April 11, 2019
MCNEESE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL ARE ON THE AIR!
Tune in on SportsRadio, 1310-KEZM Lake Charles or on the net at KEZMOnLine.com
This week’s broadcasting schedule includes:
Apr 12 New Orleans 5:45pm BASEBALL
Apr 13 New Orleans 2:45pm BASEBALL
Apr 14 New Orleans 12:45pm BASEBALL
Apr 16 Southeastern LA 5:45 pm BASEBALL
April 17 Southern Miss 5:45pm SOFTBALL
LSU, SAINTS AND MUCH MORE
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HOUSTON ASTROS BASEBALL
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PRAISE FOR COACH OS
Jim from Denham Springs emailed his thoughts about last week’s THE WIZARDRY OF OS:
Hello Everyone...(The Wizardry of Os) is an excellent discussion of the Will Wade/LSU dilemma that outlines all the possible outcomes. The writer does a great job of identifying the impacts related to each possible outcome, many not positive. Thought you might enjoy his thoughts on the subject.
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High
I know you don’t want to tricked again. I know you are like me and have heard for years that this LSU offense will be different. I know most Tiger fans are skeptical, and skepticism is the wise approach. But, after seeing the Spring Game I will tell you that this year will be different.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, I am not predicting LSU is going to the College Football Playoff, will have the best offense of all time, or the most outrageous prediction… beat Alabama.
All I am saying is that LSU’s offense this year will be different. I am confident of this statement because as we know LSU kept their offense “vanilla” like every else in college football. When LSU kept its offense plain in the past, it meant mostly runs and some play action as the foundation of the offense we saw year after year. When Dan Mullen keeps his offense plain he has quarterback runs, because that is a foundation of his offense. This year, LSU’s vanilla was not plain. As it turns out, there are different flavors of vanilla.
The RPO (run pass option) has been the buzz word surrounding LSU’s offense. Surely, LSU will utilize this facet of the offense more this year. I am sure there are other twists we will see as well, but none of these buzzwords are why this offense will b e different.
LSU will be different on offense this year because the players are skilled and experienced. Last year, the players just were not ready and the coaches clearly made the right decision to go slowly (10 wins proves that). This year, though, the most talented skill players on offense return (Jefferson, Chase, Marshall, Edwards-Helaire, and Burrow) and look better for it. Those players will set the foundation so other talented, but inexperienced skill players will be able to contribute but in less significant roles, and therefore will be more successful.
Of course, we have to recognize that skill players can’t make plays without the offensive line. A few things stuck out from the Spring Game. First, there was a clean pocket most of the game for quarterbacks to step into. The “sacks” came from the edge (and might not have been sacks in a real game).
Second, there is not quality depth at this point. LSU fans that are hoping Dare Rosenthal and Cameron Wire will be the answer at tackle will just have to wait. Those two look the part, but are not ready to play the part.
Third, and most importantly, the job of the offensive line might be easier. The running backs might be able to make a player miss. The receivers might get open faster. The quarterback appear to be making quicker decisions. And the overall system appears to take advantage of space.
Finally, the whole offense does not appear to hinge on one player. At quarterback, Burrow or Brennan. At running back, Edwards-Helaire or Curry or the two freshmen. At receiver, Chase, Marshall Jefferson, Anderson, Sullivan, or McMath. Hopefully, the tight end options will be Moss or Pettigrew, but even if they continue to have injury issues, LSU showed they can use McMath or Sullivan’s size.
The point is that the foundation of the offense is on spreading the field, using all the talent. The quarterbacks that will be asked to runs the offense have ability and experience. The players who will be counted on in space are extremely talented and experienced. The offensive line is at least experienced and once the freshmen arrive will be plentiful in number.
Yes, the offense will be different, and just as sure I am in that statement, I am confident to declare that the defense will not be different (which is a good thing). LSU played the Spring Game without four of its most talented players in Chaisson, Lawrence, Phillips and Fulton. Yet, Delpit, Stingley, Stevens, Divinity, Queen, and many others were flying around showing their talent.
Again, I encourage caution in taking all of these positive conclusions and predicting unprecedented success. Summer always brings suspensions from poor decisions. Injuries are a part of football. On the positive side, some extremely talented freshmen have yet to arrive and will certainly contribute. I will keep reminding you to stay cautious and skeptical, because I am extremely excited.
HEY REF
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 “Hey Ref” does his best to cut through the BS and give you the stone cold facts. And you can be very sure of this fact because the branding of game officials in Louisiana and most other states as INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS is so far from the truth it’s downright misleading.
I think this week I’ll devote my entire space and attempt to explain how this very deceptive label is being used by more and more states. I hope that by explaining many fans will understand why many officials are dropping out and ending their careers. Many officials feel as I do they are getting the “shaft” by being put in one group and then being classified as “independent”.
Let me reassure each and every one there’s nothing that would support working high schools games under the LHSAA banner and then being an INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR what so ever. This term was introduced over twenty years ago to deprive workers any healthcare benefits and just about every other benefit that would be 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 a UNION HALL 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. Not very long ago the LHSAA in its divine wisdom has mandated a change in the stripes on football official’s shirts. They want THEIR OFFICLALS to look like college officials. “Looking” like does not guarantee high school officials will work as well as college officials.
Without any debate or input from the nine football official’s association state wide the change in shirts is mandated for the ’15 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. Two years ago it was a change to only one style of shoe from only one company.
I thought as an independent contractor I could wear a shoe that fit me comfortably but I was wrong to question the LHSAA. Association wide we’re only allowed to wear shoes that match other crew members so we’ll look alike. If you stop to think about it this makes no sense at all. It’s sorta like putting lipstick on a pig and we know at the end of the day all we’ve got is a pig wearing lipstick. Here’s the problem with that thinking the designated shoe ONLY came in only ONE width, narrow. By the ten minute mark in the very first quarter of every game the entire crew was feeling the pain so I brought this issue up and was told “We won’t discuss this issue, you either adapt or you don’t work”. Does that sound like you’re independent?
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 three unions, the LHSAA, a local association and now the recently conceived Louisiana Official’s Association, in order to work games on Friday nights.
Many of my fellow officials didn’t understand they were being forced to join three unions before they could work football games 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 constitutes a union.
The local association now 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!!!
Till next week…
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