The ULM Warhawks kick-off their 2014 season tonight hosting Wake Forest in a nationally televised game on ESPNU. Head coach Todd Berry says this is a rare opportunity for the Warhawks to play in front of the home fans early in the season. Berry is hopeful tonight’s crowd is rowdy…:
CUT 16 (12) “going on”
Kick-off is scheduled for 6PM.

Also today Northwestern State and Missouri State will meet for the second straight year to open the season. It’s a white-out game and will be the first time The Demons have worn white jerseys in Turpin Stadium history. Kickoff is 6pm.

Tonight the Saints play their final preseason game. The contest against the Ravens kicks off at 7pm in The Dome and can be seen on Cox Sports Television.

Louisiana Public Broadcasting will air a special tonight about the life of LSU’s Leonard Fournette, one of the nation’s most heavily recruited football prospects out of St. Aug. “Road to Stardom: The Leonard Fournette Story” is produced and directed by Kenny Chenier (Shin-Yay). He says the program documents Fournette’s early days growing up in the 7th Ward of New Orleans…:
CUT 7 (15) “football game”
The special begins tonight at 7 on LPB and will play again Saturday at 4.

In prep football, West Monroe junior quarterback Jon Randall Belton will miss the season with a torn ACL. The News Star reports Belton injured the knee early in a Friday scrimmage.

NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale will be the site of the Verizon IndyCar Series’ Grand Prix of Louisiana in 2015 race officials announced Wednesday. It’ll be held April 10-12 next year and will feature top cars and drivers.

The Saints conclude their preseason schedule on Thursday with a home game against Baltimore. One of the position battles during fall camp has been at center. Based on playing time in the last preseason game, it appears Jonathan Goodwin over Tim Lelito will be the starting center, but Coach Sean Payton says he’s not ready to make that announcement…
cut 18 (16) “….position flexibility’
Another position battle is at field goal kicker, Shayne Graham and Derek Dimke are fighting to make the team. Payton says both kickers are good enough to be in the NFL.

The IndyCar Series announced today it plans to hold the inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana on April 12th. The race will take place at NOLA Motorsports Park in suburban New Orleans.

Ragin Cajuns Coach Mark Hudspeth says kicker Stephen Brauchle has left the program and plans to transfer. That means Hunter Stover will handle the kicking duties this season. UL Lafayette opens the season on Saturday at home against Southern. The game will be available on ESPN 3.

On today’s SEC teleconference, Coach Les Miles made it seem that defensive tackle Quentin Thomas will play against the Badgers on Saturday. There was a concern the former Breaux Bridge star would be lost for the season, because of a torn biceps.

On the high school level…West Monroe quarterback Jon Randall Belton is out for the season, because of a torn A-C-L injury. Belton injured the same knee last year as well. He’s considered one of the top dual threat quarterbacks in the country for the 2016 class and a big reason why the Rebels were picked as one of the favorites to win the Class Five-A state championship. Dustin Mitchell will take Belton’s spot as the Rebels starting Q-B.

The Saints final preseason game is Thursday night at home against Baltimore. Several jobs are on the line, including at kicker, where Derek Dimke and Shayne Graham have been battling. Coach Sean Payton says it’s a tough choice, because both are good enough to kick in the NFL…
Cut 17 (15) “made a decision”
On Saturday, the Saints will have to reduce their roster from 75 players to 53.

Ragin Cajuns Coach Mark Hudspeth says kicker Stephen Brauchle has left the program and plans to transfer. That means Hunter Stover will handle the kicking duties this season. UL Lafayette opens the season on Saturday at home against Southern. The game will be available on ESPN 3.

On today’s SEC teleconference, Coach Les Miles made it seem that defensive tackle Quentin Thomas will play against the Badgers on Saturday. There was a concern the former Breaux Bridge star would be lost for the season, because of a torn biceps.

Three Louisiana college football teams will kick off their season tomorrow night. ULM will host Wake Forest at six P-M on ESPN-U. Northwestern State will face Missouri State at Natchitoches. And Tulane will visit Tulsa, where they’ll play their first game in the American Athletic Conference.

Southeastern Louisiana will open up its 2014 season by hosting Jacksonville on Saturday night. Lions Coach Ron Roberts expects former LSU Tiger Derrick Raymond to start at left cornerback and he also anticipates former Ragin Cajuns wide receiver Dylan Bossier will also see some playing time.

The Saints roster now stands at 75 after cutting eight players yesterday. The most high profile cut was linebacker Victor Butler. The former Dallas Cowboy was signed in 2013 by the Saints to be a starter, but he never played because of two separate injuries. Coach Sean Payton says its an unfortunate situation…:
CUT 16 (14) “foot forward”
The Saints final preseason game is tomorrow night at home against Baltimore.

Quarterback Drew Brees welcomed his first baby girl into the world on Monday, but he isn’t announcing the name just yet. This is child #4 for Drew and Brittany and the QB says he doesn’t think they will have any more kids after this…:
CUT 1 (10) “(laughter)”

In the NBA, the New Orleans Pelicans announce they’ve signed veteran small forward John Salmons to a free agent contract. During his career, 12 seasons long, Salmons has averaged 9.4 points, 3 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Salmons is 6’6 and has appeared in 874 games with 429 starts first with Philadelphia then Sacramento, some time in Chicago, Milwaukee and most recently Toronto.

This information from the Houston Texans…the game between NO. 13 LSU and No. 14 Wisconsin Saturday in NRG stadium is completely sold out. The Tigers and the Badgers will kick off at 8pm and you can watch it on ESPN if you’re not traveling to Houston.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette kicker Stephen Brauchle (broccoli) unexpectedly announced Tuesday he is planning to transfer. Coach Hudspeth said Hunter Stover will be the one who handles kicking duties for the season.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees was back at practice today, one day after his wife gave birth to their fourth child. It’s the first girl for Drew and Brittany Brees and they are holding off on announcing the girl’s name until its officially on the birth certificate. Brees also says this will likely be the last addition to their immediate family….
cut 14 (10) “…laughter”
The family’s first girl will be a little sister to brothers Baylen, Bowen and Callen.

Saints Coach Sean Payton said today that outside linebacker Victor Butler has been released. Butler was signed by the Black and Gold during the 2013 offseason and he was expected to be a starter. But Butler never played a down for New Orleans, because of injuries. The Saints wrap up the preseason on Thursday night at home against Baltimore.

LSU Football Coach Les Miles is not letting the cat out of the bag as far as who will be the starting quarterback. Miles says Brandon Harris and Anthony Jennings will both play this Saturday against Wisconsin, but the team will not know who the starter is until Thursday. The head coach also says he doesn’t anticipate the battle for starting Q-B to be a distraction for his team….
cut 18 (19) “….that’s the reason why”

Louisiana Tech Head Coach Skip Holtz has made a determination on who will start the Bulldogs season opener against Oklahoma. It will be Iowa transfer Cody Sokol, who will make his first collegiate start at quarterback on the Division One-A level.

LSU Football Coach Les Miles is not saying who will be the starting quarterback in Saturday’s game against Wisconsin, but expect Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris to both play in this top 25 match-up. Miles says how the two Q-Bs perform during the games, will determine how long they go with a two quarterback system….
cut 17 (17) “…..not occurred’
Miles added that he doesn’t aniticipate the battle for starting Q-B to be a distraction for his team.

Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz has named Cody Sokol as the Bulldogs starting quarterback as he won the job over incumbent Ryan Higgins. Sokol is a fifth-year transfer from Iowa, but he’ll make his first division one collegiate start against the third ranked Sooners this Saturday.

It’s cut down day for the Saints. The roster must be reduced to 75 players. It’s been reported linebacker Victor Butler will be released. Butler was a key free agent acquisition going into the 2013 season, but never played a game for the Black and Gold, because of injuries. Quarterback Drew Brees was not at practice yesterday as his wife gave birth to their fourth child, a baby girl.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has been named a title sponsor for a new bowl game that will be played in Nassau. The game will be called the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. It will take place on Christmas Eve, most likely featuring teams from Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference.

In other sports news…LSU baseball players Conner Hale and Andrew Stevenson have been named to Perfect Game’s Summer League All-America teams. The NCAA has approved a waiver so that Illinois State transfer Jamaal Samuel can play this season for the Warhawks mens’ basketball team.

13th ranked LSU is just four days away from the season opener against number 14 Wisconsin and it remains a mystery to the public who will be the starting quarterback for the Tigers. Coach Les Miles is staying tight lipped, but he says Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris will get a chance to play against the Badgers…:
CUT 16 (17) “play two”
The game in Houston kicks off at 8pm on Saturday night.

Louisiana Tech Head Coach Skip Coach has named a starting quarterback. He announced Monday it would be Cody Sokol who won the job over the incumbent Ryan Higgens after a vigourous battle throughout fall camp. The Bulldogs play at Oklahoma in a 6pm game on Saturday.

New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees is expecting baby number 4 any day now. The QB wasn’t at practice on Monday. Brees already has three children…Baylen who is 5, Bowen who is 3 and 2-year-old Callen. He and his wife Brittany are expecting their first girl. The Saints play the Ravens on Thursday in the Mercedes Benz Superdome — it’s not clear if Brees will practice this week or play in the next game.

Former LSU safety Craig Steltz has been released from The Chicago Bears. The veteran can now sign with any team he chooses.

On Monday two LSU basketball players were named to the natioanl All-Sophomore team for the upcoming season by Athlon Sports. They are Jordan Mickey and Jarrell Martin. Mikey averaged nearly 13 points and 8 rebounds a game last season, while Martin averaged 10 points and four and a half rebounds, after a slow start to the season.

It’s game week and that means for the 13th ranked LSU Tigers they are just five days away from opening the season in Houston against 14th ranked Wisconsin….
cut 30 (11) “…big up front”
That’s Coach Les Miles giving a scouting report on the Badgers. Miles once again made the statement that his two quarterbacks, Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris will play, but would not say who would start.

Louisiana Tech’s starting quarterback for the season opener against Oklahoma is still a mystery. The Bulldogs released a depth chart today that has Cody Sokul or Ryan Higgins as the starter against the Sooners.

Grambling State head Coach Broderick Fobbs is also staying mum on who his starting QB will be week one. The Tigers are at Lamar this Saturday.

The Saints returned to practice field this afternoon for the first time since beating the Colts on Saturday night. Quarterback Drew Brees performed well in that game, but he was not at practice today. Still waiting to hear something official from the Saints, but it could be that Brees is with his wife Brittany, who is expecting to give birth to their fourth child this week.

In college basketball…LSU’s Jordan Mikey and Jarrell Martin have both been named to the All-Sophyomore team for the 2014-15 season by Athlon Sports. Mikey averaged nearly 13 points and 8 rebounds a game last season, while Martin averaged 10 points and four and a half rebounds, after a slow start to the season.

Just five more days before 13th ranked LSU and 14th ranked Wisconsin meet in Houston in the regular season opener for both college football teams. Tigers running back Terrence Magee says they are expecting a crazy atmosphere in Houston…
cut 17 (17) “…be fun”
LSU is listed as a four and a half point favorite.

Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz has yet to say who will start at quarterback for the Bulldogs this Saturday as Tech opens the season at Oklahoma. Cody Sokol and Ryan Higgins have been battling since the start of fall camp.

Northwestern State opens the season Thursday against Missouri State. Zach Adkins is the starting QB and Daniel “Bear” Hazlewood is the back-up.

The Saints are back on the practice field this afternoon as training camp winds down. New Orleans looked sharp on Saturday in a 23-to-17 win over the Colts. Tight end Jimmy Graham says the offense is already in a rhythem, even though quarterback Drew brees didn’t play in the first two preseason games because of an oblique injury….
cut 15 (20) “….nothing but good”
Reducing the number of penalties is still a priority, as the Black and Gold were flagged ten times on Saturday night. And it’s still unclear, who will be Brees back-up. Luke McCown and Ryan Griffin each struggled at times against the Colts.

In other NFL news…former LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger is listed as the number three quarterback on the Titans depth chart.

The Saints look like they are ready for the regular season based on their performance on Saturday night as they defeated the Colts 23-17. Quarterback Drew Brees, who has been nursing an oblique injury, appeared in his first preseason game and threw for 128 yards and two touchdowns…”
CUT 14 (16) “as expected”
The next Saints preseason game is Thursday at the Superdome against the Ravens.

In some other NFL news, Slap Your Mama Spice company has been told they can’t have their virtual on-field ads on during telecasts anymore. The NFL sent a letter to the company’s owners indicating they are facing domestic violence issues and that Slap Ya Mama is a message that isn’t consistent with league standards.

Game week has arrived for the 13th ranked Tigers as they’ll leave later this week for Houston to take on 14th ranked Wisconsin Saturday night. Senior linebacker DJ Welter says the intensity at practice has been picking up as they get closer to gameday…:
CUT 16 (11) “gameday”
The game inside NRG Stadium kicks off at 8pm and will be televised on ESPN.

Other state games this week…ULM faces Wake Forest at home Thursday. The same day Northwestern State hosts Mirrouri. Saturday UL-Lafayette plays Southern at the Cajundome and Southeastern hosts Jackstonville. Louisiana Tech plays at Oklahoma also on the 30th. Grambling is at Lamar and Nicholls travels to face Air Force.