October 20, 2016
FOR THE CAUSE
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THE SCHEDULE
SPORTSGUMBO—DENHAM SPRINGS (MONDAY—FRIDAY, 7AM—8AM, ON FAMILY RADIO, 91.9FM, BATON ROUGE AND ON THE NET AT SPORTSGUMBO. NET. THE PROGRAM IS HOSTED AND PRODUCED BY JON FINE.:
UPCOMING LINE-UP:
FRIDAY: The Oxford Eagle Ole Miss Beat Writer Davis Potter (LSU vs Ole Miss Sat)
MONDAY: Southside Patriots Football Coach Brett Chatelain
TUESDAY: DSHS Cross Country athlete (to be determined)
Walker Football Coach Brandon Lawley (DSHS vs Walker on Fri, 10/21)
WEDNESDAY: Free Lance Writer and Broadcaster Michael Bradley
THURSDAY: Walker Asst Football Coach (and radio personality) Steve Johnson
DSHS Volleyball player (to be determined
North Oaks Health Minute
FRIDAY: Denham Springs HS Football Defensive Coordinator Mark Carroll
PLUS UPDATES FROM DSHS CROSS COUNTRY COACH SARAH BATTY AND DSHS ASST VOLLEYBALL COACH KEVIN DORHAUER
SPORTSGUMBO—DENHAM SPRINGS FEATURED DENHAM SPRINGS ALL-TIME GREAT ATHLETE BEN MCDONALD AS A FEATURED GUEST EARLIER IN THIS WEEK. MCDONALD HAD SOME INTERESTING TAKES ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES:
--Had he been an upperclassmen in this day and age at Denham Springs HS, despite pressures to specialize in one sport (which is the trend in 2016 for standout high school players), McDonald speculates that he would have played at least Basketball and Baseball, while possibly playing football as well for Denham Springs HS.
--McDonald reiterated that he was more of a prospect for Basketball than for Baseball in high school. Although both (former LSU Baseball coach) Skip Bertman and (former LSU Basketball coach) Dale Brown were in his living room simultaneously recruiting him for LSU, McDonald was signed to a Basketball scholarship at LSU.
--Could Big Ben have played in the NBA had he just stuck with Basketball in college? McDonald did not offer his opinion, but indicated that his college basketball coach, Dale Brown, felt that he could have played in the NBA. In fact, when McDonald told Brown that he was concentrating exclusively on Baseball at LSU (in 1987), Brown told McDonald he was making a mistake, because Brown felt McDonald had a future in the NBA.
--McDonald had one plate appearance in Major League Baseball. That happened on July 2, 1997, facing Brett Tomko of the Cincinnati Reds. McDonald, a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, struck out. This was the first year of Interleague Play and McDonald’s last year in the Bigs.
--McDonald was effusive with praise for Paul Mainieri (“as good as gold”)--LSU’s Baseball coach, the LSU Baseball team and several other state college baseball teams for their helping with flood recovery in the Livingston Parish area
McDonald also mentioned that Kevin Gausman—former LSU standout with the Baltimore Orioles—helped raise (in the vicinity of) $50,000 for flood victims.
RANDLE REED FOR PRESIDENT 2016
Actually, we would prefer his wife, Nilah!… but, nevertheless please see a great cause that Reed’s Metals is undertaking
Press release below.
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SPORTSCENTRAL
Central’s weekly show airs tonight. Please see information just below.
BATON ROUGE AREA BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
MONDAY—FRIDAY: 7am—8am: SPORTSGUMBO—Denham Springs, Family Radio, 91.9 FM, Baton Rouge… … … or on the net at JonFineProductions.com
Jon Fine
THURSDAY: 5pm—6pm: SportsCentral
Family Radio, 91.9 FM, Baton Rouge… Les Bueche, Sid Edwards, Frank Fresina
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Sulphur HS Football Radio Broadcasts (also heard on KEZMOnLine.com)
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High
As they say, “Now it gets real.” I don’t think my research staff has the ability to determine how this five game stretch for LSU stacks up against other difficult stretches over the years. Yet, I have a tough time imagining a more difficult five game stretch.
All five teams are ranked. One of them is the #1 team in the country that is completely dominant with the best coach in the country. The last two games will be in a span on five days with the final game on the road against a top 10 team.
Of course, this stretch is courtesy of the ineptitude of the University of Florida Athletic Department and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
I have to say that I thought Roger Goodell was the worst commissioner. It turns out Goodell is mad with power, while Sankey has proven to be void of leadership, utterly reactive, and in some respects oblivious. How is the man charged with representing the league going to throw LSU under the bus when LSU was the only school with a proper vision of how to handle a looming hurricane? Shame on the league presidents if they don’t see the warning signs and don’t act to protect the league from future embarrassment.
Back to LSU’s last five games of the year, though. We have 8 quarters of football to base our opinion on whether the Tigers can handle this stretch. Based off what I have seen, there are reasons to be optimistic.
The most obvious reason is that LSU is showing that they can have success through a variety of paths. LSU can win without being utterly dominant on the offensive line and running right at their opponent no matter what. The comments from Hugh Freeze are amazing and eye opening regarding the prospect of stopping LSU now compared to before the coaching change.
I want to focus on some smaller details that will help LSU during this stretch.
First, the coaches are willing to play more players. This fact will be vital to handling injuries that will surely happen and keeping players fresh through the physical and emotional stress they will face in the last five games.
Second, LSU’s scoring defense has been stellar. For all the faults Missouri and USM have, they have put up huge offensive numbers in their other games. I am sure these last five teams will test the defense in new ways, but there is reason to believe that the defense will keep LSU in every game.
Third, the threat of big plays on offense make life easier. The threat alone, can loosen defenses and make it easier to sustain drives. In addition, the actual big plays themselves are huge because few teams are able to put together long sustained drives against quality competition.
With those positives, I still have concerns. I think LSU’s corners have shown some weakness in playing the ball in the air. Basically everyone but White, have looked susceptible to 50/50 balls along the sideline.
I am also concerned about the offensive line. The constant change in combinations make it tough. But my bigger concern is that great defensive line play is what separates Texas A&M, Alabama, and Florida from other defenses in the league. Coach Grimes has done a great job shuffling the lineup. The question remains whether LSU is good enough at tackle to handle the teams I just mentioned.
Can LSU run the table? I don’t want to doubt this team, so I am going to be like the coaches and take it a game at a time. I like LSU’s chances this week. Ole Miss is good and has had LSU’s number under Hugh Freeze. But the Rebels schedule has been brutal, and LSU is catching Ole Miss on the back half of consecutive road games.
I am really looking forward to what Coach Ensminger is able to conjure up with Fournette and Guice. I know this stretch will be tough for LSU, but I have a feeling that LSU’s opponents also know that when facing these Tigers, “it’s gonna be real.”
HEY REF
BY DENNIS DEARIE,
VETERAN LOUISIANA HIGH SCHOOL REFEREE
The 2016 high school football season is once again coming to a much too quick end. This has been a tough season for many and I count myself in that group. Many know that I’d decided to “sit out” this season and with all that’s going on in my life it was best that I took a year off. But when that first brief couple of cool nights rolled around all I could think of was being on the field working at a job I really love doing.
Watching the Belaire circus really isn’t about what they’ve done it’s more like watching the famous alligator tears and the whining Jimmy Swaggart did when he was caught with a hooker not once but twice. As with Brother Jimmy do we again have a case of doing something wrong or is it really just another case of getting caught? That’s a question only a couple people know the answer to. I’m hoping that after all the evidence is in it was a mistake (s).
I know other coaches won’t do as Brother Jimmy did in calling for another television preacher to resign. Many of the coaches I know and have known without hesitating I can say that Baton Rouge has many of the best coaches in the industry. They deserve our respect and our support to keep them on the sidelines on Friday nights. But I see more and more stepping away from the high school game. I’ve had some parents say to me that coaching in the high school ranks is an easy job.
Without a doubt their jobs are some of the hardest ones simply because of the pressure put on them day after day, year after year to constantly produce a winning program. There’s not much glamour in coaching a high school sport nor does the money it pays make for a long line at the principal’s office. I don’t have to write that in south Louisiana FOOTBALL is king, we all know that, yet these men do it not for the truck-loads of money they’ll make but watching a kid begin to mature and make a commitment to the team and school is more reward then many will admit to.
When I applied to be the assignment secretary I listed three things I wanted to bring to the job. First was to reach out to these dedicated coaches and have them to sit in and contribute their knowledge in our weekly meetings. Second I’d make sure that as part of the dues officials pay to the LHSAA they’d receive a subscription to “Referee Magazine”. For those doubters all I can tell you is yes, there really is a Referee magazine. It should be read, studied and be a part of every officials tools of the trade. No matter the sport or level of play I find it at the top of my list for those wanting to get and to continue to become better.
Third was to go out and watch as many 9th grade and JV games I could before making my rounds on Varsity night. That’s the only way any assignment secretary can be assured his group of officials are getting better. I found it atrocious that the man hired wasn’t doing any of this. Instead of getting someone dedicated to the Baton Rouge area coaches he was more committed to the SEC. I can’t fault him for that but come on principals and the powers at the LHSAA having an SEC Football Official on your payroll looks nice but it shorted those coaches, schools and players in this area.
Then after just two years he resigned and an “interim”, past president was hired to replace him and I think he is still in that capacity. In talking with many local coaches they’ve told me things have gone from bad to worse. When my plan was going around to my fellow officials I heard this one comment that has stuck in my head to this day “Are you crazy? You’d want coaches to come to our meetings? Don’t you know all coaches want to do is find an official that’ll cheat for them”!
What I wanted to do is bring coaches and officials together because there’s too much tension and pressure on the sidelines. Coaches have ZERO RESPECT for the officials calling their games. And I’m sick to admit there’s no love lost by the officials for coaches either. We must find a way for all those working for the kids and schools to be on the same page.
A coaching legend is famous for saying “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” and unless a way is found to take a little pressure off the coaches and officials things will continue to degrade between those that should be working for one thing and one thing only; THE KIDS!!!
Till next week…
Newsroom
American Press
337-494-4080
news@americanpress.com
Reed’s Metals Kicks Off “Covering the Community”
Metal Roofing & Building Company is Donating a Metal Roof to One Local Family in Need
Sulphur, LA: This holiday season, Reed’s Metals, a company that manufactures metal roofing and pre-engineered steel buildings, announces the beginning of its second annual “Covering the Community” project. As a way to thank the local community for its support, the company plans to donate and install a metal roof to one family in need before Christmas Eve of this year.
“Southwest Louisiana has been so good to us ever since we opened our first store on Highway 90 four years ago,” says Randle Reed, Vice President/Owner of Reed’s Metals, “We just want to show our appreciation and give back to the community.”
The corporation plans to donate a metal roof in each of its markets. Hundreds of applications were submitted last holiday season, and Reed’s Metals anticipates twice as many this year since the company announced its p¬¬¬¬lan to have the giveaway each year.
“It’s hard to read all of the stories from tho
se in our area, especially since there are so many who truly do need assistance and are deserving of it. But it’s also uplifting to work on a project like this and be able to make one individual’s life just a bit easier this season,” says Mila Brunet, Marketing and Public Relations at Reed’s Metals.
Nominations of deserving individuals with their stories and photos of their current roofs will be accepted by online application through the Reed’s Metals website (www.reedsmetals.com) until 12:00 PM on Friday, December 2. Nominees must reside within 100 miles of Reed’s Metals in Sulphur, LA. All submissions will be carefully read by the employees of Reed’s Metals and the family they feel that has the greatest need will be chosen. The recipient of the metal roof will be announced on Friday, December 7.
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About Reed’s Metals, Inc.: Established in 1998, Reed’s Metals has set the industry standards for quality metal products. Reed’s Metals is a metal manufacturer specializing in metal roofing, metal buildings and pole barns. Headquartered in Brookhaven, Mississippi, Reed’s Metals now has ten locations in Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana.
2015 Recipients
Brookhaven, MS Area Winner
Jackson, TN Area Winners
Lake Charles, LA Area Winners
Tupelo, MS Area Winners
Baton Rouge Area Winner
Meridian, MS Area Winner
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