October 15, 2020
GAME DATE CHANGED
The Jackets will next be in action tonight—Thursday night-- for their home opener vs Westgate. Josh Ward and Andy Duckworth are on the call. I’ll contribute to pre-game, half-time and post-game shows. The broadcast starts at 6pm with Sport-N-Center Jackets Warmup on Family Radio, 91.9 FM, Baton Rouge and on the net at JonFineProductions.com
A special thank you to the Denham Springs business community, who, en masse, stepped up big time, in troubled times, to sponsor our broadcasts. YOU’RE THE BEST!!!
GOD BLESS
Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone adversely effected by Hurricane Delta… and My heart goes out to my friends in the Lake Area who endured major destruction at the hands of Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta. My thoughts and prayers are with you. We strongly urge readers of this newsletter to donate to a worthwhile Hurricane oriented charity in the Lake Area.
TODAY’S COLUMNS:
Scott gives his thoughts on LSU FB and the New Orleans Saints
Dennis takes the week off…
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.
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
I am switching up the order to hopefully switch up some luck. So, first, let’s talk about the Saints.
The Lions and Chargers are a combined 2-6, yet the Saints have had to come back from a combined 31 points the last two weeks to win. I am glad the Saints were able to win those games, but we all know it doesn’t look or feel right.
Defensively, the Saints continue to beat themselves. The first four weeks have been filled with blown coverages and penalties for first downs and huge yardage. This week there were uncharacteristically huge holes in the run defense and more explosive plays with wide open receivers running through the secondary. The special teams took their turn giving first downs by penalty.
Meanwhile the Saints opponents have drawn 9 flags in the last 4 weeks. The Chargers were averaging almost 7 penalties a game until the one on Monday night. Detroit’s season low was five against the Saints. Against New Orleans, the Raiders had 3 penalties. Since then, 6, 7, and 8. Green Bay was called for two of their 19 penalties on the year against New Orleans. I guess the Saints are so undisciplined, they bring out the discipline in their opponents.
As the penalties show, the Saints make it easy on their opponent and hard on themselves. The Chargers scored 4 touchdowns and I only consider one of those drives to be earned. I want to feel like that means the issues can be corrected, but I can’t help but notice that the Chargers were without 2 starting offensive linemans and their two best skill players.
Offensively, there are positives. Calloway, clearly has the ability to make plays that the third and fourth receiver position has lacked in recent years. Emmanuel Sanders and Brees seem to be creating a chemistry. There are still playmakers on offense in Hill and Kamara, and the run game has looked good in spurts. Yet, for some reason, the Saints cannot find a groove where one part of the offense feeds off of the other.
I still see the talent and depth in this team, but this team has a lot to figure out. A number of guys from Malcolm Jenkins to Marshon Lattimore and others that are supposed to be playmakers aren’t making plays. Jenkins dropped an easy interception Monday night. Lattimore made the big tackle at the end, but as the top corner in his draft class is supposed to be a top tier corner and once again he is starting the year as anything but that.
The players, coaches, and fans know this team is fortunate to be 3-2 and is on pace to finish around 8-8 or 9-7 if they continue to play the way they have. The bye comes at a good time. It should allow a number of players to come back healthy, and possibly with a renewed focus to start moving in the direction to challenge the best in the NFC, which this year appears to be the Seahawks again.
While the Saints are fortunate to be 3-2, LSU is unfortunately 1-2 with losses to woeful teams. I keep saying that the Saints have the ability to play at a much higher level. When it comes to the Tigers, I don’t know if I can say that.
Clearly, the defense has more talent than the way they have played against State and Missouri. But, does the defense have elite talent?
Last year, everyone in the secondary and linebacker was a pro. Based on performance this year, I only see two pros. Stingley is one, who has the sophomore jinx going right now, and Ricks will become one eventually, but isn’t one yet. Nobody else is close. Stevens’ best chance is at linebacker in the NFL.
Speaking of linebacker, Jabril Cox is excellent in pass coverage. I really hope the other issues at linebacker are confusion, but even if a linebacker is confused, he can be ten times more physical against the run than Clark and Cox have been to this point.
On the defensive line, there are role players. I think the best two defensive lineman are true freshmen in Ojulari and Roy. They will be pros, but aren’t as true freshmen. Ali Gaye came crashing down to earth against Missouri, but he still has ability. At the same time, I would request that the coaches don’t put him inside on pass rush downs. His game is speed rushing in space on the end against a tackle, not in tight spaces against guards and center double teams.
The talent is much greater on offense. LSU cannot run the ball the same way they did last year, though. The running backs have a completely different style and there is no threat of the QB run. The pistol was a great changeup and brings play action roll outs into play.
As I am writing this, we don’t know if LSU and Florida will play. If they do, LSU will have to win a shootout to have a chance. To do that, the Tigers have to do something I hope the Saints do in their off week and that is find a way to convert and stop third down conversions. It is amazing how when one of these two teams have a disease, the other catches it.
I praised the LSU coaching staff for identifying areas to fix and making the changes necessary. Coming into the year, I said 7-3 would be an amazing coaching job. 7-3 is out of the picture now. Of all the years to have a 10 game SEC schedule! We miss you rent-a-wins!
HEY REF
Dennis takes the week off.
DENHAM SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL IS BACK ON THE AIR!
Our silver anniversary! The 2020 school year marks the 25th season that Jon Fine (Sports) Productions will have the privilege of producing and calling play-by-play for Denham Springs HS Football radio broadcasts. In 2020, the broadcast slate will include all 8 regular season Denham games, and every playoff game. Broadcasts will air on Family Radio-91.9 FM-Baton Rouge, starting at 6:00 pm Friday nights. All broadcasts can also be heard on the Internet at JonFineProductions.com (click Listen Live on the Denham Springs Football PBP page). The first broadcast is Friday, October 2, when the Jackets travel to St Amant HS.
Denham Springs HS grad Josh Ward will be the play-by-play announcer of the Jackets. He will be joined by Andy Duckworth as the color commentator. Jon Fine will contribute to the pre-game warmup, half-time report and post-game show.
This year’s broadcasts will be dedicated to the memory of Jackets Football player Remy Hidalgo. Ward, Duckworth and Fine will each be wearing broadcasts shirts which feature a #77. Throughout the broadcasts, there will be mentions of ways that Jackets fans can contribute to a charity in memory of Remy.
“Sport N Center Jackets Warm-Up” will feature an interview with Jackets Football Coach Brett Beard conducted by Josh Ward. Jon Fine will speak with a prominent Denham Springs community and/or sports figure. Josh Ward and Andy Duckworth will also offer a preview of that night’s game and other pertinent information.
The “North Oaks Health System Half-Time Report” will include Fine interviewing another Denham Springs personality. In addition, Ward and Duckworth will provide a recap of the first half and a look ahead at the second half of action.
During the “Ralph Sellers Chevrolet Post-Game Show”, there will be an extensive game recap, final stats and a look ahead.
When Denham Springs picks up a first down, they’ll achieve an “Ollie’s Car Wash First Down”. When the Jackets score, you’ll get the particulars on the “Big Mike’s Sports Bar & Grill Jackets Scoring Drive”.
Sport-N-Center owner Stacy Phipps (Baseball) and Big Mike O’Neal (Football) were athletes at Denham Springs HS. Ward was an assistant basketball coach with the Jackets.
Ralph Sellers Chevrolet Parts Manager Jim McChristian says he was an athlete at Denham Springs HS, but we have had a difficult time verifying this claim! LOL
Fine expressed that he is especially appreciative of the loyal commercial and name mention sponsors the broadcasts have had on Jon Fine Sports Productions’ Denham Springs HS play-by-play broadcasts throughout the years. Many have been with the broadcasts on a year-in, year-out basis. Fine expressed hope that listeners will have the opportunity to patronize these businesses and let them know they heard about them on DSHS Football radio broadcasts.
Josh Ward not only graduated from Denham Springs HS, but served as an assistant basketball coach under Coach Paul Smith. He has called Redemptorist HS and Central HS Football games for Jon Fine Productions in years’ past. He is presently the Traffic Manager at Guaranty Broadcasting. Ward is a native of Denham Springs and is single.
Andy Duckworth grew up in Mississippi, played high school football, basketball and baseball and was a 4 year baseball letterman at Belhaven. He is a former radio station manager and sports-talk host in Mississippi. In this capacity, he hosted a sports talk show and did play-by-play for Mississippi College Athletics and Madison Central HS. He presently works as a financial advisor. Duckworth is married and has 2 children.
Jon Fine co-hosted and produced daily 2 hour drive-time radio sports-talk programs in the Greater Baton Rouge area for close to 20 years. His programs (first SportsTalk, which changed its name to SportsGumbo), aired, at times, in New Orleans, Lake Charles, Monroe and Alexandria, in addition to the Baton Rouge market. His company, Jon Fine Productions, has produced numerous Denham Springs HS and area HS sports programming on television, radio and internet. In addition to his Denham Springs broadcasting chores, Fine has an EBay internet store--ArrestedDevelopmentMedia Guides, and is a marketing representative for SportsRadio-1310AM-KEZM-Lake Charles/Sulphur. Fine is a native of Valley Stream, New York and a graduate of Penn. He is single.
For more information on Denham Springs HS Sports programming and Jon Fine Productions, please visit JonFineProductions.com.
DENHAM SPRINGS HS FOOTBALL RADIO BROADCASTS ARE A JON FINE PRODUCTION ON FAMILY RADIO, 91.9 FM, BATON ROUGE and JonFineProductions.com.
JON IS THE OWNER OF AN EBAY STORE. ArrestedDevelopmentMediaGuides, SELLS SPORTS PUBLICATIONS. YOU CAN LINK TO IT BY VISITING JonFineProductions.com.
JON IS PROUD TO WORK AS A MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE FOR SPORTSRADIO-1310-KEZM-SULPHUR/LAKE CHARLES.