The New Orleans Pelicans season could be over. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports there’s a good chance that when the NBA season resumes the league will jump right into the postseason. And the top eight teams in each conference would make the playoffs and then they would be reseeded one to 16 based on their record. When the season was halted, the Pels were in tenth place in the Western Conference, 3.5 games back of the Grizzlies who have the eighth-best record in the West.

Yesterday was supposed to be selection Monday for college baseball and today we would be breaking down the regional that LSU would play in. D-1 baseball-dot-com came out with a bracket and they had LSU as a two-seed in the Miami regional. Northwestern State and Tulane also made the Field of 64 and they would play in the Starkville Regional.

LSU Senior pitcher Matthew Beck is LSU’s representative of the 2020 S-E-C Community Service team. The Alexandria native has been heavily involved in community service.

Former Northwestern State football assistant coach Gerald Howse has passed away at the age of 28. A cause of death was not given. He spent the last two seasons as the Demons running backs coach. He joined the Tennessee Tech football program in January.

Former NBA great Patrick Ewing is out of the hospital and recovering from COVID-19 at home. Ewing is 57-years-old and now coaches Georgetown.

The Match drew huge TV ratings on Sunday. The golf match between Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning versus Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady attracted an average of 5.8 million viewers for Turner Sports and its four networks. Turner says it was the most-watched golf telecast in cable TV history.

Major League Baseball and its players’ association begin serious negotiations today on how much players will get paid if they return to the field this season and play an 82-game schedule. The players reportedly would be okay with deferring part of their salary to next year to help owners who are having cash flow problems.

Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning won yesterday’s entertaining celebrity golf match over Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady that raised 20-million dollars for COVID-19 relief funds. Woods didn’t miss a fairway and Manning made a big bridie putt early in the match to put the duo up by three, they eventually won by one. Brady had the shot of the day as he holed one in from the fairway on the seventh hole.
Several went on social media to take shots at Brady’s game as he got off to a rough start, before that remarkable shot. Saints Coach Sean Payton said on Twitter he’s liking this Florida Tom Brady right now.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees also went on Instagram saying he and Sergio Garcia would like to challenge the winner of yesterday’s Match event.

In NASCAR, Brad Keselowski, who started in the back of the field, won the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson finished second, extending his losing streak to 102 races.

This is a big week for Major League Baseball if they want to begin its season around the fourth of July. The owners and the players association are expected to discuss an economic plan that will determine how much the players will get paid this season. The owners have suggested a 50-50 split, but the players have already said that’s a non-starter.

The NBA has announced its in exploratory conversations with Disney in Orlando as the place to resume the league’s season in late July 20. The games would be played at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex. It’s unclear if every team will participate. It’s possible the NBA will start up by just going into the playoffs. When the season was halted, the New Orleans Pelicans were 3.5 games back of Memphis for eighth place in the West.

24-7-sports reports that former Texas senior defensive linemen Gerald Wilbon has committed to Louisiana Tech. Wilbon will be eligible right away for the Bulldogs. Wilbon played in just three games for the Bulldogs last season.

The Saints have reportedly signed linebacker Anthony Chickillo, who spent his first five seasons in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 27-year-old has played mostly on specials teams during his pro career. Chickillo missed a game last year after he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend, but the charges were dropped.

New York Jets safety Jamal Adams is reportedly upset over his contract talks as the former LSU star is looking for a long term deal, but the Jets have told them they prefer to wait. ESPN reports the talks have become so contentious that the possibility of a trade came up during conversations. Adams is set to make 3.5 million dollars this year after being named All-Pro last season.

The NFL Owners will have a virtual meeting next week, they’ll vote on adding a booth umpire as an eighth game official and instead of onside kicks, trying to convert on fourth and 15 from your own 25 in an effort to keep the football.

Sales of fishing licenses spiked during the Governor’s stay at home order. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

And youth baseball returns this weekend in Lake Charles and the Baton Rouge area as U-S-S-S-A and the Governor’s games are hosting baseball tournaments. Former LSU star Rudy Macklin oversees the Governor’s games and says social distancing will still be enforced…
cut 15 (09) “…future”

LSU’s 2021 recruiting class is up to a dozen commitments and the class has its first in-state verbal pledge. Four-star defensive end Saivion Jones from St. James High School has announced his commitment to LSU. Jones had 90 tackles and 13 sacks last season as a junior as he helped St. James go undefeated and win the Class 3A Championship game. Jones is the third defensive linemen in the class.

Daniel Luquet has been named as the new head football coach at Hahnville High School. Luquet was the Tigers offensive coordinator last season and he replaces Nick Saltaformaggio who is the new head coach at Holy Cross. Luquet is a former quarterback at Destrehan and has previous head coaching experience at Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge.

One of the state’s most successful girls basketball coaches is leaving the prep ranks to become an assistant coach at Stetson University. In 10 years at John Curtis, Barbara Farris won five state championships.

In an effort to cut costs, The Southland Conference has announced postseason changes for baseball, women’s soccer, softball and volleyball. In those four sports, only the top four regular-season finishers will play in the Southland postseason tournament. The regular season champion will host the tournament. Baseball and softball will be double-elimination. .

The NCAA Division One council has reportedly voted to allow football and basketball players to begin voluntary workouts on college campuses starting on June 1st. LSU officials hope to get football players back on campus next month and SEC campus leaders are set to vote on Friday whether their schools can reopen their facilities in early June.

The Saints have hired a new head athletic trainer. Shone Gipson is replacing Scottie Patton. Gipson was an assistant athletic trainer in Cleveland the last two seasons, before that he was the head athletic trainer with the Buffalo Bills. Patton had been the head trainer since 2000.

The NCAA Division One council has reportedly voted to allow football and basketball players to begin voluntary workouts on college campuses starting on June 1st. A decision on other sports will be made at a later date. LSU officials have said they hope to get football players back on campus next month and SEC campus leaders are set to vote on Friday whether their schools can reopen their team facilities in early June.

The Southland Conference has announced postseason changes for several sports. In baseball, women’s soccer, softball and volleyball, the top four regular-season finishers will advance to the 2020-21 tournaments at the site of the number one seed. Baseball and softball will feature double-elimination competition. Plans have yet to be finalized for the Southland Conference Basketball Tournament.

The NBA is expected to release its rules on how it will return around June 1st. Disney World in Orlando has reportedly emerged as the host site for NBA games if the season resumes.

Four-star defensive end Saivion Jones from St. James High School has announced he plans to attend LSU. He becomes the 12th commitment in the 2021 class that now ranks seventh nationally. 24-7sports ranks Jones as the 19th best weak-side defensive end in the nation. He had 90 tackles and 13 sacks last season for an undefeated St. James team who won the Class 3A championship.

Daniel Luquet has been named as the new head football coach at Hahnville High School. Luquet was the Tigers offensive coordinator last season and he replaces Nick Saltaformaggio who is the new head coach at Holy Cross. Luquet is a former quarterback at Destrehan and has previous head coaching experience at Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge.

One of the state’s most successful girls basketball coaches has accepted an assistant coach job at Stetson University. In 10 years at John Curtis, Barbara Farris won five state championships and won 279 games. Farris, who is a former Tulane standout, has accepted a job at Stetson University.

The NCAA Division One council has reportedly voted to approve voluntary athletic activities in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball beginning on June first. The rest of the sports will be acted on at a later date according to Yahoo Sports. LSU officials have said they hope to get football players back on campus next month and the SEC is set to vote on Friday whether their schools can reopen their team facilities on either June 1st or June 15th.

The Athletic is reporting that Disney World in Orlando has emerged as the host site for NBA games if the league decides to move forward with resuming the season. Yahoo Sports’ Keith Smith reports that Disney has started to adjust its hotel space to accommodate players, coaches and staff. The NBA has also considered Las Vegas. According to the Athletic report, a second training camp will begin in mid-June and games would resume in mid-July.

As we reported in the first segment, hopes are increasing that football players can get back on campus next month for offseason workouts. New LSU starting quarterback Myles Brennan is hoping this is the case as he looks to take over for Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. Brennan will have two proven receivers to target in the passing game, Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall Junior. Offensive Coordinator Steve Ensminger says he thinks Racey McMath can have a breakout season in 2020 and he likes the speed that a lot of the young receivers have shown…
Cut 18 (26) “…double team Ja’Marr”

Other than whether there is a season, the big question for the LSU football Tigers is can quarterback Myles Brennan lead the Bayou Bengals to another successful season. Offensive Coordinator Steve Ensminger says he’s seen enough from Brennan to have a lot of confidence in him…
Cut 17 (19) “…let’s go”
LSU football coach Ed Orgeron gave the commencement speech yesterday at an East Baton Rouge parishwide graduation ceremony at the Louisiana Leadership Institute.
cut 30 (10) “…your mind”
Orgeron says he’s evidence that dreams can come true.

Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas teamed up with Raising Cane’s yesterday to provide front-line workers in the New Orleans area with three-thousand meals. Thomas also spoke with reporters, but would not reveal how he’s preparing for the 2020 season. He says you’ll be able to tell he worked when you see him play.

The NFL has made changes to the Rooney Rule. Starting next year, teams must interview two minority candidates from outside of the organization if they have a head coaching vacancy.

Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin says Zion Williamson was able to continue rehabbing his knee at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center during the period when the NBA closed practicie facilities to players and staff. Williamson missed the first 45 games of the season due to a torn right lateral meniscus.

The Triple Crown in Horse Racing will begin June 20th with the Belmont. Usually its the Kentucky Derby, but the run for the roses is scheduled for September 5th and the Preakness is scheduled for October third.

Forbes Magazine reports Mercedes Benz will not renew its naming rights deal with the Superdome when it ends in 2021. Mercedes-Benz became the Superdome’s first naming rights sponsor in 2011 and the 10-year deal is worth a reported 50-to-60 million dollars. Christopher Dodson who wrote the article expects the next naming rights deal will likely surpass that dollar amount, despite these difficult economic times.

Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas teamed up with Raising Cane’s yesterday to provide front-line workers throughout the New Orleans area with three-thousand meals. Thomas also spoke with reporters yesterday, but he would not reveal how he’s preparing for the 2020 season. He says you’ll be able to tell he worked when you see him play.

The NFL has made changes to the Rooney Rule. Starting next year, teams must interview two minority candidates from outside of the organization if they have a head coaching vacancy.

LSU’s offensive line will look different in 2020. Lloyd Cushenberry, Damien Lewis and Sahdiq Charles were drafted, but Offensive Coordinator Steve Ensminger says they have several guys coming back that saw a lot of snaps last year…
cut 19 (25) “….enough talent”
The LSU football team’s Academic Progress Rate score increased slightly, but it remains the lowest in the SEC. Also, the Bayou Bengals and U-A-B have agreed to play each other in November 2022 in Tiger Stadium.

The Triple Crown in Horse Racing will begin June 20th with the Belmont. Instead of the Kentucky Derby which will run September 5th and the Preakness is scheduled for October third.

Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin says seven players worked out at the team’s training complex in Metairie yesterday on the first day it’s been open since March 20th. Griffin says they could have had more, but the NBA has put a lot of stringent restrictions in place when it comes to what players can do inside team facilities
Cut 17 (26) “…their own”
Griffin says he expects an announcement from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in the first two weeks of June on whether this season will resume.

Forbes Magazine reports Mercedes Benz will not extend its naming rights deal with the Superdome in New Orleans, which means the iconic arena will have a new name after the current deal ends in 2021. Mercedes-Benz also has a naming rights deal with the Atlanta Falcons new stadium and reportedly doesn’t need two stadiums in the NFC South named after the high-end automobile company.

PPE production work at LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center has completed and about 100 school employees helped produce 21-thousand gowns and 10-thousand face shields for frontline healthcare workers over a 30-day period. Director of Economic Development at LSU Greg Trahan says they are proud of their work…
cut 29 (12) “…this energy”
The project also produced over two-thousand gallons of hand sanitizer.

We continue to see signs that major professional sports are gearing up for a return. The governors in California, New York, and Texas all say they are ready for professional sporting contests without fans. Texas says they could hold games as early as May 31st.

The NBA has talked about resuming its season by holding games in Las Vegas and Orlando. But Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin says the league is not dismissing the possibility of playing games in teams’ home arenas…
cut 19 (18) “…something different”
The Pels practiced facility reopened yesterday. Griffin says seven players on the roster showed up in two different groups.

The NFL is reportedly looking at changes with its Rooney Rule in an effort to get more minorities in head coaching and coordinator positions. Sources say the proposed changes would require teams to interview at least two minority candidates outside of the organization for a head coaching job and one minority candidate must be interviewed for a coordinator’s spot.

LSU added its 11th commitment to the 2021 recruiting class today as four-star safety Khari Gee announced his verbal pledge to the Tigers. The Atlanta native chose LSU over Clemson. He’s rated as the ninth-best safety in the country.

LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri has told the Advocate that sophomore outfielder Drew Bianco has taken his name out of the NCAA transfer portal. But sophomore utility player C-J Willis is in the transfer portal.

College athletic departments are looking to make cuts and baseball is on the chopping block at a couple of places. Bowling Green is dropping its baseball program and Furman says it’s made the difficult decision to end its baseball program. The Paladins have been playing baseball since 1891.