College football teams around the state hold their first practice today, in another sign the football season is right around the corner. U-L Lafayette returns 20 starters from a team that won ten games last season. Coach Billy Napier says they’ll use this time as an opportunity to improve the starters and back-ups….
cut 19 (19) “…observe”
The Cajuns kick off the season on September fourth versus Texas.

At Saints training camp yesterday, the defense had the better of it than the offense. According to the team’s website, defensive end Marcus Davenport had four sacks while going up against backup offensive tackle James Hurst. Taysom Hill threw his first interception of training camp during full-team drills. Observers say there’s not a clear leader in the battle for starting Q-B.

Louisiana native Peyton Manning will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Sunday. Manning threw for nearly 72-thousand yards and 539 touchdowns during his NFL career and won two Super Bowls, one with the Colts and one with the Broncos….
Cut 16 (15) “…I am.”
Manning says his father, Saints Hall of Famer Archie Manning, will be his presenter.

Former LSU standout Alan Faneca also goes into the Hall of Fame this weekend. Faneca played 13 years in the NFL after he was selected in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft. He ended up starting 201 games and was a six-time first-team All-Pro selection and nine-time Pro Bowl selection. The New Orleans native also won a Super Bowl.