July 26, 2018
BRUSLY NOW A KBRS/LIONEL FRANKLIN PRODUCTION
Lionel Franklin and KBRS Radio, 106.9 FM, will be producing Brusly HS Football radio broadcasts in 2018. The games can be heard on the net at JonFineProductions.com
Due to lingering health issues, I have removed myself from producing the broadcasts
Lionel Franklin will be calling play-by-play, with Jason Manola on color commentary for Coach Hoff Schooler’s team.
JACKETS ON THE AIR
Catch DENHAM SPRINGS HS FOOTBALL in 2018 on FAMILY RADIO 91.9 FM AND ON THE NET AT JON FINE PRODUCTIONS. COM. This is our 23rd year announcing Denham Springs Football. Josh Ward will call play-by-play with Andy Duckworth on color commentary for Coach Bill Conides’ team.
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High
Have there ever been fewer starting position battles on a Saints roster entering training camp as there is this year? I remember growing up reading the Times-Picayune everyday to see if Mike Buck, Steve Walsh, or Wade Wilson had the better day at camp. Thank goodness those days are gone. Thank goodness for Drew Brees.
Quarterback is not the only position where we know the starter before camp starts. Kamara will start until Ingram gets back and then they will share the role. The offensive line is set from left to right with Armstead, Peat, Unger, Warford, and Ramczyk. Oh by the way, that is a great and fairly young group.
Ben Watson is likely going to start at tight end, but all the tight ends will play. Michael Thomas is the number one wide receiver and the other starters don’t matter since the Saints usually have 2-4 on the field in the first 3 plays. Still, Cameron Merideth and Ted Ginn are pretty sure to be the next two in line. If Tre’Quan Smith is so good that he jumps above either of those two then Smith will be the steal of the draft.
Therefore, there aren’t many mysteries on offense heading into camp. The last wide receiver spot will probably come down to Tommylee Lewis, Brandon Coleman, and Austin Carr. At tight end, the only question will be if undrafted Deon Yelder can make the squad. Running back is interesting because of Ingram’s suspension. The Saints have done well to pick up some trustworthy veterans. The competition for the three backup offensive lineman spots will be the most interesting in my mind. Though I have to admit I made that statement because Will Clapp will be one of the players fighting for a spot.
Morestead and Lutz will kick. There is a question as to who will return kicks though.
On defense, we know the secondary. Crawley and Lattimore will start at cornerback, with Patrick Robinson holding down the nickel slot. Coleman (from Carolina) and Williams will be the safeties with Vonn Bell ready to go.
The first and only real competition for starting spots comes at linebacker. There is a five way battle between Demario Davis, AJ Klein, Manti Te’o, Alex Anzolone, and Craig Robertson to start. Considering the injury history of those players though, it is a good thing the Saints have five capable starters.
On the defensive line, Okafor, Rankins, Davison, and Jordan could be the starters just like last year. Of course, Marcus Davenport will be the top player to watch for on the roster. If the Saints hit on Davenport close to how they hit on Kamara and Lattimore last year, then the Saints are going to have a great year. I should mention that Onyemata will probably play as much as Davison so he could be considered a starter.
There should be some good roster battles at corner, safety, and defensive line and we will get to see those start to play out in two weeks when preseason starts. As for now, I am going to rejoice and relax in the idea that every starting position on the roster is in better position than 1993.
HEY REF
What’s in a name? Many times a job title hasn’t got any resemblance of truth to exactly what that job entails or how employees are classified. So, I’ll ask everyone this simple question: Would you like to become an Independent Contractor? I hear this phrase being used more and more each and every day. As many of you are well aware here at “Hey Ref” I do my best to cut through the BS and give you the stone cold facts without giving a hint of concern who might be offended. And you can be very sure of this fact because the branding of game officials in Louisiana as INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS is very far from the truth and misleading.
I think this week I’ll devote my entire space and attempt to explain how this very deceptive label is being used nationwide and here too in Louisiana by none other thanthe LHSAA. I hope that by explaining many fans will understand why many officials are dropping out and ending their careers. Many officials feel they are getting the “shaft” by being put in one group, told how they’ll conduct business and then being classified as “independent”.
Let me reassure each and every one there’s nothing and/or way that would support working high schools games under the LHSAA banner and being labeled as an INDEPENDENT what so ever. This term was introduced over twenty years ago to deprive workers any healthcare benefits and just about every other benefit that was paid to workers in an industry. Simply put the LHSAA wants to have all game officials classified this way so no benefits have to be paid.
We must purchase a separate policy on our own to cover any medical problems associated with working any LHSAA games. The LHSAA acting like an employer dictates every aspect of how officials are paid; compensated and on top of that they even dictate the uniform we must wear to get on the field. Once again the LHSAA in its divine wisdom has mandated a change in the stripes on football official’s shirts.
Without any debate or input from the nine football official’s association state wide the change in shirts was mandated for the 2015 season. No big deal you might think but that small change will cost each official at best $100.00 since we use both long and short sleeved shirts. Three years ago it was a change to only one style of shoe and they had to be purchased from only one company. So if you wanted to do business as an independent contractor and purchase from companies you’ve been dealing with for years you were told “NO YOU CAN’T DO THAT”! As I’ve decided to once again step onto a varsity field and work high school football games no one has told me if we are now allowed to buy our uniforms from a company that we’ve decided to do business with. And when I get the answer to that question, I’ll update everyone whether we are allowed to buy from companies we pick.
As I look back on the shoe debate which there never was any debate I thought as an independent contractor I could wear a shoe that fit me comfortably but was I ever so wrong. I was told that if I wanted to work games then I couldn’t question the LHSAA’s decision. You might wonder why many of us at that time were in an uproar concerning the LHSAA’s mandate we buy only this shoe from this company. Well, we had a very simple reason as to why we wanted to shop elsewhere; this only type/style of shoe we were told that would be allowed on varsity fields came in only ONE width; D!
Well, we did as we were commanded to do and bought a pair of said shoes. Was it a surprise that by the ten minute mark in the very first quarter of that first game the entire crew was feeling the pain of trying to run in shoes that were ten times too small? I raised this issue with the LHSAA and was told, “We won’t discuss this issue, you either adapt or you don’t work”. Does that sound like we were contractors of the independent nature?
If we’re truly independent contractors we should be allowed to have a say in the amount we will charge schools for our services. But again the LHSAA sets our game fees and travel fees. Being independent also means “FREE” to provide my services as agreed between myself and the school with which I provide my services. But again the LHSAA demands we join a union to work games on Friday nights.
Many of my fellow officials didn’t know they were being forced to join a union before you could independently work a football game for the LHSAA. As a so called “Right to Work” state this forced membership should be outlawed but the state looks the other way. Joining an association where you have dedicated meetings, a constitution, elected officers by definition constitutes a union.
The Association becomes a hiring hall just like any other union. When I asked a member of the legislature about this practice I was told the LHSAA gets away with it by calling themselves “An Association”. To challenge this law would require many hours of debate before the legislature and millions of dollars.
SO when you hear “Independent” contractor being used by the LHSAA it’s nothing more than a play on words. They dictate your working conditions, rate of pay and it goes so far as demanding the official wear their prescribed uniform in order to get a job. There’s nothing independent about it, it’s just a way to control the workers (officials) without having to provide an ounce of security or benefits that ordinary workers receive in the market place!
There’s nothing INDEPENDENT by any definition what so ever. Instead of concentrating on the way a crew of officials look on any given Friday night there should and needs to be just one thing that needs concentrating on; RULES KNOWLEDGE AND THE PROPER WAY TO ENFORCE THE INTENT OF RULES! My way of thinking is simple, you can put lipstick on a pig and it might look pretty to you. But we all know if you take away the lipstick then you’re left with???????
Till next week…
DENHAM SPRINGS HS FOOTBALL RADIO BROADCASTS ARE A JON FINE PRODUCTION ON FAMILY RADIO, 91.9 FM, BATON ROUGE and JonFineProductions.com. BRUSLY HS FOOTBALL RADIO BROADCASTS Are a KBRS/LIONEL FRANKLIN PRODUCTION ON KBRS, 106.9 FM and JonFineProductions.com.
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