June 5, 2014
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 Central HS rising senior football players Terrell Chatman, Kevin Henry, Tyler Sansone and Shane Smith. The sponsor of the week is scheduled to be Kaleb Saucer with Chick-fil-A.
BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
Thursday, June 5: 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:
Saturday, June 7: 9AM—10AM: All Things Football with Scott Holtzman
Monday, June 9: 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
As bad as the last two days of the LSU baseball season was, I still take college baseball over MLB any day and I will tell you why.
Just look at the foolishness between the Red Sox and Rays over the last two weeks. The whole dust up started because the Red Sox believed the Rays broke an “unwritten” rule. I hate MLB’s “unwritten” rules because most of them are nothing more than a gentlemen’s agreement for not always playing hard. The others are all about ego.
The feud continued when David Price hit David Ortiz as payback for the Red Sox complaining that the Rays played hard the whole game. The umpire gave Price a warning, and warned both teams. Here is how worthless an action that is for the umpire. When Price hit a Red Sox batter later in the game, Price was not thrown out and was not suspended because it didn’t look intentional.
So for the record, hitting David Ortiz looked intentional enough for the umpire to warn everyone. Price hit another batter. Price was not ejected or disciplined by MLB. Red Sox pitcher Brandon Workman threw behind a Red Sox batter and Workman was ejected and suspended 6 games. The moral of the story is that in MLB baseball just be the first to throw at the other team and there is no consequence.
If I was in charge I would implement the following rules immediately:
1. Add teeth to the warning after a pitcher intentionally throws at a batter by making the ejection automatic on the next hit batter. I can hear people saying, “But what if he didn’t do it on purpose!” My answer is an even louder, “Then he should NOT have thrown at a batter!” There should be a consequence for throwing at the batter. The pitcher should lose the right to throw inside without risking being ejected from the game. If the pitcher wants to throw inside without risk of ejection, then he should not throw at a batter. I am being more than fair since the batter has no recourse, especially in the American League where there is a DH.
2. If the pitcher is so big and tough, then stop allowing the benches to clear and make him stand behind his actions. The NBA and NFL do not have bench clearing brawls and their games are more physical. High school baseball has the rule that you get thrown out if you leave the dugout or your position. Let the batter go after the pitcher. If the batter brings his bat or helmet then he gets a 50 game suspension. Other than that, let the best man win the fight. I bet you anything, pitchers wouldn’t throw at hitters anymore because they don’t have their whole team rushing to their side.
It is with the background of MLB, that I can look at the two day collapse that led to the end of LSU’s baseball season with an appreciation for how hard LSU competed throughout this season.
You can count me in the number of LSU fans that wish Mainieri would have left Bouman in the game longer or went to Broussard much sooner. I am very confident LSU would be playing Texas at home this weekend had either happened. Where I veer away from that crowd is what those decisions mean about Coach Mainieri.
As I said all season, the LSU coach’s margin for error was razor thin. The pitching staff was depleted and returning position players were dreadful the first half of the season. The lineup was rarely the same, there wasn’t a Sunday starter, and LSU still won 46 games and the SEC Tournament. I agree with Skip Bertman that Mainieri pushed all the right buttons this year. Had Mainieri not made so many quality decisions, LSU could have been left out of the SEC and NCAA Tournament all together because the SEC was so tightly packed.
Speaking of the SEC, their postseason performance reminds me of a question I posed earlier in the season when the entire league seemed to be within 3 games of each other. It was my hypothesis that the league was deep and balanced, but lacked really good teams. The post season appears to have supported that theory.
At the same time, the overall trend of the entire season cannot be ignored. The trend I am referring is the disappointing results from teams with great pitching. Just look around.
Cal State Fullerton had two great returning starting pitchers, and finished 2nd in the country in ERA. Yet they had to get hot late just to make the tournament and then gave up a load of runs in Stillwater.
Oregon State had three talented and experienced starting pitchers and finished 5th in ERA. They were the #1 national seed and yet their season is over.
Indiana finished 7th in ERA and lost their last two games to Stanford. South Carolina finished 9th in ERA and had a 28 game win streak at home in NCAA Tournament play. Yet, the Gamecocks season is over and it is because their pitching faltered.
North Carolina State had potentially the most dominant pitcher (Carlos Rodon) and one of the best position players yet did not even make the post season.
Of course, Florida and Florida State could not win a game in their own regionals.
So what does it all mean? Nothing. It is just one of those years. Hopefully, next year the Tigers returning position players have career years, the pitching staff stays healthy, and the Tigers make it back to Omaha. For that to happen, as always, the LSU coaches will need a little good luck starting this week with the MLB draft.
HEY REF
Please someone explain to me just where will Alabama (any school for that matter) come up with all the extra millions of dollars the University is on the hook for to pay “Little Nicky”? As many of my loyal readers are well aware of I believe that colleges should be in the business of educating the future so called leaders of our country and not to shuck out these astronomical salaries to coaches.
Am I the only one wanting answers as to not just “where” but also “how” is a PUBLIC university going to increase its “outgoing funds” by millions of dollars without a LOAN coming from the TAXPAYERS? I’m confused as to the situation that continues to haunt just about every state’s legislature in finding ways to keep the state they dwell in solvent.
Seems 50 out of 50 states are running aground because of very limited resources (tax dollars) in which to operate. I’m talking about useless things such as medical care for seniors, meals for the poor, shelter for those that have been foreclosed on, parents that can’t afford tuition now much less an increase that’s surely to follow, etc. You know things that don’t matter unless you happen to be without a job, healthcare, groceries or money to be able to pay for water and electricity.
But what really happens when these already overpaid individuals get even more over paid? Simple; someone has to go without. Usually that means professors won’t be getting a well needed raise, the walls in classrooms don’t get a fresh coat of paint, roofs continue to leak and fall down, many university roads won’t have pot-holes repaired, security can’t hire more officers to keep campuses safe and the list goes on and on.
But in the end Saban’s hefty new contract will cost everyone even those like me that can’t afford to watch a game inside the stadium. In fact it’s now to the point where “free” TV will not be broadcasting many of those intense SEC rivalries because they are going to “Pay Per View” or package deals with Turner, Direct TV and ESPN.
Nick’s new contract will pay him $6.5 MILLION a year in base salary with bonuses for doing a GOOD JOB! Are you kidding me, a bonus if he does a good job? Shouldn’t there be a flip side to this coin? I favor something along the lines of taking away raises and bonuses for doing a lousy job. When all is said and done his new package is a seven figure raise from the eight year one he signed in 2012. Only two years ago he signed on the dotted line and still had six years to go on that 2012 contract. Yet some in Bama feared Nicky would jump ship and head out west where UCLA could use his talents and contend for the National Title.
My train of thought is why don’t we replace our Legislatures with coaches and hope they can turn around the country instead of something more important like a football program. At the crux of all this madness fans WILL pay more for parking, meals, drinks, souvenirs and of course tickets. Many schools like LSU extort season ticket holders a fee of a few hundred dollars to of all things have the glory of being on a preferred list of applicants to view sporting contests in the friendly confines of Tiger Stadium.
No doubt Alabama is doing the same and will be pumping up prices to keep their priorities where they need to be; on a select few employees while abandoning the majority. Saban’s entire staff is also being “rewarded” by raises of a few thousand to many thousands that also have to be funded by higher prices for fans and taxpayers alike. No, this isn’t something unique in Alabama but a sad national trend and one that will not be affected by my complaints but at least I’m on record saying that those funds should be spent in other more demanding areas that benefit the overall university.
At least I can sleep at night not having to wonder how I’ll pay these obscene salaries. The saddest thing though is Nicky and more like him will take as much as possible and not miss a single minute of sleep…
Till 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 “Who am I” speaker is Trey Sanders. Trey is our most dedicated Rotarian as he volunteered his time before he was even a member and then could be found at the George Smith house the day after he returned from a cruise! However, there is a mysterious side to Trey
He is REALLY quite! I want to know more about this quite man and I bet you do to. Better get to Rotary on Friday!
Last week’s meeting:
• Our club honored Marshall Jerry Denton and Tommy L. Sanders, Assistance Fire Chief. These two outstanding citizens have shown through their actions and their words why they encompass “Service Above Self” and justly deserve the award. Congratulations to our 2014 Service Above Self award winners!
• 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 is done!
Upcoming Events/Projects:
• Redneck Regatta 6/7
• Currently selling raffle tickets. Sell! Sell! Sell!
• Wine Tasting 7/25
Note from the President:
• May is Rotary Fellowship month. How many fellowships are there? Is there any fellowship that might interest me? How do I get involved? I bet this month we will be able to answer all of those questions and more!
Guest Speakers and General Membership Meeting Dates:
• June 13 – Guest Speaker, Bobby Fletcher
• June 20 – Who Am I, Mr. Joshi
• June 27 – Officer Induction Ceremony
• July 11 – Guest Speaker, Casie McMurray
• July 25 – Guest Speaker, Public Service Commissioner
• Aug 8 – Guest Speaker, Livingston Parish Arts Council
Brags:
• Beer, Bands, and BBQ will be held on June 5th from 5:30 – 8pm at the Rural Life Museum in Baton Rouge. Please get your tickets today to support our fellow Rotarians and their projects!
• Leesha Gleber announced the Redneck Regatta has been moved to June 7th. All the same fun and festivities shall go on!
• Keith Stark’s son played in the alumni football game this past weekend. I don’t know who won, Walker or Denham but I’m certain a good time was had by all!
• Jon Fine and Glenn Webster have been practicing their Fred Aster moves. Maybe there is a dance contest in our future?
Members:
• 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.