November 6, 2014
THE DRU NETTLES SHOW
The Dru Nettles Show airs tonight, 6pm—7pm, on Cox 4 Television. Replays will be Friday at 10:30am and Saturday at 5:30pm. Do note that the Saturday replay time slot has moved to 5:30pm for the balance of this season. The Dru Nettles Show is co-hosted by Denham Springs HS athletic director/head football coach Dru Nettles and yours truly, Jon Fine
This week’s scheduled guests include the one principle(pal) Denham Springs abides by—Denham Springs HS principal Kelly Jones and former Denham Springs HS pitching great and 2014 Denham Springs HS Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Byrd. The Sponsor of The Week is Quick N Handy Cleaners, represented by Scooter Keen.
The Dru Nettles Show will also feature highlights of last week’s game against Zachary HS. Plus, we’ll have an extensive interview with Coach Nettles.
For more information on The Dru Nettles Show, please visit The Dru Nettles Show page on JonFineProductions.com.
LASALLE, PENN, ST. JOSEPH’S, TEMPLE, VILLANOVA
and DREXEL doesn’t quite make the Philadelphia Big 5… but, all time Denham Springs HS basketball great Drexel Robinson will make it to Rotary of Livingston this Friday, Noon—1pm, at Big Mike’s. Drexel will be the featured speaker. For more information, please see the end of this newsletter.
SPORTSCENTRAL
Join Hosts Sid Edwards and Steve Johnson on SportsCentral, tonight, 5pm—6pm, on WUBR, 910AM (CBS Sports Radio) Baton Rouge… on the net at WUBR’s website… live from Coach’s. This week’s guests include CHS Senior Football players Kevin Henry, Anthony Johnson, Jace Johnson and Blake Lansing.
BATON ROUGE AREA BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
Thursday, November 6: 5pm—6pm: SportsCentral… with Sid Edwards and Steve Johnson
WUBR, 910AM (CBS Sports Radio) Baton Rouge
PelicanSportsTV.com
App: search WUBR… from Coach’s
Thursday, November 6: 6pm—7pm: The Dru Nettles Show… with Dru Nettles and Jon Fine
Cox 4 Television
Baton Rouge… replays--note new Saturday replay time: Friday, November 7 at 11am and Saturday, November 8 at 5:30pm.
Friday, November 7: 6pm: Denham Springs HS at Walker HS
Jon Fine, Brian Abels, Nathan Landry
Fox Sports Radio, 1210AM, Baton Rouge… and on the net at JonFineProductions.com
SportsRadio 1310 Radio, Lake Charles Programming of Interest (also heard on KEZMOnLine.com):
Friday, November 7: 6:45pm: Sulphur HS at Comeaux HS
Bruce Merchant, Clopha Boudreaux
Saturday, November 8: 9AM—10AM: All Things Football with Scott Holtzman
Monday, November 10: 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
I know I am suppose to write about LSU and Alabama, but I am going to throw a curveball to start (you will get the pun in a second).
I was watching Game 7 of the World Series, and I realized something. The TV coverage would show a pitch then close ups of the pitcher, the batter, the first baseman, a fan, the manager, and then a pitch. The pitcher was getting a signal, the batter tightening gloves, the first baseman waiting for the pitch, the fan cheering, and the manager was standing and staring. Pitch after pitch, inning after inning, the same thing.
Then it hit me. When watching basketball, football, or college baseball even, the TV shots of the coaches almost always catches them in the act of doing something. In Major League Baseball, the TV shots usually catch the managers doing what I do, watch the game.
My point is not that MLB managers don't do anything. My point is that 99% of their job is off camera.
Enough of that, onto the Tigers and the Tide. With Election Day off from school, I had a little more time to hear what people are saying about the game. The fact is there really is not much to say.
The point has been made that everyone in America knows what LSU is going to do on offense. While that is true, I think that overlooks a subtle change LSU made against Ole Miss. Very early in the game, LSU showed a few different looks, threw on first down, and hit the big pass play to Fournette out the backfield. Nobody has been able to cover Fournette downfield all year.
LSU still ran a ton and as the game progressed reverted back to its favorite plays. Still, the Tigers had done just enough to make the Ole Miss defense think, instead of sell out to the run from start. Meanwhile, the offense felt good and was in a rhythm.
I hope LSU has a similar approach to the start of the game against Alabama. I believe it gives the offense some confidence and swagger to start with some safe, but aggressive calls. No matter what happens, I will be shocked if LSU is able to score more than two offensive touchdowns on drives beyond 50 yards.
In my mind, the game comes down to LSU's defense, special teams, and turnovers… I know, pretty bold to say. Nevertheless, LSU's defense has to be great and make big plays. If the game were at Alabama, I wouldn't think LSU would have better than a 5% chance of wining the game. The Tide have been explosive at home on offense, but on the road has been a different story for some reason. Still, the Tide have a senior quarterback and Amari Cooper is outstanding. Unfortunately, Tiger fans thought Lane Kiffin would screw things up, but the opposite is true.
So does LSU pull it off? I don't think so. Unfortunately, if I close my eyes, I can see Alabama winning a few different ways. LSU's youth has only been able to handle the moment against Ole Miss so far, and partly because the Rebels crumbled mentally in the big game. If LSU wins, I doubt it will be because the Tide aren't able to handle the moment. It have to be because LSU makes more plays.
HEY REF
By Dennis Dearie
Veteran Louisiana High School Referee
What’s that ‘ole saying “Be careful what you ask for because”… For years fans agonized that in Div. 1 the NCAA had no true way of crowing a national football champion. The way a champion was crowned was simply left to a chosen few people’s opinion. And we all know what opinions are like.
I’ve never been a fan or supporter of any format that entails colleges playing more football games. Simply because of injuries that these young men will sustain by “Wining it on the field”. Another old saying is that in life there are only two things that are certain; death and taxes. But I feel we should add one more thing to the list; injuries.
I can say that without a shadow of doubt after all is said and done that these extra couple of games will cause injuries to the players. Some will be minor for sure but some will be of the major variety. And why should we intentionally expose 18 to 20 year old kids to injuries? Just to satisfy an appetite for more games or to end the conversations and/or debates on why my school should be number one?
Do we just turn our heads to this fact? We’ve seen the NFL Players sue their former employers (owners) over brain injuries. You’d think these college educated men would’ve used common sense and understood that continued collisions will cause your brain to be injured. But they’ve got a massive, multi-million dollar suit making its way through the court system.
So with that in mind does it make sense to expose players to the possibility of severe injuries just to satisfy someone’s “need” for a championship trophy? Or is it needed to help the budget at these mega schools? OH BOY, I just hit the nail on the head. With the disgusting salaries many coaches are getting, upwards of $4 - $6 million a year for ONE coach. That isn’t the total budget for the entire coaching staff at places like L. S. U., Alabama and Florida State. That little $5 million will only get you a head coach.
With BILLIONS of dollars at stake the NCAA is forced to find new ways to raise revenues and having a playoff seems the way to go. In the days long ago fans were afforded the pleasure of having a debate all year long as to why their school should’ve been named number one. And that debate will still rage after the final play is run because only four schools will take the field and have the “right” to play for the trophy.
And who are the people charged with the selection of the final four teams? Some are Athletic Directors, past coaches, former players or past NCAA Executives. There’s even a career politician (Condoleezza Rice) on the selection committee. I have no idea why she’s part of the selection process unless they needed a woman to be politically correct. Whatever reason is given I just find she doesn’t belong unless they’re gonna use her opinion. And then there we are back to you know what. Her opinion is the only thing she brings to the table because she has no experience coaching football or at the very least playing the game.
In the end there will be only one winner and that’s the school lucky enough to play for the championship and win it. The only “sure” things that’ll come out of this is Monday morning quarterbacks will run amuck, the process will be criticized as not being fair, participating schools will reap millions of dollars. And then there will be those forgotten few that will be in need of surgery.
Till next week…
ROTARY
Rotary of Livingston meets this Friday, Noon—1pm at Big Mike’s in Denham Springs. The public is invited. The guest speaker is Drexel Robinson
One of the all-time great Denham Springs HS athletes, Drexel Robinson was inducted into the Denham Springs HS Athletic Hall of Fame in its initial 2011 class. Drexel was a three-sport letterman in basketball, baseball and track and field. In Basketball, he was the Parish MVP in 1971, 1972 and 1973. As a senior, he averaged 21 points a game.
At Louisiana College, Drexel was team captain 3 years, as well as the team MVP his junior and senior years. In 1995, he was inducted into the Louisiana College Sports Hall of Fame.
When Drexel entered Denham Springs High School, it was at the start of integration at the school. With his leadership skills, sunny disposition and athletic accomplishments, Drexel was a major asset in paving the way to enhancing race relations at Denham, in the midst of turbulent societal times.
As a deputy with the Sheriff’s office, Drexel is a valuable asset to the Denham Springs community. He is married to Shirley Robinson. They have two children.
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
AND AS A MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE/ CONSULTANT FOR SPORTSCENTRAL ON WUBR,910AM (CBS SPORTS RADIO), BATON ROUGE.