May 14, 2020
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ONE AND ALL AS WE TRY TO MAKE OUR WAY SAFELY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC
PLEASE SUPPORT AREA BUSINESSES
I ask you to strongly consider supporting local businesses as much as you can. Stay safe. Be careful. Follow all of the precautions that have been mentioned. But, there are a lot of businesses that are the backbone of our communities that could really use you as a customer in these challenging times. Purchasing gift cards at these restaurants would also be a wonderful idea. Here is the status of our restaurant sponsors in the Denham Springs Community:
Big Mike’s Sports Bar & Grill Buddy’s Bar B Q
Drive-Thru
Duke’s Seafood & Steakhouse
Maria’s Mexican Restaurant Swamp Box Café
Mr. Gattis Pizza
Swamp Box Cafe
Please try to patronize these outstanding businesses and shop locally when you can. THANK YOU
LSU, SAINTS AND MUCH MORE
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
By Scott Osborne
Assistant Basketball Coach at Central High School
The 2020 NFL schedule was released last week, and with the lack of sports stories to discuss, the difficulty of the Saints schedule was a hot topic. Unfortunately, there aren’t any good metrics for determining the difficulty of a schedule before the season happens.
Strength of schedule, at this point, is based on last year’s records. The problem with that is the NFL is a league of parity. The difference between 6-10 and 10-6 is often a few points here and there. Because of this parity, teams can make huge jumps (or falls) from one year to the next.
One of the reasons the Saints schedule ranks so low right now is the division didn’t perform well last year. The Bucs, Falcons, and Panthers records did not match the talent of their teams. The Panthers fired their coaching staff as a result. The Falcons almost fired their coaching staff. The Bucs fired their quarterback. These teams have changed. Therefore, do not look at the record of these teams last year to determine if it will be a challenge to play that team this year.
Tampa Bay is the best example. The Bucs with Jameis Winston leading the offense versus to the same team with Tom Brady is no comparison.
The other metric is to look at the order in which the teams fall on the schedule. Last year, we all looked at playing the Rams and Seahawks in back to back weeks as a huge challenge. While that two week stretch was a big challenge, in hindsight, that challenge may be what defined and propelled the team to its great regular season.
Injuries and weather are equally unpredictable throwing another monkey wrench into measuring the difficulty of a schedule. Adding the impact of the unknown possible interruptions due to Co-Vid19, and the discussion of the schedule loses even more substance.
Nevertheless, what else do we have to talk about right now? So I will dive right in and say that I think the schedule has two parts that are especially tough for the Saints.
While opening at home is nice, the Saints have been awful in season openers in recent history. The defense is usually especially terrible the first 2-3 weeks and the Saints are opening with TOMpa Bay.
The first road game is opening a new stadium in Las Vegas on Monday night. Compare that to if the Saints played in Las Vegas in mid-November at 3:00, and this game is more challenging than expected.
The third game is Green Bay. While it is at home at night, the Saints will play Aaron Rodgers on a short week after playing on the road at night. Those first three games are brutal.
The middle of the schedule is not too bad, but the end is a beast. The Saints play three road games in a row in the last third of the year. The three games are all over the country. I suspect they will try and go from Atlanta to Philadelphia without returning to New Orleans in between.
While that stretch is challenging, I am more concerned about the next two games coming off of that stretch. Following three straight road games the Saints will play Kansas City and Minnesota in a span of five days. The good news is those games are at home, but Mahomes and a quality team that has had our number in this particular scenario is as challenging as a schedule gets.
Thankfully, the Saints have a very good team. Even with that fact, I doubt the Saints will be a 13 win team again and the chances of being a top seed are low. 10-11 wins feels about right at this point.
But don’t let that get you down. The myth of the Saints being unbeatable at home in the playoffs has been crushed the last two years. The Saints were just as close to beating Minnesota on the road three years as they were to beating the Rams or Vikings the last two years.
The most important factor will be finding a way to get the defense to play the way it did when Drew Brees was out last year while Drew Brees is hopefully healthy this year. That, and being healthy on the offensive and defensive lines for the playoffs will determine the fate of this team.
HEY REF
I was asked this past weekend by another football official, he’s in a different association than I am, what were my thoughts about this change in what we called our Assignment Secretary in the past. Well I wasn’t expecting that question so I had to give it a little thought. The position has a new name and it’ll now be known as the Regional Coordinator of Officials. Say that three times real fast!
I’ve got to be honest and say my answer went something like this “what’s that old saying about what you get when you put lipstick on a pig”? That’s right; you get a pig! I received an email informing me of a change in who’ll be our new RCO. It kinda caught me off guard because I didn’t know the LHSAA was looking to make some changes.
I learned that every three years the position becomes available and 2020 is the latest year that applications are being accepted. I had hoped to work one last year on the field last year with a couple of guys that I’d worked with in a crew but that idea was thrown out because of politics within the Baton Rouge Association. And it’s a very sad situation that those members in Baton Rouge can’t get a new assigner because they so very much need one and so very much want one.
But getting back to the question, I don’t see changing the name will do anything in the positive. The problem isn’t with assigners; the problem is with those being assigned. My philosophy is simple; to go forward you must go backwards. Say what Mr. Ref? The easiest way to explain what I just wrote can be said simply that the old ways of working hard and being dedicated to the profession is what’s so lacking in today’s officials.
For instance we’re constantly given instructions (mechanics) on how, when and why to cover certain play situations. That’s the way it should be in a perfect world. The theory looks fine on paper in which teams will have all their regular season games officiated the same way from week 1 to week 10 and all playoff games they’re involved in! Sounds good in principal but is very hard to pull off. Here’s what I’m talking about; the mechanics by which LHSAA games will be covered calls for an official to stay on the line during a certain type of play.
On this play it calls for my position to cover certain players in a certain situation which I did. But it didn’t say what else I should do. So, in that game after the ball went across the line I moved up the field about 3 yards to cover any cheap fouls and/or dirty play. So, when I move to cover downfield a crew member ripped me for doing that.
You see there are many officials that don’t want to do anything except for what’s written in stone. I get sick when an official says “that’s not my call”! They won’t move an extra inch because it’s not in the mechanics for them to cover the opposite side and look for “CHEAP SHOTS”! In that same game the field judge gets on the radio and tells me I needed to stop the clock faster.
Now hold on guys, this official is on the opposite side of the field and 25 yards deeper than me. He can’t see the line so how does he get off by telling me anything? Last year we had a new rule about how and when the next down will be snapped and the ref for this game was starting the play clock faster and faster as the game progressed. The chain crew kept moving before they were told to move so I couldn’t make the call if the ball had gone more than 10 yards.
There are many small situations like I just wrote about and officials want to do the right thing all night so common sense is a major tool not possessed by many of the guys in stripes. Instead of making sure all the officials had the same shoes, socks and so forth to me it makes more sense to insure the officials know the rules. The test taking system in place now (and has been for several) is so inept it shows every Friday night.
So, at the end of the day a name change won’t help without the members changing how they work. They need a wholesale change in attitude and understanding. Look back at how things were done before and realize the only way to getting better is to dedicate themselves as we did some 25 years ago.
Till next week…
FINE IDEAS
One of the ways that Erin Hebert and Myles Brennan are honoring the late Bobby Hebert Sr is through a Go Fund Me account they’ve established for Covid 19 Charities. Erin Hebert is the niece of former NFL Quarterback Bobby Hebert and the granddaughter of Bobby Hebert Sr. Brennan, an LSU Quarterback, is dating Erin. Both were very close to Bobby Hebert Sr. We certainly urge one and all to contribute to this noble cause.
We also urge Myles and Erin to tie the knot and procreate their future quarterback. Look at the bloodlines. The football world can’t wait. There are a number of schools/teams/entities that are already recruiting their first offspring. In fact, through numerous sources, I have compiled a current Top 10 list in the recruitment of this Myles-Erin progeny— possibly named Bobby Hebert III-Brennan.
1. Alabama
Word has it that Nick Saban has already sent the couple Roll Tide Roll toilet paper and diapers for their newcomer.
2. LSU
Erin’s cousin T-Bob Hebert, a former LSU Football player, has been plugging his alma mater on his radio show
3. Northwestern (LA) State
Erin’s uncle’s college. Bobby has also been vociferously touting the college he attended on his radio show
Not sure if Bobby knows the meaning of vociferously. Am pretty sure he can not pronounce it intelligibly.
4. Nicholls State
Another one of Erin’s uncles, Billy Bob Hebert, does not have a radio show (always one in the family I guess), but did play college ball on the Bayou
This would be a great place for the Hebert Cajun accent to be perpetuated.
5. LSU Gymnastics… in case we got the future gender wrong and it is a girl
6. Tulane
Great place to get an education. And, you can avoid large crowds at home football games. And, if it is a girl, she might still be able to start for the Green Wave… ouch
Greenie fans, please be good sports
7. USC
If Coach O should dare to go 14-1 or worse in any future season, he could be on the hot seat. He could very readily resurface at USC.
8. New Orleans Saints
By the time this kid is ready to play football, players will probably be allowed to go straight from high school to the pros. Sean Payton is allegedly in contact with the couple. After all, in 2040 he might need a replacement for Drew Brees.
9. St Stanislaw HS (Mississippi)
Brennan’s high school. Wait a second, I almost forgot. High schools don’t recruit.
10. ESPN Radio, Baton Rouge… College Football players can now be paid. And it would follow in the family tradition. Look for the Bobby Hebert III-Brennan Show in 2040. Perhaps it just depends whether it is in Tuscaloosa or Baton Rouge, I suppose.
Okay, let’s dispense with this nonsense and proceed with more foolishness.
Here is our Top 20 Covid 19 Team:
1. Bill Sharman
Yes, I know the toilet paper is named Charmin, but we need a player/coach for this team and Sharman is in the Basketball Hall of Fame in both capacities. Folks, please stop hoarding.
2. Nick Nurse
A special thank you to all of our heroic nurses and health care providers
3. Julius Erving… that goes for Doctors too
4. Karl Malone
Here’s to the Mailmen doing a great job, including sending ArrestedDevelopmentMediaGuide customers their packages
5. Gary Payton… nicknamed The Glove
6. Jacques Plante… the first NHL goalie to wear a Mask
7. Charles Barkley… it is important to maintain distance in this pandemic… sort of the way Sir Charles played defense
8. Deion Sanders
It is also critical to avoid contact with others… sort of the way Neon Deion used to play cornerback.
9. Harry Caray… for all those who are having a beverage or 3 as the legendary Baseball announcer was wont to do—sometimes on air
10. Bud Harrelson… along those lines, this Bud is for you… for the former NY Mets 1969 World Series winning shortstop
11. Reggie Miller… in case your preference is Miller Time
12. William Perry
It is essential to have an operational Refrigerator
13. Tim Couch… critical to have a comfortable place to lie down and watch Korean Baseball.
14. Johnny Grubb
Former mlb player
Grub Hub, Door Dash, Waitr have helped a lot of us put on our Covid 50
15. Bubbles Hawkins… former NBA player… pro sports might be coming to bubble cities
16. Bob “ButterBean” Love/Kevin Love… tell someone you love them as we don’t know what tomorrow brings
17. Chris Hope… former NFL player out of Florida State
18. Johnny Unitas… arguably the greatest to wear #19.
19. Walter Berry/Paul Pierce
Both nicknamed The Truth. This one is for our politicians and media. It is what the public deserves.
20. Doug Collins… actually his alma mater, Illinois State
We all want to get back to Normal.
If it is true that Zion Williamson’s parents were paid for him to go to Duke—and the NBA does not return in 2019-20—does it mean the Williamson’s took a pay cut this year with Zion leaving Duke after his freshman season and playing with the New Orleans Pelicans? And, if this is the case does the K in Coach K now stand for thousands of dollars?
Even though they were not in session, the Louisiana legislators still pocketed close to $15,000 per diem apiece for work they did not do in Baton Rouge. Brett Favre would make a great fit as a Louisiana politician
I’m glad that Phase 1 will come tomorrow in Louisiana. However, I won’t feel secure until a drug company is named the Official Caronavirus Vaccine Provider of the LSU Tigers… We all hear that when sports resume, they will look nothing like they did in 2019. The Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Bengals can only hope so… Wish Yogi Berra was around to tell us it “Aint Over Till It’s Over” amongst other Yogiisms that make us laugh… Dick Motta once said it “aint over till the fat lady sings.” Here’s hoping that Roseanne Barr sings shortly, preferably not another rendition of her disgracing the national anthem before a San Diego Padres game in 1990
Wonder if some of you geriatric people (like me) are having constant flashbacks to The Donald and the waning moments of the USFL.
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