LRN Sportscast 16:45 September 3rd

Saints Coach Sean Payton announced the team has re-signed kicker Shayne Graham and veteran wide receiver Robert Meachem. Both players were released on Saturday. In other Saints news…outside linebacker Junior Galette has signed a four-year contract extension that’s worth 41-million dollars. Galette will reportedly receive 23-million dollars in guarantee money. He started 16 games last season and recoreded a career-high 12 sacks.

A study out of Vanderbilt University, says money spent on college football coaches is of greater value to universities than CEO are to the corporations they work for. Vandy business and law professor, Randall Thomas, says when it comes to coach pay versus CEO pay, it’s much easier to justify a coach’s salary….
cut 30 (12) “…much murkier”
LSU’s Les Miles is paid four-point-three million dollars and he’s the seventh highest paid coach in the country.

The 12th ranked Fighting Tigers of LSU open up their home schedule on Saturday against Sam Houston State. The Bearkats play in a lower tier of college football than LSU, but they’ve been a dominate FCS program. Coach Les Miles says there’s a lot of talent on the Sam Houston State team….
cut 18 (18) “…very very quickly”
The Bearkats have played two games this season and so far they’re averaging 614 yards and 43 points a game.

The Ragin Cajuns scored 45 points last Saturday against Southern. This Saturday they’ll face in-state rival Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs are coming off a 48 to 16 loss to fourth ranked Oklahoma. But Tech Coach Skip Holtz was pleased with how quarterback Cody Sokol performed in the second-half.

LRN Sportscast 4:45 Sept 2

LSU is ranked 12th in this week’s Associated Press and Coaches Top 25 poll, which came out today. The Tigers rallied to beat Wisconsin on Saturday night. Senior linebacker DJ Welter says Saturday’s win was a good learning experience as they get ready for their next opponent, Sam Houston State….
cut 18 (14) “…..on track”
Coach Les Miles said today that wide receiver Malachi Dupre, who missed the Wisconsin game because of an injury, is back at practice. and Miles says the four players who were suspended for the season opener have also returned to the team.

A statue to honor Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson was unveiled today on the steps leading into the Mercedes Benz Superdome. The statue has Benson holding the Lombardi Trophy above his head.

The Saints are back at practice tomorrow as they will get ready for Sunday’s season opener at Atlanta. Still no word on who will be kicking field goals for the Black and Gold. Veteran Shayne Graham and rookie Derek Dimke were with the kickers for the Saints during training camp, but both were cut last Saturday.

There are reports former SEC Defensive Player of the Year Michael Sam will be added the Dallas Cowboys practice squad. Sam, who is the NFL’s first openly gay player to be drafted, was cut by the Rams over the weekend and has been looking for a team since then.

LRN sportscast 11:40 Sept 2

LSU running back Kenny Hilliard was one of the offensive stars in the Tigers come from behind win over Wisconsin on Saturday night. Hilliard rushed for 110 yards and one touchdown and the senior from Patterson says if he continues to take care of his body, he’ll have more games like that…
cut 17 (10) “…for his team”
Wisconsin Head Coach Gary Andersen says his star running back Melvin Gordon had a hip flexor and that’s why he saw limited carries against LSU.

There’s a chance some Saints fans in New Orleans will not be able to watch Sunday’s season opener against the Falcons. That’s because the Fox Affiliate in New Orleans is currently dark on DirectTV. The two sides are in negoitations for the channel to return to Direct TV, but for right now agreement has been reached.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s college football schedule, there’s an interesting in-state match-up. Louisiana Tech will travel to down to Lafayette to play the Ragin Cajuns. Expect to see freshman Gabe Fuselier to see more playing time after catching a couple of passes in UL Lafayette’ win over Southern. Meanwhile, Bulldogs head coach Skip Holtz wants to see better play from his defense after they allowed Oklahoma to jump out to a 31-to-nothing lead last Saturday. The Sooners went on to win 48-16.

Southeastern Louisiana remains ranked number three in the latest FCS polls. The Lions opened the season on Saturday with an easy 44 to 3 win over Jacksonville. The Lions are back in action this Saturday as they host Southern Utah in a match-up of two teams who were in the FCS playoffs last season.

McNeese State is ranked sixth and seventh in the FCS polls. The Cowboys will kick-off their season on Saturday at nationally ranked Nebraska.

The first Louisiana Sports Writers Association high school football polls are out. Acadiana is ranked number one in 5A.

September 1 LRN Am Newscall

The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the job outlook in Sportsman’s Paradise is giving us a lot to celebrate on this Labor Day. Jeff Palermo reports on the state of labor…:

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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If you are planning a Labor Day cookout, don’t expect to find any real bargains on burgers or steak this holiday. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 (31) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the job outlook in Sportsman’s Paradise is giving us a lot to celebrate on this Labor Day. According to LWC Executive Director Curt Eysink, the labor force in Louisiana is stronger now than ever before…:

Cut 3 (09) “really bright future”

Eysink says it’s great that we’ve got government agencies, education leaders on every level and business and industry at the table to figure out how to make Louisiana’s workforce better into the future. He says wages have been growing as fast as the economy here…:

Cut 4  (05)  “than it’s ever been”

Eysink says private sector job growth in Louisiana has increased every month for about the last four years. He says more than 2 million Louisianians are working today which is an all time high…:

Cut 5  (11)  “of our labor markets”

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As we approach the halfway point in this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season, there have been only three named storms, none of which have threatened the Gulf Coast. State Climatologist Barry Keim says historically the number of hurricanes from this point forward in the season is about six…

Cut 6 (07)  “below normal overall”

Keim says there is a high probability we’ll see less than that this year. He says the reasons for the reduction are sea surface temperatures being below normal and wind shear is running pretty high…

CUT 7 (11) “are also reduced”

Keim thinks four, maybe five, storms may form during the remainder of this season. He says this is no reason to let your guard down because it only takes one hurricane to, potentially, turn your life upside down…

CUT 8 (11)   “Hurricane Andrew”

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If you are planning a Labor Day cookout, don’t expect to find any real bargains on burgers or steak this holiday. Increased beef prices are due to a shortage of cows in the country. LSU AgCenter Extension Economist Ross Pruitt says consumers won’t get much of a break in beef prices…

CUT 9 (10)  “month of July”

He says beef production continues to fall in the United States. He says production is almost six-percent lower than this time last year. Pruitt says more price increases are on the horizon…

cut 10 (11)  “just yet”

Pruitt says consumer beef prices will continue to rise through the rest of this year. He says you shouldn’t be afraid to shop around to find the best deal…

cut 11 (12)  “grocery level” 

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The 2014 college football season is off to a thrilling start for the LSU Tigers. The Bayou Bengals rallied back from a 17-point third quarter deficit to beat Wisconsin 28-24. Associate Head Coach and running backs coach Frank Wilson says it was a great character win…

cut 12 (11) “times than not”

LSU’s offense didn’t do much in the first half, but by the end of the third quarter they were unstoppable. Wilson says some blocking adjustments on the the offensive line helped…

Cut 13 (10)  “frequently”

As expected Anthony Jennings started at quarterback and played most of the game. He had a couple of shaky moments, but ended up throwing for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson says the coaching staff is pleased with how the sophomore played..

Cut 14 (11)  “the ball”

Friday LRN Sportscast 16:45

There are reports two potential starters on the LSU football team will not play in tomorrow night’s game against Wisconsin. Cornerback Rashard Robinson has reportedly been suspended, while wide receiver Malachi Dupree has an injured ankle and did not make the trip to Houston. LSU says they won’t comment on the reports.

A big crowd is expected at the newly refurbished Cajun field for Saturday night’s game between UL Lafayette and the Southern Jaguars. Ragin Cajuns Coach Mark Hudspeth says the Jags return a lot of key pieces from a team that won the SWAC last year….
cut 15 (10) “…best shot”
Also in Louisiana tomorrow night…the defending Southland champs, Southeastern Louisiana, will host Jacksonville at Strawberry Stadium. Nicholls State is at Air Force and Grambling travels to Lamar.

The Saints have until 3 o’ clock Saturday to reduce their roster to 53 players. That means 22 players who participated in Thursday night’s preseason finale will be cut. Coach Sean Payton says it’s a difficult situation for everyone involved…
cut 20 (28) “…difficult time”
Backup quarterback and kicker are two position battles that will be decided before the three o’ clock deadline.

ULM has started the college football season with a victory. The Warhawks rallied from a ten to nothing deficit on Thursday night to beat Wake Forest 17 to 10. The Warhawks are home again on September sixth, taking on Idaho.

PM LRN Newscall on August 29

According to GasBuddy.com, domestic oil production is keeping the nation’s gas prices down to 2010 Labor Day weekend levels. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (33) “reporting”

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State officials say a data breach involving JP Morgan Chase may have exposed Louisiana citizens to identity theft or fraud. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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Based on contracts approved by the division of administration, Governor Jindal could pay outside lawyers as much as 275-thousand dollars in state money to represent his office in lawsuits over Common Core. UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says Common Core supporters will look at this as wasted money

CUT 3 (05) “too much”

Governor Jindal filed a lawsuit earlier this week against the Obama administration over Common Core. Jindal accuses the federal government of trying to nationalize the curriculum in local schools. Cross says Jindal’s anti-Common Core stance could be tied to his presidential aspirations

CUT 4 (05)  “republican circles”

A Jindal spokesperson says outside counsel is needed when the individual has special expertise in certain areas of the law. Cross says there is a vocal group of anti-Common Core supporters, but there are also many who support the education standards and wish Jindal would spend the state’s money elsewhere

CUT 5 (10) “Senator Vitter”

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Many Louisianians are reflecting today on what was going on in their lives 9 years ago when Hurricane Katrina began it’s destructive path across our state. LSU Media Professor Bob Mann was the Communications Director for Governor Kathleen Blanco on August 29th, 2005…:

CUT 6 (13)  “what was going on”

Governor Jindal issued a statement today saying Louisianians can take comfort in knowing that we are resilient and will continue to grow and prosper. Mann says we’re much better prepared today in every way to handle another storm like that should it happen again:

CUT 7 (09) “do this now”

Mann says Louisiana is so schooled in how to prepare for a devastating storm, that we could teach the world how to do it…:

CUT 8 (16) “some of those lessons”

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Those who have outdoor plans Saturday could be dealing with a lot of rain. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the forecast does not look good…

CUT 9 (14)  “series of systems”

He says two to three inches of rain is predicted in South Louisiana, with localized areas getting more.  Keim says thunderstorm activity is exptected from New Orleans, through south Louisiana, even into Houston…

CUT 10 (07) “widespread activity”

Keim says this system definitely has a tropical component to it as it is coming from the Gulf of Mexico. He says  says there’s a good chance for rain on Sunday, too….

CUT 11 (08) “still very high

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According to GasBuddy.com, domestic oil production is keeping the nation’s gas prices down to 2010 Labor Day weekend levels. Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan says prices on average in Louisiana are about 20 cents lower today than they were a year ago…:

CUT 12 (12) “Lafayette $3.01″

DeHaan says the lack of hurricanes is allowing for oil production to go on without any disruption and that’s lowering the price of gas. He says the United States is about to eclipse Saudi Arabia in monthly oil production…:

CUT 13 (08) “all summer”

DeHaan says the low price at the pump is boosting consumer confidence and as a result more people are hitting the road for an end of summer vacation. He says the good news doesn’t end there as demand for gasoline drops after this weekend..:

cut 14 (11) “throughout the fall months”

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LRN Sportscast 11:40 Jeff Palermo

The hype continues to build for tomorrow’s LSU game against the Wisconsin Badgers. Many Tiger fans are excited to see freshman running back Leonard Fournette in his first college game. But Fournette is not the only freshman who will play on offense. Wide receivers Malachi Dupre and Trey Quinn could catch a few passes, and freshman Q-B Brandon Harris is expected to get some snaps.

Louisiana Tech has a difficult challenge to begin the 2014 season as the Bulldogs are at third ranked Oklahoma tomorrow night. The game is listed as a sell-out in Norman and Bulldogs wide receiver Paul Turner says staying focused is the key when playing in front of 82-thousand fans….
cut 14 (16) “….put in place’
Tech is a 38-point underdog.

The Saints concluded the preseason last night with a 22 to 13 loss to Baltimore. Now Coach Sean Payton will decide which 22 players to cut from the active roster. Back-up quarterback and receiver are two of the bigger position battles. Veteran Robert Meachem could be cut loose, he caught one passe for 52 yards last night. Luke McCown and Ryan Griffin have been competing to be Drew Brees’ back-up. Griffin was 11 of 21 for 126 yards yesterday, while McCown completed all four of his passes.

In college football last night….Pete Thomas’ nine-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter gave ULM a 17-10 win over Wake Forest last night. At one point, ULM trailed ten to nothing.

Northwestern State had a 17-point halftime lead, but lost to Missouri State 34 to 27. And Tulsa defeated Tulane 38 to 31 in double overtime. It’s the Green Wave’s 16th straight defeat in games played outside of Louisiana.

LRN Sportscast 16:45 August 28

The college football season kicks off tonight in Louisiana with a couple of games in the Bayou State. At six P-M, the Warhawks will host Wake Forest at Malone Stadium. The Demon Deacons have a new head coach by the name Dave Clawson, so ULM head coach Todd Berry says they are not exactly sure what Wake Forest will do tonight….
cut 18 (21) “…to adjust”

Tulane will play its first ever game in the American Athletic Conference as the Green Wave is at Tulsa. Northwestern State opens the season at home tonight against Missouri State. The Demons won last year’s match-up with the Bears 23-17.

The Saints wil close out the preseason tonight by hosting the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The starters are expected to play only a few plays, if at all. Several position battles will continue to unfold tonight especially at back-up quarterback, reserve wide receiver and kicker.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted today that he didn’t get right when he suspended Ravens running back Ray Rice for two games after he allegedly struck a woman who he later married inside a casino elevator. Goodell says the Personal Conduct Policy has been changed and now a player will be subject to a six game suspension for a first offense domestic violence situation. A second offense will result in a one-year suspension.

The son of former LSU Coach Gerry Dinardo has been arrested in Baton Rouge. Michael Dinardo is a 21-year-old student at LSU and an arrest affidavit says several plastic bags of weed and two firearms were found at his residence.

LRN Newscast 14:30 August 28

Chlorine levels have been increased in the water system in St. John the Baptist Parish after drinking water testing discovered a deadly brain-eating amoeba. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (32) “reporting”

A U.S. District Judge in Baton Rouge heard arguments today regarding an abortion rights advocate group’s request for a temporary restraining order to block the state from enforcing a law that would require abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. A ruling is expected tomorrow.

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Troubling allegations of physical and sexual abuse are surrounding a murder-attempted suicide investigation of a Baton Rouge TV personality. Scott Rogers was found dead at his home yesterday, allegedly shot by his producer. This morning on the Jim Engster radio show, nameless victims came forwward.
cut 6 :10 Q: “when I was (sigh) 13.”
The alleged gunman shot Rogers is in critical condition.
The family of a New Iberia man who reportedly shot himself in the back of a police car while in police custody, is asking the US Justice Department to investigate the circumstances of his death. Monroe lawyer Carol Powell-Lexing – who was hired by the family – is skeptical.
cut 13 (08) Q: ” his hands”
The State Police investigation continues.

11:40 LRN sportscast August 28

The Saints final preseason game is tonight as they host the Baltimore Ravens in the Mercedes Benz Superdome. The starters will not play much, if at all, which means plenty of playing time for back-up QBS Ryan Griffen and Luke McCown. Plenty of roster spots will be won tonight, especially at receiver and back-up safety.

The regular season begins tonight for three college football teams in Louisiana. ULM will host Wake Forest and Pete Thomas will start at quarterback for the Warhawks. Coach Todd Berry says the North Carolina State transfer is comfortable with ULM’s offense…
cut 17 (20) “…we’re in”
Kick-off is at six PM. Also tonight, Northwestern State hosts Missouri State and Tulane is at Tulsa.

Tonight on LPB a special will air on LSU running back Leonard Fournette, who grew up in the 7th ward of New Orleans and now is the most popular man on the LSU campus. “Road to Stardom: The Leonard Fournette Story” is produced and directed by Kenny Chenier (Shin-Yay). He says the documentary features interviews with Tiger Coach Les Miles and recruiting coordinator and running back coach Frank Wilson…:
CUT 9 (08) “and the person”
The special airs on LPB tonight at 7pm.

The son of former LSU Coach Gerry Dinardo has been arrested in Baton Rouge. Michael Dinardo is a 21-year-old student at LSU and he was booked on charges of intent to distribute marijuana and possessing a firearm. The arrest affidavit says several plastic bags of weed and two firearms were found at Dinardo’s residence.

And IndyCar has announced they’ll hold the first ever Grand Prix of Louisiana at the NOLA Motorsports Park in suburban New Orleans on April 12th.