The Pelicans 2021-22 schedule has been released and year three of the Zion Williamson era will begin with New Orleans hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on October 20th. The Pels will make 15 appearances on national television, but they will not play on Christmas Day. Lebron James and the Lakers will make their only appearance in New Orleans on March 27th and the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks will be in the Big Easy on December 17th.

An LSU basketball recruit is arriving on campus a year earlier than expected. Justice Williams has reclassified so that he can attend school this fall. He’s a six-foot-three combo guard from Philadelphia and spent his junior season at national powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida. He was rated as the third-best shooting guard in the Class of 2022 by 24-7-sports-dot-com.

LSU is facing a lawsuit from former offensive line coach James Cregg, who was fired in June. The school claims he committed an NCAA violation, but Cregg says the NCAA has never said he did.

With Drew Brees gone, Saints linebacker DeMario Davis is now in charge of getting the team fired up when the players gather for a pre-game huddle on the field. Davis on how he approaches such a responsibility…
cut 18 (18) “…going”
The Saints’ lone home preseason game is Monday night against Jacksonville.

An all-star team out of Lafayette competes in the Little League World Series today. Coach Steven Menard’s squad has won its last four games by a combined score of 29-3…
cut 15 (10) “…coming back”
If they win today, they’ll play Sunday, a loss today and the Lafayette little leaguers have an elimination game tomorrow.

The Saints have decided to give ticket holders an opportunity to get a refund if they do not want to attend games inside the Superdome this season. Initially, the NFL franchise was not planning to give a refund, but the team announced yesterday that fans have until Tuesday at 4 PM to request one. The Saints say so far they’ve received less than 120 requests for refunds, while thousands have called looking to purchase tickets.

With Drew Brees gone, linebacker DeMario Davis is now in charge of getting the team fired up when the players gather for a pre-game huddle on the field. Davis on how he approaches such a responsibility…
cut 18 (18) “…going”
The Saints’ lone home preseason game is Monday night against Jacksonville.

Legal sports betting at 20 established casinos in Louisiana may take place as early as mid-September after the Louisiana Gaming Control Board approved a set of emergency rules yesterday. A month ago, Ronnie Johns was named chairman of the board and says the number one question he’s been asked is when legal sports betting is coming to Louisiana.
Cut 27 (06) “…it’s manner”
The ruling takes effect Monday, but it will likely take a few weeks for applications to be vetted.

The Lafayette Little League All-Star team will take the field this afternoon in Williamsport, Pennsylvania as they’ll play South Dakota in the Little League World Series. Their head coach, Steven Menard, says the core of this team has been together for years and they’ve grown accustomed to the bright lights and high-level competition.
Cut 14 (11) “…ESPN.”
First pitch is at 4 PM.

LSU has been dealing with numerous injuries as they’ve passed the halfway point of preseason camp. Starting right guard Chasen Hines has been out with an injury and coach Ed Orgeron says his replacement Anthony Bradford is also banged up…
cut 30 (23) “…couple of weeks”
Orgeron also says all-American cornerback Derek Stingley will be ready for the season opener, but will likely be held out of practice again next week.

The Pelicans have announced they’ve signed Josh Hart to a three-year contract., worth 38 million dollars. The 26-year-old has averaged 10 points and seven rebounds a game since he was acquired in the Anthony Davis trade.

The Saints announced today that ticket holders who do not want to attend games this year can ask for a refund. But that didn’t stop the Bond Commission from voting to delay financing on Superdome improvements. Attorney General Jeff Landry says the franchise should give fans the opportnity to opt out, just like last year…
cut 10 (10) “…entire time”
Landry disagrees with the vaccine or negative COVID test requirement in order to go to Saints games this year.

There’s a chance you could place a sports bet at a riverboat, land-based or racetrack casino near you starting next month as the Louisiana Gaming Control Board approved emergency rules so that casinos can begin applying for a license next week. Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns…
cut 8 (11) “…very quickly”
An industry source says regulators could hand out licenses to casinos as early as mid-September.

The Saints announced today they will offer refunds to ticket holders who do want to attend games this year. The NFL franchise says anyone seeking a refund should reach out to their ticket representative by Tuesday at 4 PM. The Saints say they have received less than 120 requests for ticket refunds and they’ve received thousands of calls from fans interested in buying tickets. In order to attend Saints games this year, fans need to have at least one COVID vaccine shot or get a negative test 72 hours prior to kick-off.

There’s less than a month to go before LSU football’s home opener. Governor Edwards’s mask mandate is only for indoor places, but he recommends wearing a mask at Tiger Stadium…
cut 12 (10) “….be done”
Masks will be required to be worn in the Rose Bowl when LSU faces UCLA for the season opener.

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron expects injured quarterback Myles Brennan to return this season, but there’s not an exact timeline…
cut 30 (26) :”…definite now”
Orgeron also says running back Tyrion Davis Price retweaked his injury and it’s something they’ll have to monitor the whole year. And he says All-American cornerback Derek Stingley Junior will miss next week but should be 100-percent by the time game week arrives.

And the Gaming Control Board has approved an emergency rule that would allow legalized sports wagering in Louisiana starting on August 23rd. This will allow the state riverboat and land-based casinos, and racetracks to take bets on sports contests.

Based on observations from Saints training camp, defensive end Marcus Davenport is having an excellent camp. New Orleans offensive tackle Terron Armstead believes Davenport is headed for a breakout season…
cut 18 (18) “…him go”
Quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill both threw interceptions during team drills yesterday.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry believes the state should withhold state funding for the Saints because of their ticket policy. The NFL franchise is not offering refunds or opt-outs to season ticket holders who do not want to attend games this season. The Saints are requiring fans to be vaccinated in order to attend home games or they need a negative COVID test 72 hours prior to kickoff.

LSU sophomore wide receiver Kayshon Boutte had a strong finish to the 2020 season, including a record-setting performance in the regular-season finale against Ole Miss. Tigers coach Ed Orgeron says Boutte has picked up where he left off last year and he’s leading a deep wide receiving corp that features several freshmen…
cut 29 (29) “…prove themselves”
Orgeron also expects Quarterback Myles Brennan will return from a broken arm this season, but it might not happen until the middle of the season. Coach O is also concerned about the number of injuries along the offensive line and he says Derek Stingley is doing fine, but the All-American cornerback will likely not return to practice until game week.

A strength for LSU this season should be along its defensive line. There are edge rushers, Ali Gaye, B-J Ojulari and Andre Anthony. Neil Farrell and Jospeh Evans are potential starters at defensive tackle. There are also younger players pushing for playing time as well, Jaquelin Roy and Maason Smith. Anthony believes the defensive line will set the tone for the entire defense…
cut 18 (19) “….a whole”

The Saints have signed former first-round pick Kevin White. The wide receiver out of West Virginia has caught just 25 passes since he was selected by the Bears with the seventh overall pick in 2015. A bad leg injury has derailed his NFL career.

Louisiana Tech has nine offensive linemen returning from a year ago, they’ve also added nine new faces. Abraham Delfin and Joshua Mote are the returning starters. Bulldogs Coach Skip Holtz on what’s seeing from his O-Line….
cut 30 (30) “…a lot of work”
Tech opens the season at Mississippi State.

The Southland Conference announced today that games canceled due to COVID-19 will not be rescheduled. A team that is unable to participate because of coronavirus issues will be subject to forfeit.

LSU is loaded on the defensive line. It’s a group that features several seniors like Ali Gaye, Neil Farrell, and Andre Anthony, plus talented sophomores and freshman like B-J Ojulari, Joseph Evans, Jaquelin Roy and Maason Smith. Anthony says only four guys will play at one time, but anyone is good enough to start…
Cut 17 (24) “…no weak links.”
Jamal Adams was a standout player at LSU and now he’s the highest-paid safety in the nation. The Seahawks have reportedly reached a 70-million dollar four-year extension with Adams.

The Saints have signed former first-round pick and wide receiver Kevin White. White suffered a leg injury his rookie season and he’s never been the same.

Louisiana Tech football returns three of its four starters on the defensive line, including sophomore Deshon Hall. Hall believes the D-Line will be a strength for them….
cut 29 (27) “…getting that down”
La Tech opens the season at Mississippi State on September fourth.

The Pelicans finished the Summer League undefeated as New Orleans defeated the Timberwolves 87 to 59. Six-foot-seven forward Naji Marshall had five points, ten rebounds, and ten assists.

Much of the attention during Saints training camp has been on the battle for starting quarterback between Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston. There hasn’t been much talk about the defense. Safety Malcolm Jenkins is entering his 13th season and likes what he sees…
cut 30 (30) “…this year”
The Saints host Jacksonville for the second preseason game on Monday.

The Saints say if season ticket holders decide not to be vaccinated against COVID or get tested 72 hours prior to a home football game, they will not be able to get a refund for their tickets. The Saints are also not giving season ticket holders the opportunity to opt-out like they did last season.

LSU has been waiting for former five-star running back John Emery to emerge as a real threat on offense. Last season the former Destrehan star only rushed for 378 yards and three touchdowns. Emery says he’s motivated to have a big junior campaign…
cut 19 (16) “…very successful so”
LSU is 17 days away from its season opener at UCLA. And because of a local ordinance, fans will be required to wear masks while they watch the game in the Rose Bowl.

Former LSU star Jamal Adams is the highest-paid safety in the NFL after signing a four-year contract extension worth up to 70-million dollars.

The Pelicans finished the Summer League undefeated as New Orleans defeated the Timberwolves 87 to 59. Six-foot-seven forward Naji Marshall had five points, ten rebounds, and ten assists.

The Saints have told a New Orleans TV station that if season ticket holders decide not to be vaccinated against COVID or get tested 72 hours prior to a home football game, they will not be able to get a refund for their tickets. The Saints are also not giving season ticket holders the opportunity to opt-out like they did last season.

Tulane University announced last week that fans will need to be vaccinated or test negative 72 hours before attending one of its football games this season. Athletic Director Troy Dannen tells Sports Illustrated only 27 of their season-ticket holders requested refunds and they’ve sold well over 27 new season tickets in the last five days.

The Pelicans are reportedly close to bringing back reserve shooting guard Josh Hart. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi says Hart is on the verge of signing a three-year, 38-million dollar contract with New Orleans. The 26-year-old averaged nine points and eight rebounds a game last season and is also known for his defense.

LSU’s offensive line lost the battle of the trenches in the first scrimmage of preseason camp based on what Coach Ed Orgeron said. So this week, the Tigers o-line is working on fixing those issues. Senior offensive tackle Austin Deculus…
cut 19 (19) “….would so”
The strength of LSU this season is its defensive line, based on the veteran presence, depth and up and coming players on the Tigers roster. Senior defensive lineman Neil Farrell expects big seasons from sophomore Jaquelin Roy and freshman Maason Smith….
cut 18 (11) “…this year”

LSU Quarterback Max Johnson says after the defensive line had success in the team’s first scrimmage of preseason camp, the offense is working on communicating the protections better so they know where the pressure is coming from. During his Zoom interview with the media, Johnson was also asked about the advice he’s getting from his Dad, Brad Johnson who played in the NFL for 15 years and won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Bucs…
cut 17 (17) “…you can be”

The Saints have trimmed their roster down from 90 to 85 players. Cornerback Prince Amukamara, kicker Brett Maher, running back Stevie Scott the third, defensive end Noah Spence and tackle Kyle Murphy were all let go. Maher’s release means the Saints are searching for a kicker again.

For the first time in conference history, the Sun Belt has two teams ranked in the preseason A-P poll. Coastal Carolina, who is coming off an undefeated regular season, is ranked 22nd, while the Ragin Cajuns are ranked 23rd.

U-L Lafayette had its first scrimmage of preseason camp this past weekend and Coach Billy Napier says freshman running back Montrell Johnson had a good day, but it wasn’t all good when it came to the offense…
Cut 20 (19) “…next week”

Tulane University announced last week that fans will need to be vaccinated or test negative 72 hours before attending one of its football games this season. Athletic Director Troy Dannen tells Sports Illustrated only 27 of their season-ticket holders requested refunds and they’ve sold well over 27 new season tickets in the last five days.