August 27, 2020
GOD BLESS
While thankful that the Greater Baton Rouge area averted major damage, my heart goes out to my friends in the Lake Area who endured major destruction at the hands of Hurricane Laura. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
TODAY’S COLUMNS:
Scott focuses on pivotal moments in the last 5 years of LSU Football
Dennis revisits the concept of paying college football players…
Jon takes a social posture
Please scroll down below.
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ONE AND ALL AS WE TRY TO MAKE OUR WAY SAFELY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC. WE STAND WITH THOSE THAT ARE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY AND RACISM.
LSU, SAINTS AND MUCH MORE
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HULLABALOO HOORAY
A message from the Great Jim Springs:
Dear Friends... We are writing to request your kind assistance. Kathy and I moved back home twelve years ago to be with our aging mothers in the latter years of their lives, Kathy's in Arkansas, mine here in Denham Springs. They have both passed away now, taking with them the anchors that kept us tethered to our Southern roots. As much as we love being home, we love Kathy's children and grandchildren more...and they live in Washington state where Kathy and I first met. Our beautiful home, built with Jack Hartman-integrity, is for sale as of today! We wish to sell it ourselves, and that's where you might assist us by helping spread the word. The biggest challenge of For Sale by Owner is marketing and visibility--getting the news out. The Address is 650 Pine Street, DSLA, and my cell is (225) 588-0366. Or you can email me at JimSpring53@hotmail.com. You can also see the house at fsbobr.com (ID# 569639) or at Zillow.com. Thank you.
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.
THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Every once in a while, it is good practice to look back and see how you got to your current situation. The last five years of LSU football have had many unique events and moments that could have sent LSU on a completely different path than the journey we all enjoyed last year, and the future Tiger fans are anticipating.
Someone needs to write a book about 2015 (someone probably has). LSU opened the year with a game against McNeese State that was cancelled by the weather. With all the weather events that have occurred, a cancellation is actually a rarity.
In the middle of the year, the weather stepped in again. LSU was supposed to play at South Carolina, but there was flooding in the region that week and Columbia could not host the game. In a move that Florida would somehow take offense to in later years, LSU arranged for the game to be played in Tiger Stadium.
I mention that game for two reasons. First, Steve Spurrier resigned the next day. Second, because I was one of the approximately 40,000 in attendance, and games this year will have around 20,000 in attendance. The lack of fans will certainly change the feel of the game. I think the “big” games will still bring the best out of both teams, But my guess is the potential for upsets increases significantly.
Of course, LSU closed the season with a game that everyone expected would be Les Miles’ last at LSU. Then a funny thing happened at halftime and Coach Miles was retained. What a year?!
In 2016, LSU opened in Lambeau Field against Wisconsin. LSU was out “Les Milesed” by the Badgers. It had been clear for a while that LSU wasn’t taking advantage of their talent on offense, and the program overall didn’t have any positive momentum. The change was made after the Auburn game.
The beginning of the 2017 saw another change from weather. LSU was supposed to play BYU in Houston and the game was moved to the Superdome. Looking back on that game I remember the number of players that were suspended for positive drug tests. In hindsight, it is clear that Coach Orgeron is doing something right on this aspect of the program. Naturally, there are going to be some players from time to time that test positive, but we haven’t seen anything like that game since.
As a matter of fact, there was a time where all LSU fans held their breath from June to August knowing that LSU was going to be in the news for many off the field issues. Gladly, those days appear to be in the past.
2017 was the year LSU lost at home Troy and the program could have gone one of two directions. As a fan of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), I could easily see a timeline where LSU returned back to the 1990s. If LSU had lost one of the next two games, Orgeron might not have made the season. LSU could have fallen into the pattern of hiring a new coach every three years.
Instead, LSU beat #21 Florida 17-16 in Gainesville by just barely holding on in the heat. The next game, LSU fell behind 20-0 to #10 Auburn at home in the first half. It should have been a sign to all of us that the program was heading in the right direction when LSU came back and won that game 27-23. Considering the adversity the program faced in those three weeks, only a healthy program comes back to finish the way LSU did that season.
It is a great feeling to know that the health of the LSU football program is such that it can maneuver and lead the way through unprecedented and challenging times.
HEY REF
Once again I found myself being in the minority when the subject turned to paying college players. This old thinking of players “get a free education” has to be put to rest. And the answer is “NO” I have not nor will I change my stance on PAYING those that MAKE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE! Not too long ago the story going around the nation was that the Power Five Conferences would lose some $8 BILLION dollars by cancelling the current 2020 Football season.
I guess the banks keep mailing those “PAYMENT DUE” notices even if your team isn’t playing this year. Seems the banks still want to be paid for those million dollar beach front properties being paid for all this “free labor”. Some coaches and A. D.’s are finally thinking a summer home in Spain just ain’t looking too well right about now. So, to once again spell out exactly my feelings on the subject of the NCAA running a present day slave trade I’ll send this “Best of Hey Ref” (first printed on 3/28/13) so that everyone can understand “WHY” I feel this way.
Best of Hey Ref
If ever I found an article in the sport’s section that should be questioned it was Wednesday’s March 27 (page 2c) edition with the headline that read “Poll: fans don’t favor paying athletes”. While I find this statement untrue I just had to stop everything I was doing to read for myself what information was disclosed in this so called Poll of sport’s fans.
The whole article was very short but what I found “funny” was nowhere in it did it give out the numbers of fans questioned, their ages, demographics, etc., etc., etc. And it never released any details on the so called anti pay for the student-athletes. Well, that term went the way of the dinosaurs, there ain’t no such thing around anymore. They should be referred to as to what they actually are and that is “university employees”.
If you’ve read this column on any regularity you’ll know this writer’s stance on paying “employees”. From now on I’ll never write student-athlete since they are extinct. Getting back to the poll results it shows that 67 percent, up 12 points (I guess they mean percent) actually believe that universities break NCAA rules.
The increase it is thought stems from two highly publicized cases; Harvard and Miami. In the Harvard case which sounds just too funny to be true but they report the school issued academic sanctions against approximately 60 students for a cheating scandal on the final exam in a class on of all things: CONGRESS!
Now come on, this has to be made up. Maybe the students started studying the way our Congress works and decided stealing, lying and cheating is the way to get what you want. Not what you earn but what you want and isn’t that the way not only our lawmakers are perceived but how the vast majority get ahead?
Oh, sure, I can hear it now, how can I write something like that. Let me just put a couple names out there you might recognizes; Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Lance Armstrong. All three swore on the Bible they didn’t do drugs, didn’t lie, didn’t steal but all are liars. Proven in a court of law in Mr. Armstrong’s case and in the court of common sense for the other two.
But the article didn’t say anything about the Miami case and I find that odd since the Hurricanes are known for going way outside the lines of the law and the rules. I guess maybe they didn’t have room for “old” news? So, as I finished the short column not a single word on the so called vote on not paying employees.
I mean the whole reason for a headline is to get the reader to notice something they may want to read about. As in my case, I just wanted to see how many ignorant people there were that answered “no” to this question. In this day and time it really shouldn’t surprise me, I mean the working people of this country can’t stand to see another worker to get ahead. Big business was very successful in their “Divide and conquer” war against those that have to punch a clock to make a living.
The NCAA receives in excess of $8 BILLION, that’s right with a “B”, AMERICAN DOLLARS for their basketball tournament. That’s a three year old figure since we’re still waiting to get a final one for the last year and won’t have a final for 2013 for at least another 12 months.
In other words the NCAA gets an entire NFL budget on just one single sporting event. Don’t start about all the sports that never make a profit and are supported by basketball and football. The ONLY and I do mean ONLY reason those sports are still on the books is because so many students still play those sports and the families of these kids are the reason Deans keep footing the bills. Mom and Dad still have some clout or maybe I should say “You don’t bite the hand that feeds you” so it’s sort of a tradeoff.
But to not pay the employees that generate BILLIONS of these dollars is not right, never will be right and should be abolished ASAP if not sooner. Pay those that make it all possible! For any university that thinks it can generate these sums of dollars on their own without these young EMPLOYEES will also go the way of the dinosaurs!!
Till next week… …
FINE IDEAS
Déjà vu. Another unarmed Black man was shot by a White police officer, this time in Kenosha, Wisconsin. And the city that I live in, Baton Rouge, should make the national news again for the killing of an older homeless unarmed Black man by a younger White man in a Trader Joes parking lot.
All of the protests… the NBA players signage on their jerseys… the NBA floors being used as billboards for social change… public service messages… hundreds of thousands renouncing their antipathy towards Collin Kaepernick… social media exploding with messages of racial unity… … kneeling at Basketball games and coming soon to Football—and now in vogue with a majority of the country… charitable contributions made to racial equity causes… Now, the NBA is suspending play, with other sports taking time off too… and unarmed Black people continue to be murdered by White folks—often the police.
This is not intended to negate the importance of the aforementioned social justice devices. It’s just frustrating that despite this massive effort by our athletes and many others, the root problem continues to rear its ugly head.
I don’t believe the NBA and other professional sports suspensions—which all are projected to be temporary-- will make an immediate difference. For that matter, it will not, in and of itself, be a precipitator or catalyst for positive change. Where these athletes can really make their mark is at the end of their seasons. At that time, they can be directly involved in their communities--including meeting with police departments and facilitating community groups having dialogue with the police, leading peaceful protests, and most importantly, working directly in getting out the vote.
The broad-based general solution would be for enough people to vote—locally, state-wide and nationally—for candidates that place a top priority on eradicating police brutality. Once in office, hold them to their campaign promises. I don’t have all the answers as to what these elected officials must do. Here are a few that might be a good start for them to concentrate on—while working in conjunction with law enforcement officials-- in order to effect positive change:
1. Bad apples in police departments need to be removed.
2. The Band of Blue—omerta like culture in police departments--needs to be reversed. The rogue cops need to be outed by fellow officers. And, the officers who are the whistle-blowers need to be lionized, not ostracized.
3. The police unions need to come on board and stop protecting these egregious violators of common decency among their rank and file. These unions need to show their support for the vast majority of policemen—good, honest, noble positive contributors to society—by working to dismiss the relatively few that tarnish the reputation of our law enforcement officers by needlessly harassing, if not murdering people of color.
4 Body cameras need to be part of the standard dress code, right there with the shield, for those that work on the street in law enforcement.
5 Those accused of police brutality need to receive a fair hearing. But, it needs to be done quickly, with as much transparency as possible.
This last point needs to be clarified. There are certain situations where there, seemingly, can be no plausible explanation as to what transpired that would exonerate the alleged perpetrator. The George Floyd murder is the textbook case. The shooting of Jacob Blake Jr., 7 times in the back, in Kenosha would seemingly be another example. The killing of Danny Buckley in Baton Rouge over the weekend would also, ostensibly, be cut and dried. Yet, the assailants of Floyd, Blake Jr. and Buckley—even when all the evidence seems against them-- all should have their day in court. Justice needs to be meted out equitably, but rapidly, with as much disclosure to the public as possible—without compromising the integrity of the trials.
There are some cases where it is not as unambiguous as many civil rights proponents make it out to be. The murder of Breonna Taylor in Louisville occurred on March 13. Why is it taking so long for justice to be served? I’d imagine it is because her boyfriend had a gun and had fired a shot at the police, possibly before the barrage of bullets were sprayed from police guns, killing Taylor.
I can already anticipate the response to my thought processes. What about Black on Black killings? There are numerous more of such than White on Black police shootings, right?
Yes, Black on Black slayings need greater focus by our law enforcement leaders, with its genesis addressed, and a lot more vociferously, by athletes, the Black community and the Woke movement. But, White on Black police brutality and Black on Black shootings are still mutually exclusive issues. When white people—often those in law enforcement who are supposed to serve and protect—continue to abuse their power with people of color, including unjustifiably killing Black people, that has to stop. And needs to be priority number 1.
I’ll always remember the first Hurricane I experienced while working as a sportscaster in Lake Charles in 1985. Programming on the 2 station AM-FM combo was suspended to cover Hurricane Juan. In situations of this nature, all hands on deck was the protocol at radio stations. So, when I was instructed to be at the station, I eagerly anticipated being on the air and disseminating critical information to the public. As it turns out, I never got to go on the air. Station management deployed me in one capacity. The only thing I disseminated were the biscuits to station personnel that I was sent out to pick up at McDonalds.
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ASK JON
Last week’s column dealt with the absence of complete games and the probability that there would not be a no hitter in 2020. As if on cue, on Tuesday night, Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates… The New York Mets Tom Seaver’s one hitter against the Cubs, with Jimmy Qualls breaking up Seaver’s perfect game in 1969 with one out in the 9th. was discussed in last week’s FINE IDEAS. At least 2 people read this column!
… I watched the ‘69 Mets-Cubs game that made Jimmy Qualls famous. Tom and his wife (Nancy) appeared on Ralph Kiner’s postgame show, Kiner’s Korner. I remember the lovely Mrs. in tears over the list no-hitter. Funny, the things you recall 50+ years later.
And that September I was at Shea to witness Bob Moose no-hit the Mets. (I was a North Jersey Orioles fan) Clemente made a great catch of a Wayne Garrett drive by jumping at the wall in right. He was otherworldly, no? I’ve gone to many, many games thru the years but that’s the only no-hitter I’ve seen.
I enjoyed the Don Wilson reference. I’ve lived in Houston since I came here for college in 1970. Don Wilson remains my favorite Astro. He had Bob Gibson’s intensity. Fun to watch him work.
I’ve really been enjoying your newsletters btw. Keep ‘me coming!
Bob
Houston
Love this column. Your research is amazing. Maybe it is just that we are the same age with the same memories, but I look forward to reading this each week.
Gary
Scottsdale
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