Capped out: According to the most recent update from ESPN, the New Orleans Saints are $1.6 million under the NFL salary cap. "The Saints don’t have much room to work with," says Pat Yasinskas of ESPN "They’ll need more than $1.6 million to eventually sign practice-squad players and keep some money available in case they have injuries and need to sign replacements." According to the report, the other NFC South teams under the salary cap are: Atlanta Falcons, by $2.18 million; Carolina Panthers, by $8.46 million; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, by $19.3 million.
Edging closer to 1,000 signatures, an online petition is bringing the debate about City Park's golf course back into the limelight. Should the 9-hole course be maintained and City Park grow around it, or should it be eliminated and the grounds added to the park's existing green space?
Respect: Former LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman will be among those honored as SEC Baseball Legends during the 2013 SEC tournament in Hoover, Ala., later this month. Along with Bertman, the 2013 class includes: Hal Baird, Auburn; Terry Shumpert, Kentucky; and Gene McArtor, Missouri. Each will receive an on-field recognition and award presentation Saturday, May 25. LSU has more details here.
BREC Superintendent Carolyn McKnight sees a key difference between residents of Baton Rouge and those in Dallas, where she spent 20 years working in the parks system: Folks in Baton Rouge are passionate about their parks. The parks director says she doesn't even mind the brewing controversy over the future of City Park Golf Course. She's just happy to see people engaged. "We're not taking sides on either side of the issue, but we're excited that we have passionate people in this community who really want to see the park system strong and are willing to take a stand for what they like and what they want to see," she says. A push to convert the city's oldest public golf course into a public park began with an online petition started by Business Report Publisher Rolfe McCollister that,...
Mark Martin is prepping for a full schedule of projects on the horizon—from securing a designation of Route 90 from DeRidder to Bogalusa as a US Bicycle Route, preparing for workshops later this month with several Baton Rouge organizations to brainstorm how to use federal funding to improve bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and consulting with the city on a new Dalrymple Drive bike path.
Screen time: Two of the LSU-Ole Miss baseball games slated to take place in Alex Box Stadium later this month will be televised by national networks, the SEC announced today. The game on Thursday, May 16, will air on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m., while the Saturday, May 18, game will air on the CBS Sports Network at noon. Game two of the series, on Friday, May 17, will air on Cox Sports Television at 7 p.m. The announcement means all 10 of LSU's remaining regular season games will be televised. The full schedule can be found here.
It's been called the “fastest game on two feet” and likened to battling with a sword and suit of armor. Others say it has an “X Games” feel with its quick tempo and hard hits. It's no wonder, then, that boys in Baton Rouge are embracing the sport of lacrosse in increasing numbers. The only real question is, what took them so long?
Like a lot of young girls, Lindsey Weinstein became enamored with horses while still a toddler. She celebrated her second and third birthdays with pony parties at Kleinpeter Farms, and by the time she could read she had her sights set on a pony of her own.
Who knew? Who knew that on any given Saturday morning, a building in Baton Rouge with five basketball courts would be chock-a-block with children running from goal to goal, balls bouncing, parents coaching, whistles blowing, the snack bar churning out a variety of offerings—and everyone having a blast?
Hard to top: In preparation of "the best series this week" in college baseball, ESPN has put together a comparison of each of the LSU Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks starting rotation, bullpen, infield and outfield. ESPN gives LSU the edge in starting rotation and infield, while the Gamecocks are said to have the edge in the bullpen and outfield. They also pick the Tigers to win the series, 2-1. Check out the complete preview here.
Let the games begin: LSU-Alexandria will introduce five additional sports programs by the 2014-15 academic year. The new sports will include men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, and women's tennis, bringing the total number of sports on the campus to seven. Those will join baseball and softball, which began in the spring semester of the 2007-08 academic year. The LSU Board of Supervisors, which OK'd the expansion on Wednesday, has more details on its website here.
To some, the Color Run is considered the happiest 5k on the planet. Like other running events, the race celebrates healthiness and giving back to the community. Unlike other running events, the event is a "paint race" where participants are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer. At the finish line, there's a "color festival," with an even bigger color fight. The only rules—have fun, wear white and be covered in bright colors at the finish line.
Don Hunter biked 12 miles from his subdivision on South Harrells Ferry to work downtown 42 times last year. That was before an accident in July 2012 (Friday the 13th, actually) when he flipped his bike on bad pavement, breaking his collarbone and cracking two ribs. Now, after months of recuperation, he bikes about 11 miles, instead.
Showing their stripes: At 46 years old, Shreveport's David Toms is twice the age of fellow LSU product John Peterson. Today, in the first round of the Masters, Toms doubled up the Masters rookie, too. Sparked by an eagle on the par-5 15th, Toms fired a 2-under 70 and is currently in the top 10. Peterson had a successful debut at Augusta National Golf Club, shooting a 1-under 71. "It's cool," Toms says of seeing the purple and gold under par after 18 holes. The Shreveport Times has the full story here.
Behind closed doors: NFL fans will soon have a new view at the stadium: locker rooms. The NFL has ordered all teams to have cameras in their locker rooms next season, with video shown only on stadium scoreboards. It's part of Commissioner Roger Goodell's initiative for ''enhancing the fan experience in our stadiums.'' The videos will be available on team apps as well. Each team will operate the cameras and will determine what is shown on the video boards and apps. The Dallas Cowboys already have been making such videos available to fans. The Associated Press has the full story here.
The small black motorbike growls to a halt at the line between sunshine and shade striping the bright pavement outside LSU's W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium. Chris Simpson—20, slender, helmeted—slides off his ride.
A two-year deal: The New Orleans Saints have signed free agent linebacker Victor Butler. Butler was drafted in the fourth round in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and has played in 63 games with two starts, posting career totals of 64 tackles, 11 sacks, two stops for a loss, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. On special teams, he has registered 40 tackles and one forced fumble. A Super Bowl hero returns? Multiple reports say cornerback Tracy Porter visited the Saints on Monday. The free agent hasn't signed with the team—at least, not yet. Porter cemented his place in Saints history when his 74-yard interception return for a touchdown late in Super Bowl XLIV helped seal the victory for New Orleans. The Saints also might be interested in free agent defensive end Dwight Freeney, NFL News reports, if cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha chooses the San Francisco 49ers over New Orleans.
Jeffrey Lee Marks will officially begin his new job as BREC's golf director April 8. BREC's seven golf courses collectively lost more than $1 million last year, and another $1.4 million in 2010, while steadily losing their backbone of players. Marks is aware of this and, with his background in golf management, says he'd like to develop as many new players as possible while focusing on a creative marketing plan for the courses. "I'd like to introduce low-cost golf programs to brand new golfers," Marks says. "We also have to bring back those players who might have left. We have to gain back their trust." Marks says he hasn't had time to fully develop a plan for BREC's courses, but is also not coming into the new job blind. "[BREC Superintendent Carolyn] McKnight was very honest with me and told me they've been steadily losing golfers," Marks says. "You've got to do whatever you can to bring them back. It may be a small fix, like improving the quality of the greens. Some of the courses...
Louisiana's lone finalist for the MLB Fan Cave competition, Jay Ducote of Baton Rouge, was informed today that he will not be among nine baseball fans who will be living in the MLB Fan Cave in New York City this summer. "It was a bummer," says Ducote, who was among 30 finalists vying for a spot in the MLB Fan Cave. "I'm disappointed. Obviously, it was something that would have been a really cool experience, but the whole ride was pretty cool … and I picked up some really good exposure." But Ducote says his disappointment was also mixed with a sense of relief, as making the MLB Fan Cave would have required him to relocate to New York City for as long as six months. "I was growing more and more nervous thinking about leaving everything I have going on here," says the 225 contributor, Bite and Booze blogger, host of two radio shows, and foodie who's seemingly involved in all things culinary in Baton Rouge. —Steve Sanoski
Take your workout to new heights Sunday with a complimentary rock-climbing lesson sponsored by Lululemon Athletica. The action starts at 2 p.m. at Perkins Road Park. Following the hour-long session will be an Acro Yoga session led by the experts of Mulananda Yoga. Equipment and mats will be provided. For full details, click here.
His love for the sport and lack of passion working for an accountant inspired Stewart: In 1999 he returned to Lake Charles, coached, and sold soccer-specific merchandise from his home.
Off the dribble: After amassing a 20-point lead over Georgia at the end of the first half, LSU nearly blew the lead in the second half, but managed to hold on and win 68-63 at the SEC Tournament in Nashville today. The victory means the Tigers get to face the No. 1 tournament seed, Florida, at noon on Friday. LSU's Shavon Coleman led his team's scoring with 24 points. Johnny O'Bryant scored 12 points and had 12 rebounds. Andre Stringer scored 16 points. Complete tournament scores and schedules can be found here.
Roaring in: The 22nd-ranked LSU women's basketball team is playing arguably the best basketball of any team in the SEC right now. Riding a league-best and season-best six-game winning streak, a new season begins for the Lady Tigers tonight as it takes on Auburn in its first game of the 2013 SEC Tournament in Duluth, Ga. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Louisiana (cable channel 1079 HD for Cox Communications subscribers) and it will also be streamed live on ESPN3.com and the Watch ESPN App for tablet users. LSU has pre-game analysis here.
Shelly Ripple Johnston has been making waves most of her life. After swimming for Parkview Baptist in high school, she went on to college stardom at Stanford University, where she was a seven-time NCAA champion and 24-time All-American. The 32-year-old mother of four currently ranks on Stanford's All-Time Top 10 list in five different swimming events and has earned gold medals for her country on an international level, among other achievements. After several years in Boston, since 2011 she's been back home in Baton Rouge, where she serves as CEO of Crawfish Aquatics and Exerfit Family Fitness Center. She's also helped her husband, Dr. Barrett Johnston, launch both the Interventional Pain Institute and the medical spa Rejuve—and she still manages to work out every day.
With 2013 off to a dynamic start, it's important to reinforce your goals and stay consistent with a routine of good health and exercise. I recently sat down with Ricky Pampo, owner of Pampo Wellness Group, to get some tips on maintaining a healthy and recreational lifestyle.
With a reported net worth of $1.2 billion, Tom Benson is the lone Louisianan on the new Forbes list of the world's richest billionaires. Benson, who owns the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Hornets, is ranked No. 1,175 on the list, which includes 1,426 people this year, a record high. The number of billionaires in the world increased by 16% from last year, Forbes reports. Mexico's Carlos Slim—who's estimated to have a net worth of $73 billion, up from $69 billion last year—remains the world's richest man for the fourth year in a row. Warren Buffett, meanwhile, dropped out of the top three for the first time since 2000, and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg saw his ranking drop 31 spots as his net worth declined by $4.2 billion. The average net worth of those on the list is $3.8 billion, rising 3% from 2012. The total net worth for the list's billionaires was $5.4 trillion compared with $4.6 trillion a year ago. The United States continues to have the most...
Age: 22 Occupation: Center, LSU Basketball Hometown: Austin, Texas To think that Andrew Del Piero is looking at professional basketball options after his LSU career ends this season almost boggles the mind. But going from the marching band to marching down the court, that’s just how amazing the story of this 7-foot, 2-inch young man is.
Web gem: LSU Tigers outfielder Raph Rhymes is among just 30 college baseball players named as finalists for the NCAA's 2013 Senior CLASS Award, which annually goes to a Division I student-athlete "with notable achievements in four areas of excellence—community, classroom, character and competition." The list of finalists will be narrowed to 10 midway through the regular season, and those names will be placed on a ballot that will be distributed to media outlets, coaches and fans across the country. The winner will be announced during the 2013 NCAA College World Series in Omaha June 15-26. Learn more about the award and find the full listing of finalists here.
If you were one of the many at the Better Block BR public workshop last week, you know there are quite a few folks in town who have a passionate interest in smart growth in Baton Rouge. Next week, you'll get another chance to share your thoughts on smart growth and alternative transportation pathways as Downtown Development District hosts three days of public workshops and discussions on the proposed Downtown Greenway.
The U.S. Bowling Congress is bringing its championship events back to Baton Rouge in 2017 and 2025, the USBC and local officials have announced. The USBC Women’s Championship will be held in the city in 2017, and the USBC Open Championship will return to the city in 2025. The 151-day USBC 2012 Open Championship in Baton Rouge had a $113.2 million economic impact in the Capital Region, according to a study commissioned by Visit Baton Rouge. The tournament was first held in the city in 2005. Read Daily Report PM for further details.
The road not taken: In the late 1960s in Ruston, the life paths of two Bulldog quarterbacks sharply diverged. There was Terry Bradshaw—who was destined to be the top pick in the 1970 NFL Draft, have a lengthy career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, win four Super Bowl victories, land a spot in the Hall of Fame, and a enjoy a second career in front of the camera. And then there was Phil Robertson—who was ahead of Bradshaw on Louisiana Tech's depth chart but gave up football with one year of eligibility remaining because the game and any future in it interfered with his heart's dearest passion: duck-hunting season. Sports Illustrated details Robertson's journey from Louisiana Tech to star of A&E's Duck Dynasty in the full story here.
The spillover into Baton Rouge of football fans attending the Super Bowl festivities and game in New Orleans fueled a 48% increase in occupancy and 117% rise in revenue for local hoteliers during the weekend of Feb. 1-3. That's according to new figures released this morning by Smith Travel Research, which tracks hotel occupancy figures in cities across the globe. Though far from sold out, Baton Rouge hotels were slightly more than 73% full during the first weekend of February—up from just under 50% during the same weekend in 2012. Collective hotel revenue during the weekend was more than $2.5 million this year, the report says, up 117% over the $1.2 million netted during the same weekend last year. "The Super Bowl offered a great opportunity to showcase our city, and this report shows how effectively we prepared and executed," says Visit Baton Rouge President/CEO Paul Arrigo in a prepared statement.
The new offensive coordinator of LSU football, Cam Cameron, will receive a three-year contract worth $600,000 this season but going up to $1.3 million in 2014 and $1.5 million in 2015. The school announced details of the agreement today. The 52-year-old on Friday was named LSU's offensive coordinator, replacing Greg Studrawa, who will return to strictly being the Tigers' offensive line coach. Formerly offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, Cameron's pay next season would be equivalent to that of LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis. Chavis signed a three-year deal last year, paying him $900,000 in 2012, $1.1 million this season and $1.3 million in 2014. Cameron's contract must still be approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors. The next board meeting is scheduled for March 18.
Jay Ducote is in Phoenix today making his pitch to Major League Baseball, and hopes that he will be selected to take up residency in the MLB Fan Cave in New York City this summer. The Baton Rouge radio host, culinary personality and 225 blogger recently received enough online votes to make the final cut of 30 finalists from an earlier round of 52 baseball fans from across the United States. He's the lone Louisiana representative in the competition. "We'll be loading up on a bus and heading over to Chase Field, where the [Arizona] Diamondbacks play, to do the auditions," Ducote told Daily Report earlier today. "I'll have to do a 60-second elevator pitch to tell them why I should be in the Fan Cave, there will be more interviews tomorrow, and hopefully I will know Thursday if I make it." Ducote, who arrived in Phoenix Monday and will return Thursday to Baton Rouge, says about 8 to 10 of the 30 finalists will be chosen to live in the Fan Cave this summer. "The idea is to...
Four years: This June will be the fourth anniversary of LSU's last national championship in baseball as well as its last trip to Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series. Everything seemed right for the Tigers last season, but instead of going to Omaha the club watched three teams that they went 7-2 against in the regular season—Arkansas, Florida and South Carolina—play in the CWS instead. Click here to read more.
The Arkansas Razorbacks are predicted to finish ahead of the LSU Tigers in the SEC West and end up winning the 2013 conference championship, as voted by the league's 14 baseball coaches in the 22nd annual preseason poll, released this morning. Vanderbilt is the polled coaches' favorite to win the SEC East, with the Commodores forecast to finish ahead of Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina. The season kicks off Friday, with conference play set to begin one month later. The Tigers, ranked No. 10 in the nation, begin the season against Maryland at Alex Box Stadium on Friday, with the first pitch to fly at 7 p.m. The Tigers' other games against Maryland are slated for 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. LSU baseball's complete schedule and ticket info are here. One SEC coach voted for the Tigers to finish first in the SEC West this season—and it couldn't have been LSU coach...
Lolo Jones says that each morning in her hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, as that bright bulb rose over the Mississippi River, she felt a little kick in her consciousness that said, "Stretch. Run. Leap, 1-2-3. Leap, 1-2-3." Over and over again. Four hours a day, six days a week, at the LSU track and in the weight room, that's also how it went. Though she traveled far and wide to meet sponsors and compete in critical meets, she would always come back here to Baton Rouge for family and friends, for comfort and recovery. Even after what was called "the disaster" in Beijing. Jones, by far the favorite for a 2008 Olympic gold medal in the women's 100-meter hurdles, surged into the lead. And then, just like that, fate shifted like a tectonic plate. Jones' toe caught the edge of the ninth hurdle (of 10). Dawn Harper, one of Jones' teammates, took the gold, and Jones came in seventh. Find out how this local athlete and Olympian made a comeback—and started an incredible foundation—in...
Not long after Entergy New Orleans announced this morning that a faulty relay—an electrical device that had been installed expressly to prevent a power outage—was the cause of the 34-minute Super Bowl blackout, the Chicago-based manufacturer issued a statement blaming the outage to the so-called trip setting on the relay, "as set by the system operators." The statement from S&C Electric Co. does not name the "system operators," but the equipment was owned and installed by Entergy New Orleans. S&C says the trip setting was too low to allow the device to handle the electric load that was coming in. "Based on the on-site testing, we have determined that if higher settings had been applied, the equipment would not have disconnected the power," says Michael J.S. Edmonds, vice president of strategic solutions for the company. In a follow-up statement, Entergy says, "Tests conducted by S&C and Entergy on the two relays installed at the Superdome [show] that one relay functioned...
Former LSU quarterbacks Ryan Perrilloux and Josh Booty are tossing the ball around again in front of the cameras, but it's not pigskin. The MLB Network is getting into the reality TV game with a concept called The Next Knuckler, featuring one of baseball's knuckleball kings, former Major League Baseball All-Star and World Series champion Tim Wakefield. Perrilloux and Booty are among five former NCAA quarterbacks to whom Wakefield will attempt to teach the pitch. Booty's younger brother, former USC quarterback John David Booty, is also on the show, as well as Georgia's David Greene and 1984 Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie. Of the five, whoever learns best to throw the knuckleball—which is considered the toughest pitch to throw in baseball—will win an invitation to the Arizona Diamondbacks' spring training camp. The show is the first-ever reality series produced by MLB and will be hosted by Wakefield and baseball analyst Kevin Millar. The show will premiere on MLB...
Sense of wonder: LSU Coach Les Miles addressed the subtle, but looming, specter of potential coaching staff changes in his signing day address to the media Wednesday, The Times-Picayune reports. As expected, he didn't say much and instead sang the praises of his staff for their efforts on the recruiting trail in signing a 27-member class. "I haven't given much thought to changes in this staff at this point," he says. Read the full story here.
What started 18 years ago as a small signing day party at the LSU Field House has grown into the annual Tiger Gridiron Club Bayou Bash, which today drew more than 2,000 fans to the Baton Rouge River Center. "I think the important thing is we had 27 commitments and got them all," says Gridiron Club member Chuck Goodwin, who has served as chair of the bash for the past eight years and was at the River Center by 6 a.m. today. He says various factors influence attendance each year, such as the previous season's record, bowl outcome and recruiting-class ranking—for which LSU has drawn kudos from ESPN and Rivals this year. Though Robert Nkemdiche, the nation's top-ranked player, picked Ole Miss over LSU early this morning, highly ranked defensive end Tashawn Bower signed with the...
Though LSU lost out to Ole Miss early this morning when Logansville Grayson (Ga.) defensive end Robert Nkemdiche—the nation's undisputed No. 1 prospect—kicked off Signing Day 2013 by inking with the Rebels, the Tigers were able to sign one of Louisiana's top prospects. Green Oaks High School (Shreveport) defensive back Tre'Davious White—a five-star prospect, Rivals' No. 18 national recruit overall and an U.S. Army All-American—faxed in his national letter of intent to LSU around 9:15 a.m. He was the 24th player, and the lone five-star recruit, to sign with LSU by that point this morning. However, more than a dozen four-star prospects have signed with the Tigers. You can track all the signing day action here.
Robert Nkemdiche is just about everybody's No. 1 prospect on National Signing Day, which is Wednesday. Rivals.com, Scout.com, ESPN, CBS Sports and 247Sports all give No. 1 ranking to Nkemdiche, the big defensive end from Grayson High School near Atlanta. But while LSU and Florida are believed to be among the top schools Nkemdiche is considering, The Associated Press is reporting Nkemdiche is expected to sign with the Rebels early Wednesday morning. The big edge for Ole Miss is Denzel Nkemdiche, Robert's older brother, who led the Rebels in tackles as a redshirt freshman linebacker last season. The family connection may be an insurmountable advantage, but a late decision to visit LSU will certainly add drama to Wednesday's announcement. Nkemdiche's updates on his final visit provided encouragement to LSU fans. ''LSU pushing man!!!! Getting hard now,'' Nkemdiche tweeted...
Superdome and Entergy officials say they will hire outside experts to investigate the cause of a 34-minute power failure that halted the Super Bowl Sunday evening. The announcement by the stadium's management company, SMG, and Entergy New Orleans came two days after the outage halted play in the third quarter of the game between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. The companies' joint written statement does not explain the decision, but Entergy spokesman Chanel Lagarde tells The Associated Press they have not been able to reach a final conclusion on the cause of the outage and want a third-party analysis. "We wanted to leave no stone unturned," Lagarde says. "Both [we] and SMG thought it was important to get another party looking at this to make sure we were looking at everything that we need to examine." While the cause of Sunday's outage is still under investigation, records released Monday show that Superdome officials were worried in October about losing power during...
Superdome officials were warned a few months before the Super Bowl that the venue's electrical system could suffer a power outage and rushed to replace some of the equipment in advance of the big game. While the cause of Sunday's 34-minute outage is still under investigation, records released Monday show that Superdome officials were worried in October about losing power during the NFL championship. Tests on the electrical feeders that connect incoming power from utility lines to the stadium showed decay and "a chance of failure," state officials warned in a memo dated Oct. 15. The documents, obtained through a records request by The Associated Press, also show the utility that supplies the stadium expressed concern about the reliability of the service before the Super Bowl. The memo says Entergy New Orleans and the Superdome's engineering staff "had concerns regarding the reliability of the Dome service from Entergy's connection point to the Dome." The memo was prepared for the...
Jay Ducote, the local radio host and culinary personality behind the well-known Bite and Booze blog—and a 225 blogger—is one of 52 finalists from across the country vying to be recognized as one of Major League Baseball's ultimate fans. The MLB Fan Cave is an online forum for fans to interact with one another, players and celebrities—but it's also a physical location in New York City that Ducote describes as "every sports fan's dream." It includes an "incredible TV setup capable of showing all MLB games at one time on any given night," Ducote says. "It is also in the heart of Manhattan where celebrities and MLB players will come through for different media appearances all season long." The annual MLB Fan Cave competition, now in its third year, seeks to find the most dedicated baseball fans in the nation and make them official "Cave Dwellers." Among the 52 finalists—of which Ducote is the lone Louisiana representative and the only one to identify the...
A Super Bowl week that had gone so smoothly for the Big Easy suddenly turned bizarre—and just when everyone was watching. The lights went out on the biggest football game of the year soon after halftime ended. The outage lasted for 34 minutes and was blamed on an unspecified "abnormality" in the Superdome's power system. Certainly, it was an embarrassment for New Orleans, which was hosting its first Super Bowl since 2002; the city was eager to show off how it has been rebuilt since Hurricane Katrina—and is hoping to get the Super Bowl back in town in 2018. Forbes.com contributor Patrick Rishe says the blackout is also "an embarrassment for the facility operators, and quite frankly, it is a black eye for NFL operations." And until New Orleans replaces "this outdated facility," the Superdome may never host another Super Bowl, Rishe says. "The most recent trend for Super Bowl cities and facilities is to head to newer facilities. … New Orleans has cashed in on their...
In his latest column, the San Francisco Chronicle's Andrew Ross highlights all that has been going right economically for the host city of Sunday's Super Bowl. "New Orleans' recent performance in job growth, economic output and rising home prices puts it at the top of the list of major metropolitan areas surveyed by the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank," Ross says, adding: "And that includes the Silicon Valley, which ranks second, and San Francisco, which comes in, shockingly, 23rd." Meanwhile, Forbes magazine recently called Louisiana "America's new frontier for business opportunity." Ross calls the Forbes title "insult to injury," and then lists other ways in which New Orleans has been besting the Bay Area off the football field. "Louisiana boasted $22.5 billion in new capital investment last year—not bad for a state with a population of 4.6 million, compared, say, with the nine-county Bay Area's 7.1 million," he writes. "Its publicly funded...
Each morning, says Lolo Jones, as that bright bulb rose over the Mississippi River, she felt a little kick in her consciousness that said, “Stretch. Run. Leap, 1-2-3. Leap, 1-2-3.”
Authentic bust: Investigators have confiscated more than $13.6 million worth of phony sports merchandise over the past five months and expect to seize more in New Orleans during Super Bowl week, says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton. "Operation Red Zone" has led to the confiscation of more than 160,000 counterfeit items, mostly purporting to be official Super Bowl and other NFL merchandise, including jerseys, hats and other souvenirs. A total of 23 people have been arrested on related charges since September 2012. The full story is here.
In a nine-minute interview conducted with ESPN in New Orleans, LSU coach Les Miles provides some insight on the process of recruiting, his thoughts on the influence college offenses have had on the NFL, and more. With National Signing Day now less than one week away, Miles says he feels good about keeping the recruits who have already orally committed to LSU, while acknowledging "there's always a perimeter institution trying to pick away, so we have to make sure we finish." As for dealing with the high number of Tigers from last season who've opted for the NFL Draft and will not be returning to LSU this year, Miles says his staff is always prepared to make the necessary adjustments. "It's fundamental at our place that we play our players early," Miles says, naming former Tigers and current NFL players Patrick Peterson and Morris Claiborne as recent examples. "When you lose 11 juniors—and, you know, each decision is theirs, it's certainly not the head coach's—you certainly...
In the huddle: An amendment that would extend the contract of LSU football coach Les Miles and increase his annual compensation will be presented to the LSU Board of Supervisors on Friday, Feb. 1, LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva announced today. Miles will receive $4.3 million per year for seven years under the new contract, up from $3.751 million annually in his current contract—which was due to expire in December 2017. The new contract would expire on Dec. 31, 2019. LSUsports.net has more details here.
Sean Payton can finally go back to work. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced this morning the league is reinstating New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton—effective immediately—following a season-long suspension for his role in the team's bounty scandal. The announcement comes one day after Payton met with Goodell in New Orleans. At the meeting, Payton took responsibility for the actions of his coaching staff. Goodell says Payton has "fully complied with all the requirements imposed on him during his suspension." Payton says in a statement that he recognizes mistakes were made "which led to league violations," and adds that he's "excited to be back as head coach of the New Orleans Saints." He concluded his prepared remarks by saying: "Lastly, I feel we have learned from our mistakes and are ready to move forward. I want to thank our owner, Mr. [Tom] Benson, and all of our great fans for the overwhelming support throughout this past year." NFL.com has more on today's...
The NFL has announced the reinstatement of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton from his season-long suspension, effective immediately, as a result of the league's investigation into the team's bounty program. The league says the decision to reinstate Payton was made after a meeting between the coach and Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday in New Orleans. Read Daily Report AM for more details.
Behind his back. Between his legs. Between your legs. If you were assigned to guard "Pistol" Pete Maravich, there was a lot to worry about. From the no-look passes he whipped around defenders to those unstoppable long-range bombs that seemed to defy physics and find a home at the bottom of the net. A record-setting scoring machine and wizard on the court, Maravich thrilled fans, stunned defenders and inspired a generation of players like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan to take the game to new creative heights. Twenty-five years ago this month, Maravich collapsed while playing a pick-up game in Pasadena, Calif. The LSU legend and NBA all-star died of heart failure because of a previously undetected congenital defect. He was 40. As a member of the Tulane Green Wave from 1966 to 1970, Dr. Edward Reese played against Maravich eight times. Reese even blocked his shot at the buzzer once to secure a double-overtime Tulane win. In this month's issue of 225, he tells editor Jeff...
Staying put: New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael is expected to turn down requests to interview for the same job with both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles, The Times-Picayune reports, citing a league source. Although Carmichael is a free agent right now, his intention is to work out a deal to stay in New Orleans, where he has had an excellent working relationship with Sean Payton since the two arrived together in 2006. The full story is here.
Miserable weather has kept most golfers indoors and closed courses throughout the Capital Region. BREC has shut down Santa Maria Golf Course due to backwater from Bayou Manchac, as well as the back nine holes of Beaver Creek Golf Course. Both will reopen when the water recedes; the other five courses remain open when it isn't raining, spokeswoman Cheryl Michelet says. Carter Plantation in Springfield hasn't had a golfer since the day the monsoon-like weather began Jan. 8, when the course hosted just 11 of them. It closed its doors Sunday, referring desperate customers to its sister course The Bluffs on Thompson Creek in St. Francisville. So far this month, the course has sold just 117 rounds—the same number it generally attracts on a single Saturday. Pelican Point, a semi-private club in Gonzales, took the unusual step of closing last Thursday and Friday after the area took on 10 inches of rain, causing its ponds to overflow. But the course is open now, and 10 golfers braved...
As anyone who regularly hits the links will tell you, Baton Rouge has a lot of golf courses but not many golf retail outlets. That's why Lafayette businessman Benny Hopson is moving into the market with a new golf store that will not only sell apparel and clubs but also feature a game simulator and launch monitor. The store, Capital Golf, will be located at 8556 Siegen Lane in the building that formerly housed Blockbuster Video. Hopson acquired the property today for $1.1 million from Cedar Lake Inc. Drew Pearson of Waters & Pettit Commercial Real Estate represented Hopson, while Mark Hebert of Kurz & Hebert Commercial Real Estate represented Cedar Lake. "Lafayette has three major golf stores," says Hopson, whose son Lance Hopson is a Class A golf pro and will help run the local store. "Here, you have at least twice as many golfers as Lafayette but only two real golf stores, so we think there is a lot of opportunity." Hopson plans to do extensive renovations to the 6,500-square-foot...
A weekend spent furiously coding under the pressure of a ticking clock, broken up by the briefest of naps on floors and office furniture, came to a bleary-eyed close in New Orleans on Sunday for about four dozen software developers competing in the inaugural Codemakers Super Challenge, The Times-Picayune reports. Charged with creating Internet applications that will enhance the experiences of Super Bowl goers, competitors presented their products to a panel of judges and learned who were crowned winners of the contest affectionately called a "hackathon." The grand prize—which includes donated business services, tickets to events, and meals at restaurants—went to a team that developed an app to help diners locate open seats at restaurants. Members of the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee had sought such a service, saying they hoped to avoid problems that unfolded around the NFL's championship game in Indianapolis last year when some eateries became overcrowded...
Victims of their own success: The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the 2013 NFL Draft is Tuesday. But as The Times-Picayune reports, no one has to wait that long to see the impact the SEC will have on this year's draft. Most of the country's best players who plan to enter the draft have already announced their intentions, including what's believed to be a one-team record of 11 players from LSU. Tackle the full story here.
For most people, a 45-minute run or swim would be more than enough of a workout. For Randy Roussel, it's just the first half of a hard-core exercise routine that begins before dawn, goes for at least 90 minutes and includes a variety of aerobic, strength-training, and flexibility exercises.
Girls on the Run—a nonprofit program for girls aged 8 to 13—started in 1996, but didn't make it to Baton Rouge until 2008. The group's Greater Baton Rouge executive director, Hydie Wahlborg, who had worked with her husband in the tennis industry for about 20 years, only learned about the organization while preparing to run in the 2008 Chicago Marathon. She had never heard of Girls on the Run when she stumbled upon the group's website. The nonprofit combines an interactive curriculum and running to inspire preteen girls to maintain a healthy lifestyle and build self-respect. A year after getting off the ground in Baton Rouge, Girls on the Run had hooked up with 24 girls in two local schools. Today, 500 girls in 23 schools participate in the regional program. The full Q&A with Wahlborg, a Natchez, Miss.-native, is available here; the...
Girls on the Run started in 1996, but didn't make it to Baton Rouge until 2008. Hydie Wahlborg, who had worked with her husband in the tennis industry for about 20 years, wanted to run in the 2008 Chicago Marathon. She had never heard of the nonprofit group when she stumbled upon the Girls on the Run website in preparation for the marathon. The group combines an interactive curriculum and running for preteen girls to inspire a healthy lifestyle and self-respect. A year later, Girls on the Run had hooked 24 girls in two schools in Baton Rouge. Today, 500 girls in 23 schools participate in the regional program.
In light of the ongoing negotiations with Raycom Media to get CBS programming back to Cox Cable customers in Baton Rouge, a Cox spokesperson says one option for customers wanting to watch the NFL playoff game on Sunday is to buy a high-definition TV antennae. However, some area bar and restaurant owners are offering a less-expensive alternative: Watch the game at their place. Brewbacher's is among those that will have the game for customers. "I don't have Cox. I have Eatel," says owner Beau Dicharry, which means his establishments throughout Baton Rouge aren't affected by the standoff between Cox and Raycom—the parent company of local CBS affiliate, WAFB Channel 9. When Walk-On's first...
When he was little, Brandon Williams could be spotted running around the playground at Wildwood Elementary School in cowboy boots, not Nikes. Then he played BREC basketball. The coach said to his mother, Patricia Williams, "Do you see how Brandon gets to the other end of the court? Brandon should be running [track]." "It was always, 'Brandon should be running,' " Patricia Williams recalls. And he did run. But now, Brandon Williams' passion is squarely dialed into getting other people to run. They don't even have to go fast, he insists. Just get the feet above the ground. His toughest convert? Mom. But he's eternally positive. He keeps on trying. "That lady is stubborn," he says. "I don't think my body can handle all that pounding in running," she protests. And yet, she is exercising, she adds. She's doing Zumba—and boot camp, too. She works out way more than she might be if her son wasn't the unofficial mayor of running in Louisiana. Read the full feature by Amy Alexander in...
Checking the cash flow: After signing some players to future contracts, the New Orleans Saints now have $140.9 million committed toward the 2013 salary cap, ESPN reports. That means the Saints will have to trim more than $20 million just to get under the cap at the start of free agency in March. They'll have to trim even more than that if they want to re-sign left tackle Jermon Bushrod and some other potential free agents. Read the full story here for more details and a rundown of some possible players affected by the Saints' salary cap situation.
Ascension Parish's first bowling alley, Premier Lanes Entertainment Center, opened for business Sunday to packed crowds. "It was like Disney," says Charlene Ourso, a marketing manager for Malco Bowling Division. "We had lines out to the door. We had waiting lists." Home to more than two dozen lanes, the complex on Airline Highway in Gonzales also includes an arcade, a café and lounge, and eventually, if everything goes according to plan, a movie theater. The company plans to break ground on the theater by fall 2013, with an opening possible before the end of the year. No decision has been made on the number of movie screens that may be included. Malco, which is based in Memphis, owns other bowling alleys, including Circle Bowl and Metro Bowl in Baton Rouge, and more than 300 theaters. But the Ascension Parish complex could be the first of Malco's to have both a bowling alley and movie theater, Ourso says. —David Jacobs
Newly re-branded as Bike Baton Rouge, the nonprofit formerly known as Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets hopes to make 2013 a turning point for cycling in the capital city. Part of that effort, says board member Beaux Jones, is a program that recognizes and promotes bike-friendly businesses and business districts. "When people can walk and bike in between the stores, rather than get on the interstate and drive, it's good for business," he says. It's a way to thank businesses that encourage biking for their customers and workers in various ways, from putting out bike racks to providing showers for employees. "We want to encourage businesses and merchant associations to get together and say, 'As a group, we want to support cycling and alternative means of transportation,'" Jones says. Promising areas could be LSU's North Gates, the Perkins Road overpass area, Mid City and Capital Heights. The national bicycle commuting rate is a bit less than 1%; and Baton Rouge's rate is roughly...
Roaring to geaux: LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger says he'll definitely be back in 2013, and he's looking to use Monday's Chick-fil-A Bowl game against Clemson as a springboard for a national title run next season, The Times-Picayune reports. "Just want to get a win by any means and send these seniors out on a positive note," Mettenberger says of his first bowl game as a starter. "We have a lot coming back on offense and we want to keep the momentum going that we've built up the last four games." The full story is here.
As of this afternoon, about 6,000 of the 16,000 Chick-fil-A Bowl tickets allotted to LSU for Monday's game remained available, says LSU Sports Information Director Michael Bonnette. "We're hoping that as we get closer to game day people will change their minds and find their way to the game," says Bonnette, who arrived in Atlanta with the team on Wednesday. "There's a huge LSU alumni base here, so we're hopeful all of those remaining tickets will be sold." On the other side of the field, there also appears to be plenty of tickets available for Clemson fans. Based on a quick search of tickets via the Clemson ticketing website, dozens of lower level seats can be had as near as 16 rows off the field. Regarding demand for bowl-related LSU Tigers T-shirts, College District owner Jared Loftus says it has been "real lackluster." "LSU has been so fortunate in recent years as far as bowl games, and I think there's also a little stigma about any games that get played before Jan. 1. And even...
Plucked from the roster: Les Miles today confirmed reports that punter Brad Wing is suspended for the Dec. 31 Chick-fil-A Bowl against Clemson, saying the suspension stemmed from a violation of team rules. Wing, a sophomore from Melbourne, Australia, will be replaced in the lineup by freshman Jamie Keehn. Tiger Ragis reporting that a source in the athletic department says the suspension is related to a failed drug test—adding that a failed drug test was also the reason for Wing's sitting out this season's home opener against North Texas.
For the second year in a row, Forbes has ranked the LSU football team No. 4 in its annual list of the nation's most valuable college football teams. LSU jumped three spots on last year's list to No. 4; this year's report says the team is worth more money than a year ago, though its ranking is unchanged. At $102 million, LSU's value rose 6% since last year's $96 million valuation in the report. Placed behind Texas ($133 million), Michigan ($120 million) and Notre Dame ($103 million), LSU is the most highly ranked SEC team. "LSU remains the SEC's most valuable team, which is quite the feat considering that the conference holds seven of the top ten spots," reads the report. "The Tigers may have lost last year's national championship to Alabama, but going to the game as the SEC's first team to a BCS bowl earned the conference more than $22 million." See a slideshow of the rankings here; and...
Many LSU sports fans in Baton Rouge are already familiar with the brass-to-basketball story of 7-foot-3 Andrew Del Piero, who began his time in Baton Rouge as a scholarship tuba player with the Golden Band from Tigerland and has since become a scholarship athlete. Now the national press is beginning to take notice of his incredible story, too. On Sunday, The New York Times included a lengthy feature story on Del Piero, who played a total of 12 minutes all season last year but has taken on a more significant role on the team this year—starting several games at center. The Austin, Texas-native—who attended Westlake High School, which is also Drew Brees' alma mater—tells The New York Times that he began feeling pressure to try out for the Tigers basketball team shortly after arriving in Baton Rouge in 2009. "On game days here, it kind of turned into a big deal," says Del Piero, who played one season of admittedly unsuccessful basketball in high school and...
A visibly moved President Barack Obama told reporters today that he grieved about the massacre at a Connecticut elementary school as a parent first and promised action to prevent such tragedies again, without specifying what that might be. Speaking on behalf of the nation, Obama said, "Our hearts are broken today." The scene in the White House briefing room was one of the most outwardly emotional moments of his presidency. "The majority of those who died were children—beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old," Obama said. He paused, then and later in the talk, for several seconds to keep his composure and wipe an eye. Nearby, two aides cried and held hands as they listened to the president. A gunman opened fire inside an elementary school where his mother worked, killing at least 26 people, including 20 children. The shooter blasted his way through the building as young students cowered helplessly or were gunned down.
Audible: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says his office has communicated with suspended New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton about his eventual reinstatement, and Goodell did not eliminate the possibility of Payton's rejoining the franchise before the Super Bowl, though it's highly unlikely the Saints will be in the game. Payton would like an adjustment on the suspension so it would end at the conclusion of the regular season as opposed to after the Super Bowl, a source close to the coach tells ESPN, which has the full story here.
The LSU Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on—and likely approve—a pay raise of more than 9% for head football coach Les Miles, one of its members tells The Times-Picayune. And that offers a new slant on an age-old debate: Does a high salary for a football coach send the wrong message about an institution whose mission is education and which is currently facing significant fiscal challenges? Stanley Jacobs, a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors and former president of the Tiger Athletic Foundation, the team's primary booster organization, says that he expects Miles' salary to approach $4.2 million after negotiations are complete—and Miles is worth the money, he adds. But this pay hike is set against a backdrop of severe budget cuts for the state's flagship university, which has resulted in faculty layoffs and a reduction in some services. "It's unfortunate it's coming along at this moment," Kevin Cope, LSU faculty senate president, says of Miles' new...
Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue today overturned the suspensions of four current and former New Orleans Saints players in the league's bounty investigation of the club. However, Tagliabue found that three of the players engaged in conduct detrimental to the league. He says they participated in a performance pool that rewarded key plays, including hard tackles, that could merit fines; and he stressed that the team's coaches were very much involved. Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma had been given a full-season suspension, while defensive end Will Smith, Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita, and free agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove each received shorter suspensions. Fujita is the only player cleared of conduct detrimental to the league by Tagliabue. None of the players sat out any games because of suspensions. They have been allowed to play while appeals are pending, though Fujita is on injured reserve and Hargrove is not with a team. Tagliabue was appointed by his...
Super Bowl XLVII will be played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, but the Baton Rouge Lodging Association and Visit Baton Rouge are anticipating an overflow of fans as New Orleans hotels will surely run out of vacancies. Gary Jupiter, president of the Lodging Association, says he has no doubt that fans will be booking rooms in Baton Rouge, "but we're still in a wait-and-see mode." Jupiter figures it won't be until after the NFL's NFC and AFC championship games are played on Jan. 20—and the Super Bowl teams are solidified—that the Capital Region will begin seeing hotel bookings by fans from around the country. Some Baton Rouge hotels will be offering travel options—public and private—for guests traveling to New Orleans for the big game. The city's tourism promoter is anticipating that the three Mardi Gras parades rolling in downtown New Orleans over the Super Bowl weekend—Krewe of Artemis, Krewe of Mystique and Krewe of Orion—will likewise be a big...
Fixing on fixes: In his conference call with the New York media on Wednesday in advance of Sunday's game against the Giants, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he has shaken off last week's miserable five-interception performance against the Atlanta Falcons. "Everything that happened is correctable, and I can fix it," Brees says. "Also know this: I'm not losing any confidence." The New York Daily News has the full story here.
Looking up: Former LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu announced today his plan to enter the next NFL draft. In a statement announcing the decision, Mathieu says, "It is time for me to move forward." Mathieu thanked his parents and LSU coach Les Miles in his statement, as well as his former Tiger teammates. "I am sorry that I was not able to complete my journey at LSU, but I will always support LSU in any way I can. To my teammates, you are my brothers. You have kept me going. I will do my best to make you all proud of me," he says. ESPN has the full story here.
Tyrann Mathieu says today he is entering the next NFL draft. The former LSU defensive back, who was dismissed from the team prior to the first game of the season, says "it is time for me to move forward." Mathieu released a statement thanking his parents and coach Les Miles, as well as his former LSU teammates. "I am sorry that I was not able to complete my journey at LSU, but I will always support LSU in any way I can. To my teammates, you are my brothers. You have kept me going. I will do my best to make you all proud of me," he said. Mathieu, who earned the moniker "Honey Badger" for his plucky playmaking ability, was a Heisman Trophy finalist last season. But the 20-year-old was dismissed for failing a drug test in August, and last month he was arrested on a charge of possession of marijuana. "I am committed to tackling my personal issues and will work to better myself every day as a man first and only then as a football player. I will always consider myself an LSU Tiger," he...
One day after news broke that Arkansas was offering LSU coach Les Miles a five-year, $27.5 million deal to become a Razorback, LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva says Miles will receive an increase in salary and a contract extension "for the next seven years" following LSU's bowl appearance this year. "The Arkansas situation was a sincere one," says Miles, who addressed the issue at a 3 p.m. press conference. "Our conversations were very preliminary and fell short of any real interest." LSU says its intent was to address his salary following this year's bowl game, but Arkansas' interest spurred the negotiation process. Miles makes $3,856,417 a year, according to a Nov. 20 report by USA Today. "Les has not received a pay increase since his salary was automatically elevated following our national championship...
Tulane is joining the Big East as a full member in 2014, university officials announced at a press conference this afternoon. "I would go as far to say as this is a historic day for Tulane University. … The Big East is coming to the Big Easy," school President Scott Cowen says. East Carolina will also join the rebuilding Big East for football only in 2014, a person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity today because neither the conference nor East Carolina was prepared to make an official announcement. East Carolina, located in Greenville, N.C., has a news conference scheduled for later this afternoon. Tulane and East Carolina currently play in Conference USA. They will become the fifth and sixth C-USA schools, respectively, to join the Big East in the last two years. The full story is available
Multiple media sources are reporting that Tulane will join the Big East conference in all sports beginning in 2014. ESPN, CBS and The Times-Picayune, among others, report that Tulane is holding a press conference at 1 p.m., at which sources say the university will formally announce the move. The university has yet to confirm or deny any realignment reports. Tulane currently competes in the Conference USA.
Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has advised league officials and players implicated in the NFL's bounty probe that he plans to complete all hearings by Dec. 4 and make a ruling shortly thereafter. In a document obtained today by The Associated Press, Tagliabue directs the NFL to produce key witnesses in the New Orleans Saints cash-for-hits program, including former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and former defensive assistant Mike Cerullo. Four players initially were suspended, but those punishments were vacated and Tagliabue was appointed to oversee new hearings. Meanwhile, Saints linebacker Jon Vilma and defensive end Will Smith are still playing. Even as Tagliabue moves the process forward, a federal judge is considering arguments by players that Tagliabue should be removed as arbitrator because he is biased in favor of the NFL. Based on the schedule laid out by Tagliabue, U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan could choose to rule as early as next week. For now,...
I love maps. I used to ride shotgun with my dad on road trips, a huge map spread out before me, giving him directions while the rest of the family slept in the back seats. I especially love the hyper-local and crowd-sourced maps that have been popping up all over the Internet these days, the customizable kind that make it easier for residents to find points of interest in their communities or alert neighbors to important things nearby. It seems like the cycling community has latched on to this trend most of all.
Six years ago, 42 major college football coaches made at least $1 million. Today, as USA Today reports, 42 coaches make at least $2 million. LSU coach Les Miles, by the newspaper's count, is the fifth-highest compensated coach in college football, making $3,856,417 in base salary and bonuses. Alabama coach Nick Saban is the highest paid coach on the list, at just under $5.5 million. The average annual salary for head coaches at major colleges (not including four schools that moved up to the Football Bowl Subdivision this season) is $1.64 million, up nearly 12% over last season and more than 70% since 2006, when USA Today began tracking coaches' compensation. Coaches' pay has even outpaced the pay of corporate executives, who have drawn the ire of Congress and the public because of their staggering compensation packages. Between 2007 and 2011, CEO pay—including salary, stock option value, bonuses and other pay—rose 23%, according to Equilar, an executive...
The LSU Women's Track and Field team will be required to vacate its 2012 NCAA Outdoor team championship because of a student-athlete's use of a stimulant banned by the NCAA—but which LSU notes is commonly found in over-the-counter nutritional supplements—the university has announced. LSU senior sprinter Semoy Hackett tested positive for the NCAA banned stimulant Methylhexaneamine during the championship meet. It is a stimulant that was identified on the NCAA's published list of banned substances beginning in the 2011-12 athletic season. "I want to express my apologies to my coaches, my teammates, LSU and our fans. Although this was unintentional, I'm deeply sorry this will have such a negative impact on my team and LSU," Hackett says in a prepared statement released by LSU. NCAA rules require any team that competes with an ineligible athlete to forfeit any championships won. LSU is required to return the team trophy it received, and the individual members of the winning...
The LSU Board of Supervisors apparently was a little too hasty in October when it voted to consolidate the top two leadership positions, so it’s going to try again next month. The board unanimously agreed at its October meeting to merge the jobs of LSU System president and flagship chancellor after hearing a presentation from a consultant that had been asked to study the issue. A vote on the merger was not listed on the board's agenda, and critics say the board was in a rush to follow the will of Gov. Bobby Jindal and didn’t allow a full public vetting of the concept. Kevin Cope, president of the LSU faculty senate, filed a complaint with the Attorney General's Office alleging a violation of Louisiana's open meetings law, and the AG’s office says it has "serious concerns regarding the board’s compliance with the notice provisions." "Since the LSU board does not want there to be any question about this important action, we will reconsider and take action on...
Firing on all cylinders: The more LSU film Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze watches, the more he shakes his head. As ESPN reports, what he has seen in preparation for Saturday’s game is nothing like what he caught glimpses of for most of the season. In the past two weeks, the LSU offense has finally looked like it was supposed to all season. The Tigers racked up 435 yards on Alabama two weeks ago before registering 30 offensive points and nearly 400 yards on Mississippi State. "I wish they had waited until after our game to become good at it," Freeze says. Check out the full story here.
With the Super Bowl less than three months away, New Orleans is rushing to lay streetcar tracks through one of its busiest corridors to connect by trolley the Louisiana Superdome and the French Quarter. The Big Easy—which will be the site of the big game Feb. 3—is no stranger to Super Bowls. In the 47 years of game's history, this is the 10th time New Orleans is slated to play host. But this will be the city's first Super Bowl since Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. The snarled traffic, construction crews and flying dust along Loyola Avenue where the new streetcar line is being laid reflect the frantic pace of preparations for the Super Bowl. Streets are being repaved in the French Quarter; the airport is undergoing a major renovation; and crews are fixing sidewalks, streetlights and potholes. For many locals, the new streetcar is viewed as more than a show of Super Bowl pizzazz. "For anybody who's trying to cut down on gas, walk out their front door, go a few...
Passing game tactic: USC coach Lane Kiffin and players say they had no knowledge of a student manager deflating footballs for the Trojans' offense—the practice is generally believed to make the pass-and-catch game easier—in their defeat to Oregon last week. To read the latest updates, click here.
Sports roundup: Saints 'don’t have much room to work with' on salary cap … 'USA Today' highlights field trip to Tiger Stadium … Morgan reportedly leaving LSU men’s basketball team
Capped out: According to the most recent update from ESPN, the New Orleans Saints are $1.6 million under the NFL salary cap. "The Saints don’t have much room to work with," says Pat Yasinskas of ESPN "They’ll need more than $1.6 million to eventually sign practice-squad players and keep some money available in case they have injuries and need to sign replacements." According to the report, the other NFC South teams under the salary cap are: Atlanta Falcons, by $2.18 million; Carolina Panthers, by $8.46 million; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, by $19.3 million.
City Park, sans golf course?
Edging closer to 1,000 signatures, an online petition is bringing the debate about City Park's golf course back into the limelight. Should the 9-hole course be maintained and City Park grow around it, or should it be eliminated and the grounds added to the park's existing green space?
Sports roundup: Bertman to be honored among SEC Baseball Legends … LSU's Plaisance, Ballard invited to USA team trials … Former Tiger, Saint Randall Gay arrested at B.R. bar
Respect: Former LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman will be among those honored as SEC Baseball Legends during the 2013 SEC tournament in Hoover, Ala., later this month. Along with Bertman, the 2013 class includes: Hal Baird, Auburn; Terry Shumpert, Kentucky; and Gene McArtor, Missouri. Each will receive an on-field recognition and award presentation Saturday, May 25. LSU has more details here.
Public to decide the fate of City Park, McKnight says
BREC Superintendent Carolyn McKnight sees a key difference between residents of Baton Rouge and those in Dallas, where she spent 20 years working in the parks system: Folks in Baton Rouge are passionate about their parks. The parks director says she doesn't even mind the brewing controversy over the future of City Park Golf Course. She's just happy to see people engaged. "We're not taking sides on either side of the issue, but we're excited that we have passionate people in this community who really want to see the park system strong and are willing to take a stand for what they like and what they want to see," she says. A push to convert the city's oldest public golf course into a public park began with an online petition started by Business Report Publisher Rolfe McCollister that,...
Changing gears
Mark Martin is prepping for a full schedule of projects on the horizon—from securing a designation of Route 90 from DeRidder to Bogalusa as a US Bicycle Route, preparing for workshops later this month with several Baton Rouge organizations to brainstorm how to use federal funding to improve bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and consulting with the city on a new Dalrymple Drive bike path.
Sports roundup: Two more LSU baseball games picked for national TV … SEC network to be broadcast on ESPN 24/7 … Saints given a B grade on draft
Screen time: Two of the LSU-Ole Miss baseball games slated to take place in Alex Box Stadium later this month will be televised by national networks, the SEC announced today. The game on Thursday, May 16, will air on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m., while the Saturday, May 18, game will air on the CBS Sports Network at noon. Game two of the series, on Friday, May 17, will air on Cox Sports Television at 7 p.m. The announcement means all 10 of LSU's remaining regular season games will be televised. The full schedule can be found here.
Pedal pushers
Ride through your neighborhood in style with a modern cruiser bike.
Sticking around
It's been called the “fastest game on two feet” and likened to battling with a sword and suit of armor. Others say it has an “X Games” feel with its quick tempo and hard hits. It's no wonder, then, that boys in Baton Rouge are embracing the sport of lacrosse in increasing numbers. The only real question is, what took them so long?
Green acres
When Amanda Purdin Standish began riding horses as an 8-year-old, her parents, Suzanne Turner and Scott Purdin, tried to talk her out of it.
Horse power
Like a lot of young girls, Lindsey Weinstein became enamored with horses while still a toddler. She celebrated her second and third birthdays with pony parties at Kleinpeter Farms, and by the time she could read she had her sights set on a pony of her own.
Stand and deliver
Troy Archer and Walker Higgins want Baton Rougeans to step out of their comfort zones, step up their workouts and step into the great outdoors.
William Cary Koch
To have power, you have to have balance.
Through the hoop
Who knew? Who knew that on any given Saturday morning, a building in Baton Rouge with five basketball courts would be chock-a-block with children running from goal to goal, balls bouncing, parents coaching, whistles blowing, the snack bar churning out a variety of offerings—and everyone having a blast?
Sports roundup: ESPN previews ‘best series this week’ between Tigers, Gamecocks … Tigers mark 30th anniversary of Bertman hiring … Ricky Barnes ties course record to take early lead in 2013 Zurich Classic
Hard to top: In preparation of "the best series this week" in college baseball, ESPN has put together a comparison of each of the LSU Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks starting rotation, bullpen, infield and outfield. ESPN gives LSU the edge in starting rotation and infield, while the Gamecocks are said to have the edge in the bullpen and outfield. They also pick the Tigers to win the series, 2-1. Check out the complete preview here.
Sports roundup: LSU-Alexandria OK'd to offer more sports … Bill sponsor says LSU should be 'ashamed' of its student football ticket policy … Tigers in process of adding two more to highly ranked men's basketball class
Let the games begin: LSU-Alexandria will introduce five additional sports programs by the 2014-15 academic year. The new sports will include men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, and women's tennis, bringing the total number of sports on the campus to seven. Those will join baseball and softball, which began in the spring semester of the 2007-08 academic year. The LSU Board of Supervisors, which OK'd the expansion on Wednesday, has more details on its website here.
Color Run Saturday downtown
To some, the Color Run is considered the happiest 5k on the planet. Like other running events, the race celebrates healthiness and giving back to the community. Unlike other running events, the event is a "paint race" where participants are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer. At the finish line, there's a "color festival," with an even bigger color fight. The only rules—have fun, wear white and be covered in bright colors at the finish line.
Share the road
Don Hunter biked 12 miles from his subdivision on South Harrells Ferry to work downtown 42 times last year. That was before an accident in July 2012 (Friday the 13th, actually) when he flipped his bike on bad pavement, breaking his collarbone and cracking two ribs. Now, after months of recuperation, he bikes about 11 miles, instead.
Sports roundup: LSU duo near top of Masters leaderboard … ESPN live-blogging Tigers' spring practice … Vitter, Cassidy file bills to extend offshore boundaries, including for fishing
Showing their stripes: At 46 years old, Shreveport's David Toms is twice the age of fellow LSU product John Peterson. Today, in the first round of the Masters, Toms doubled up the Masters rookie, too. Sparked by an eagle on the par-5 15th, Toms fired a 2-under 70 and is currently in the top 10. Peterson had a successful debut at Augusta National Golf Club, shooting a 1-under 71. "It's cool," Toms says of seeing the purple and gold under par after 18 holes. The Shreveport Times has the full story here.
Sports roundup: NFL fans get look inside locker rooms … 'Washington Post' columnist cries foul in case of Kevin Ware T-shirts … Fans decide the best of 75 years of March Madness
Behind closed doors: NFL fans will soon have a new view at the stadium: locker rooms. The NFL has ordered all teams to have cameras in their locker rooms next season, with video shown only on stadium scoreboards. It's part of Commissioner Roger Goodell's initiative for ''enhancing the fan experience in our stadiums.'' The videos will be available on team apps as well. Each team will operate the cameras and will determine what is shown on the video boards and apps. The Dallas Cowboys already have been making such videos available to fans. The Associated Press has the full story here.
All the world's a court
The small black motorbike growls to a halt at the line between sunshine and shade striping the bright pavement outside LSU's W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium. Chris Simpson—20, slender, helmeted—slides off his ride.
Sports roundup: Saints sign new linebacker … Reports: Tracy Porter visits Saints … March Madness: Four cities in four days
A two-year deal: The New Orleans Saints have signed free agent linebacker Victor Butler. Butler was drafted in the fourth round in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and has played in 63 games with two starts, posting career totals of 64 tackles, 11 sacks, two stops for a loss, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. On special teams, he has registered 40 tackles and one forced fumble.
A Super Bowl hero returns? Multiple reports say cornerback Tracy Porter visited the Saints on Monday. The free agent hasn't signed with the team—at least, not yet. Porter cemented his place in Saints history when his 74-yard interception return for a touchdown late in Super Bowl XLIV helped seal the victory for New Orleans. The Saints also might be interested in free agent defensive end Dwight Freeney, NFL News reports, if cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha chooses the San Francisco 49ers over New Orleans.
BREC's new golf director wants to bring players back
Jeffrey Lee Marks will officially begin his new job as BREC's golf director April 8. BREC's seven golf courses collectively lost more than $1 million last year, and another $1.4 million in 2010, while steadily losing their backbone of players. Marks is aware of this and, with his background in golf management, says he'd like to develop as many new players as possible while focusing on a creative marketing plan for the courses. "I'd like to introduce low-cost golf programs to brand new golfers," Marks says. "We also have to bring back those players who might have left. We have to gain back their trust." Marks says he hasn't had time to fully develop a plan for BREC's courses, but is also not coming into the new job blind. "[BREC Superintendent Carolyn] McKnight was very honest with me and told me they've been steadily losing golfers," Marks says. "You've got to do whatever you can to bring them back. It may be a small fix, like improving the quality of the greens. Some of the courses...
Ducote misses out on MLB Fan Cave
Louisiana's lone finalist for the MLB Fan Cave competition, Jay Ducote of Baton Rouge, was informed today that he will not be among nine baseball fans who will be living in the MLB Fan Cave in New York City this summer. "It was a bummer," says Ducote, who was among 30 finalists vying for a spot in the MLB Fan Cave. "I'm disappointed. Obviously, it was something that would have been a really cool experience, but the whole ride was pretty cool … and I picked up some really good exposure." But Ducote says his disappointment was also mixed with a sense of relief, as making the MLB Fan Cave would have required him to relocate to New York City for as long as six months. "I was growing more and more nervous thinking about leaving everything I have going on here," says the 225 contributor, Bite and Booze blogger, host of two radio shows, and foodie who's seemingly involved in all things culinary in Baton Rouge. —Steve Sanoski
Free rock-climbing lesson
Take your workout to new heights Sunday with a complimentary rock-climbing lesson sponsored by Lululemon Athletica. The action starts at 2 p.m. at Perkins Road Park. Following the hour-long session will be an Acro Yoga session led by the experts of Mulananda Yoga. Equipment and mats will be provided. For full details, click here.
Chris Stewart
His love for the sport and lack of passion working for an accountant inspired Stewart: In 1999 he returned to Lake Charles, coached, and sold soccer-specific merchandise from his home.
Sports roundup: Tigers men's basketball team beats Georgia in SEC Tournament … LSU football expected to overcome loss of players to NFL Draft this season … Saints reportedly close to sealing deal with Keenan Lewis
Off the dribble: After amassing a 20-point lead over Georgia at the end of the first half, LSU nearly blew the lead in the second half, but managed to hold on and win 68-63 at the SEC Tournament in Nashville today. The victory means the Tigers get to face the No. 1 tournament seed, Florida, at noon on Friday. LSU's Shavon Coleman led his team's scoring with 24 points. Johnny O'Bryant scored 12 points and had 12 rebounds. Andre Stringer scored 16 points. Complete tournament scores and schedules can be found here.
Sports roundup: Lady Tigers taking six-game win streak into SEC Tournament … Big East eyes new league name … New Adidas college basketball uniforms give Zubas new life
Roaring in: The 22nd-ranked LSU women's basketball team is playing arguably the best basketball of any team in the SEC right now. Riding a league-best and season-best six-game winning streak, a new season begins for the Lady Tigers tonight as it takes on Auburn in its first game of the 2013 SEC Tournament in Duluth, Ga. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Louisiana (cable channel 1079 HD for Cox Communications subscribers) and it will also be streamed live on ESPN3.com and the Watch ESPN App for tablet users. LSU has pre-game analysis here.
My Fitness Style: Shelly Ripple Johnston
Shelly Ripple Johnston has been making waves most of her life. After swimming for Parkview Baptist in high school, she went on to college stardom at Stanford University, where she was a seven-time NCAA champion and 24-time All-American. The 32-year-old mother of four currently ranks on Stanford's All-Time Top 10 list in five different swimming events and has earned gold medals for her country on an international level, among other achievements. After several years in Boston, since 2011 she's been back home in Baton Rouge, where she serves as CEO of Crawfish Aquatics and Exerfit Family Fitness Center. She's also helped her husband, Dr. Barrett Johnston, launch both the Interventional Pain Institute and the medical spa Rejuve—and she still manages to work out every day.
Articles of FIT
With 2013 off to a dynamic start, it's important to reinforce your goals and stay consistent with a routine of good health and exercise. I recently sat down with Ricky Pampo, owner of Pampo Wellness Group, to get some tips on maintaining a healthy and recreational lifestyle.
Benson is Louisiana's lone billionaire on 'Forbes' list
With a reported net worth of $1.2 billion, Tom Benson is the lone Louisianan on the new Forbes list of the world's richest billionaires. Benson, who owns the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Hornets, is ranked No. 1,175 on the list, which includes 1,426 people this year, a record high. The number of billionaires in the world increased by 16% from last year, Forbes reports. Mexico's Carlos Slim—who's estimated to have a net worth of $73 billion, up from $69 billion last year—remains the world's richest man for the fourth year in a row. Warren Buffett, meanwhile, dropped out of the top three for the first time since 2000, and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg saw his ranking drop 31 spots as his net worth declined by $4.2 billion. The average net worth of those on the list is $3.8 billion, rising 3% from 2012. The total net worth for the list's billionaires was $5.4 trillion compared with $4.6 trillion a year ago. The United States continues to have the most...
Andrew Carl Del Piero
Age: 22
Occupation: Center, LSU Basketball
Hometown: Austin, Texas
To think that Andrew Del Piero is looking at professional basketball options after his LSU career ends this season almost boggles the mind. But going from the marching band to marching down the court, that’s just how amazing the story of this 7-foot, 2-inch young man is.
Sports roundup: Rhymes named finalist for NCAA 2013 Senior CLASS Award … Lolo back on track after season of pizza, peace of mind … Tiger Stadium seating goes 3D
Web gem: LSU Tigers outfielder Raph Rhymes is among just 30 college baseball players named as finalists for the NCAA's 2013 Senior CLASS Award, which annually goes to a Division I student-athlete "with notable achievements in four areas of excellence—community, classroom, character and competition." The list of finalists will be narrowed to 10 midway through the regular season, and those names will be placed on a ballot that will be distributed to media outlets, coaches and fans across the country. The winner will be announced during the 2013 NCAA College World Series in Omaha June 15-26. Learn more about the award and find the full listing of finalists here.
Thinking the green way
If you were one of the many at the Better Block BR public workshop last week, you know there are quite a few folks in town who have a passionate interest in smart growth in Baton Rouge. Next week, you'll get another chance to share your thoughts on smart growth and alternative transportation pathways as Downtown Development District hosts three days of public workshops and discussions on the proposed Downtown Greenway.
News alert: USBC bowling championships coming back to B.R.
The U.S. Bowling Congress is bringing its championship events back to Baton Rouge in 2017 and 2025, the USBC and local officials have announced. The USBC Women’s Championship will be held in the city in 2017, and the USBC Open Championship will return to the city in 2025. The 151-day USBC 2012 Open Championship in Baton Rouge had a $113.2 million economic impact in the Capital Region, according to a study commissioned by Visit Baton Rouge. The tournament was first held in the city in 2005. Read Daily Report PM for further details.
Sports roundup: How Phil Robertson found stardom after giving up football … Cannon checks out of hospital after stroke … Select school principals assert proposal 18 as unconstitutional
The road not taken: In the late 1960s in Ruston, the life paths of two Bulldog quarterbacks sharply diverged. There was Terry Bradshaw—who was destined to be the top pick in the 1970 NFL Draft, have a lengthy career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, win four Super Bowl victories, land a spot in the Hall of Fame, and a enjoy a second career in front of the camera. And then there was Phil Robertson—who was ahead of Bradshaw on Louisiana Tech's depth chart but gave up football with one year of eligibility remaining because the game and any future in it interfered with his heart's dearest passion: duck-hunting season. Sports Illustrated details Robertson's journey from Louisiana Tech to star of A&E's Duck Dynasty in the full story here.
Super Bowl gave big boost to B.R. hoteliers
The spillover into Baton Rouge of football fans attending the Super Bowl festivities and game in New Orleans fueled a 48% increase in occupancy and 117% rise in revenue for local hoteliers during the weekend of Feb. 1-3. That's according to new figures released this morning by Smith Travel Research, which tracks hotel occupancy figures in cities across the globe. Though far from sold out, Baton Rouge hotels were slightly more than 73% full during the first weekend of February—up from just under 50% during the same weekend in 2012. Collective hotel revenue during the weekend was more than $2.5 million this year, the report says, up 117% over the $1.2 million netted during the same weekend last year. "The Super Bowl offered a great opportunity to showcase our city, and this report shows how effectively we prepared and executed," says Visit Baton Rouge President/CEO Paul Arrigo in a prepared statement.
LSU releases details of Cameron's contract
The new offensive coordinator of LSU football, Cam Cameron, will receive a three-year contract worth $600,000 this season but going up to $1.3 million in 2014 and $1.5 million in 2015. The school announced details of the agreement today. The 52-year-old on Friday was named LSU's offensive coordinator, replacing Greg Studrawa, who will return to strictly being the Tigers' offensive line coach. Formerly offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, Cameron's pay next season would be equivalent to that of LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis. Chavis signed a three-year deal last year, paying him $900,000 in 2012, $1.1 million this season and $1.3 million in 2014. Cameron's contract must still be approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors. The next board meeting is scheduled for March 18.
'225' blogger makes final 30 in MLB Fan Cave competition
Jay Ducote is in Phoenix today making his pitch to Major League Baseball, and hopes that he will be selected to take up residency in the MLB Fan Cave in New York City this summer. The Baton Rouge radio host, culinary personality and 225 blogger recently received enough online votes to make the final cut of 30 finalists from an earlier round of 52 baseball fans from across the United States. He's the lone Louisiana representative in the competition. "We'll be loading up on a bus and heading over to Chase Field, where the [Arizona] Diamondbacks play, to do the auditions," Ducote told Daily Report earlier today. "I'll have to do a 60-second elevator pitch to tell them why I should be in the Fan Cave, there will be more interviews tomorrow, and hopefully I will know Thursday if I make it." Ducote, who arrived in Phoenix Monday and will return Thursday to Baton Rouge, says about 8 to 10 of the 30 finalists will be chosen to live in the Fan Cave this summer. "The idea is to...
Sports roundup: Omaha is all that matters for LSU baseball … Michael Waltrip honors Sandy Hook victims on NASCAR race car … Olympic 'bladerunner' accused of murdering girlfriend
Four years: This June will be the fourth anniversary of LSU's last national championship in baseball as well as its last trip to Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series. Everything seemed right for the Tigers last season, but instead of going to Omaha the club watched three teams that they went 7-2 against in the regular season—Arkansas, Florida and South Carolina—play in the CWS instead. Click here to read more.
LSU baseball will finish second in West, SEC coaches say
The Arkansas Razorbacks are predicted to finish ahead of the LSU Tigers in the SEC West and end up winning the 2013 conference championship, as voted by the league's 14 baseball coaches in the 22nd annual preseason poll, released this morning. Vanderbilt is the polled coaches' favorite to win the SEC East, with the Commodores forecast to finish ahead of Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina. The season kicks off Friday, with conference play set to begin one month later. The Tigers, ranked No. 10 in the nation, begin the season against Maryland at Alex Box Stadium on Friday, with the first pitch to fly at 7 p.m. The Tigers' other games against Maryland are slated for 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. LSU baseball's complete schedule and ticket info are here. One SEC coach voted for the Tigers to finish first in the SEC West this season—and it couldn't have been LSU coach...
'225': Lolo Jones is up and running
Lolo Jones says that each morning in her hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, as that bright bulb rose over the Mississippi River, she felt a little kick in her consciousness that said, "Stretch. Run. Leap, 1-2-3. Leap, 1-2-3." Over and over again. Four hours a day, six days a week, at the LSU track and in the weight room, that's also how it went. Though she traveled far and wide to meet sponsors and compete in critical meets, she would always come back here to Baton Rouge for family and friends, for comfort and recovery. Even after what was called "the disaster" in Beijing. Jones, by far the favorite for a 2008 Olympic gold medal in the women's 100-meter hurdles, surged into the lead. And then, just like that, fate shifted like a tectonic plate. Jones' toe caught the edge of the ninth hurdle (of 10). Dawn Harper, one of Jones' teammates, took the gold, and Jones came in seventh. Find out how this local athlete and Olympian made a comeback—and started an incredible foundation—in...
Entergy, device manufacturer explain Super Bowl blackout
Not long after Entergy New Orleans announced this morning that a faulty relay—an electrical device that had been installed expressly to prevent a power outage—was the cause of the 34-minute Super Bowl blackout, the Chicago-based manufacturer issued a statement blaming the outage to the so-called trip setting on the relay, "as set by the system operators." The statement from S&C Electric Co. does not name the "system operators," but the equipment was owned and installed by Entergy New Orleans. S&C says the trip setting was too low to allow the device to handle the electric load that was coming in. "Based on the on-site testing, we have determined that if higher settings had been applied, the equipment would not have disconnected the power," says Michael J.S. Edmonds, vice president of strategic solutions for the company. In a follow-up statement, Entergy says, "Tests conducted by S&C and Entergy on the two relays installed at the Superdome [show] that one relay functioned...
Perrilloux, Booty brothers turn to knuckleball in new reality show
Former LSU quarterbacks Ryan Perrilloux and Josh Booty are tossing the ball around again in front of the cameras, but it's not pigskin. The MLB Network is getting into the reality TV game with a concept called The Next Knuckler, featuring one of baseball's knuckleball kings, former Major League Baseball All-Star and World Series champion Tim Wakefield. Perrilloux and Booty are among five former NCAA quarterbacks to whom Wakefield will attempt to teach the pitch. Booty's younger brother, former USC quarterback John David Booty, is also on the show, as well as Georgia's David Greene and 1984 Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie. Of the five, whoever learns best to throw the knuckleball—which is considered the toughest pitch to throw in baseball—will win an invitation to the Arizona Diamondbacks' spring training camp. The show is the first-ever reality series produced by MLB and will be hosted by Wakefield and baseball analyst Kevin Millar. The show will premiere on MLB...
Sports roundup: Miles 'hasn't given much thought' to staff changes … League reinstates Williams after bounty scandal … 'New York Times' provides interactive tour of Superdome history
Sense of wonder: LSU Coach Les Miles addressed the subtle, but looming, specter of potential coaching staff changes in his signing day address to the media Wednesday, The Times-Picayune reports. As expected, he didn't say much and instead sang the praises of his staff for their efforts on the recruiting trail in signing a 27-member class. "I haven't given much thought to changes in this staff at this point," he says. Read the full story here.
More than 2,000 fans attend Bayou Bash
What started 18 years ago as a small signing day party at the LSU Field House has grown into the annual Tiger Gridiron Club Bayou Bash, which today drew more than 2,000 fans to the Baton Rouge River Center. "I think the important thing is we had 27 commitments and got them all," says Gridiron Club member Chuck Goodwin, who has served as chair of the bash for the past eight years and was at the River Center by 6 a.m. today. He says various factors influence attendance each year, such as the previous season's record, bowl outcome and recruiting-class ranking—for which LSU has drawn kudos from ESPN and Rivals this year. Though Robert Nkemdiche, the nation's top-ranked player, picked Ole Miss over LSU early this morning, highly ranked defensive end Tashawn Bower signed with the...
LSU loses out on Nkemdiche, lands White as National Signing Day begins
Though LSU lost out to Ole Miss early this morning when Logansville Grayson (Ga.) defensive end Robert Nkemdiche—the nation's undisputed No. 1 prospect—kicked off Signing Day 2013 by inking with the Rebels, the Tigers were able to sign one of Louisiana's top prospects. Green Oaks High School (Shreveport) defensive back Tre'Davious White—a five-star prospect, Rivals' No. 18 national recruit overall and an U.S. Army All-American—faxed in his national letter of intent to LSU around 9:15 a.m. He was the 24th player, and the lone five-star recruit, to sign with LSU by that point this morning. However, more than a dozen four-star prospects have signed with the Tigers. You can track all the signing day action here.
Top recruit Nkemdiche expected to sign with Rebels
Robert Nkemdiche is just about everybody's No. 1 prospect on National Signing Day, which is Wednesday. Rivals.com, Scout.com, ESPN, CBS Sports and 247Sports all give No. 1 ranking to Nkemdiche, the big defensive end from Grayson High School near Atlanta. But while LSU and Florida are believed to be among the top schools Nkemdiche is considering, The Associated Press is reporting Nkemdiche is expected to sign with the Rebels early Wednesday morning. The big edge for Ole Miss is Denzel Nkemdiche, Robert's older brother, who led the Rebels in tackles as a redshirt freshman linebacker last season. The family connection may be an insurmountable advantage, but a late decision to visit LSU will certainly add drama to Wednesday's announcement. Nkemdiche's updates on his final visit provided encouragement to LSU fans. ''LSU pushing man!!!! Getting hard now,'' Nkemdiche tweeted...
Outside experts to probe Super Bowl power outage
Superdome and Entergy officials say they will hire outside experts to investigate the cause of a 34-minute power failure that halted the Super Bowl Sunday evening. The announcement by the stadium's management company, SMG, and Entergy New Orleans came two days after the outage halted play in the third quarter of the game between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. The companies' joint written statement does not explain the decision, but Entergy spokesman Chanel Lagarde tells The Associated Press they have not been able to reach a final conclusion on the cause of the outage and want a third-party analysis. "We wanted to leave no stone unturned," Lagarde says. "Both [we] and SMG thought it was important to get another party looking at this to make sure we were looking at everything that we need to examine." While the cause of Sunday's outage is still under investigation, records released Monday show that Superdome officials were worried in October about losing power during...
Concerns about Super Bowl blackout first voiced months ago
Superdome officials were warned a few months before the Super Bowl that the venue's electrical system could suffer a power outage and rushed to replace some of the equipment in advance of the big game. While the cause of Sunday's 34-minute outage is still under investigation, records released Monday show that Superdome officials were worried in October about losing power during the NFL championship. Tests on the electrical feeders that connect incoming power from utility lines to the stadium showed decay and "a chance of failure," state officials warned in a memo dated Oct. 15. The documents, obtained through a records request by The Associated Press, also show the utility that supplies the stadium expressed concern about the reliability of the service before the Super Bowl. The memo says Entergy New Orleans and the Superdome's engineering staff "had concerns regarding the reliability of the Dome service from Entergy's connection point to the Dome." The memo was prepared for the...
'225' blogger a finalist in MLB Fan Cave competition
Jay Ducote, the local radio host and culinary personality behind the well-known Bite and Booze blog—and a 225 blogger—is one of 52 finalists from across the country vying to be recognized as one of Major League Baseball's ultimate fans. The MLB Fan Cave is an online forum for fans to interact with one another, players and celebrities—but it's also a physical location in New York City that Ducote describes as "every sports fan's dream." It includes an "incredible TV setup capable of showing all MLB games at one time on any given night," Ducote says. "It is also in the heart of Manhattan where celebrities and MLB players will come through for different media appearances all season long." The annual MLB Fan Cave competition, now in its third year, seeks to find the most dedicated baseball fans in the nation and make them official "Cave Dwellers." Among the 52 finalists—of which Ducote is the lone Louisiana representative and the only one to identify the...
New Orleans braces for fallout from Super Bowl blackout
A Super Bowl week that had gone so smoothly for the Big Easy suddenly turned bizarre—and just when everyone was watching. The lights went out on the biggest football game of the year soon after halftime ended. The outage lasted for 34 minutes and was blamed on an unspecified "abnormality" in the Superdome's power system. Certainly, it was an embarrassment for New Orleans, which was hosting its first Super Bowl since 2002; the city was eager to show off how it has been rebuilt since Hurricane Katrina—and is hoping to get the Super Bowl back in town in 2018. Forbes.com contributor Patrick Rishe says the blackout is also "an embarrassment for the facility operators, and quite frankly, it is a black eye for NFL operations." And until New Orleans replaces "this outdated facility," the Superdome may never host another Super Bowl, Rishe says. "The most recent trend for Super Bowl cities and facilities is to head to newer facilities. … New Orleans has cashed in on their...
New Orleans has more to celebrate than Super Bowl XLVII
In his latest column, the San Francisco Chronicle's Andrew Ross highlights all that has been going right economically for the host city of Sunday's Super Bowl. "New Orleans' recent performance in job growth, economic output and rising home prices puts it at the top of the list of major metropolitan areas surveyed by the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank," Ross says, adding: "And that includes the Silicon Valley, which ranks second, and San Francisco, which comes in, shockingly, 23rd." Meanwhile, Forbes magazine recently called Louisiana "America's new frontier for business opportunity." Ross calls the Forbes title "insult to injury," and then lists other ways in which New Orleans has been besting the Bay Area off the football field. "Louisiana boasted $22.5 billion in new capital investment last year—not bad for a state with a population of 4.6 million, compared, say, with the nine-county Bay Area's 7.1 million," he writes. "Its publicly funded...
Lolo Up & Running
Each morning, says Lolo Jones, as that bright bulb rose over the Mississippi River, she felt a little kick in her consciousness that said, “Stretch. Run. Leap, 1-2-3. Leap, 1-2-3.”
Sports roundup: Feds confiscate $13.6M in phony sports goods … Brees wants to bury bounty probe … Ravens moving main practice to grass field
Authentic bust: Investigators have confiscated more than $13.6 million worth of phony sports merchandise over the past five months and expect to seize more in New Orleans during Super Bowl week, says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton. "Operation Red Zone" has led to the confiscation of more than 160,000 counterfeit items, mostly purporting to be official Super Bowl and other NFL merchandise, including jerseys, hats and other souvenirs. A total of 23 people have been arrested on related charges since September 2012. The full story is here.
Miles says Tigers 'prepared to reload' on National Signing Day
In a nine-minute interview conducted with ESPN in New Orleans, LSU coach Les Miles provides some insight on the process of recruiting, his thoughts on the influence college offenses have had on the NFL, and more. With National Signing Day now less than one week away, Miles says he feels good about keeping the recruits who have already orally committed to LSU, while acknowledging "there's always a perimeter institution trying to pick away, so we have to make sure we finish." As for dealing with the high number of Tigers from last season who've opted for the NFL Draft and will not be returning to LSU this year, Miles says his staff is always prepared to make the necessary adjustments. "It's fundamental at our place that we play our players early," Miles says, naming former Tigers and current NFL players Patrick Peterson and Morris Claiborne as recent examples. "When you lose 11 juniors—and, you know, each decision is theirs, it's certainly not the head coach's—you certainly...
Les Miles interview with ESPN Radio
Click the play button below to listen to the interview with Les Miles.
Sports roundup: Miles contract going to Board of Supervisors … Saints' defensive struggles won't let Payton sleep … Hornets' name change could lead to confusion in NBA history books
In the huddle: An amendment that would extend the contract of LSU football coach Les Miles and increase his annual compensation will be presented to the LSU Board of Supervisors on Friday, Feb. 1, LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva announced today. Miles will receive $4.3 million per year for seven years under the new contract, up from $3.751 million annually in his current contract—which was due to expire in December 2017. The new contract would expire on Dec. 31, 2019. LSUsports.net has more details here.
Payton gets OK to go back to work
Sean Payton can finally go back to work. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced this morning the league is reinstating New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton—effective immediately—following a season-long suspension for his role in the team's bounty scandal. The announcement comes one day after Payton met with Goodell in New Orleans. At the meeting, Payton took responsibility for the actions of his coaching staff. Goodell says Payton has "fully complied with all the requirements imposed on him during his suspension." Payton says in a statement that he recognizes mistakes were made "which led to league violations," and adds that he's "excited to be back as head coach of the New Orleans Saints." He concluded his prepared remarks by saying: "Lastly, I feel we have learned from our mistakes and are ready to move forward. I want to thank our owner, Mr. [Tom] Benson, and all of our great fans for the overwhelming support throughout this past year." NFL.com has more on today's...
News alert: NFL reinstates Sean Payton
The NFL has announced the reinstatement of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton from his season-long suspension, effective immediately, as a result of the league's investigation into the team's bounty program. The league says the decision to reinstate Payton was made after a meeting between the coach and Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday in New Orleans. Read Daily Report AM for more details.
'225': Looking back at a basketball legend
Behind his back. Between his legs. Between your legs. If you were assigned to guard "Pistol" Pete Maravich, there was a lot to worry about. From the no-look passes he whipped around defenders to those unstoppable long-range bombs that seemed to defy physics and find a home at the bottom of the net. A record-setting scoring machine and wizard on the court, Maravich thrilled fans, stunned defenders and inspired a generation of players like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan to take the game to new creative heights. Twenty-five years ago this month, Maravich collapsed while playing a pick-up game in Pasadena, Calif. The LSU legend and NBA all-star died of heart failure because of a previously undetected congenital defect. He was 40. As a member of the Tulane Green Wave from 1966 to 1970, Dr. Edward Reese played against Maravich eight times. Reese even blocked his shot at the buzzer once to secure a double-overtime Tulane win. In this month's issue of 225, he tells editor Jeff...
Sports roundup: Saints offensive coordinator expected to turn down interview requests from Jaguars, Eagles … Analysts like 49ers, Patriots … Lying has become an official sport
Staying put: New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael is expected to turn down requests to interview for the same job with both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles, The Times-Picayune reports, citing a league source. Although Carmichael is a free agent right now, his intention is to work out a deal to stay in New Orleans, where he has had an excellent working relationship with Sean Payton since the two arrived together in 2006. The full story is here.
Local golfers weather the storm
Miserable weather has kept most golfers indoors and closed courses throughout the Capital Region. BREC has shut down Santa Maria Golf Course due to backwater from Bayou Manchac, as well as the back nine holes of Beaver Creek Golf Course. Both will reopen when the water recedes; the other five courses remain open when it isn't raining, spokeswoman Cheryl Michelet says. Carter Plantation in Springfield hasn't had a golfer since the day the monsoon-like weather began Jan. 8, when the course hosted just 11 of them. It closed its doors Sunday, referring desperate customers to its sister course The Bluffs on Thompson Creek in St. Francisville. So far this month, the course has sold just 117 rounds—the same number it generally attracts on a single Saturday. Pelican Point, a semi-private club in Gonzales, took the unusual step of closing last Thursday and Friday after the area took on 10 inches of rain, causing its ponds to overflow. But the course is open now, and 10 golfers braved...
Former Siegen Blockbuster site bought for golf center
As anyone who regularly hits the links will tell you, Baton Rouge has a lot of golf courses but not many golf retail outlets. That's why Lafayette businessman Benny Hopson is moving into the market with a new golf store that will not only sell apparel and clubs but also feature a game simulator and launch monitor. The store, Capital Golf, will be located at 8556 Siegen Lane in the building that formerly housed Blockbuster Video. Hopson acquired the property today for $1.1 million from Cedar Lake Inc. Drew Pearson of Waters & Pettit Commercial Real Estate represented Hopson, while Mark Hebert of Kurz & Hebert Commercial Real Estate represented Cedar Lake. "Lafayette has three major golf stores," says Hopson, whose son Lance Hopson is a Class A golf pro and will help run the local store. "Here, you have at least twice as many golfers as Lafayette but only two real golf stores, so we think there is a lot of opportunity." Hopson plans to do extensive renovations to the 6,500-square-foot...
App to locate restaurant seats wins N.O. Super Bowl competition
A weekend spent furiously coding under the pressure of a ticking clock, broken up by the briefest of naps on floors and office furniture, came to a bleary-eyed close in New Orleans on Sunday for about four dozen software developers competing in the inaugural Codemakers Super Challenge, The Times-Picayune reports. Charged with creating Internet applications that will enhance the experiences of Super Bowl goers, competitors presented their products to a panel of judges and learned who were crowned winners of the contest affectionately called a "hackathon." The grand prize—which includes donated business services, tickets to events, and meals at restaurants—went to a team that developed an app to help diners locate open seats at restaurants. Members of the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee had sought such a service, saying they hoped to avoid problems that unfolded around the NFL's championship game in Indianapolis last year when some eateries became overcrowded...
Sports roundup: SEC figures to dominate 2013 NFL Draft … Osborne won't compare Nebraska of 1990s to modern Alabama dynasty … MLB Hall of Famers happy to see Bonds, Clemens denied
Victims of their own success: The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the 2013 NFL Draft is Tuesday. But as The Times-Picayune reports, no one has to wait that long to see the impact the SEC will have on this year's draft. Most of the country's best players who plan to enter the draft have already announced their intentions, including what's believed to be a one-team record of 11 players from LSU. Tackle the full story here.
Worth the load
For most people, a 45-minute run or swim would be more than enough of a workout. For Randy Roussel, it's just the first half of a hard-core exercise routine that begins before dawn, goes for at least 90 minutes and includes a variety of aerobic, strength-training, and flexibility exercises.
Executive Spotlight: Hydie Wahlborg
Girls on the Run—a nonprofit program for girls aged 8 to 13—started in 1996, but didn't make it to Baton Rouge until 2008. The group's Greater Baton Rouge executive director, Hydie Wahlborg, who had worked with her husband in the tennis industry for about 20 years, only learned about the organization while preparing to run in the 2008 Chicago Marathon. She had never heard of Girls on the Run when she stumbled upon the group's website. The nonprofit combines an interactive curriculum and running to inspire preteen girls to maintain a healthy lifestyle and build self-respect. A year after getting off the ground in Baton Rouge, Girls on the Run had hooked up with 24 girls in two local schools. Today, 500 girls in 23 schools participate in the regional program. The full Q&A with Wahlborg, a Natchez, Miss.-native, is available here; the...
Hydie Wahlborg
Girls on the Run started in 1996, but didn't make it to Baton Rouge until 2008. Hydie Wahlborg, who had worked with her husband in the tennis industry for about 20 years, wanted to run in the 2008 Chicago Marathon. She had never heard of the nonprofit group when she stumbled upon the Girls on the Run website in preparation for the marathon. The group combines an interactive curriculum and running for preteen girls to inspire a healthy lifestyle and self-respect. A year later, Girls on the Run had hooked 24 girls in two schools in Baton Rouge. Today, 500 girls in 23 schools participate in the regional program.
NFL playoff game on CBS available in some B.R. establishments
In light of the ongoing negotiations with Raycom Media to get CBS programming back to Cox Cable customers in Baton Rouge, a Cox spokesperson says one option for customers wanting to watch the NFL playoff game on Sunday is to buy a high-definition TV antennae. However, some area bar and restaurant owners are offering a less-expensive alternative: Watch the game at their place. Brewbacher's is among those that will have the game for customers. "I don't have Cox. I have Eatel," says owner Beau Dicharry, which means his establishments throughout Baton Rouge aren't affected by the standoff between Cox and Raycom—the parent company of local CBS affiliate, WAFB Channel 9. When Walk-On's first...
'225': Claim Your Journey founder aims to get people all over La. moving
When he was little, Brandon Williams could be spotted running around the playground at Wildwood Elementary School in cowboy boots, not Nikes. Then he played BREC basketball. The coach said to his mother, Patricia Williams, "Do you see how Brandon gets to the other end of the court? Brandon should be running [track]." "It was always, 'Brandon should be running,' " Patricia Williams recalls. And he did run. But now, Brandon Williams' passion is squarely dialed into getting other people to run. They don't even have to go fast, he insists. Just get the feet above the ground. His toughest convert? Mom. But he's eternally positive. He keeps on trying. "That lady is stubborn," he says. "I don't think my body can handle all that pounding in running," she protests. And yet, she is exercising, she adds. She's doing Zumba—and boot camp, too. She works out way more than she might be if her son wasn't the unofficial mayor of running in Louisiana. Read the full feature by Amy Alexander in...
Sports roundup: Saints on the salary cap bubble … Source says Andy Reid nearing deal to coach Chiefs … Ray Lewis reportedly close to ESPN deal
Checking the cash flow: After signing some players to future contracts, the New Orleans Saints now have $140.9 million committed toward the 2013 salary cap, ESPN reports. That means the Saints will have to trim more than $20 million just to get under the cap at the start of free agency in March. They'll have to trim even more than that if they want to re-sign left tackle Jermon Bushrod and some other potential free agents. Read the full story here for more details and a rundown of some possible players affected by the Saints' salary cap situation.
Guarding the Pistol
Behind his back. Between his legs. Between your legs.
Bowling center opens in Ascension; movie theater on the way
Ascension Parish's first bowling alley, Premier Lanes Entertainment Center, opened for business Sunday to packed crowds. "It was like Disney," says Charlene Ourso, a marketing manager for Malco Bowling Division. "We had lines out to the door. We had waiting lists." Home to more than two dozen lanes, the complex on Airline Highway in Gonzales also includes an arcade, a café and lounge, and eventually, if everything goes according to plan, a movie theater. The company plans to break ground on the theater by fall 2013, with an opening possible before the end of the year. No decision has been made on the number of movie screens that may be included. Malco, which is based in Memphis, owns other bowling alleys, including Circle Bowl and Metro Bowl in Baton Rouge, and more than 300 theaters. But the Ascension Parish complex could be the first of Malco's to have both a bowling alley and movie theater, Ourso says. —David Jacobs
B.R. bike activists reaching out to businesses
Newly re-branded as Bike Baton Rouge, the nonprofit formerly known as Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets hopes to make 2013 a turning point for cycling in the capital city. Part of that effort, says board member Beaux Jones, is a program that recognizes and promotes bike-friendly businesses and business districts. "When people can walk and bike in between the stores, rather than get on the interstate and drive, it's good for business," he says. It's a way to thank businesses that encourage biking for their customers and workers in various ways, from putting out bike racks to providing showers for employees. "We want to encourage businesses and merchant associations to get together and say, 'As a group, we want to support cycling and alternative means of transportation,'" Jones says. Promising areas could be LSU's North Gates, the Perkins Road overpass area, Mid City and Capital Heights. The national bicycle commuting rate is a bit less than 1%; and Baton Rouge's rate is roughly...
Sports roundup: Mettenberger wants to get a running start on 2013 in Chick-fil-A Bowl … Hornets find a way to win, but remain woeful … Inconsistent offence, dismal defense mark disappointing 2012 Saints season
Roaring to geaux: LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger says he'll definitely be back in 2013, and he's looking to use Monday's Chick-fil-A Bowl game against Clemson as a springboard for a national title run next season, The Times-Picayune reports. "Just want to get a win by any means and send these seniors out on a positive note," Mettenberger says of his first bowl game as a starter. "We have a lot coming back on offense and we want to keep the momentum going that we've built up the last four games." The full story is here.
Plenty of Chick-fil-A Bowl tickets available; T-shirt sales slow
As of this afternoon, about 6,000 of the 16,000 Chick-fil-A Bowl tickets allotted to LSU for Monday's game remained available, says LSU Sports Information Director Michael Bonnette. "We're hoping that as we get closer to game day people will change their minds and find their way to the game," says Bonnette, who arrived in Atlanta with the team on Wednesday. "There's a huge LSU alumni base here, so we're hopeful all of those remaining tickets will be sold." On the other side of the field, there also appears to be plenty of tickets available for Clemson fans. Based on a quick search of tickets via the Clemson ticketing website, dozens of lower level seats can be had as near as 16 rows off the field. Regarding demand for bowl-related LSU Tigers T-shirts, College District owner Jared Loftus says it has been "real lackluster." "LSU has been so fortunate in recent years as far as bowl games, and I think there's also a little stigma about any games that get played before Jan. 1. And even...
Sports roundup: Miles confirms Wing suspension for Chick-fil-A Bowl … Hornets, NBA have reportedly registered 5 trademarks for possible new team names … AP investigation: Steroid use in college football a greater problem than officials claim
Plucked from the roster: Les Miles today confirmed reports that punter Brad Wing is suspended for the Dec. 31 Chick-fil-A Bowl against Clemson, saying the suspension stemmed from a violation of team rules. Wing, a sophomore from Melbourne, Australia, will be replaced in the lineup by freshman Jamie Keehn. Tiger Rag is reporting that a source in the athletic department says the suspension is related to a failed drug test—adding that a failed drug test was also the reason for Wing's sitting out this season's home opener against North Texas.
LSU holds steady at No. 4 on 'Forbes' list of most valuable college football teams
For the second year in a row, Forbes has ranked the LSU football team No. 4 in its annual list of the nation's most valuable college football teams. LSU jumped three spots on last year's list to No. 4; this year's report says the team is worth more money than a year ago, though its ranking is unchanged. At $102 million, LSU's value rose 6% since last year's $96 million valuation in the report. Placed behind Texas ($133 million), Michigan ($120 million) and Notre Dame ($103 million), LSU is the most highly ranked SEC team. "LSU remains the SEC's most valuable team, which is quite the feat considering that the conference holds seven of the top ten spots," reads the report. "The Tigers may have lost last year's national championship to Alabama, but going to the game as the SEC's first team to a BCS bowl earned the conference more than $22 million." See a slideshow of the rankings here; and...
LSU's tuba-playing center garnering national attention
Many LSU sports fans in Baton Rouge are already familiar with the brass-to-basketball story of 7-foot-3 Andrew Del Piero, who began his time in Baton Rouge as a scholarship tuba player with the Golden Band from Tigerland and has since become a scholarship athlete. Now the national press is beginning to take notice of his incredible story, too. On Sunday, The New York Times included a lengthy feature story on Del Piero, who played a total of 12 minutes all season last year but has taken on a more significant role on the team this year—starting several games at center. The Austin, Texas-native—who attended Westlake High School, which is also Drew Brees' alma mater—tells The New York Times that he began feeling pressure to try out for the Tigers basketball team shortly after arriving in Baton Rouge in 2009. "On game days here, it kind of turned into a big deal," says Del Piero, who played one season of admittedly unsuccessful basketball in high school and...
Obama calls for 'meaningful action' after Connecticut school shooting
A visibly moved President Barack Obama told reporters today that he grieved about the massacre at a Connecticut elementary school as a parent first and promised action to prevent such tragedies again, without specifying what that might be. Speaking on behalf of the nation, Obama said, "Our hearts are broken today." The scene in the White House briefing room was one of the most outwardly emotional moments of his presidency. "The majority of those who died were children—beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old," Obama said. He paused, then and later in the talk, for several seconds to keep his composure and wipe an eye. Nearby, two aides cried and held hands as they listened to the president. A gunman opened fire inside an elementary school where his mother worked, killing at least 26 people, including 20 children. The shooter blasted his way through the building as young students cowered helplessly or were gunned down.
Sports roundup: Goodell begins reinstatement talks with Payton … Finney to Benson: Don't mess with New Orleans Pelicans history … Rhymes, Katz named baseball preseason all-Americans
Audible: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says his office has communicated with suspended New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton about his eventual reinstatement, and Goodell did not eliminate the possibility of Payton's rejoining the franchise before the Super Bowl, though it's highly unlikely the Saints will be in the game. Payton would like an adjustment on the suspension so it would end at the conclusion of the regular season as opposed to after the Super Bowl, a source close to the coach tells ESPN, which has the full story here.
During times of steep cuts at LSU, Miles may get 9% pay raise
The LSU Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on—and likely approve—a pay raise of more than 9% for head football coach Les Miles, one of its members tells The Times-Picayune. And that offers a new slant on an age-old debate: Does a high salary for a football coach send the wrong message about an institution whose mission is education and which is currently facing significant fiscal challenges? Stanley Jacobs, a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors and former president of the Tiger Athletic Foundation, the team's primary booster organization, says that he expects Miles' salary to approach $4.2 million after negotiations are complete—and Miles is worth the money, he adds. But this pay hike is set against a backdrop of severe budget cuts for the state's flagship university, which has resulted in faculty layoffs and a reduction in some services. "It's unfortunate it's coming along at this moment," Kevin Cope, LSU faculty senate president, says of Miles' new...
Tagliabue overturns NFL player suspensions in bounty case
Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue today overturned the suspensions of four current and former New Orleans Saints players in the league's bounty investigation of the club. However, Tagliabue found that three of the players engaged in conduct detrimental to the league. He says they participated in a performance pool that rewarded key plays, including hard tackles, that could merit fines; and he stressed that the team's coaches were very much involved. Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma had been given a full-season suspension, while defensive end Will Smith, Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita, and free agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove each received shorter suspensions. Fujita is the only player cleared of conduct detrimental to the league by Tagliabue. None of the players sat out any games because of suspensions. They have been allowed to play while appeals are pending, though Fujita is on injured reserve and Hargrove is not with a team. Tagliabue was appointed by his...
News alert: Tagliabue vacates all discipline against NFL players in bounty case
The NFL says Paul Tagliabue has vacated all discipline against players in New Orleans Saints bounty case. Daily Report PM will have further details.
B.R. a second option for Super Bowl attendees looking for lodging
Super Bowl XLVII will be played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, but the Baton Rouge Lodging Association and Visit Baton Rouge are anticipating an overflow of fans as New Orleans hotels will surely run out of vacancies. Gary Jupiter, president of the Lodging Association, says he has no doubt that fans will be booking rooms in Baton Rouge, "but we're still in a wait-and-see mode." Jupiter figures it won't be until after the NFL's NFC and AFC championship games are played on Jan. 20—and the Super Bowl teams are solidified—that the Capital Region will begin seeing hotel bookings by fans from around the country. Some Baton Rouge hotels will be offering travel options—public and private—for guests traveling to New Orleans for the big game. The city's tourism promoter is anticipating that the three Mardi Gras parades rolling in downtown New Orleans over the Super Bowl weekend—Krewe of Artemis, Krewe of Mystique and Krewe of Orion—will likewise be a big...
Sports roundup: Brees says 5 interceptions last week don't diminish his confidence going into New York … Goodell raises possibility of doing away with kickoffs … Wisconsin goes old-school and picks Alvarez to coach in the Rose Bowl
Fixing on fixes: In his conference call with the New York media on Wednesday in advance of Sunday's game against the Giants, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he has shaken off last week's miserable five-interception performance against the Atlanta Falcons. "Everything that happened is correctable, and I can fix it," Brees says. "Also know this: I'm not losing any confidence." The New York Daily News has the full story here.
For women only
Register for the gulf south's first major running event exclusively for women, complete with a wellness boutique and post-race party.
Sports roundup: Mathieu entering NFL draft … Bama fan gets two years after pleading guilty to assaulting LSU fan … ATL probing egg-throwing incident with Saints' bus
Looking up: Former LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu announced today his plan to enter the next NFL draft. In a statement announcing the decision, Mathieu says, "It is time for me to move forward." Mathieu thanked his parents and LSU coach Les Miles in his statement, as well as his former Tiger teammates. "I am sorry that I was not able to complete my journey at LSU, but I will always support LSU in any way I can. To my teammates, you are my brothers. You have kept me going. I will do my best to make you all proud of me," he says. ESPN has the full story here.
Mathieu says he's entering NFL draft
Tyrann Mathieu says today he is entering the next NFL draft. The former LSU defensive back, who was dismissed from the team prior to the first game of the season, says "it is time for me to move forward." Mathieu released a statement thanking his parents and coach Les Miles, as well as his former LSU teammates. "I am sorry that I was not able to complete my journey at LSU, but I will always support LSU in any way I can. To my teammates, you are my brothers. You have kept me going. I will do my best to make you all proud of me," he said. Mathieu, who earned the moniker "Honey Badger" for his plucky playmaking ability, was a Heisman Trophy finalist last season. But the 20-year-old was dismissed for failing a drug test in August, and last month he was arrested on a charge of possession of marijuana. "I am committed to tackling my personal issues and will work to better myself every day as a man first and only then as a football player. I will always consider myself an LSU Tiger," he...
Miles getting pay raise and contract extension to remain a Tiger 'for the next seven years'
One day after news broke that Arkansas was offering LSU coach Les Miles a five-year, $27.5 million deal to become a Razorback, LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva says Miles will receive an increase in salary and a contract extension "for the next seven years" following LSU's bowl appearance this year. "The Arkansas situation was a sincere one," says Miles, who addressed the issue at a 3 p.m. press conference. "Our conversations were very preliminary and fell short of any real interest." LSU says its intent was to address his salary following this year's bowl game, but Arkansas' interest spurred the negotiation process. Miles makes $3,856,417 a year, according to a Nov. 20 report by USA Today. "Les has not received a pay increase since his salary was automatically elevated following our national championship...
Tulane leaving C-USA, joining Big East in 2014
Tulane is joining the Big East as a full member in 2014, university officials announced at a press conference this afternoon. "I would go as far to say as this is a historic day for Tulane University. … The Big East is coming to the Big Easy," school President Scott Cowen says. East Carolina will also join the rebuilding Big East for football only in 2014, a person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity today because neither the conference nor East Carolina was prepared to make an official announcement. East Carolina, located in Greenville, N.C., has a news conference scheduled for later this afternoon. Tulane and East Carolina currently play in Conference USA. They will become the fifth and sixth C-USA schools, respectively, to join the Big East in the last two years. The full story is available
News alert: Tulane reportedly joining Big East
Multiple media sources are reporting that Tulane will join the Big East conference in all sports beginning in 2014. ESPN, CBS and The Times-Picayune, among others, report that Tulane is holding a press conference at 1 p.m., at which sources say the university will formally announce the move. The university has yet to confirm or deny any realignment reports. Tulane currently competes in the Conference USA.
Tagliabue expects to rule on bounties by Dec. 4
Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has advised league officials and players implicated in the NFL's bounty probe that he plans to complete all hearings by Dec. 4 and make a ruling shortly thereafter. In a document obtained today by The Associated Press, Tagliabue directs the NFL to produce key witnesses in the New Orleans Saints cash-for-hits program, including former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and former defensive assistant Mike Cerullo. Four players initially were suspended, but those punishments were vacated and Tagliabue was appointed to oversee new hearings. Meanwhile, Saints linebacker Jon Vilma and defensive end Will Smith are still playing. Even as Tagliabue moves the process forward, a federal judge is considering arguments by players that Tagliabue should be removed as arbitrator because he is biased in favor of the NFL. Based on the schedule laid out by Tagliabue, U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan could choose to rule as early as next week. For now,...
Map the route
I love maps. I used to ride shotgun with my dad on road trips, a huge map spread out before me, giving him directions while the rest of the family slept in the back seats. I especially love the hyper-local and crowd-sourced maps that have been popping up all over the Internet these days, the customizable kind that make it easier for residents to find points of interest in their communities or alert neighbors to important things nearby. It seems like the cycling community has latched on to this trend most of all.
Report: Miles is 5th-highest paid coach in college football
Six years ago, 42 major college football coaches made at least $1 million. Today, as USA Today reports, 42 coaches make at least $2 million. LSU coach Les Miles, by the newspaper's count, is the fifth-highest compensated coach in college football, making $3,856,417 in base salary and bonuses. Alabama coach Nick Saban is the highest paid coach on the list, at just under $5.5 million. The average annual salary for head coaches at major colleges (not including four schools that moved up to the Football Bowl Subdivision this season) is $1.64 million, up nearly 12% over last season and more than 70% since 2006, when USA Today began tracking coaches' compensation. Coaches' pay has even outpaced the pay of corporate executives, who have drawn the ire of Congress and the public because of their staggering compensation packages. Between 2007 and 2011, CEO pay—including salary, stock option value, bonuses and other pay—rose 23%, according to Equilar, an executive...
LSU forced to vacate women's 2012 NCAA Outdoor track title
The LSU Women's Track and Field team will be required to vacate its 2012 NCAA Outdoor team championship because of a student-athlete's use of a stimulant banned by the NCAA—but which LSU notes is commonly found in over-the-counter nutritional supplements—the university has announced. LSU senior sprinter Semoy Hackett tested positive for the NCAA banned stimulant Methylhexaneamine during the championship meet. It is a stimulant that was identified on the NCAA's published list of banned substances beginning in the 2011-12 athletic season. "I want to express my apologies to my coaches, my teammates, LSU and our fans. Although this was unintentional, I'm deeply sorry this will have such a negative impact on my team and LSU," Hackett says in a prepared statement released by LSU. NCAA rules require any team that competes with an ineligible athlete to forfeit any championships won. LSU is required to return the team trophy it received, and the individual members of the winning...
LSU board to hold do-over vote for leadership consolidation
The LSU Board of Supervisors apparently was a little too hasty in October when it voted to consolidate the top two leadership positions, so it’s going to try again next month. The board unanimously agreed at its October meeting to merge the jobs of LSU System president and flagship chancellor after hearing a presentation from a consultant that had been asked to study the issue. A vote on the merger was not listed on the board's agenda, and critics say the board was in a rush to follow the will of Gov. Bobby Jindal and didn’t allow a full public vetting of the concept. Kevin Cope, president of the LSU faculty senate, filed a complaint with the Attorney General's Office alleging a violation of Louisiana's open meetings law, and the AG’s office says it has "serious concerns regarding the board’s compliance with the notice provisions." "Since the LSU board does not want there to be any question about this important action, we will reconsider and take action on...
Sports roundup: The real LSU offense finally arrives … Overlooked Ivory a very pleasant surprise for the Saints—again … Pro Bowl fan voting for Saints sluggish thus far
Firing on all cylinders: The more LSU film Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze watches, the more he shakes his head. As ESPN reports, what he has seen in preparation for Saturday’s game is nothing like what he caught glimpses of for most of the season. In the past two weeks, the LSU offense has finally looked like it was supposed to all season. The Tigers racked up 435 yards on Alabama two weeks ago before registering 30 offensive points and nearly 400 yards on Mississippi State. "I wish they had waited until after our game to become good at it," Freeze says. Check out the full story here.
N.O. creating new streetcar line for Super Bowl XLVII
With the Super Bowl less than three months away, New Orleans is rushing to lay streetcar tracks through one of its busiest corridors to connect by trolley the Louisiana Superdome and the French Quarter. The Big Easy—which will be the site of the big game Feb. 3—is no stranger to Super Bowls. In the 47 years of game's history, this is the 10th time New Orleans is slated to play host. But this will be the city's first Super Bowl since Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. The snarled traffic, construction crews and flying dust along Loyola Avenue where the new streetcar line is being laid reflect the frantic pace of preparations for the Super Bowl. Streets are being repaved in the French Quarter; the airport is undergoing a major renovation; and crews are fixing sidewalks, streetlights and potholes. For many locals, the new streetcar is viewed as more than a show of Super Bowl pizzazz. "For anybody who's trying to cut down on gas, walk out their front door, go a few...
Sports roundup: USC denies knowledge of ball deflation for Ducks game … Petrino wants back into the SEC, but does the league want him? … Bryant's frustration visible during each Lakers' loss
Passing game tactic: USC coach Lane Kiffin and players say they had no knowledge of a student manager deflating footballs for the Trojans' offense—the practice is generally believed to make the pass-and-catch game easier—in their defeat to Oregon last week. To read the latest updates, click here.