August 7, 2014
DRU DRU DRU
The Dru Nettles Show returns for its 3rd season on Cox 4 Television, Baton Rouge tonight. The program will air Thursday nights, 6pm—7pm, with replays on Friday mornings at 10:30am and Saturday afternoons at 12:30pm.
The Dru Nettles Show is co-hosted by Dru Nettles and Jon Fine. Nettles is the Athletic Director/Head Football coach of Denham Springs HS. Fine is the long-time producer of Denham Springs HS Football radio broadcasts. The Dru Nettles Show is a Jon Fine Production.
This week’s guests include DSHS Head Baseball Coach/Football Defensive Coordinator Mark Carroll, 2014 DSHS Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Paige Satcher, Yellow Jackets Senior Defensive Back Zach Stuart and The Rotary Club Of Livingston Parish President Heather Pittaro. The Sponsor of The Week is District Court Judge Candidate/Denham Springs attorney Michael Betts. The program will also include an extensive interview of Coach Nettles by Jon Fine.
For more details, please see Press Release Below
S&S SHOW DEBUT!!
SportsCentral comes to the radio tonight. Co-hosted by Central Athletic Director/Head Football Coach Sid Edwards and Central assistant football coach Steve Johnson, SportsCentral airs Thursday nights, 5pm—6pm, on WUBR, 910AM (CBS Sports Radio) Baton Rouge… on the net at PelicanSportsTV.com… and the Tune In App: search WUBR… from Coach’s. Tonight’s guests include
Central HS coaches Ken Hilton and David Simoneaux, plus Dr. Les Bueche and Brett Tranchina
Jon Fine serves SportsCentral as a marketing representative/voluntary consultant. We thank all of the wonderful sponsors of The Central Sports & Business Report who have made the smooth transition to SportsCentral.
GREAT RUN
Congratulations to the South Lake Charles 12 Year Old Little League All Star team, which made a gallant march to the Regional Final, one step away from the Little League World Series
SportsRadio-1310-KEZM-Lake Charles and KEZMOnLine.com carried all 5 ballgames
Very special thanks to the great sponsors in the Lake Area who made these broadcasts possible.
JON FINE PRODUCTIONS BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
Thursday, August 7: 6pm—7pm: The Dru Nettles Show… with Dru Nettles and Jon Fine
Cox 4 Television
Baton Rouge… replays Friday, August 8 at10:30am and Saturday, August 9 at 12:30pm.
OTHER PROGRAMS OF INTEREST
Thursday, August 7: 5pm—6pm: SportsCentral… with Sid Edwards and Steve Johnson
WUBR, 910AM (CBS Sports Radio) Baton Rouge
PelicanSportsTV.com
App: search WUBR… from Coach’s
SportsRadio 1310 Radio, Lake Charles Programming of Interest (also heard on KEZMOnLine.com:
Saturday, August 9: 9AM—10AM: All Things Football with Scott Holtzman
Monday, August 11: 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
For those that don't know, I am a numbers guy (I teach Algebra II). The talk around LSU football as they open fall camp is all about the freshman and what they will do this year. So I thought I would give you some numbers, and let you decide if these are the results we can expect.
Let's begin with the one everyone is talking about, Leonard Fournette. I cannot believe Les Miles has already used the names Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods as metaphors to talk about Fournette. Putting that aside, I know you have heard the comparisons to Adrian Peterson. AP as a freshman ran for 1925 yards on 339 carries for an average of 5.7 yards a carry with 15 TDs. There is no way Fournette can duplicate those numbers for the simple reason that he will not get anywhere near that many carries.
Jacob Hester, Charles Scott, and Jeremy Hill had 225, 217, and 202 attempts in their most productive seasons as LSU's featured back. None of those players were freshmen in those years I got those stats. Hill had the most yards of the three. If you look outside of LSU, those carries compare favorably to Todd Gurley who ran for 1385 yards on 222 carries and 17 TDs as a freshman.
What does it all mean? What do I expect? I don't expect Forunette to get 200 carries because Magee and Hilliard are really good too. LSU doesn't need Fournette to do that much. But I expect him to be very productive, average around 5 yards a carry, and be LSU's best running back.
Receiver is the other area of the team where LSU is expecting and counting on major playing time from freshmen. I selected 5 freshman in the past 10 years that were rated as high as Malachi Dupre so we can compare their numbers.
AJ Green caught 56 passes for 963 yards and 8 TDs from Matt Stafford. Julio Jones caught 58 passes for 924 yards and 4 TDs from John Parker Wilson. Amari Cooper caught 59 passes for 1000 yards and 11 TDs from AJ McCarron. Dorial Green Beckman caught 28 passes for 395 from James Franklin in Missouri's first year in the SEC. Finally, Laquan Treadwell caught 72 passes for 608 yards and 5 TDs from Bo Wallace last year.
At receiver, so much depends on the quarterback play. I can't see Dupre or any other freshmen receiver catching over 50 passes. I think the offensive production this year will be comparable to 2011 when LSU went undefeated in the regular season with Lee and Jefferson at QB. Reuben Randle caught 53 passes and Odell Beckham caught 41. The next leading receiver was Russell Shepard with 14 catches.
The good news, like 2011, is LSU doesn't need big years from receivers and quarterbacks to have a great year. They need a dominating running game, an efficient, opportunistic passing game, and a dominating defense that forces turnovers.
As a result, I think LSU fans and media are wasting a lot of time trying to figure out the things that I spent my time worrying about in this article....sorry, I wasted your time.
The biggest concern I have in the front 7 on defense. We now what LSU is going to be on offense. If you don't, watch the Iowa game again or the 2011 season. The question is once again on the defensive line and at linebacker because in order to dominate on defense you have to be great at those positions. Is LSU ready to be great at those positions again? Stay tuned.
HEY REF
I’ve got to get something out of the way before jumping into the important stuff. In this part of the country all the buzz going on (for right now anyway) is the coming together of the “SEC Network”. A press release on Aug.4th confirmed that Direct TV is the latest national network signing on to televise Southeastern Conference “athletic events”.
The official wording is “athletic events” so as to make some people happy that there will be more to it than just football games 24/7. DIRECTV’s getting on board immediately opens the door to more than an estimated 38 million households. ESPN signed an earlier 20 year agreement with the SEC through 2034. That contract with ESPN is intended to create a “multiplatform network” that will begin to air conference “events” August 14.
ESPN intends to produce over 1,000 “events” in just the first year alone. The tentative schedule as we go to print is for 45 football games, more than 100 men’s and 60 women’s basketball games. The network also intends on broadcasting 75 baseball games but has not mentioned (yet) their plans of televising women’s softball “events”. The SEC, with some 21 different sports, has said it is way too early in the game to confirm or deny any other “special events” that will make it to production and distribution.
Along with televising games comes the dreaded in-depth commentary from experts that’ll dazzle us with such new offerings as game day analysis, in studio reviews of prior games. And of course where would we be without more locker room interviews from both the coaches and players along with robots and computer graphics?
Now, let’s get to the important stuff in all this. At the end of the day it boils down to getting more bucks out of viewers and fan’s wallets and checkbooks. Those fans/viewers will dump millions into the pockets of everybody except the players. This would be a great way to fund paychecks to all the athletes sacrificing day and night to play a game that makes millionaires of people that never break a sweat.
It would also be a great way to fund repairs to buildings being neglected because of a “lack of funds”. Seems that excuse is always used except when it comes to expanding stadiums or fattening coach’s bank accounts.
We here at “Hey Ref” are not ones to frown on this new venture at all. No, we see it as a great way to help those that have been left out so many times in the past. These extra millions should be for the sole purpose of improving the schools and the student/athletes that make it all possible. Finally someone has found a way to generate millions of much needed dollars WITHOUT turning to the ‘ole taxpayer.
I will support this venture and others like it IF the capital it raises is used to help those that need it the most and not to the few money grubbing greedy S-O-B’s that haunt every aspect of American life. No, it’s time we push those that have the power to finally do the right thing and make sure those earning the meat and potatoes are finally invited in to enjoy the spoils of all their hard work.
Till next week…
PRESS RELEASE
THE DRU NETTLES SHOW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dru 3! The Dru Nettles (television) Show will return for its third season on Thursday night, August 7, 6pm—7pm, on Cox 4 Television. The program will, once again, be co-hosted by Denham Springs High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Dru Nettles and long-time Jackets radio play-by-play announcer/producer Jon Fine. The Dru Nettles Show will air Thursday nights, 6pm—7pm, with a replay on Friday mornings, 10:30am—11:30am and Saturdays at 12:30pm. It will have a 16 week run, with an additional show for every Jackets playoff game. The Dru Nettles Show is a Jon Fine Production.
In more good news for Denham Springs HS football fans, Yellow Jackets football returns to the radio airwaves… and now on an all sports station to boot! Fox Sports Radio, 1210, Baton Rouge will carry the Jackets in 2014. Broadcast producer Jon Fine will handle play-by-play, with Brian Abels on color and 2014 DSHS grad Allie Crain serving as sideline reporter. All broadcasts will start at 6pm. 10 regular season games and all playoff games will be broadcast. The return of Jackets football to the radio airwaves in 2014 will be covered extensively in a subsequent press release.
Similar to the prior 2 years, The Dru Nettles Show in 2014 will focus on Denham Springs HS football (and athletics), with former and current Yellow Jackets coaches and athletes as guests on the show on a weekly basis. Other features the program plans to include: interviews with all members of the 2014 DSAA Hall of Fame class, with some members of the prior 3 classes as well… During football season, the coach of the Jackets upcoming opponent will be invited to appear on the program. Highlights from the Jacket’s prior game will be included on the program. Each week, a Jackets player or 2 and an assistant football coach will appear on the program. The Dru Nettles Show is proud to have a bi-monthly academic segment, featuring a Denham Springs student, teacher or advisor Commercial sponsors of the program will appear each week as Sponsor of The Week. Plus, Coach Nettles and Fine will discuss Denham Springs HS Football and DSHS athletics in a weekly interview segment.
Born and raised in Denham Springs, Dru Nettles was a standout 2 sport athlete—Football and Baseball—with the Jackets. As a 3 year lettermen with Denham Springs HS Football (1986-1988), Nettles played under LHSAA Hall of Fame coach Butch Wax. During Nettles’ 3 seasons lettering for the Jackets, Denham Springs HS went 21-12, winning a district championship in 1987. The Jackets also won their opening playoff game that year defeating Carencro 23-9.
Nettles was a 1st team all-District defensive back in 1987, his junior year. He holds several school records, including most career pass interceptions (12), most career pass interceptions in a game (3, in 1987, shared with Dr. Michael Sceroler, Dr. Hunter Bond, Troy Fontenot and Kelvin Robinson), most pass interceptions in a regular season (8 in 10 games in 1987, tied with Fontenot, who had 8 in 9 games in 1982), and most pass interceptions in all games of a season (10 in 12 games in 1987). In his junior and senior years, Nettles played some tailback and scored 5 touchdowns in that capacity for the Jackets. On special teams, Nettles returned a blocked extra-point attempt 88 yards for 2 points (against Hammond High in 1988) and returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown (against Covington HS in 1988). Had his senior season of 1988 not been cut short by a knee injury which limited him to 5 games that year, Nettles would have excelled even further for the Jackets.
As a baseball player, Nettles was a 4 year letterman (1986-1989) for Denham Springs HS under Steve Long, including being the starting catcher, as a Freshman, on a team that featured Louisiana Hall of Fame pitcher Ben McDonald, and won the 1986 4-A state championship.
A 1989 graduate of Denham Springs HS, Nettles went on to play catcher for 4 years with the Southeastern Louisiana Baseball team and is a 1994 graduate of SLU.
Nettles returned to his Alma Matter in 1994, as an assistant coach under Wax before spending 7 years (1998-2004) at Woodlawn HS. His first 4 years, Nettles was the Head Baseball Coach and assistant football coach for the Panthers. In 2002, he started a 3-year stint as head Football Coach at Woodlawn HS. As the Baseball coach at WHS, his teams won 4 District Championships in 5 seasons. In 3 seasons as football coach at WHS, his teams were 20-12 and made 2 playoff appearances.
Nettles came home, again, in 2005, but this time to become Athletic Director and head Football Coach at Denham Springs HS. He inherited a program that had not had a winning season or made the playoffs since 1995, that had a combined 23-67 record in the 9 years (1996-2004) prior to Nettles being named head coach. In his first year, 2005, the Jackets went 1-8. In the 8 ensuing years, the Jackets have gone 48-38, including a combined 40-26 in the last 6 playoff seasons. Nettles’ 2008 team provided Denham Springs High School with its first winning season and playoff team in 13 years. The 2008 Jackets secured their first victory over state power Catholic High School since 1978. In 2009, Nettles’ Jackets had their second straight winning season and playoff team, the first time a Denham Springs HS team had accomplished these feats since 1991 and 1989 respectively. The Jackets present 6 year run of making the playoffs (2008—2013 seasons), has set the record for the most consecutive seasons making the playoffs in the illustrious history of Denham Springs HS Football. The prior record was 3 straight seasons—accomplished once—in 1983—1985, under legendary Jackets Coach and LHSAA hall of famer Butch Wax.
Coach Nettles is the proud father of 2 daughters, Claire (age 16) and Faith (age 13).
As a youngster, Nettles was a big fan of the late 70’s New York Yankees. His favorite player? Naturally, it was Yankees 3rd Baseman Graig “Puff” Nettles (no relation). Dru Nettles never got to play with his favorite childhood team, but, now he will, once again, be co-hosting a weekly show with a Yankee!
Co-host Jon Fine is a native of Valley Stream, New York. Fine came down south to work in radio in Tallulah, LA in September 1982, 2 months after graduating from Penn. He has never left the state. The following year, he went to Lake Charles, where he served 2 stints as the radio play-by-play announcer for McNeese State Football and Basketball. In 1991, Fine moved to Baton Rouge, where he has resided since. Fine hosted drive-time radio sports talk shows in Louisiana from 1983—2010. His programs have aired mostly in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lake Charles. At its apex, the 2 hour morning drive daily sports-talk show he produced and co-hosted (with Tommy Krysan), SportsGumbo, originated from Baton Rouge and was carried by stations in New Orleans, Lake Charles, Monroe and Alexandria.
Fine had high praise for the people he has worked with in producing the show the last 2 years and will work with on a weekly basis on the program this season at Cox 4, including Jason Furrate, Eric Coleman, Lori Finta, Nils Brekoff, Francis Hillyard and Sean Constantine. “They are as good and professional a group as I’ve ever worked with in broadcasting.” He also looked forward to having the program return to this station. “Cox 4 continues to develop a local sports presence in Louisiana. From Lee Feinswog’s popular weekly programming to high school football broadcasts to expansive coverage of LSU sports, and a lot more, Cox 4 continues to build upon an impressive sports presence in Louisiana. We’re looking, in our own small way, to help contribute to this station, which already has a growing lineup and following.”
Fine did note that although a large percentage of people will be able to view the program on Cox 4 in Denham Springs, not everyone in Livingston Parish receives Cox 4. “We encourage you to switch to Cox cable if you are not presently a subscriber. That way you can pick up our show and several other quality local programs that air on both Cox 4 and Cox Sports Television (CST).”
Fine said Coach Nettles and he looked forward to working with and were grateful to be assisted by Denham Springs HS principal Kelly Jones, Video Coordinator Josh Neal and DSAA Hall of Fame Coordinator (and former Jackets star football player) Jim Spring, all of the coaches in a variety of sports and others. Most important, Fine mentioned Big Mike’s Sports Bar & Grill for providing food to the set for the “pre-game meal” each Thursday night. Fine says for the third straight year he asked Big Mike’s to give him a free meal before all replays on Friday morning and Saturday afternoon. Big Mike’s owners, Mike O’Neal Jr. and Jocelyn O’Neal, for a third straight year, declined this offer.
Fine is especially appreciative of the loyal sponsors his company has had on Jon Fine Sports Productions’ Denham Springs HS play-by-play broadcasts, and its preceding high school shows, who have continued to participate in the Dru Nettles Show. Plus, a number of new sponsors have joined in, for which Fine was very thankful. “Without our sponsors, there is no The Dru Nettles (television) Show, nor would we have had our prior programming over the last 20 years. Nor, could we come back with our Denham Springs Football broadcasts in 2014. Our sponsors have been largely responsible for whatever small success we’ve achieved. Come to think of it, our sponsors are also largely responsible for whatever small amount of money I have in the bank!! We hope that viewers to The Dru Nettles Show will do their utmost to patronize our sponsors when possible, and thank them for making The Dru Nettles (television) Show possible.”
What has Fine most excited is the unique opportunity that The Dru Nettles Show has afforded Denham Springs sports fans. “I don’t believe there is another coach in the state that has his own television show. And, throughout the country, you will not find more than a handful of high school coaches to have their own weekly hour show… let alone in prime-time, on a prominent station like Cox 4, in a top 80 market in the country. This puts Coach Nettles and the Denham Springs Football program in rarefied air. As we head into our third (broadcasting) season (of the show), this is what I think is real special for Coach (Nettles), the Jackets football team and athletic program, the loyal viewers of the program and our nonpareil sponsors.”
Fine concluded his comments with repeated utterances that are very familiar to viewers of The Dru Nettles Show—to the delight of some, to the chagrin of many more: “Dru, Dru, Dru, Dru, Dru
Dru”.
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 the Arts Council of Livingston Parish. Did you know that they offer classes, monthly “meet the artist” and have a ton of amazing art for sale? Well they do! The Arts Council is one of the coolest organizations in our area! I know you will all enjoy this presentation so you won’t want to miss this meeting! Ooh! Maybe they will bring edible paint? Does that even exist?
Last week’s meeting:
• Last week April Wehrs shared her life with us. We learned how her family and religion has shaped her life. She has never backed down from a challenge, allows her imagination to find unique solutions to problems she may face, and keeps her eye on what is most important – her family. We are lucky to have such a driven woman as a Rotarian.
• Our club has a brag jar. Better bring your dollars folks!
• Supply list for animal shelter was distributed. We need a builder!!!
Upcoming Events/Projects:
• Nothing
We better get planning!
Note from the President:
• August is Membership month. This is a great time to share the word of Rotary and help grow the club. It’s a whole month devoted to “bring your buddy to Rotary!”
Guest Speakers and General Membership Meeting Dates:
• Aug 22 – Guest Speaker, Joy Womack. Dairy Farmers
• Sept 5 – Guest Speaker, Layton Ricks, Parish President
• Sept 12 – Carl Herrick, Sandler Training (pending)
• Oct 10 – District Governor, Ms. Proctor
• Nov 14 - Patrick Beauchamp, Farm Bureau
Brags:
• Heather Pitarro thanked the club for rallying in support of her missing last week’s meeting. As President, she pardoned herself (just kidding).
• Keith Stark may have an announcement coming out later this week
I suggest everyone read the Livingston Parish News cover to cover to find out!
• Jon Fine thanked everyone for doing such a good job at the Wine Tasting!
• Keith Stark loves 6 String Razor! Highly recommend everyone check out this band when you get a chance!
• Heather Pitarro and Jon Fine are going to be on TV!!!!!!!!! When? Thursday!!! Watch it! Watch it!
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 BARBE HS BASEBALL AND SOUTH LAKE CHARLES PLAYOFF BROADCASTS. HE ALSO IS A MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE/VOLUNARY CONSULTANT FOR SPORTSCENTRAL.