July 3, 2014
DRU
DRU
DRU
The first The Dru Nettles Television Show will air Thursday, August 7, 6pm—7pm, on Cox 4, Baton Rouge
The first Denham Springs HS Football radio broadcast will air on Friday, September 5, 6pm, on 1210AM, Baton Rouge and on the net at JonFineProductions.com
If you might be interested in marketing your business on these programs, please contact Jon Fine by responding to this newsletter e-mail.
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 is will be joined by scheduled guests including new Central Private Principal Charles Hoots, Central Private Defensive Coordinator Clark Nocentilli and Central HS Senior Football players Jace Bragg and Anthony Johnson.
FIRST BETSY ROSS
THEN JON FINE PRODUCTIONS
NOW MICHAEL BETTS
Want to help an outstanding man become a District judge? A beautiful red, white and blue sign touting Michael Betts would not only beautify your business or lawn… but would also help support one of the terrific Livingston Parish attorneys, all around good guy and loyal Denham Springs sports broadcast sponsor Michael Betts in his quest for District judge. Plus, you’d be backing an LSU Tiger, as Michael was a baseball player on Skip Bertman’s first team. If you might be interested in helping Michael get out the good word, please call 225 791-7912 and ask to speak to Lori or Haleus Corpus
Good luck Mike!!
BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
Thursday, July 3: 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, July 5: 9AM—10AM: All Things Football with Scott Holtzman
Monday, July 7: 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
By the time you read this, the Jimmy Graham verdict should be known from the arbitrator. Considering the amount of time between the hearing and the decision, I am expecting the unexpected. A decision of wide receiver or tight end should have been quicker than this, consequently, I think he might be creating something that hasn't existed before. Maybe a hybrid position for franchise tags.
Either way, I have the utmost confidence that Mickey Loomis has a plan in place for any scenario. Likewise, I suspect Jimmy Sexton, Graham's agent, has his ducks in a row ready to go as well. As a result, I think a deal will be done less than two weeks from this Thursday.
I am running out of opportunities to talk soccer (once every four years with the World Cup), so I have to give my thoughts on the performance of the US soccer team.
My first thought is that I wish we could have seen this team play with Jozy Altidore. Watching the qualifying matches and the friendlies leading up to the World Cup, I saw a huge difference in the the play of Dempsey and Bradley with Altidore on the pitch.
Losing Altidore would be like the Spurs losing Tim Duncan. Offense is always easier when you have a big guy to dump the ball into whenever needed. Bradley is the point guard of the US and he missed his go to guy in the middle. Meanwhile, Dempsey was forced to play out of his comfort zone. To extend the analogy, it would be like Ginobili playing inside instead of freely roaming the perimeter.
Don't get me wrong, everyone has to deal with injuries and the World Cup tests the depth of the roster. Nevertheless, I would have liked to have seen the difference with Altidore.
My second thought, is that I was right last week. Yes it is hard to admit when I am right. Still, look at the difference in the match against Belgium once the two teams made substitutions. Of course, the game is at this stage is tense no matter what happens. But, the scoring opportunities and action picked up considerably with just a few subs in overtime. Imagine the quality of soccer that would be seen if the teams could make just one or two more substitutions.
My last thought is to point two differences between the US in international soccer and in basketball at this point. USA basketball is able to dictate tempo and style of play while soccer is still at the point of reacting to the opponent in most matches (Altidore being out impacted this area). Second, the ability to bring scoring of the bench when the other team is tired is huge. Offensive depth. USA basketball is able to wear down opponents to some extent. In soccer, you can only make 3 subs, but the great teams have the luxury of bringing in a difference maker of their bench.
I look forward to USA soccer continuing to develop, and take the next step in the World Cup. I keep thinking it will happen when our country finds an athlete that would normally be a track sprinter or a basketball player to choose soccer. The Trindon Holliday of soccer or a 6'7" Kobe Bryant type athlete. Those guys would be fun to watch.
HEY REF
I was asked this past week to reprint a “Best Of” Hey Ref where I was asked about
Well, that would ruin it for those that missed this upcoming edition of a column a friend found very interesting since we just concluded the College World Series and now are just focusing on the professional game. I do hope everyone has a great 4th of July and please don’t drink, text or use your phone and drive!!
So with that said let me thank those that do appreciate some of my words of wisdom and without further ado; here is one of the best, enjoy… …
This past week a good friend of mine “riddled” this question to me: Is it possible for a MLB pitcher to record FOUR strikeouts in a single inning, giving him credit for 28 outs during a nine inning game? Roy Lang, lll probably the premier ring announcer of the MMA world in Louisiana and a diehard baseball fan had me stumped. I gave it some very heavy thought for nearly five minutes then gave him my answer: NO!
I figured after a fifteen year career calling all levels of baseball in this state from little league, high school and semi-pro that I couldn’t be wrong. Well, wrong I was, am, is. I checked with the MLB record book and found out that at least 61 times this has happened. But how, I was still confused on this really being in all the record books.
I mean my entire career I was under the impression you got three strikes before you’re out. Also only three outs per inning making it impossible for anything more than 27 outs to be recorded in an official game. Well, there is your KEY word: RECORDED! The pitcher IS credited with the fourth out of the inning ONLY in the statistics but not as part of the OFFICIAL game… …
He’s right because in today’s world of multi-million dollar contracts the only thing that agents can rely on when negotiating any new deal for their client is his stats. So the pitchers wanting credit for every out got this written into the record books. His next question was even more confusing; does a batter get credit for all runs scored after the game ends?
This is the example: home team down by one run, bases loaded, bottom of the ninth and the ball is hit out of the park. And yes we as umpires end the game when at least one more run is scored by the home team BUT the batter is credited with four RBI’s not just the two that won them the game. I answered that since the game (officially) ended with the two runs being scored that no he didn’t get the two extra RBI’s. And again, I was wrong but educated that according to the keeper of the books that the batter gets all four runs!
With all that I figured I’d try and riddle him one better so I asked “Does a TIE go to the runner”? I was just waiting for his answer because it’s one of those things you hear all the time at just about every game. Of course the answer is NO!! There are ONLY two things a runner can be: out or safe. No debate, no thinking about it that’s the only thing in the rule book.
But here’s why I’m bringing this up, another baseball umpire chimed in that if it were the home team’s runner then he gives a safe call. I’m just siting a little numb when he explains that he doesn’t want the home crowd being upset with him. WHAT, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? If there are any umpires out there that call their games this way do everybody a favor and QUIT immediately!!!
You are doing a huge disservice not only to the teams but to the game itself. I was and am truly horrified that someone calling balls and strikes would admit to giving any credit to either team just to keep the crowd from booing him. Umpiring is an extremely tough job and if you’re considering whose at bat and then alter your calls accordingly then it’s just 1,000% WRONG!!
Anyone considering getting behind the plate or on the field can only call the game one way and that is straight down the middle. NEVER give a player or team any benefit of the doubt. Either you saw the play this way or the other but to say that you give the home team an advantage is something that never should be allowed. As an umpire I can tell you I’ve made numerous mistakes in some games. I’ve missed calls that weren’t close but I’ve never thought to myself; well that’s a home runner so he’s safe.
You can only call ‘em like you see ‘em. Not the way you want it to be but how you saw it. Be a man and suck it up when you “blow” one. It’s going to happen; you can never call a perfect game. The best advice I ever got from an old timer was “if you think you’ve called a perfect game; RETIRE! Cause you’ll never call two perfect games”. We strive to be perfect but we aren’t so admit when you’ve flat out missed the call.
The coaches from both dugouts will respect you more if you admit you’re wrong. It’s part of life, it’s part of the game. Work harder to reduce your mistakes but don’t add to the pressure of the job by giving an advantage when it wasn’t earned. And that’s the key word in administering a game, EARNED! If a team earns a strikeout, an extra base or an extra run then give it to ‘em. But in no way give anything away to anybody.
Just think how much better off our country and our lives would be if when we’ve earned something it was given to us! When you’re walking off the diamond ask yourself this one question “what did I learn in today’s game”? If you answer; nothing, it’s time to walk away from the game. If any umpire and/or referee ever answers “nothing” you’ll be doing the game a service by hanging it up and buying a ticket to sit in the stands because that’s exactly where you belong!!
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.
No Bull from Ivy this week as Rotary takes the week off to celebrate the 4th of July.
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.