May 8, 2014
THIRD ROUND FOR BUCS
The top seeded (Lake Charles) Barbe HS Bucs have advanced to the third round of the 5A state playoffs. They’ll host (Baton Rouge) Catholic HS in a best of 3 series. You can catch all of the action on SportsRadio-1310-KEZM-Lake Charles and on the Internet at KEZMOnLine.com. Broadcasts times are 5:50pm, Friday for Game 1
12:50pm Saturday for Game 2… and, if there is a third game, the broadcast time is slated for 3:50pm Saturday.
CENTRAL’S WEEKLY SPORTS SHOW
The Central Sports & Business Report airs tonight, 5:30pm—6:30pm, broadcasting live from Johnny’s Pizza House, Wax Road, in Central, on WPFC, 1550AM, Baton Rouge and on the Internet at JonFineProductions.com. Host Steve Johnson will be joined by Central HS Baseball coach Mike Forbes and 2 players, Central Private Girls Basketball coach Michelle Yawn and Counselor Stephanie Boudreaux. The Sponsor of The Week is Christine Guillaume of NAPA in Central. Christine is not only the co-owner of NAPA, but is one of the great supporters of our Central programming, often appearing at our programming. THANK YOU CHRISTINE!!
BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
Thursday, May 8: 5:30pm—6:30pm… with Steve Johnson … broadcasting live from Johnny’s Pizza House in Central
WPFC, 1550AM, BR
Internet: JonFineProductions.com
SportsRadio 1310 Radio, Lake Charles Programming of Interest (also heard on KEZMOnLine.com:
Friday, May 9: 5:50PM: Barbe HS vs Catholic HS Baseball Playoffs
Game 1
Saturday, May 10: 9AM—10AM: All Things Football with Scott Holtzman
Saturday, May 11: 12:50PM: Barbe HS vs Catholic HS Baseball Playoffs
Game 2
3:50PM: Barbe HS vs Catholic HS Baseball Playoffs
Game 3 (if necessary)
Monday, May 12: 8AM—10AM: The Locker Room with John Goodman and Jim Gazzolo
WE THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR UTMOST TO PATRONIZE SPONSORS OF OUR PROGRAMMING. THIS HELPS US TREMENDOUSLY IN SUSTAINING OUR WEEKLY LINE-UP AND WILL ASSIST US IN ADDING MORE PROGRAMS IN THE FUTURE. KINDLY MAKE AN EFFORT TO LET SPONSORS KNOW YOU HEARD THEIR BUSINESS MENTIONED ON OUR BROADCAST(S).
THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High School
Who Dat! It is draft week (finally!) and I am feeling good about the Saints position. I also feel as though I have a good sense of the direction the Saints will go in this draft.
As with other years, the Saints will pick the best player available. Within that philosophy, I think they are hoping the best player available will be an offensive player when they select. The defense went from old and awful to young and pretty good in a year. I assure you that Sean Payton didn’t enjoy having his offense shut down so often last year, and the offense has gotten pretty old. As a result, Lance Moore and Darren Sproles have moved on to other teams.
The expectation is for offensive players to fly off the board in the early portion of the draft. Therefore, I expect there to be a number of defensive players that the Saints have graded highly to still be available at the end of round one.
But, as the draft progresses, the Saints are going to be looking to add depth to the offensive line (Grubbs, Strief, and Evans are in the back side of their prime) and athleticism to the skill positions.
As many Saints are fully aware, the strength of the 53 man roster will be in the ability of the 45th to 53rd best players to contribute. Loomis and Payton have been extraordinary in selecting and developing those players from Pierre Thomas to Khiry Robinson to Junior Gallette. Consequently, I am just excited to see what happens the 24 hours after the draft as I am about the first round.
Wrapping up with LSU baseball, the series against A&M showed just how slim the margin of error is for LSU. The bullpen has to be almost perfect because the offense just cannot produce runs consistently. Bad base running and situational hitting are a terrible combination for a team lacking consistent RBI production.
What I am about to say is the fan side of me coming out. I am almost glad to see Joe Broussard have a tough weekend. It is almost impossible to go an entire year as a closer and not blow a game or two. He has been so good that I wouldn’t want to go into the post season thinking that he had to have a tough stretch at some time. As a now aging Tiger fan, I can remember Rick Greene having a rough stretch in 1991. It happens and is okay as long as the closer is money in the post season.
As I have referenced at many times this year, the season is playing out pretty well for the Tigers. The parity in baseball has made the regular season about positioning. Vanderbilt and LSU had record setting regular seasons last year that meant nothing in the post season.
LSU has yet to play their best and are in great position if they can put together a great weekend at home against Bama. Hopefully, the weather holds off and the crowds show up with a healthy pitching staff and a focused ball club.
HEY REF
Expansion; love it or hate it, it’s coming to a conference near you. Some sooner rather than later but it’s coming. Once arch enemies are now being courted in the hopes of fattening the bottom line. It makes good business sense, in some cases, where the only other option is to cut scholarships and/or lay off university employees.
What was once the Big 10 for example morphed into the Big 12, the Pac 10 also increased its membership. Even after the SEC’s most recent addition of Texas A&M and Missouri they may be considering adding two more schools. I’m praying that the football gods will consider one thing above all else; “Will expansion make the SEC (or any other conference) better”? No amount of money will substitute for a slight decrease in the quality of football we now enjoy and have enjoyed for nearly thirty years.
I applaud the efforts of the SEC presidents to bring in some big guns and also the way in which they’re going about it. Two words; simple and brilliant. Their efforts show they’re thinking of more than just dollar bills. If they’d acted earlier and with a better offer Florida State would’ve been a better place to play instead of Missouri, well at least from this fan’s point of view. Games involving the Seminoles would be an absolute big hit not just on the field but where it matters most; the bottom line.
This writer won’t be shocked or surprised that in just a few short years we’ll hear an official announcement that the SEC will be expanding to who knows, maybe 16 or 18 teams? Now, PLEASE don’t anyone start jumping off cliffs anytime soon. Everybody calm down, I want every SEC fan to take a well-deserved deep breath. SEC fans shouldn’t lose any sleep because the number one thing that seems to be the driving factor in these expansion talks is keeping the product on the field everybody’s top priority.
As university presidents are wrestling with expansion and growing the amount of monies to be divided among the greedy I’m still hoping to see the day when all athletes are properly compensated for their efforts both on and off their respective playing fields. The heat is on as the head of the NCAA former LSU resident; Mark Emmert is now claiming the need to increase scholarship payments.
OH, BOY what will his new ideas do? I’ll tell you; they’ll only put more money into the coffers of each school and not in the bank accounts of players and their families. These kids and respective families are overwhelmed with the actual costs associated with “paid” tuition. And as I’ve written in more than one column; today’s athletic scholarships are good for ONLY ONE YEAR!! Please tell me that this isn’t “news” to you… …
The days of four year paid educations are long gone, never to be seen again. We see it more and more often where players are forced to sell off memorabilia in an effort to make ends meet. The case that has brought the most attention is that of Ohio State. We should be teaching these kids how to earn not just hope they can stay inside the rules.
The universities are doing an immense disservice to their students by not making them balance checkbooks and pay taxes. Something they’ll need once they’ve left school. Life’s lessons should be the number one thing taught at all schools and by ignoring the needs of student-athletes they are doomed to failure.
Instead of trying to get more teams on the schedules colleges should be working to prepare all of its students for the real world not the one the NCAA pretends exists… …
Til next week…
The Rotary Club of Livingston Parish
Rotary Bull
By Ivy Graham
“Service Above Self”
Please visit our website at www.rotaryclublp.org.
This week’s meeting:
• This week’s meeting will be held at Big Mike’s. Fellowship begins at 11:30. The meeting is from 12:00-1:00. This week’s guest speaker is Randy Rogers with LEDC. The LEDC has all the scope with regards to businesses interested in the parish, businesses expanding into the parish, and other general business develop “stuff.” Did I mention he is easy to talk to as well? All of this means our meeting this week will be educational and relaxing. You don’t want to miss it!
Last week’s meeting:
• My, my, my… what can be said about Joey McClendon? First, he made partner which makes the whole club look better. Second, he wins with no competition as the best PowerPoint presentation! Third, he brought candy Fourth, he’s not a cowboy. Fifth, he appreciates the journey that is life which makes him a down to earth guy. Glad to have you as a member Mr. McClendon!
• Our club has a brag jar. Better bring your dollars folks!
• Supply list for animal shelter was distributed. We need a builder!!!
• Veteran’s house almost done!
Upcoming Events/Projects:
• District Assembly May 17th
• Choices
• Service Above Self Award May 30th
Note from the President:
• May is District 6200 month. What is District 6200? That is the district our club is organized under with Rotary International. Did you know we are in one of the top districts in the world? Yes! Yes, we really are an award winning district!
Guest Speakers and General Membership Meeting Dates:
• May 16 – Closed meeting
• May 23 – Guest Speaker,?
• June 13 – Guest Speaker, Bobby Fletcher
• July 11 – Guest Speaker, Casie McMurray
• July 25 – Guest Speaker, Public Service Commissioner
• Aug 8 – Guest Speaker, Livingston Parish Arts Council
Brags:
• Kay Landry wants to invite everyone to ReMax First’s grand opening on May 15th. The fun starts at 3pm.
• The club has donated approximately $600 worth of items to WOW to be sold at their thrift store. We are still cleaning out closets if anyone has more to donate.
Members:
• Get your information turned in to Abigail for the website!
• Work on your SWOT analysis and give your results to Jonathan
PRONTO!!!
• Your quarterly dues have been distributed. Please kindly and timely submit your payment to Lisa Casas.
• Shirts for sale only $7.00 for members. These things are selling like hotcakes!
JON IS PROUD TO WORK AS A MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE FOR SPORTSRADIO-1310-KEZM-LAKE CHARLES, IN ESTABLISHING THE “DOLLAR A HOLLER” MARKETING PROGRAM AND HELPING SELL SULPHUR HS FOOTBALL BROADCASTS AND BARBE HS BASEBALL PLAYOFF BROADCASTS.