Two LSU Tigers were selected in the second round of the Major League Baseball draft last night. The World Series Champion Washington Nationals used the 55th overall pick to select right-handed pitcher Cole Henry, while the Detroit Tigers took outfielder Daniel Cabrera with the 62nd pick. Both are expected to sign with their professional teams and not return to LSU.

Also last night, Baltimore drafted Tulane outfielder Hudson Haskin early in the second round. In the fifth round. Pittsburgh picked Northwestern State right-hander Logan Hoffman and Ragin Cajuns shortstop Hayden Cantrelle was selected by the Brewers.

In college football, the NCAA is finalizing a plan that would allow college football teams to begin an extended preseason on July 24th. Starting on July 24th, coaches would be able to have two weeks of walkthroughs.

The NFL is committing 250-million dollars to social justice reform.

Legislation creating the framework to tax online fantasy sports passes a House committee and is headed to the House floor. The bill sets an eight percent tax rate on net revenue for the activity and mandates those funds must be spent on early childhood education. New Orleans Representative Jason Hughes applauds it.
Cut 16 (07) our state”
47 parishes approved cash prize based online fantasy sports gaming, an activity that is mostly limited to the sites DraftKings and FanDuel and if the tax plan passes in the special session, it could be up and running in time for the football season.

On Saturday and Sunday, you can fish in Louisiana without a license. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries spokesperson Ed Pratt says they’ve seen an uptick in fishing since the COVID-19 pandemic, so he reminds anglers to keep their groups to ten people or less.

By tomorrow, LSU executive deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry expects every member of the football team will be registered to vote. Ausberry says it’s something the players wanted to do in response to the recent events in our country, but he says the school will not influence the decisions the student-athletes make….
cut 15 (06) “…to vote for”

The Major League Baseball draft continues tonight with rounds two through five. So far the only player taken with a tie to Louisiana is catcher Drew Romo from the Woodlands, Texas. The LSU recruit was selected by Colorado and is expected to sign with the Rockies.

The NCAA will allow college baseball teams to have rosters that are larger than the current maximum of 35 in 2021. But schools will still have just 11.7 scholarships to hand out.

Boyd Gaming has alerted the Louisiana Workforce Commission that it’s laying off 25 to 60-percent of their employees at Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino in Opelousas. The U-S-A Today Network reports the exact number is 246 workers. They are among the 15-hundred that Boyd is laying off at their casino properties in Louisiana because of a significant loss in revenue due to COVID-19.

ESPN is reporting there are a faction of NBA players who are hesitant about restarting the season in a bubble environment in Orlando. One of the provisions is no visitors until after the first round of the playoffs that means nearly seven weeks after reporting for a mid-July training camp. It’s also been reported the NBA plans to resume games on July 30th, instead of July 31st.

Notre Dame catcher Maci Bergeron has been named the 2020 Gatorade Louisiana Softball Player of the Year. The sophomore hit 12 home runs in 12 games before COVID-19 ended her season.

The Associated Press reports that the NCAA’s football oversight committee will finalize a plan today that will allow college football teams to hold 12 unpadded walkthrough practices in a 14-day period before the normal 29-day preseason practice begins in August. Coaches say the additional time will be valuable for teaching schemes, not necessarily player development.

The NCAA will allow college baseball programs to carry an unlimited number of players next year, lifting the current 35-member maximum. Coaches can also offer less than 25-percent of a scholarship to accommodate the larger numbers, but schools still have only 11.7 athletic scholarships to give. LSU Coach Paul Mainieri was hoping for relief on the 11.7 as well.

LSU’s outfielder Daniel Cabrera and pitcher Cole Henry were not selected in last night’s first round of the Major League Baseball draft.

NASCAR is banning the Confederate flag from flying or being displayed at all of their venues. The historic announcement caught the attention of Saints running back Alvin Kamara, who tweeted when is the next race, with a popcorn emoji. No word on how NASCAR plans to enforce this ban.

The P-G-A tour holds its first event today since the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown as golfers have gathered in Fort Worth, Texas for the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. All of the players were tested for the coronavirus and there were no positive tests.

The SEC announces its football media days will be completely online this year. Dates and times were not announced. Commissioner Greg Sankey says they look forward to returning to their traditional media days format in 2021.

LSU’s student-athletes plan to have their voices heard at the ballot box. LSU executive deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry says they are assisting all of their student-athletes to make sure they are eligible to vote.

The Southeastern Conference announces SEC Media Days will be conducted virtually for the first time ever. Commissioner Greg Sankey says a virtual format will provide an opportunity to manage the event in a healthy manner because of COVID-19. The virtual event will feature Sankey’s annual “State of the SEC ” address as well as media sessions with the conference’s 14 head coaches and select student-athletes from each school. The conference says the SEC Network will provide wall-to-wall coverage. The dates and times for the SEC Virtual Media Days have not been announced yet.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Spike Lee was the guest speaker for the Saints’ team Zoom call yesterday. Schefter says Lee complimented Drew Brees for standing up to President Trump when he said Brees should not have taken back his opposition to kneeling during the national anthem. Lee also spoke for 45 minutes about his experience in race relations. One person on the call said the players loved it.

Tonight is the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft, which is just five rounds this year. In previous years, the draft has been 40 rounds. D-1 Baseball-dot-com draft expert Kendall Rogers expects LSU players Cole Henry and Daniel Cabrera will be selected in one of the five rounds. Rogers believes Henry is the better prospect…
Cut 16 (22) love his makeup”
The draft gets underway at six PM tonight on ESPN and the M-L-B Network.

Major League Soccer says it will return on July eighth. They will begin competition with what they are calling M-L-S is Back Tournament with all 26 competing at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida.

Tonight is the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft as LSU players Daniel Cabrera and Cole Henry are expected to be selected in the five-round draft. The high school Gatorade Player of the Year in Louisiana Brody Drost could also get drafted in the third or fourth round. The former Barbe standout is a left-hander pitcher and he can play in the outfield. Kendall Rogers with D-1 Baseball-dot-com says Drost is also committed to LSU, so does he want to play pro ball or go to school???
cut 18 (13) “…quickly”
Usually, the Major League Baseball Draft is 40 rounds, but this year only 160 players will get picked, compared to the 1,217 that were selected last year. Undrafted players could sign with a professional team for a maximum signing bonus of 20-thousand dollars.

The LSU football team began summer workouts yesterday, but also they held a team meeting to discuss the current civil unrest that’s come in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers. The LSU football program has established a leadership council made up of coaches and players that will develop solutions to combat racism.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Spike Lee was the guest speaker for yesterday’s Saints’ team Zoom call. Schefter says Lee complimented Drew Brees for how he stood up to President Trump and then spoke for 45 minutes about his experience in race relations. One person on the call said the players loved it.

Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas has teamed up with R-I-P Medical Dept to wipe out about two-point-three million dollars worth of medical debt for economically-challenged families in the greater New Orleans area.

Former Saints running back Reggie Bush will reportedly be welcomed back to the U-S-C family. Bush has been disassociated from the school since the Trojans were hit with numerous sanctions, including a two-year postseason ban because NCAA investigators found Bush and his family accepted cash, travel expenses and a home while he was a student-athlete.

Voluntary workouts began for the LSU football team today after spending the last eleven weeks away from the school’s weight room. LSU strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffit says only 20 players are allowed in the weight room at one time and they are using state of the art sanitation and disinfectant equipment…
cut 18 (30) “….this facility”
Coach Ed Orgeron also allowed the players to use today to register to vote.

Former LSU pitcher Eric Walker has announced he’s transferring to Oklahoma State. The right-hander from Arlington, Texas had a great freshman season but never returned to form after Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm. He entered the NCAA transfer portal in mid-April. Former LSU pitcher Chase Costello has also announced he’s transferring to Stetson.

A five-round Major League Baseball Draft begins tomorrow. LSU players Daniel Cabrera and Cole Henry will probably not go in the first round, but they are expected to be drafted. Barbe’s Brody Drost is an LSU signee that could also get drafted. Dorst is a left-hander pitcher and outfielder and could be selected in the third or fourth round.

NASCAR announced today that it will have fans watching from the stands for Sunday’s Dixie Vodka 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. But it will be a small group. Up to one-thousand South Florida service members will be allowed inside the track. The following Sunday at Talladega, five-thousand guests will be able sit in the grandstands and towers.

The LSU Football team returned to its state of the art weight room today as the Tigers offseason summer conditioning program got underway now that COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. LSU Strength and Conditioning Coach Tommy Moffitt says there will be different groups of players in the weight room until the middle of the afternoon. He says most of their student-athletes will also take summer online classes…
Cut 17 (25) “…player led practices”
The NCAA will reportedly consider a six-week practice plan for schools that would allow teams to have mandatory meetings with players and walk-throughs starting in mid-July. Coaches reportedly support the plan.

Major League Baseball continues to alienate its fan base. M-L-B offered players a return to play proposal that calls for a 76-game regular season and expanded playoffs, but the owners are asking the players to accept 75-percent of their prorated salaries. Players continue to say they are not taking any further salary reductions beyond what they agreed to in March. So it doesn’t seem the two sides are any closer to a deal.

Former LSU pitcher Eric Walker has announced he’s transferring to Oklahoma State. The right-hander from Arlington, Texas had a great freshman season but never returned to form after Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm. He entered the NCAA transfer portal in mid-April. Former LSU pitcher Chase Costello has also announced he’s transferring to Stetson.

A five-round Major League Baseball Draft begins. LSU players Daniel Cabrera and Cole Henry will probably not go in the first round, but they are expected to be drafted. Barbe’s Brody Drost is an LSU signee that could also get drafted.

LSU football begins offseason workouts today as the national champs can lift weights and perform conditioning drills on campus for the first time since spring practice was halted in March. LSU strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffit says about 85-percent of the players stayed in great shape. He says over the next two weeks they’ll do three days a week of hard training and two days of functional training on specific muscle groups
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NFL players will not be allowed inside team training facilities until training camp starts next month. The NFL has sent a memo to teams asking them to reconfigure their locker room space so that lockers are six feet apart.

Major League Baseball continues to alienate its fan base. M-L-B offered players a return to play proposal that calls for a 76-game regular season and expanded playoffs, but the owners are asking the players to accept 75-percent of their prorated salaries. Players continue to say they are not taking any further salary reductions beyond what they agreed to in March. So it doesn’t seem the two sides are any closer to a deal.

Former LSU pitcher Eric Walker has announced he’s transferring to Oklahoma State. The right-hander from Arlington, Texas had a great freshman season but never returned to form after Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm. He entered the NCAA transfer portal in mid-April.

When the NBA season resumes in Orlando on July 31st, the Pelicans will battle Memphis, Portland, Sacramento, and San Antonio for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. But the Spurs will not have forward LaMarcus Aldridge. He will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery on his right shoulder.

LSU football will begin its voluntary workout program tomorrow. When players arrived on campus last week they took an antibody test. Senior associate athletic trainer Shelly Mullenix says a positive antibody test will warrant a PCR test. Mullenix says if any player tests positive for the coronavirus, a doctor will determine if that person needs to go to the hospital or self isolate in a dorm room…
cut 14 (05) “….the spread”
Mullenix says they will not administer daily coronavirus tests, instead, players will have daily temperature checks and they’ll also monitor for symptoms.

The NFL has sent a memo to every team describing what needs to be done in order to open practice facilities completely to players. A couple of interesting notes, any meeting with more than 20 people must be conducted virtually and locker rooms need to be modified so that each locker is six feet apart.

Basketball star Shaquille O’ Neal said he told the Saints players not to allow the media to divide them based on Drew Brees’ national anthem comments. Shaq who spoke to the Saints during a virtual meeting last Thursday told Peter King that media divided the Lakers in the early 2000s and it led to a break up between O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Edna Karr is mourning the loss of its first varsity head football coach Don Wattigny, who passed away Saturday at his home at the age of 81. He led the Cougars to their first state championship in football in 1993. Edna Karr also won 3A titles in 1995 and 1997. Wattigny retired after the 2002 season.

Major League Baseball Owners proposed a 76-game season to the players today, but the proposal includes a 75-percent prorated salary for players. Players are seeking to be paid fully for the games they play in.

And it was 24 years ago today that Warren Morris hit his legendary home run as LSU defeated Miami for its third national championship football.

Today was supposed to be the first day of summer workouts for the LSU football team and prep teams, but LSU closed its campus today because of Tropical Storm Cristobal. Several high schools, especially in southeast Louisiana also thought it would be a good idea to postpone the start of summer workouts for one more day.

Former legendary Edna Karr football coach Don Wattigny has passed away at the age of 81. Wattigny led the Cougars to state football titles in 1993, 1995 and 1997, before retiring after the 2002 season. That first title team was led by former NFL player Patrick Surtain.

LSU men’s basketball player Courtese Cooper has been suspended indefinitely after he was arrested near his hometown in Illinois and charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance. The 21-year-old Cooper played in just eleven games last season.

Kevin Harvick won for the second time yesterday since NASCAR resumed racing after the shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Harvick lead for the final 55 laps and cruised to a win over Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Junior at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Its Busch’s third win in Atlanta and first since 2018 at a track he says he loves to race at. Harvick and several other drivers have also produced a video promising to push changes to help bring the country together.

Can Major League Baseball return to the field this year? M-L-B owners will reportedly hold a conference call to discuss plans. Owners have proposed a 50-game season, but the players’ last proposal called for a 114-game season. The big dispute is over how much players should get paid.

Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor has announced his retirement for the third time in four years. The 31-year-old has been the sports biggest star and biggest financial draw.