November 13, 2014
THE DRU NETTLES SHOW
Tonight’s The Dru Nettles Show will feature an appearance by the head football coach of Woodlawn HS, Brett Beard. Coach Nettles’ Denham Springs HS Yellow Jackets will be at Woodlawn in the first round of the playoffs on Friday night.
The Dru Nettles Show airs Thursdays, 6pm—7pm, on Cox 4 Television. Replays air Fridays at 11am and Saturdays at 5:30pm. The program is hosted by Denham Springs HS athletic director/head football coach Dru Nettles and yours truly, Jon Fine
Also appearing on this week’s The Dru Nettles Show will be Reece Pourciau. Recently honored by DSHS principal Kelly Jones for his support of Denham Springs HS Football, Pourciau was named the Jackets 12th man for the 2014 season. Reece is also a Denham Springs HS Baseball player.
The sponsor of the week is James-Adam McCants with Sport-N-Center. There will be highlights of last week’s DSHS victory over Walker HS. Plus, we will 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.
SPORTSCENTRAL
This week’s SportsCentral aired last night. This evening WUBR is committed to carrying BRCC Basketball. SportsCentral will air in its regularly scheduled 5pm—6pm time-slot next Thursday, November 20.
BATON ROUGE AREA BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
Thursday, November 13: 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 14: 6pm: Denham Springs HS at Woodlawn HS
Jon Fine, Brian Abels, Nathan Landry
Fox Sports Radio, 1210AM, Baton Rouge… and on the net at JonFineProductions.com
Thursday, November 20: 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):
Friday, November 14: 6:45pm: Sulphur HS at East Ascension HS
Bruce Merchant, Clopha Boudreaux
Saturday, November 15: 9AM—10AM: All Things Football with Scott Holtzman
Monday, November 17: 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 don't want to look back at last weekend and I can't imagine you do either, so I will try to look forward as much as possible.
As people have pointed out in the last few weeks, LSU has found their identity on offense.
One problem, though, is that identity does not include being able to have any balance on offense whatsoever. As a result, LSU's margin for error in winning against quality competition is razor thin.
LSU was not able to complete over 50% of its passes in either of the last two games at home despite being able to run effectively. LSU scored a total of 23 points in the two games. Considering those facts, it is pretty amazing LSU won one of the games.
For all the fun of the last two games at home, the next two on the road are extremely difficult challenges. Remember, LSU will have to avoid turnovers and be completely dominant in the running game to score on the road against Arkansas and A&M. Of course, the Tigers must continue complete dominance on defense (including the last minute of the game).
We have seen that LSU's defensive dominance is tenuous by how quickly Alabama went down the field once Beckwith went out the game. Last year, people couldn't figure out what was wrong with the defensive tackles, even though both are in the NFL this year. At the beginning of the year, people had the same questions. It turns out better linebacker play has been the answer to better defensive tackle play. It is not an understatement to say Beckwith is the most valuable player on defense considering the defensive improvement once he was inserted in the starting lineup.
I will be very impressed if LSU is able to close the year with two wins under these conditions. One caveat, if they are able to find a way to employ higher percentage passes and throw on early downs, I will be less surprised by winning and more surprised that part of the offense develops this year.
For those who have read this column for a while, you know I grew up in the era of 49ers losses very similar to the one last Sunday. A controversial call or non call (remember Jerry Rice fumbling before he crossed the goal line?) and the inability to stop the Niners at the end are nothing new for many of us to experience.
Of course, this is 2014, not 1994, and with four of the five Saints losses coming in the exact same manner we can't put all of this on bad Niner karma. Too many turnovers, not enough forced turnovers, and the inability to play defense in the last two minutes have been the difference between 8-1 and 4-5.
But, I am going to try my best to put a positive spin on all this to end the article.
The NFL has so much parity that the only thing you can count on is the law of averages. The Niners were bound to play better after struggling for two weeks. The Steelers were bound to be shut down by the Jets after putting up huge offensive numbers.
If those trends can somehow continue, it stands to reason that the Saints have reached their limit of close losses at the end by not stopping their opponent. It is time for dumb luck to be on the Saints side and win those games (just ask Auburn what it is like for luck to run out).
Or maybe Brees can stop giving the ball away, the defense can find a turnover or two, and the Saints can play dominant football to where it doesn't come down to the final minute. If they can do that four more times this year, then 8-8 should be good enough to reach the playoffs. I do not apologize for a second should that scenario arise considering the Seahawks' good fortune just a few years ago in hosting the Saints.
If the Saints can't get off the mat and finish strong, maybe Thursday, Sunday, and Monday Night football games can give us a game or two with a spread closer than 20 points. Geez!
HEY REF
By Dennis Dearie
Veteran Louisiana High School Referee
And they’re off! We start the first round of football playoff games this Friday night. After all is said and done the only thing that really matters is getting into the tournament. 2014 also marks the second year of split championships since the LHSAA divided schools into select and non-select brackets.
There have been many discussions as to whether this is the right thing to do. I for one support the splitting of private and public schools when naming an overall champion. On numerous occasions I’ve written that I came to this conclusion after years of watching and working games where the private schools were heads and tails over their public school opponents.
The simplest way to define the differences between select and non-select is if a school charges tuition such as religious schools do as opposed to a public institution. The differences between the schools also are in the way they gather athletes to play for those schools. Select (private) schools are able to recruit with little hindrance when they set their sights on a specific athlete.
Public schools must stay within certain attendance zones and recruiting is strictly forbidden. We’ve seen and read recently of a certain school in northwest Louisiana that was hit with forfeitures of most of their games played this year and not allowed into the playoffs. They weren’t found guilty of recruiting a player but the transfer of the student didn’t fit within LHSAA guidelines.
If that school had been a private school then there wouldn’t be any penalty. And that’s where and why I believe for once the LHSAA did the right thing in having two separate football playoffs. Recently before the split four of the five state title holders were private/ select schools.
I’ve worked many games where private schools played public schools and it really wasn’t any contest. Most of the bigger, faster and much better athletes were of course playing for the private schools and the outcome was like watching a modern day “Custer’s last stand”. Many of those games looked like a JV team playing a college team.
In the back of my mind I’ve often wondered many times if the move to a split system is just another way to raise cash. There’s big money to be made with sports at every level. I’ve been asked many times just what’s going on with the LHSAA and them cutting loose their Executive Director; Kenny Henderson? All I can say is I’ve heard nothing but rumors and won’t comment until the situation gets resolved.
Henderson served for seven years and was told his contract wouldn’t be renewed or extended and the decision was then made that he part ways from the LHSAA. He was one of the leading voices to split the schools and have nine champions crowed in football. Some say that was his undoing but in the end we must remember one very large fact; it was the principals of member schools that voted for passage of the split.
The LHSAA is a large and very complex organization that’s trying to please everyone. But there’s no way for them to do that as we all know so as long as schools are allowed to vote on issues no one can blame Henderson for dividing the schools. The new director will have his hands full trying to settle this issue of a split in football playoffs is an understatement.
No matter your opinion or train of thought on the split playoffs go out to the stadiums and support the kids playing the games. The saddest thing for me in all this is to see the stands empty behind the players. In many cases if you neglect to go see and support your favorite high school football team then some schools will remove these programs because budgets are so tight many cannot afford to finance them.
Till next week…
ROTARY OF LIVINGSTON
This Friday, Rotary of Livingston meets Friday, Noon-1pm at Big Mike’s Sports Bar & Grill in Denham Springs. The guest speaker is Dr. Ezora Proctor. The public is invited.
Dr. Ezora Proctor is a strong, multi-talented and multi-faceted woman who works hard and long for the
things in which she believes. She gives generously of her time, talent, and resources to Rotary, her church, her work and her community. She has a long line of accomplishments as a community organizer, entrepreneur, and public servant
Dr. Proctor has worked as a program manager for the La. Dept. of Education, instructor at UL-Lafayette, director of Intercity Cultural Program at Chicago University and a teacher for the Acadia Parish School Board
Dr. Proctor has been the vice president of the Retired Teachers Association, vice president of the Acadia Parish School Board, chairperson of the Acadia Parish St. Jude Children Hospital Yearly Fundraiser, Grand Opera House of the South Board of Directors, advisor for Evangeline Boy Scout Council, CASA Board of Directors, International Rice Festival Board of Directors, and grant writer for many community programs.
Among Dr. Proctor’s honors and awards are: Woman of Excellence Award, Jaycee Jaynes Woman of the Year, Zeta PhiBeta Professional Woman of the Year, the United Way Volunteer Hall of Fame, John G. Lewis Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award, West Coast City Hall of Fame, U. S. Rep. Maxine Walters Service Award, Head Start Volunteer of the Year Award, Acadia Parish Teacher of the Year, Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, St. Landry Parish Hall of Fame, and International in Who's Who Among Professional and Business Women.
Ezora Beatrice Johnson Proctor was born and reared in Eunice, La. to the late Mr. Willie Johnson and Mrs. Madie Lee Hilts Johnson. Following high school, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree at Grambling State University. At USL, she received a Masters of Education Degree, and she later received a Doctor of Education Degree from Liberty University. In addition, she has done further studies at 12 other universities.
It was during her teaching years in Rayne, La. that she met and married her husband, Dr. James W Proctor, to whom she has been married for 44 years. They are the proud parents of two children, Marcus Jacques and Trina Renee, who have brought and continue to bring great happiness, pride, and joy to them. Their two grandchildren, Taj Jacques and Trevyn Cole, are the highlights of their lives.
Dr. Proctor was inducted into the Rotary Club of Crowley in January 2000, served her club as president in 2008-2009 and served as District 6200 Assistant Governor in 2011-13.
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.