New LSU LSU Baseball Coach Jay Johnson is now leading a program that has won six national championships. Johnson says he never met Skip Bertman, a winner of five national championships, until a few days ago, but was well aware of Bertman’s brilliance when he was a 24-year-old youth coach…
cut 8 (10) “…that was”
The 44-year-old Johnson called Bertman the John Wooden of baseball coaches during his introductory press conference. Johnson says he was also inspired by Paul Mainieri’s team this past season, winning the Eugene Regional despite dropping the first game to Gonzaga.

Vanderbilt is one victory away from repeating as College World Series Champions. The Commodores scored seven runs in the first inning last night and went on to beat Mississippi State eight two.

There are reports that LSU’s projected starter at left tackle Dare Rosenthal has entered the NCAA transfer portal. The six-foot-seven, 327 pounder from Ferriday has dealt with disciplinary issues during his career at LSU and will reportedly miss most of this season because of a violation of school policy. Cameron Wire started at left tackle last season when Rosenthal missed games last year.

Neville defensive tackle Enyce Sledge has committed to Baylor. Sledge also visited Indiana and Purdue before giving a verbal pledge to Dave Aranda and the Bears. 24-7 sports rates Sledge as the 50th best overall prospect in the state of Louisiana for the Class of 2022.

Also, St. Aug offensive tackle Cam East has committed to Mississippi State. He’s ranked as the third-best offensive tackle in the state for 2022. He also seriously considered T-C-U.

A new era of LSU baseball begins today as Jay Johnson is introduced as the new head coach of the Tigers. Johnson succeeds the now-retired Paul Mainieri, who gave Johnson a tour of his new surroundings at Alex Box Stadium. Mainieri says he wants the new coach to succeed
Cut 12 (12) “…tremendous coach”
Mainieri gave Johnson some advice on how to handle one of the most passionate fan bases in America
Cut 14 (12) “…here”
Johnson has signed a five-year contract and he’ll make one-point-two million dollars in his first season.

Tiger Details reports that LSU starting left tackle Dare Rosenthal is expected to enter the NCAA Transfer portal. Rosenthal has been known to violate team rules and played in six games last season. The Rivals report says Rosenthal has committed a violation that could cost him his 2021 season.

LSU All-American and national champion JuVaughn Harrison will be the first person since Jim Thorpe in 1912 to compete at the Olympics in both the long and high jump. He won both events at the U-S Olympic Track and Field Trials. In the long jump, Harrison recorded a personal best leap of 27-feet and 9.5 inches.

New Iberia native and former Ragin Cajun pole vaulter Morgann LeLeaux is also headed to Tokyo as she finished second in the pole vault at the Olympic Trails as she had a personal-best vault of 15-feet, five inches. The Olympics will run from July 23rd to August 8th.

Jay Johnson will be introduced as the new head baseball coach of the Fighting Tigers. An in-person press conference will take place in the Champions club of Alex Box Stadium at 4:30. Fans will be admitted into the Box so they can watch the press conference on the stadium video board. At 5:15, Johnson will participate in a Q-and-A session with the fans.

An All-SEC College World Series finals begins tonight when Vanderbilt takes on Mississippi State. The Bulldogs defeated Texas in walk-off fashion on Saturday night to get to the championship round, while the Commodores advanced after North Carolina State was forced to end their season because of COVID-19 protocols. First pitch tonight is at 6 PM.

LSU All-American track star JuVaughn Harrison is a U-S Olympian after winning both the high jump and a long jump at the Olympic trials. He will become the first man since Jim Thorpe in 1912 to compete at the Olympics in both the long and high jump.

Play-Louisiana-dot-com estimates Louisiana sportsbooks will draw more than 2-point-five billion dollars in annual wagering once the market matures and could generate as much as 30-million dollars in annual taxes for the state. Analyst for the Play-USA-dot-com network, Eric Ramsey, expects New Orleans will be a big winner, especially when they host big sporting events…
cut 16 (11) “…extension”
Currently, 21 states and D-C allow sports betting in one form or another. Lawmakers are hopeful sports betting will be up and running in Louisiana by the start of the football season, but that will depend on how fast the Gaming Control Board moves on approving rules and issuing licenses.

In the NBA playoffs…the Bucks defeated Atlanta 113 to 102 last night to take a two games to one lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Monty Williams and Chris Paul can punch their ticket into the NBA finals tonight if the Suns beat the Clippers.

New LSU Baseball Coach Jay Johnson says coaching the Tigers is an opportunity of his lifetime. The California native is leaving the University of Arizona, where he led the Wildcats to the College World Series twice, including a national runner-up finish in 2016. Publisher of Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Lou Pavlovich says Johnson is a good hire for LSU, who has teams that are productive at the plate. He says Johnson’s biggest challenge will be dealing with Tiger fans’ lofty expectations…
cut 11 (12) “…regularly”
D-1 Baseball-dot-com’s Aaron Fitt says it will help that Johnson takes over a program where there’s plenty of talent…
cut 18 (10) “….very exciting”
Johnson will be introduced to the LSU fan base on Monday afternoon.
The Saints have issued a statement in response to a report the Superdome would require masks at events with 100-percent capacity. The NFL franchise says they will not require proof of vaccination but, they expect masks will not be a requirement once the season begins. That expectation is based on the vaccination rate continuing to improve. The Saints also says 100-percent of the coaches and operations staff are vaccinated. And they rank in the top three in the NFL in player vaccination rates.

Starting on July first, college athletes in Louisiana can begin to make money off of their name, image, and likeness and will not face punishment from the NCAA. U-L System President Doctor Jim Henderson says had this new law been in place before, athletes like former Grambling star Shakyla Hill could have profited from becoming the first college basketball player to record two career quadruple-doubles…
cut 7 (11) “…constructive ways’
Henderson says it will likely take some time before student-athlete endorsements become normalized, especially with no national policy in place.

LSU baseball has made it official, as they announced Arizona Coach Jay Johnson as the new head coach of the Fighting Tigers baseball program. The 44-year-old led Arizona to the College World Series twice in six seasons in Tuscon.  Aaron Fitt from D-1 baseball-dot-com says one of Johnson’s biggest challenges will be dealing with a passionate fan base who expects a trip to the College World Series every year.

Cut 17 (15) “the west”

When he was an assistant coach at San Diego, the Toreros went to the NCAA Tournament six times in eight years. In his first head coaching job at Nevada, The Wolfpack won the Mountain West title in his second season. In his first season at Arizona, the Wildcats finished as national runner-ups to Coastal Carolina.

The Saints have released a statement in response to a report that fans will be required to wear masks at football games in the Dome this season. The NFL franchise says as the vaccination rate continues to improve, they expect masks will not be a requirement once the season begins. The Saints also says 100-percent of the coaches and football operations staff are fully vaccinated. And they ranked third among NFL teams in the player vaccination rate.

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020 will finally get inducted into the Hall on Saturday night during a big ceremony in Natchitoches. The eleven-member class has been waiting for over a year to be inducted. Hall of Fame chairman Doug Ireland says the inductees have been patient and understanding.

Cut 13 (09) “home state”

LSU’s Adam Miller and Louisiana Tech’s Kenneth Lofton Jr. have made the USA’s Under 19 World Cup team.  Miller and Lofton join the 12 man team after solid collegiate seasons.  Miller averaged 8.3 points per game at Illinois last season while starting all 31 games.  Lofton averaged over 12 points per game for the Bulldogs as a freshman to go along with 7.5 rebounds.  Lofton is the first The player to ever earn a spot on the World Cup team.

LSU is expected to name Arizona Coach Jay Johnson as the new head coach of the Fighting Tigers baseball program today. Johnson led Arizona to the College World Series twice in six seasons in Tuscon. He’s also been a head coach at Nevada and spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at San Diego. Aaron Fitt from D-1 baseball-dot-com says Johnson is known as a great hitting coach
Cut 16 (19) “…offensive mind.”
Johnson led Arizona to the College World Series this season as the Wildcats ranked third nationally in hits. His 2016 College World Series squad was fifth in the nation in hits and when he was at Nevada in 2015 that team led the nation in on-base percentage.

The 2020 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction class finally gets enshrined tomorrow after two previously scheduled induction ceremonies were postponed because of COVID. The class features former Ragin Cajun and Chicago Bear cornerback Charles Tillman, outdoorsman Phil Robertson and New Orleans native and former NBA player Kerry Kittles. Hall of Fame chairman Doug Ireland says the class also features 94-year-old Mackie Freeze. The former football coach at Monroe’s Richwood High School won four state titles in the 1960s and was also a standout pitcher at Grambling…
Cut 14 (12) “…high school football.

WWL Radio in New Orleans is reporting that for fans entering the Superdome for games where there is 100-percent capacity, masks will be required. That’s according to a memo from ASM Global, the company that manages the Dome.

LSU beat reporter for the USA Today Network, Glen Guilbeau, says the search for a new baseball coach for the Tigers is down to three finalists. Arizona coach Jay Johnson, East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin and Notre Dame coach Link Jarrett. Guilbeau reports all three have been interviewed, but it’s unclear when Athletic Director Scott Woodward will announce a decision…
cut 11 (09) “…he wants to”
If Woodward wants to talk with Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin, he’ll have to wait a couple more days. The Commodores avoided elimination with a six to five win over Stanford last night. Vandy scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth and the winning run scored on a wild pitch.

Tonight’s game is Texas versus Virginia, the winner gets Mississippi State tomorrow night. Vandy will face North Carolina State tomorrow afternoon.

The NFL combine has been held in Indianapolis since 1987, but next year might be the last year the combine is held in the Hoosier State. The NFL has reportedly informed teams they will accept bids from cities other than Indianapolis to host the annual scouting combine in 2023.

The NFL also announced it will allow teams to wear throwback-color helmets starting next year. In a memo, teams can pair the second helmet with alternate, throwback, or color rush uniforms.

In the NBA, tonight is Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The Suns lead the best of seven series over the Clippers two games to none and Chris Paul will reportedly return to the floor tonight for Phoenix. The All-Star point guard missed the first two games of the series after testing positive for COVID.

Leon Thomas the Third, the Voice of the World Famed Tiger Marching Band has died from colon cancer at the age of 51. Thomas also served as the sideline reporter for the Grambling State Sports Radio Network.

Glen Guilbeau of the USA Today Network reports the finalists for the LSU baseball coaching job are Arizona’s Jay Johnson, East Carolina’s Cliff Godwin, and Notre Dame’s Link Jarrett. Johnson has led Arizona to the College World Series twice in six seasons, Godwin has won 258 games in seven seasons at East Carolina and Jarrett just led Notre Dame to its first super regional series appearance since 2002.

At the College World Series last night, Stanford was one out away from eliminating Vanderbilt, but the Commodores scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth. The rally started with two outs and nobody on and ended when Cardinal pitcher Brendan Beck threw a wild pitch, scoring Spencer Jones from third.

Mike Hoss is the new Voice of the Saints. Hoss is a veteran New Orleans sports journalist who will take over Zach Streif, who is now on the Saints coaching staff.

The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors will vote on a new contract for Ragin Cajuns head football coach Billy Napier that will pay him two million dollars, nearly double what he made last year. The 41-year-old has been considered for coaching jobs in the SEC, but the Voice of the Cajuns Jay Walker says Napier is happy in Lafayette and the Cajuns are in store for another great season…
Cut 14 (12) “…this year ”
In three seasons, Napier has a 28-11 record.

The man known as the voice of Grambling athletics has passed away. Leon Thomas the Third was the football sideline reporter for the Grambling State Sports Radio Network and public address announcer. Thomas died yesterday morning following a battle with colon cancer. He was 51.

Ragin Cajuns football coach Billy Napier is set to make two million dollars next season, nearly doubling what he made for the 2020 season. This new deal for the 41-year-old coach comes on the heels of a 10-1 record in 2020 and the Cajuns were ranked 15th in the final AP poll. The Voice of the Cajuns Jay Walker.
Cut 12 (12) “…this past year”
One-point-six million dollars of that salary will come from the Ragin Cajun Athletic Foundation. .

Domestic violence charges against former LSU running back Derrius Guice have been dropped after he reportedly reached a settlement with his accuser. That’s according to the Washington Post who reports Guice will not have to face a trial and the incident that led to his arrest in Virginia last August will not appear on his record.

Governor Edwards has vetoed the legislation that would have prohibited transgender athletes from competing on girls sports teams. Edwards says the bill was a solution in search of a problem as this is not an issue in Louisiana. But the author of the measure, Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell, says the Legislature is often proactive in responding to situations before they occur…
cut 16 (12) “….protected”
Lawmakers could vote to override the veto.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries wants outdoorsmen to know the lifetime hunting and fishing license is not going away. Currently, you can get a lifetime hunting or fishing license for 300-dollars, but starting in June of 2022, the state will only offer a combined lifetime fishing and hunting license and it will cost 500-dollars. LDWF’s Bryan McClinton touts the benefits of a combo lifetime fish and hunting license…
cut 7 (12) “…can hunt”

Governor John Bel Edwards has vetoed a bill that would have prevented transgender girls and women from participating on women’s sports teams in Louisiana. Edwards calls the legislation discriminatory and in search of a problem that does not exist.
cut 15 (10) “…in sports”
The governor says this type of proposed law also puts Louisiana at risk of losing major sporting events like next year’s NCAA Men’s Final Four.

At the College World Series, Mississippi State rallied to beat Virginia six to five in a winner’s bracket game, while Texas eliminated Tennessee as the Longhorns doubled up the Volunteers eight to four. After the game, Tennessee Coach Tony Vitello said he has not been contacted by LSU about their head coaching vacancy.

The Pelicans will pick 10th in the NBA draft when it takes place on July 29th. They had a 20-percent chance of moving into the top four, but the draft lottery last night did not go their way. The Detroit Pistons won the top pick.

LSU basketball player Josh Leblanc is looking to go to another school. The forward from Baton Rouge has entered the transfer portal after averaging three points and four rebounds a game last season. Tigers guard Seneca Knight is also entering the transfer portal, after arriving on LSU’s campus in January from San Jose State.

Ragin Cajuns football coach Billy Napier, baseball coach Matt Deggs and athletics director Bryan Maggard are all getting pay raises. Napier’s new deal nearly doubles the salary he received last season when he made just over one million dollars. In 2021, Napier is set to make two million dollars, one-point-six million dollars of that is coming from the Ragin Cajun Athletic Foundation.