March 26, 2015
SYNERGY
ArrestedDevelopmentMediaGuides, our EBay store, has gotten off to a rousing start. We have sold 17 media guides/programs in a little over a month. Not bad for a part-time gig, without really knowing what we’re doing
And, we’ve done this without, to the best of our knowledge, any participation—not even feedback-- from newsletter recipients
So, who is to blame? Jon Fine and Jon Fine Productions
Many of you are ardent LSU and Saints fans
We have had/have numerous LSU and Saints publications on auction/for sale
Theoretically, there should be a real nice synergistic match
There has not been. The conclusion that I’ve reached is that I have not done a good job (actually not made any effort) at educating you as to what is a media guide. Next week, we’ll give you the scoop
In the interim, if you want to check out our store, we have 74 items on sale, including 9 from LSU and 1 from the Saints. Just go to JonFineProductions.com and click onto ArrestedDevelopmentMediaGuides. And, I thank you for giving us a shot.
SPORTSCENTRAL
With BRCC Baseball airing tonight, SportsCentral aired yesterday evening. Next Thursday, the show resumes in its regularly scheduled time slot (see just below).
BATON ROUGE AREA BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
Thursday, April 3: 5pm—6pm: SportsCentral… with 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, March 28: 9AM—10AM: All Things Football with Scott Holtzman
Monday, March 30: 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
If you have been watching the NCAA Basketball Tournament you might have heard the problem with college basketball is college coaches micromanaging the game. Actually, the problem with college basketball is NBA analysts covering the NCAA Tournament.
This problem used to be a huge annoyance of mine in watching the College World Series. Harold Reynolds, Joe Morgan, Steve Garvey, and other analysts who spent the whole year watching Major League Baseball would spend 10 days broadcasting the CWS and criticize the college game. Let the pitcher and catcher call their own pitches was their biggest rally cry. Fortunately, ESPN now uses Kyle Peterson, Ben McDonald, and other college baseball experts who understand the differences to analyze and celebrate the college game.
I like Kenny Smith and the other guys analyzing the NBA, but replacing guys like Seth Davis during the NCAA Tournament is driving me to change the channel. What inevitably happens when networks make the decision to use pro analysts in college sports is the professional analysts compare or criticize the college game instead of analyze and celebrate the game. There is a time and place to try to adjust and improve the game. March Madness is not that time. Besides, college basketball is what it is for many valid reasons.
As Bruce Pearl pointed out, college coaches are working with players that have limited offensive skills sets. Take away a college players strength and he probably doesn't have a secondary skill to counteract the defense. Think of Josh Gray for LSU and how he struggled this year if teams took away his penetration. Jordan Mickey and Jarrell Martin will not be first round picks because of their lack of skill. Martin has to develop his ball handling and outside shooting. Mickey has to develop his low post moves and ball handling. If either had those skills, LSU would still be playing right now and they would be lottery picks. Instead, LSU lost in the first round and if either comes out he will probably be an early second round pick (so why come out after two years?).
I know there is debate about how much time college athletes spend practicing and preparing versus compensation. There is not debate, however, as to whether the college or professional athlete has more time to study their craft. Of course the NBA coach can trust his players to make better decisions within the flow of the game. The pros have more experience, time to prepare, and are more skilled.
Furthermore, the NBA rules place difficult restrictions on the defense to encourage offense. NBA defenders cannot spend three seconds in the lane when guarding off the ball. Syracuse and many other college teams base their whole zone defense around keeping a long athletic shot blocker around the rim, while guards can extend and guard the shorter distance to the college three point line. This strategy has been very effective as it defends the high percentage shots around the rim as well as the catch and shoot three. Meanwhile, it leaves open the mid range game which players shoot at a lower percentage as it is the usually the last skill a player develops. This style of defense is not an option to NBA teams due to rules and skills.
On top of all of that, the college game is shorter with practically no back to back games. In fact, most of the season college teams play only two games a week. Add a longer shot clock, and college teams are defending less offensive sets with more time to scout, prepare, and the players have more energy to accomplish that plan.
Naturally, college basketball is more of a coaches game while the NBA is a players game. Neither observation should be a criticism. Instead, especially at this time of the year, I would prefer to enjoy and celebrate the college game… and ignore how badly my bracket turned out.
HEY REF
By Dennis Dearie
Veteran Louisiana High School Referee
Let’s get some of these “little” things out of the way quick. All the so called smart money is riding on none other than Florida State QB Jameis Winston becoming the first player taken in the upcoming NFL draft by the Bucs down in Tampa Bay. No one should be surprised that even with tons of excess baggage he’ll soon be raking in millions of dollars.
Tampa is in the same state that Winston now resides so when he makes probation and/or parole not being able to leave the state won’t hinder any home games. Yes I know the authorities haven’t been able to get any of the charges to stick but I feel sooner or later his luck will run out. And he’ll be right at home with the continuing increase in the number of felons and convicts making NFL rosters.
Sports are a funny thing in this country. Many have found it so easy to turn a “blind eye” at a 6’4” QB that can throw a football 75 yards and lead his team to victory against all odds. But who am I to complain, wining is after all the only thing. Vince Lombardi must be rolling over in his grave since it was he that penned that antidote. But when he uttered those words he was saying victory was the only thing he’d accept between the lines on Sundays.
Now in modern days victory comes in many colors. Between HGB, growth hormones, steroids, uppers, meth and an unending list of performance enhancements it seems fans only look at the numbers in the “win” column. The common thought today is “everybody’s doing it so as long as we don’t get caught it’s O. K.” and so on.
Should fans, the people that spend the dollars for such things as tickets, jerseys, balls and the like, do we bear some of the responsibilities to keep the games fair and drug free? Isn’t it in the best interest of the sport to do the right thing and demand that team officials keep rosters crime and drug free? Of course it is but are fans willing to look the other way when a team’s success hinges on a player that may have some hidden legal problems?
I’ve heard friends say to me that they are tired of how their Senators and Representatives break the law and grab every dollar they can while in office. They’ve become so disgusted with all the bribes and corruption that more and more of them are voting for “Term Limits”. Many feel this is the only solution as we try to keep our elected officials from stealing us blind.
If you had a candidate running for the Governor of Louisiana and they just so happen to have the type of baggage such as what Mr. Jameis Winston is carrying would you go to the polls and vote for him? The vast majority would say “NO” but if he was capable of running 4.0 in the 40, ran for over 2,000 yards, scored 35 touchdowns and was an All-American then many wouldn’t hesitate to.
I’m not sure if it’s sports imitate life or the other way around but one thing’s for sure; if we’re going to clean up the league then we must get our priorities straight before more players wind up wearing stripes…
Just saying… …
Till next week…
HS FOOTBALL RADIO BROADCASTS AND THE DRU NETTLES SHOW ARE A JON FINE PRODUCTION. STILL IN ITS FORMATIVE STAGES, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT MEDIA GUIDES, IS OUR FLEDGLING EBAY STORE.
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.