March 15, 2018
BACK IN BUSINESS!!!
KEZM Radio had been experiencing some technical issues that were storm related. But, the station is fully operational once again… which means… … (see next)
COWBOYS BASEBALL/SOFTBALL ON KEZM!
SportsRadio-1310-KEZM-Lake Charles is airing select McNeese Baseball and softball games in 2018. Broadcasts can also be heard on the Internet at KEZMOnLine.com
Please see upcoming schedule below.
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ON HIATUS
SportsCentral is taking some time off. WE HOPE TO HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AS SOON AS THE STATUS OF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN CLARIFIED TO US, WE’LL PASS IT ON TO YOU.
BATON ROUGE AREA BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY: SPORTSCENTRAL: ON HIATUS 5pm—6pm: Central First Facebook Page… … Les Bueche, Sid Edwards, Frank Fresina… ON HIATUS
SPORTSRADIO-1310-KEZM-LAKE CHARLES (AND KEZMONLINE. COM) BROADCASTS
FRI, MARCH 16: 6:20 pm McNeese Baseball at SFA
SAT, MARCH 17: 1:50pm McNeese Baseball at SFA
SUN, MARCH 18 12:50pm McNeese Baseball at SFA
WED, MARCH 21 5:50pm McNeese Baseball vs USL
(NEXT SOFTBALL BROADCAST IS MARCH 23 VS UIW)
HOUSTON ASTROS BASEBALL PRE-SEASON GAMES (On radio, no Internet coverage)
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).
NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN ON TUESDAY, 3/13
THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High
Tournament time. LSU is dancing, just not in the Big Dance. Though by the time you read this the music may have stopped playing if Bob Marlin’s team plays with as much force as his words.
I doubt you will read this in time to fix your bracket, but here is what I have.
In the South Region, Loyola-Chicago is my biggest upset in the first round. Tennessee and Cincinnati are my picks in the bottom of the region. Arizona should beat Kentucky, but Arizona was also supposed to be a top 5 team all year. So, I think Kentucky beats Arizona. Either way, I think the winner of that game knocks off Virginia who lost their 6th man to injury. Then, give me Kentucky beating Cincinnati and advancing to the Final Four.
In the East Region, I can see plenty of upsets, but I have a tough time pulling the trigger. Murray State and Marshall can challenge West Virginia and Wichita State, but my upset is Stephen F. Austin over Texas Tech. Since, I don’t have any faith in Florida away from home, I went ahead and put Stephen F. as my shocker Sweet 16 team against Purdue. West Virginia is due for a good tournament run and I love their point guard, but I don’t see them beating Villanova. I don’t see Purdue or anyone else beating Villanova in the region. More Wildcats in the Final Four.
The West Region is usually the upset region, but not in round one this year. Michigan and North Carolina should make the Sweet 16 in the bottom of the bracket. Gonzaga and Xavier are my picks in the top, though I don’t have faith in any of those teams in the top of this region. I think the winner of the West region will come from the Michigan/North Carolina game. Last year was Carolina’s year, so I am on Michigan’s bandwagon this year.
I think the Midwest Region has three of the best teams. Duke, Michigan State, and Kansas are great teams. Clemson and Auburn are on early upset alert. I look forward to Duke playing Michigan State and I think Michigan State will “out-tough” Duke. I have been back and forth on Kansas and Michigan State, but in the end I settled on Michigan State making the Final Four.
Michigan and Michigan State would make for a great semifinal. Michigan won both games, but the Final Four is a different story.
Villanova is better than anyone who would come out of the South, including my pick of Kentucky.
In the championship game, I have Villanova beating Michigan State.
If I am even close, I will be sure to remind you in a month. Otherwise, this week is the last you will hear of my picks.
HEY REF
It’s Christmas time for the New Orleans Saints. Drew Brees handed the franchise probably the biggest gift any player has given a team! His actions show exactly what he’s made of. By agreeing to a scant base salary of just $25 million for the next two years it’s causing many players to look at what they’ll be asking for during free agency. Reality would say he’s worth twice or three times that. Any other player would’ve demanded much more and probably the first born of half the team before he’d agree to be back playing in the Big Easy. Brees understands “Father-Time” will be knocking on his door a little more often in the next 24 months and two years is about all he’s got left.
This is the time of year when all the numbers get crunched. This is the time of year when players and fans alike find out just who or whom their true friends are. I’m not sure “WHY” it took the parties so long in announcing Brees will be back and in all actuality he’ll not play after this contract expires. He’s been able to play without a major injury for many years and he’ll no doubt want to retire healthy. So two years is probably the extent his body can give him and nobody can question him if he does decide to end his football playing after the 2018 season. He wants another Super Bowl championship and by his recent actions the entire locker room knows he’ll be demanding more from every player. The Saints have cheated Father Time so to speak in not getting a college quarterback and bringing him along so this is the year to get a quality player in the likes of Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield. His actions, arm strength and timing look oh so familiar in the way Drew Brees plays the position. No matter what his cost will be Drew used his own money for the down payment of Mayfield. Let’s hope New Orleans uses Drew’s down payment and brings him to town.
I don’t expect any other players to go the low dollar route during this time of the year. The Vikings seem ready to make Kirk Cousins an offer of some $84 million for three years in what they feel is a very weak position on their roster. Only time will tell. The Brees contract is an exception to the rule no doubt. When the dealing gets going hard and strong anyone with half a brain will understand why there are no friends at this time of the year in the NFL because it’s business. This is truly the time of year when what used to be a game is turned into big business aBIG BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS. Player’s agents will be on the phone non-stop trying to get them a new deal. But each owner and front office will hope they can restructure contracts at a lower scale in order to stay under the salary cap. It’s the nature of the beast because all those players that enter the league for the first time will no doubt want those contracts that’ll make certain players instant millionaires.
The CBA hammered out just a few years ago seemed to fix all this wasteful spending that is Free Agency. And like crafty politicians that can’t stop spending more and more from year to year the league will somehow feel the need to raise the salary cap. It’s what they’ve learned from our congress and president when they raise the nation’s debt ceiling. In simple terms the owners just can’t live within their means. Seems odd in a way don’t you think?
I mean every one of the 32 organizations shell out millions and millions of dollars for the best number-crunchers in the country yet they just can’t get spending under control. We were told that the owners needed to rewrite a CBA with its players to curb spending on salaries and save the teams money. They cried foul and blamed the escalating salaries on players.
But now we are seeing the truth about the latest CBA. As it is written and how it’s being used the one thing that’s certain; lower wages for rookies. NOT top draft choices of course as we’ll see in the upcoming draft in April. Even proven veterans are cutting their own salaries to stay employed. Sound familiar?
But I really can’t get upset and or complain since I don’t support the league. It’s simply because I refuse to pay the price of super inflated tickets. This past season I looked into attending a game in New Orleans. Of course I knew I’d be shocked at the price of the ticket but cardiac arrest wasn’t anywhere in my game plan. I just can’t justify the cost for me and my wife to spend two days in New Orleans and drop close to a thousand dollars on tickets, hotel, parking, meals and on and on. We’re still homeless due to the flood of 2016 and there’s no hope in sight that we’ll be getting any help from this Restore Louisiana scam. But that’s for another day and another time.
And that’s where this week’s column is headed; I’m just another former fan priced out of seeing live NFL games due to the unbelievable cost. I’m not alone by any means. More and more of us are being forced to make a decision as to whether keep the lights on at home or sit in a billion dollar stadium. The dollars start leaving your pockets from the get-go.
Parking rates of between $40 and $50.00 depending on how close you want to be. In Dallas it’s much worse at an astonishing $75.00 per vehicle. Think you’ll save a buck or two by taking a taxi? Not so fast grasshopper.
Those number crunchers have that taken care of. How you may ask? Just ask poor Jerry. You remember him? He’s the poor guy that said he wasn’t making any money owning the Dallas Cowboys. Well, if you do take that taxi to “Jerry’s World” you must be dropped off at certain locations and pay for the right or should I say the honor of attending his show.
Parking is just the start, you’ve got $10.00 beers (or higher) $8.00 for a hotdog(or higher, if you want chili, mustard, onions and or cheese), $20.00 programs (or higher), $25.00 for a hat and or T-Shirt (or higher)… Kinda get the picture?????
So, fans of every team, hope you’re ready for the yearly ride of players being dropped, traded or cut from the team. It’s not that I don’t like sports because I do. But I feel our society has placed games in the center of everything and so many lives now totally revolve around them.
I’d like to end this week by asking fans out there one question; will this be the year you have to make the choice of spending your time dominated by a game or keeping the lights on?
Till next week…
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