurant.

________________________________________________________________________

THE WIZARDRY OF OS
By Scott Osborne, Color Commentator, Central HS Football on SportsGumbo.net
There is a song by Howard Jones from the 80s titled “No One Is To Blame”. The song has been bouncing around in my head since Saturday morning. Here are some of the lyrics: You can see the summit but you can’t reach it
it’s the last piece of the puzzle but you just can’t make it fit
No one ever is to blame

I think the reason I have been hearing these words is that I have been looking for someone or something to blame from the moment Central lost to Westgate Friday night. After all the great comebacks and great plays, a numb, disbelief had taken over my body. Consequently, my mind was looking for a scapegoat. Unfortunately, by the time Saturday rolled around, I realized that no one is to blame.

Westgate outplayed Central. I am sure there are those that will always find room to question and second guess (officials, coaches, players). In addition, I have heard many stories of bad mojo against Central from Friday night. The fact is that Westgate and Central played a great high school football playoff game, and Westgate won.

As for a quick analysis of the game, Westgate did a great job of controlling the ball. Central only had the ball for a season low of 13 minutes and 5 seconds. The biggest reason for that was that Westgate converted 6 out of 7 fourth down attempts. The other culprit was Westgate’s quarterback Diontae Spencer. Central kept tailback Brandon Malveaux under wraps as he gained only 80 yards on 28 carries (a 2.8 yard per carry average). Spencer on the other hand gained 137 yards on 19 carries (7.2 yards per carry) while completing 8 of 11 passes for 108 yards.

Now it is Tuesday night and Howard Jones’ song continues to echo in my head. Maybe I can let the song go if I can just find someone to blame. I guess I will blame Westgate for losing four regular season game and Diontae Spencer for being a great football player…no one ever….is to blame…darn, still there. My mind is ready to move on, but my heart wants to keep seeing these seniors play football for Central.

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I have some random thoughts about college and professional sports to get off my chest:
Someone needs to tell Pete Carroll, “King of College Coaches” that apparently gets to declare what other teams should and should not do in late game situations, to shut up. Apparently, the only right decision is for his team to win and for him to act like a spoiled little kid on the sideline. It is amazing how he only has a problem with everyone when his team is average and can’t make the BCS.
I wonder if Byron Scott was given a second chance, would he play Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton?
Someone let me know when the Nets win a game.
Does anyone not affiliated with Notre Dame think that a new coach will make them a national contender?
I was told that the Saints led the NFL in players on injured reserve. Yet, they played a beautiful game against the Patriots that left me smiling in my sleep Monday night and all day Tuesday. Still, I think the Vikings would win a playoff game in the Metrodome and the Saints would win against the Vikings in the Superdome.
Last thought, is there anything that can be done about removing the ACC champion as an automatic qualifier for the BCS?

———————–
Jon Fine, Producer, SportsGumbo.net

Jon Fine CO-hosts and produces SportsGumbo M–F, 8am-9am on radio stations in the River Parishes/Baton Rouge (KKAY, 1590AM), New Orleans (ESPN, 1560AM) and Lake Charles (KEZM, 1310AM). Most weeks, Jon is on Monday–Thursday…Jon also produces and calls play-by-play for Denham Springs HS football and basketball …and is the producer of THE High School Sports Show (all on The Score, 1210AM, Fox Sports Radio, in Baton Rouge). With Rick Cantu, Jon was co-founder of the SportsGumbo.net Broadcasting Network

The LSU Tigers held out in overtime to beat the Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. The final score was 33-30.

The tying score which sent the game into overtime was the result of a 41 yard drive in 1:08 that set up a 41 yard field goal by Josh Jasper with only 4 seconds left on the clock. Jasper also scored the tie breaking points in overtime that pushed the Tigers over the Razorbacks. The Razorbacks final drive was unsuccessful after Alex Tejada missed a 36-yard field goal.

Jordan Jefferson finished the night with 17/25 receptions for 179 yards and 1 interception. Brandon LaFell had 4 catches for 70 yards. LSU only ran for 147 yards, led by Trindon Holliday’s 57. Holliday also had an 87 yard punt return for a touchdown. Josh Jasper made two 47-yard field goals during regular play and his 41 yarder during overtime.

Stats for the night:

“I just tell them that I love them.”

Denham Springs Football coach Dru Nettles uttered these words in the aftermath of the Jackets heartbreaking 20-14 loss to Catholic HS in the first round of the playoffs.  This was in response to Chris Gordy’s last question to Coach Nettles on our broadcast right after the conclusion of the ballgame. Chris asked Coach what he’d tell the kids in the locker room.  It was truly a poignant moment, something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

The Sting is Back.  Although the Jackets lost the ballgame, they played, in my opinion, their best game of the year.  They didn’t turn the ball over and hung toe to toe with a very good Catholic HS team. Figuratively, not literally.  Maybe the difference in the game—special teams, and in particular, a 12 yard punt and a 26 yard punt in the 4^th quarter.

Nevertheless, for the second straight year, the Jackets made the playoffs and made a good accounting of themselves.  It truly looks like prodigal son, Dru Nettles, has made great strides in restoring the great tradition of Denham Springs Football.

Speaking of that tradition and of Coach Nettles, Randy Smith unearthed some great Jackets pearls in his last 2 “Yellow Jacket Memories”

–Denham Springs HS first fielded a team in 1930.  They did not have uniforms or funds to purchase uniforms.  Coach Charles Grady Hornsby contacted a member of the LSU coaching staff.  This coach told Hornsby that he had 14 full uniforms and 4 extra pants—purple jerseys and shiny gold pants. When the coach asked Hornsby what were Denham’s team colors, Hornsby quickly responded that those were exactly the team colors!  Thus, the tradition of purple and gold began at Denham Springs HS.

–Denham played as the Denham Springs HS Tomcats in their first game.  They lost. Coach Hornsby did not like the team’s intensity.  He wanted some fight in this team, a fight like a Yellow Jacket on the Amite River bank.  So, for game 2 and thereafter, Denham Springs became known as the Yellow Jackets.   Had they won that first game, would they still be known as the Tomcats?

–From 11/13 Yellow Jackets Memories:  “Thomas Dru Nettles (was born on) 3-23-71…He grew up on Burgess Road, east of Denham, which was almost in the Walker School District…He learned to play baseball and other sports in the late 70’s, playing on PARDS baseball teams.”

“I remember the first time I really noticed Dru.  It was in the spring of 1986 and he was on the DSHS baseball team as a freshman.  I looked at all the Senior and Junior starters on the team and it was pretty impressive to see him as a freshman and playing as the starting catcher.  He really showed us that he was made of true grit when at the age of 15 he (competed) with young men two and three years older.  And boy he could really play

catcher.  But, Dru was best known for what he did on the football field.”

“Dru was number 17 as a Yellow Jacket.  During the 1987 and 1988 seasons, his specialty was taking the ball away from the other team.  Dru holds several Jacket records, (including) the most interceptions in a career—14.  In ’87, he picked off  3 in a game against Glen Oaks. In 1988, he set a school record with a 100 yard interception touchdown return…This stood up until just a few weeks ago when Michael Early (returned one) for 103 yards (against Walker)…”

“…Dru is a home-grown Yellow Jacket, trained in the winning tradition here at DSHS.

He married his Denham High School sweetheart Shelly Earnhart and has two gorgeous little girls, Claire—age 11 and Faith—age 8.  He did his student coaching at Belaire in 1994, was an assistant for Butch Wax and Steve Long from 1995-1007.  He went to Woodlawn for seven years and rose to success there as Head Coach…In 2005, he came (home) as AD and Head Coach for his alma mater DSHS…”

So, the 2009 Denham football season has come to a conclusion, thus ending our 16^th straight year producing Yellow Jackets football broadcasts on 1210AM.  A very special thank you to:  Coach Nettles, Jackets Principal Mr. Kelly Jones, statistician Robert Graves, all of our great sponsors and boosters, the folks at Clear Channel/The Score, 1210AM, my broadcasting partners Jim McChristian and Chris Gordy, engineers at 1210AM and SportsGumbo.net (Jordan Fontenot and Alex Hosse), technical advisor Rick Cantu, all of our contributors from Central (Josh Ward and Scott Osborne), Live Oak (Robbie Harrison) and Walker (Chris Ledoux), and Mr. Randy “Yellow Jackets Memories” Smith.  And, to anyone I missed, thank you too!  Finally, a shout out to the entire Denham Springs HS Football team of 2009.  It was a very memorable season.  And, I believe, indelibly etched in my memories will be Coach Nettles last lines on our final broadcast:  “I’ll just tell them that I love them”.

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Jon Fine, Producer, SportsGumbo.net

Jon Fine CO-hosts and produces SportsGumbo M–F, 8am-9am on radio stations in the River Parishes/Baton Rouge (KKAY, 1590AM), New Orleans (ESPN, 1560AM) and Lake Charles (KEZM, 1310AM). Most weeks, Jon is on Monday–Thursday…Jon also produces and calls play-by-play for Denham Springs HS football and basketball …and is the producer of THE High School Sports Show (all on The Score, 1210AM, Fox Sports Radio, in Baton Rouge). With Rick Cantu, Jon was co-founder of the SportsGumbo.net Broadcasting Network

LSU fell to Ole Miss Saturday night, 25-23 after an incredible turn of events in the last 3 minutes of the game. Early in the 4th quarter,  Ole Miss expanded their lead to 22-17 and then scored another 3 on their next drive giving them a 25-17 lead. LSU, on their next possession, scored after a 66 yard drive, but missed the 2 point conversion when Terrence Toliver couldn’t hold onto the ball on a pass attempt. With 1:16 left in the game, LSU was forced to try an onside kick, which they recovered on their own 42 yard line. A pass reception by Brandon Lafell put LSU down to the 32 yard line, 2 plays later, which is field goal range. Things began to fall apart on the next play when Jefferson was forced to throw the ball away, then sacked on the next play, putting LSU back to the Ole Miss 41 yard line, way out of field goal range. A 7 yard completion on the next play put LSU at the opponents 48, with 4th down and 26 to go and only 26 seconds left to play. LSU failed to call a time out quickly enough and lost 17 seconds before the referee called for it. With only 9 seconds to go, LSU completed and amazing throw to Terrence Toliver at the 6 yard line. This left only 1 second on the clock and LSU was totally unprepared to have the field goal team take the field and attempt the chip shot. With only 1 second left, Jordan Jefferson attempted to take the snap and spike the ball, but as soon as the ball was snapped, the 1 second ticked off and the game ended.

LSU was able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory like no team i’ve ever seen before. Everytime they were granted a safety net of opportunity, they answered with a ridiculous mistake.  It was definitely an awful ending to a somewhat decent game.

“I can only tell you that the management at the back end of the game was the issue,” LSU coach Les Miles said, later adding: “It’s my fault that we didn’t finish first in that game.”

Stats for the night:

Who Dat say Dey gonna beat Dem Saints?  The odds are someone will.  Saints fans can only hope that it will be in the regular season and it will be the only loss the Saints have this year.

The Saints are outstanding.  With fellow undefeated team Indianapolis, 1-loss Minnesota, 2- loss New England and possibly 2-loss Pittsburgh, the Saints have as good a chance as anyone to be Super Bowl champs.  In fact, especially with Indy being so banged up, if you had to choose one team right now that has the best chance of winning the whole ball of Lombardi wax, it would be the Saints.

But undefeated? It most likely Aint gonna happen for the Saints.  Teams just don’t go undefeated in the NFL.  In the history of the league, only 4 teams have ever ended the regular season unblemished— ’34 Bears, ’42 Bears, ’72 Dolphins, ’07 Patriots.  Only one, the ‘72 Dolphins, parlayed that into a championship—14-0 in the regular season, 3-0 in the playoffs for a perfect 17-0 record.  And, there were some mitigating circumstances (see below).

So, that makes one undefeated team in the 89 year history of the NFL.  And, for a majority of the time, teams played 12 regular season games, as opposed to the present 16.

Playoffs were considerably shorter throughout much of NFL history.  To go undefeated in 2009, the Saints (or the Colts) would have to go 19-0.

So, the Halas Bears,  Lombardi Packers, the Steel Curtain, the Landry Cowboys,  the Montana-Rice 49’ers, the Johnson/Switzer Cowboys, the Ditka Saints (just kidding, wanted to see if you were paying attention), the Belichick Patriots–to name some “dynasties” of the last 70 years—not one of them had a perfect season.  And with all due respect to the Bless You Boys, the Sean Payton Saints have a lot to prove before they can be mentioned with these all-time great teams.

What has to happen for the Saints to defy the odds?

1.  Can’t turn the ball over the way they have the last 3 weeks.

2.  Stop the run the way they haven’t the last 2 weeks.

3.  Keep Drew Brees and Darren Sharper healthy.

4.  Keep the 1-game at a time mentality that seems to be a mantra of this team

5.  Have the Vikings win the rest of their games, thus making every game the Saints play the rest of the regular season have some importance.  In this scenario, home field advantage throughout the playoffs would be on the line each week.

6-10. Most importantly, the Saints need to be lucky.  Again, the Saints are outstanding.  But to remain undefeated, the Saints need to be outstanding and have good fortune. An official’s call, the bounce of the football, an opposing team that gets jacked up to play the Saints (which every team will be) is on its game and gets breaks. All could prove to be the undoing of the Who Dats in the regular season.

One component of this “luck of the draw” is a team’s schedule. How good were the ’72 Dolphins, the only team ever to go undefeated?  Coach Don Shula will tell you that his ’73 team, which also won the Super Bowl but went 12-2 in the regular season, was better.  In the Dolphins case, their regular season schedule was a lot tougher in ’73 than ’72.

The Saints remaining schedule?  Of the other aforementioned 4 other 2009 Super Bowl favorites, the Saints will not play the Vikings, the Colts or the Steelers in the regular season. The Saints play the Patriots, but it is at the Dome.  Another potential threat, the Cowboys, also play the Saints on Poydras Street. The rest of the Saints regular season schedule does look navigable.  Atlanta and Carolina on the road, I guess, could result in an upset.  But, St Louis, Washington, and Tampa 2 (not the famed Tampa 2 defense of Tony Dungy,  but the 2 games the Saints have left with the Yuks…an aside, the team the ’77 Bucs defeated to break an 0-26 NFL start was the….er…never mind!) are obviously very, very winnable games.

Then, there are the playoffs.  The best team—regular season record-wise, in the last 2 decades, usually doesn’t win the Super Bowl.  If my calculations are correct, in the last 20 years, the team with the best regular season record has won the Super Bowl 7 times.

The last 5 years, the regular season winner was not the Super Bowl Champs.

So, history tells us that the odds are very much against the Saints to go undefeated.  But, history also has given us John Mecom, Tom Benson, Big Bens, Woulda Coulda Shoulda, The Astronaut(one GM), the Bean Counter (prior to this year when present GM Mickey Loomis is now a genius), the Aints, Rickey Williams (prior to reform), George Rogers (prior to reform) over LT,  the almost Jacksonville Saints, the almost San Antonio Saints, Katrina, Mike Ditka…..So, maybe after 42 years of a largely dismal history—what are the odds of all of this misery befalling one professional sports team?.. Maybe this is the year that Saints create a different kind of legacy…to not only win the Super Bowl, but to make it a perfect 19-0 season!

The football gods (and oddsmakers) tell us it can’t happen.  But they never had to defend Drew Brees or pass the ball against Darren Sharper!  It truly could happen!!

But, one small favor guys. Don’t lose to the St. Louis Lambs this weekend!!!

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Can Denham Springs HS avenge their  regular season loss to Catholic HS in the first round of the playoffs?  Special teams could be as big a factor as anything in determining the outcome of this game.  Catholic’s kicker constantly backed up the Jackets to their 20 yard line by putting kickoffs in the endzone when the 2 teams met earlier this year.

One of Denham Springs’ weak points has been  kickoffs and punting.  Then again, #31, Michael Early, has very much emerged as a special teams giant for Denham Springs

since the 2 teams last met.

If you looked at the yardage between the 2 teams earlier this year, it was very close.

A deflected pass off a Denham receiver that should have been caught with CHS picking it off and returning to the Jacket 6 yard line…a fumble by Denham that was, to use tennis terminology, an “unforced error” deep in CHS territory.  Take these 2 plays away (which you can’t…they’re part of the ballgame) and the outcome is probably the same, but the score is a heck of a lot closer.

Denham Springs defense has been vice-like the second half of the season.  Early and Romel Williams have become playmakers.  The Jackets are not Air Nettles, but have shown some semblance of a passing game.  If there is an intangible advantage when playing a team a second time, it usually goes to the team that lost the first match-up.

So, can the Jackets pull it off?  If they don’t turn it over—like they did in the first game against CHS (and an unfathomable 5 times vs Scotlandville last week), the Denham defense can certainly make some big plays of its own (scoring or creating field position). This could swing the turnover differential/field position in the Jackets favor, usually a critical factor in what shapes up to be a defensive struggle. Special teams, if not a Jackets advantage, will have to be a wash or at least can’t devastatingly hurt Denham. If much of this takes place, look for a low scoring game, with the Jackets having a reasonable chance to prevail!

If that happens, it’s Round 2 for Dru Nettles’ Jackets—the first time Denham Springs will have advanced to the second round of the playoffs since 1989!

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Last Week’s Trivia question:  What future major league manager was one of the third basemen on the dreadful Yankees teams of the late 60’s?  That would be Bobby Cox.

Jeff from Missouri correctly answered the question.

This Week’s Question:  ’72 Dolphins Defensive Coordinator?  He also was a head coach in the NFL and struggled.  On the collegiate level he fared a lot better.  Winner, if in Louisiana, gets a $25 gift certificate from one of our sponsors.

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Jon Fine, Producer, SportsGumbo.net

Jon Fine CO-hosts and produces SportsGumbo M–F, 8am-9am on radio stations in the River Parishes/Baton Rouge (KKAY, 1590AM), New Orleans (ESPN, 1560AM) and Lake Charles (KEZM, 1310AM). Most weeks, Jon is on Monday–Thursday…Jon also produces and calls play-by-play for Denham Springs HS football and basketball …and is the producer of THE High School Sports Show (all on The Score, 1210AM, Fox Sports Radio, in Baton Rouge). With Rick Cantu, Jon was co-founder of the SportsGumbo.net Broadcasting Network