September 1, 2023
GOD BLESS UKRAINE AND THE USA!!
SEASON OPENER!
Denham Springs HS opens up its 2023 season tonight, as Brett Beard’s team plays host to Mandeville HS. Catch all the action on Family Radio, 91.9 FM, Baton Rouge and on the net at JonFineProductions.com. Coverage begins at 6 o’clock with Sport n Center Jackets Warmup. Josh Ward is on play-by-play, with Mitch Covington calling color commentary. I’ll be part of Sport n Center Jackets Warmup, Smalls Sliders Half-Time Report and the Ralph Sellers Chevrolet Post Game Show.
ESTEEMED GUESTS
DSHS pa announcer (and former Jackets player and coach) Brent Dugas and former Jackets player Brandon Richoux join me on Sport n Center Jackets Warmup. I’ll interview former Jackets player Jim Spring on the Smalls Sliders Half-Time Report.
KUDOS!
Congratulations to the newest members of the Denham Springs HS Athletic Hall of Fame. Inducted last night at Forrest Grove Plantation were LaKeisha Lee, Dru Nettles, Rusty Sanchez, Catherine Spangler-Dehlin and Anthony Watts. Another superior effort by Denham Springs HS in hosting this extraordinarily great event! First class. Five Stars… and that might understate matters!!!
TODAY’S COLUMN:
Jon previews the Who Dats in FINE IDEAS
Kindly scroll down below.
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FINE IDEAS
9 1 23
By Jon Fine
“Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” Mark Twain
“Hope everybody is enjoying the 40 degree weather” Jon Fine
Well, if Southern California gets hit by a hurricane, I wonder if that means Louisiana is in store for an earthquake?
As far as the New Orleans Saints? They could be the Beasts of the Bayou or the Who Dats might have to come to the Superdome with bags on their heads once again. Or they could be mediocre, have a record near 500 and the New Orleans Saints might still make the playoffs.
The biggest question marks largely hinge on Raiders retreads. Can Dennis Allen be a winning coach? Is Derek Carr the answer at quarterback?
We saw nothing in Allen’s tenure with the Oakland Raiders (8-28 in 3 seasons—2012, 2013 and 4 games in 2014) or in his debut with the Saints last year (7-10) to answer this affirmatively.
Then again, the Raiders were a dysfunctional franchise. Could Vince Lombardi have won with those players? And, in all fairness, the Saints had a deluge of injuries last year, with key players missing numerous players.
Just as big a question about Allen and a major part of how he fares as a head coach is whether his staff can evaluate talent like Sean Payton’s could. This is a factor that is often overlooked with regards to Allen, but is critical.
Payton was not the General Manager of the Saints, but for all intent and purposes, he was the ultimate decision-maker as to the makeup of his 53-man roster. Paraphrasing Payton mentor Bill Parcells, if you are making the dinner, shouldn’t you be the one to select the ingredients? And, Payton was the one who determined what went into the New Orleans metaphorical gumbo of a football team.
With Payton gone, it seems as if it is assistant GM Jeff Ireland is the one who largely makes personnel decisions. He was a key component in talent evaluation when the Saints won under Payton, but it was Payton who had final say. It is a new dynamic with Payton gone and Allen the head coach. And how Allen’s regime evaluates talent is a huge factor in whether Allen is successful as a head coach.
One barometer would be to see how numerous ex-Saints perform for their former coach in Denver in 2023. Of particular interest is kicker Wil Lutz. For that matter, comparing Lutz to the kicker New Orleans choose to go with this season, Blake Grupe.
To me, the quarterback position remains a big question mark. Many in the New Orleans media are already inducting Derek Carr into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There is always the caveat added that it is only preseason. Well, pre-season means bubkis (not to be confused with Dick Butkus, who probably could not start for this Saints defense, but at 80 years old might fit right in chronologically!) Carr is the quarterback that the Raiders dismissed. So, if he can’t play for the perpetually mediocre Raiders, why can he succeed with the Saints? One reason I’m skeptical is because the Raiders quarterback moving forward is Jimmy Garoppolo. In essence, the Raiders took Garoppolo over Carr. A lot of people question Garoppolo’s bona fides. I’m not one of them as I think Jimmy G has been an excellent, if not unappreciated QB. But if the woebegone Raiders choose this often-maligned quarterback over Carr, that is not a rousing endorsement for the Saints new savior. I think Garoppolo has the often overlooked, but crucial character trait of a winning quarterback--the “it” factor. Does Carr? I think that remains to be seen. He did not show this consistently with the Raiders. Of course, it is the Raiders!
There are numerous examples of coaches who will eventually win after being a loser at a previous location/previous locations. Sometimes 2nd time head coaches learn from what they did wrong at a prior locale and do not do it at their new, winning gig. Bill Belichick is the ultimate example of this. There are also many instances where a new lease on life for a quarterback (and other positions) will see a QB thrive at a new venue after not doing so at a prior destination. See Geno Smith. So, there is hope for the Saints.
Other considerations:
--Which version of Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara (suspended for the first 3 games) will the Saints see. At their very best, both are, conservatively, among the top 5 in the league at their position.
--Trevor Penning is a work in progress as a pass protector. Probably not what you want for someone who is your starting left tackle, guarding the Blind Side.
--The Saints are awfully long in the tooth on defense. Last season, DE Cameron Jordan was sensational. Ironically, first time Pro Bowler LB Demario Davis had his worst season on the team in my opinion. Safety Tyrann Mathieu was pedestrian, infrequently living up to his Honey Badger sobriquet. All are north of 30 years old.
Georgia, Alabama or LSU could win the NFC South! Well not really, but you get my drift. Just look at the all-important quarterback position. Carr might be the most stable quarterback in the Division. Atlanta is using young and unproven Desmond Ridder. (I do like Ridder, but many don’t) Tampa Bay thinks Baker Mayfield is the answer. (Most join me in do not) Bryce Young is a rookie with a world of possibilities who might have a hard time surviving behind Carolina’s wretched offensive line.
JT Curtis is 7 wins away from setting a record for most high school football coaching wins. What is really mind-boggling is that the John Curtis HS coach, in his 55th season at the school, went 0-10 in his first season at John Curtis and his first season coaching. His 1969 team reportedly scored 2 touchdowns all-season. Curtis was 22 years old in 1969. Still going strong, the 76 year old Curtis led John Curtis to a state championship in 2022. Barring health issues, Curtis might set a record that is unassailable.
As a sports talk host, I had the privilege of interviewing him several times. He was always accessible, despite serving John Curtis in numerous capacities, in addition to being their football coach. I will always remember his being a guest on The Dru Nettles (Television) Show, which I co-hosted with the Denham Springs HS head football coach. We invited coach Curtis to join us over the telephone (while showing his picture on the screen… no Zoom back then, not that I would have known how to use it). Coach Curtis insisted on making the 73-mile drive to appear in person! This was on a Thursday night during football season. Wow!
Another Wow to coach Nettles being inducted into the Denham Springs HS Athletic Hall of Fame last night at Forrest Grove Plantation. After unceremoniously departing from DSHS after the 2016 flood, coach Nettles and his alma mater have made amends. Congrats Coach. Sorry I was a wise-derriere on the show with you! Nah. Not really!
LSU was penalized by the NCAA earlier in 2023 that takes away 37 wins from the program during the Less Smiles (Les Miles) era. So, even though LSU could go undefeated in the 2023 season and win the national championship, in a certain (lack of) sense, the best that LSU could do for calendar year 2023 is 16-37. How about pondering that in the stifling 40-degree Celsius heat?
PRESS RELEASE
DENHAM SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL IS BACK ON THE AIR!
The 2023 school year marks the 28th 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 2023, the broadcast slate will include the Jamboree, all 10 regular season Denham games, and every playoff game. Broadcasts can be heard on Family Radio-91.9 FM Baton Rouge. All broadcasts can also be heard on the Internet at JonFineProductions.com (click Listen Live on the Denham Springs Football PBP page). Sport-n-Center Jackets Warm-Up gets the broadcasts underway at 6:00 pm. The first broadcast is Friday, August 25 when the Jackets entertain Walker HS in the Denham Springs Jamboree.
Josh Ward returns as the play-by-play announcer of the Jackets. Ward will be joined by Mitch Covington as the color commentator. Producer Jon Fine will contribute to the pre-game, half-time and post-game programming.
“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. Ward and Covington will also offer a preview of that night’s game and other pertinent information.
The “Smalls Sliders Half-Time Report” will include Fine interviewing another Denham Springs personality. In addition, Ward and Covington 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 a Big Mike’s Sports Bar & Grill First Down. When the Jackets score, the scoring drive will be recapped on the Brandy Robertson State Farm Insurance Scoring Drive. When the Jackets have secured a victory, Ward will indicate such and it will be brought to you by Bank Plus. Hydration Breaks are brought to you by The Water Tree of Denham Springs.
Sport-N-Center owner Stacy Phipps (Baseball) and Big Mike O’Neal (Football) were athletes at Denham Springs HS. Ralph Sellers Chevrolet Parts Manager Jim McChristian, a former Jackets color commentator, says he was an athlete at Denham Springs HS, but we have had a difficult time verifying this claim!
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.
Jackets play-by-play announcer Josh Ward, a Denham Springs HS graduate, was a Yellow Jackets assistant basketball coach. He is an executive at Guaranty Broadcasting. Much to the regret of several ladies in the Greater Baton Rouge area and points unknown, he is single.
Mitch Covington, a 3-sport star at Denham Springs HS, would later serve as a Jackets assistant football coach. He is presently the head football coach at Denham Springs Junior High School. He is a graduate of McNeese State, where he played baseball. He 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. Fine presently has an EBay store—ArrestedDevelopmentMediaGuides. He is a native of Valley Stream, New York and a graduate of Penn, where he majored in Marketing. Much to the delight of several ladies in the Greater Baton Rouge area and points unknown, 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