Pelicans Executive Vice President David Griffin says the mutual decision to part ways with head coach Stan Van Gundy after only one season was due to philosophical differences in how to move forward with the young team. The Pelicans ended Van Gundy’s only season 31-41 good for only 11^th in the Western Conference, one spot shy of making the playoff play-in tournament.

Griffin made some puzzling comments during the press conference…

Cut 17 (17) “development”

Former Louisiana Tech women’s basketball star and coach Teresa Weatherspoon emerged as a potential head-coaching candidate.  Pels assistant Fred Vinson and Bucks’ assistant Charles Lee are also reportedly in the running for the job.

LSU’s longtime Director of Athletic Training, Jack Marucci has received a promotion as he’ll now serve as director of Performance Innovation at the school. The school says Marucci will use his expertise in sports science to develop new ways for all of LSU’s student-athletes to prosper in competition. Marucci spent the last 25 years leading LSU’s athletic training staff.

LSU softball’s Taylor Pleasants earned freshman of the year honors in the state of Louisiana and coach Beth Torina captured her second state coach of the year award.  Pleasants batted .314 with 11 homeruns and 47 RBI’s this past season.

Louisiana Tech third baseman Hunter Wells has been named a Baseball America first-team All-American.  Wells was second in the nation this season with 101 hits while batting .385 with 14 homers.  He is the third Bulldog to earn All-America honors this season and the ninth in program history.

The Pelicans and head coach Stan Van Gundy have parted ways after just one season that did not yield a playoff appearance. New Orleans went 31 and 41 and the 61-year-old Van Gundy turned out not to be a fit with a roster that features several players in their early 20s.

Former Louisiana Tech women’s basketball star and coach Teresa Weatherspoon emerged quickly based on media reports as a potential head-coaching candidate. Pelicans Executive Vice President of basketball operations, David Griffin, says that rumor was likely the result of Weatherspoon being named summer league coach…
cut 18 (22) “….itself”
Pels assistant Fred Vinson and Bucks’ assistant Charles Lee are also reportedly in the running for the job.

The NFL has announced new COVID protocols that will result in fans being able to attend training camp. The Saints have not made an announcement regarding fans at training camp, but that could be coming soon.

Also, players who are not fully vaccinated will have to test every day for the coronavirus during training camp. Daily testing is not required for vaccinated players. Also, players not vaccinated will have to wear masks at the club facility and during travel and once they get to the team hotel they have to stay there and can not eat at restaurants. The NFL is not mandating vaccines, but these protocols that the players association agreed to are designed to encourage players to get vaccinated.

LSU’s longtime Director of Athletic Training, Jack Marucci has received a promotion as he’ll now serve as director of Performance Innovation at the school. The school says Marucci will use his expertise in sports science to develop new ways for all of LSU’s student-athletes to prosper in competition. Marucci spent the last 25 years leading LSU’s athletic training staff.

Stan Van Gundy is out after one season as head coach of the Pelicans. Van Gundy failed to lead Zion Williamson and the Pels to the playoffs this past season. The team’s Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin says they recognized that Van Gundy was not the fit they thought when he was hired….
cut 18 (18) “….we ahd”
Locked on Pelicans podcast host Jake Madison says a former Louisiana Tech women’s basketball star is a potential candidate to replace Van Gundy…
cut 8 (12) “….Vaneterpool”
If Weatherspoon gets the job, she’ll become the first woman head coach in a major American sport.

U-L Lafayette’s football stadium has a new name. It’s now called Cajun Field at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. It’s the result of a 15-year, 15-million dollar naming rights deal between the school and the regional medical center based in Lafayette. The 15-million dollars will help pay for renovations at the 50-year-old stadium that will include a full-service nutrition center for all U-L athletes.

450-million dollars worth in renovations are ongoing at the Superdome. Those renovations include 12 new field-level suites being built behind the north end of the stadium. Each of the suites can hold 20 to 24 people and they are expected to be ready for the team’s preseason opener on August 23rd against the Jaguars.

The NFL and its players’ association have agreed on new COVID-19 protocols for training camp and preseason games. If a player is not vaccinated, they will have test for COVID every day, remain socially distanced from others at the club’s facility, travel separately from vaccinated players, and not allowed to leave the team hotel to eat in restaurants.

Just eight months after he was hired, Stan Van Gundy is officially out as the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.  The Pels finished 31-41 during Van Gundy’s only season in the Big Easy.  He was originally hired to change the culture of a young team and have them compete for the playoffs but that didn’t happen. The defense was below average all season and the team lost 14 games this season when they had a double digit lead.

Two Tigers, Dylan Crew and Tre Morgan, were named Freshmen All-Americans by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Crews hit .362 this past season with 18 homers and 42 RBI. Morgan batted .357 with six homers and 42 RBIs. Both players scored 64 runs.

Former LSU basketball players Trendon Watford and Cam Thomas have been invited to the NBA draft combine which will take place later this month in Chicago.

The Ragin Cajuns football program will receive renovations to Cajun Field as Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center has committed a $15 million for the project for naming rights to the field. Updates will include premium suites including indoor private seating as well as available outdoor seating for suite holders and their guests, as well as numerous other amenities Coach Bill Napier says this will help his football program.

Cut 20 (20) “across the board”

The Saints are planning a 450 million dollar renovation project to the Superdome.  The changes include 12 field level suites to replace seating in the North End zone.  There are also plans to add a standing room only section.

The Rose Bowl will be at 100-percent capacity when the LSU Tigers visit the UCLA Bruins for the season opener of the college football season on September fourth. It will be the first time since 2019 the Tigers will play in a full stadium.

U-L Lafayette’s football stadium has a new name thanks to a 15-million dollar investment from Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. The Cajuns’ stadium will now be known as Cajun Field at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium as the hospital has agreed to a 15-year, 15-million dollar naming rights deal. Coach Bill Napier says this will help his football program…
cut 20 (20) “….across the board”
The 15-million dollars from Lourdes will pay for renovations on the 50-year-old stadium.

Nothing new on LSU’s search for a baseball coach. The latest reports have Ole Miss Coach Mike Bianco and East Carolina’s Cliff Godwin as the main candidates to replace the retired Paul Mainieri.

Two Tigers, Dylan Crew and Tre Morgan, were named Freshmen All-Americans by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Crews hit .362 this past season with 18 homers and 42 RBI. Morgan batted .357 with six homers and 42 RBIs. Both players scored 64 runs.

Former LSU basketball players Trendon Watford and Cam Thomas have been invited to the NBA draft combine which will take place later this month in Chicago.

Kevin Durant delivered one of the great NBA playoff performances of all time last night as K-D had 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists to help Brooklyn beat Milwaukee 114 to 108. The Nets lead the series three games to two and game six is tomorrow in Milwaukee.

The Advocate Newspaper reports that LSU is focusing its search for a new baseball coach on Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco and East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin.  Big names like Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin has been mentioned as an option but college baseball analyst Ronnie Rantz says convincing him to come to Baton Rouge would not  be easy.

Cut 17 (14) “in the country”

Bianco and Godwin have both spent time in Baton Rouge as assistant coaches, while Bianco also played for the Tigers in the late 1980’s.

Ragin Cajuns head basketball coach Bob Marlin has announced the hiring of Derrick Zimmerman as a new assistant coach for the Cajuns basketball program.  The Monroe native spent the last three seasons on the Mississippi State staff, serving as a graduate assistant for two seasons before becoming Director of Scouting and Analytics last year.

The Ragin Cajuns have received a verbal commitment from 2022 offensive lineman Bryant Williams, who helped lead Grand Lake to the Class One-A championship game last season. Williams is six-foot-eight, 315 pounds, and received an offer from U-L Lafayette in late January.

According to Rivals recruiting expert Mike Farrell, former LSU running back Kevontre Bradford will transfer to the University of Oklahoma.  Bradford signed with LSU as a four-star prospect in the class of 2020.  As a freshman, Bradford had 10 carries for 58 yards for the Tigers.

LSU Gymnastics Head Coach Jay Clark has announced Garrett Griffeth and 2004 Olympian Courtney McCook Griffeth as new assistant coaches. The Griffiths come to Baton Rouge after serving as assistant coaches for the last two seasons at the University of Utah. The Utes finished third nationally this past season.

The Advocate Newspaper reports that LSU is focusing its search for a new baseball coach on Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco and East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin. Bianco played at LSU in the late 1980s and after his playing career, he spent five seasons as Skip Bertman’s pitching coach…
cut 18 (15) “…Mainieri era”
That’s College Baseball analyst Ronnie Rantz who says East Carolina Coach Cliff Godwin is also a strong candidate. Godwin is a former assistant at Notre Dame, LSU, and Ole Miss and just led E-C-U to the super regionals.

The College World Series field is set. Virginia and Mississippi State punched their tickets to Omaha yesterday. The Bulldogs beat Notre Dame 11 to seven, while the Cavaliers downed Dallas Baptist five to two.

Former LSU wide receiver Jarvis Landry says Odell Beckham Junior looks amazing as he works to come back from a torn A-C-L suffered last October. Landy said at a charity softball event that Beckham is in fantastic shape and ready to help lead the Browns back to the playoffs this season. Beckham is expected to be at mandatory minicamp this week with the Browns.

The Ragin Cajuns have received a verbal commitment from 2022 offensive lineman Bryant Williams, who helped lead Grand Lake to the Class One-A championship game last season. Williams is six-foot-eight, 315 pounds, and received an offer from U-L Lafayette in late January.

LSU Gymnastics Head Coach Jay Clark has announced Garrett Griffeth and 2004 Olympian Courtney McCook Griffeth as new assistant coaches. The Griffiths come to Baton Rouge after serving as assistant coaches for the last two seasons at the University of Utah. The Utes finished third nationally this past season.

The LSU baseball Tigers were taken down by Tennessee yesterday as the Volunteers hit six home runs in a 15-6 win that completed the sweep of the Super Regional Series. It was the final game as a coach for LSU’s Paul Mainieri…
cut 28(10) “…a career”
Mainieri won 1,505 games during his 39-year coaching career.

So the question now begs who will replace Mainieri?. There’s have been a lot of names mentioned but college baseball analyst Ronnie Rantz believes athletic director Scott Woodward will try to make a big splash with this hire.
Cut 16 (14) “…ask anyway.”
Corbin and the Commodores are gearing up to play in the College World Series.

The LSU men’s track and field team are national champions for the first time since 2002. The Tigers won five events to win the program’s fifth overall national title. LSU had 84 points, while the next closest competitor was Oregon who finished with 53 points. The LSU women’s outdoor track and field team finished a disappointing sixth. The Lady Tigers were ranked number one heading into the meet in Eugene, Oregon.

LSU Gymnastics Head Coach Jay Clark has announced Garrett Griffeth and 2004 Olympian Courtney McCook Griffeth as new assistant coaches. The Griffiths come to Baton Rouge after serving as assistant coaches for the last two seasons at the University of Utah. The Utes finished third nationally this past season.

Former Pelicans coach Monty Williams is four games away from taking the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals. The Suns completed a sweep of the Nuggets last night with a 125 to 118 win over Denver. Former Hornet Chris Paul had a big night as he scored 37 points and dished out seven assists.

The LSU baseball season is over and so is the hall of fame coaching career of Paul Mainieri. Tennessee hit six home runs in a 15-6 rout of the Tigers to complete a sweep of the Super Regional Series.  LSU’s season ends with a 38-25 record and the Tigers fall short of reaching the College World Series. Mainieri says his team battled all year long…

Cut 5 (12) “my last team”

Mainieri ends his career with five world series appearances and a national championship in 15 seasons in Baton Rouge.

NC State beat Arkansas 3-2 to win the best of three series in the Super Regional.  The Wolfpack previously took down Louisiana Tech in regional play.

The LSU men’s track and field team scored 84 points and won the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field title, their first since 2002 and the fifth in program history.  LSU won five individual events and the 4 x 100 meter relay at the meet.  The Tigers’ six event titles at the NCAA outdoor meet are the second most ever in meet history.

Former LSU Tiger Aaron Nola struck out nine as the Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the Yankees by blanking New York seven to nothing. Nola is 5-and-4 on the season.

Former New Orleans Hornet Chris Paul has led the Phoenix Suns to the Western conference finals after sweeping the Denver Nuggets.  Paul scored 37 points in the game four victory as his team took down MVP Nikola Jokic.  Suns head coach Monty Williams coached Paul in New Orleans.

The LSU baseball season is over and so is the hall of fame coaching career of Paul Mainieri. Tennessee hit six home runs in a 15-6 rout of the Tigers to complete a sweep of the Super Regional Series. Mainieri was visibly emotional in the ninth inning. The 63-year-old says he was thinking about his late father and his nearly four decades as a coach…
Cut 4 (14) “…for more.”
LSU’s season ends with a 38-25 record and came within two wins of a sixth College World Series appearance in his 15 seasons as head coach of the Tigers.

The team that ended Louisiana Tech’s season is headed to the College World Series. North Carolina State beat top-seeded Arkansas three to two yesterday to win the best out of three series two games to one.

The LSU men’s track and field team scored 84 points and won the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field title, their first since 2002 and the fifth in program history. LSU won six event titles in Eugene, Oregon, the second-most ever in meet history. Six-foot-four senior JuVaughn Harrison won the high jump and long jump. Freshman Sean Burrell of Zachary won the 400-meter hurdles.

In the NBA…Former New Orleans Hornet Chris Paul and coach Monty Williams have led the Suns to the Western Conference Finals. Phoenix completed the sweep of the Nuggets yesterday with a 125 to 118 victory. C-P-3 had 37 points.

Former LSU Tiger Aaron Nola struck out nine as the Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the Yankees by blanking New York seven to nothing. Nola is 5-and-4 on the season and Philadelphia is back over the .500 mark at 33 and 32.