Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s too early to say what kind of impact the coronavirus pandemic will have on football in the fall as he points out, it’s still mid-April. Edwards speculates that if there are college football and Saints games, the stadiums will not be full…
cut 12 (11) “…checked”
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is recommending no large events in the Crescent City for the rest of 2020, but a Saints spokesperson says it’s planning for games to be played and added it’s too important for the city.

Commissioners for the major college football conferences told Vice President Mike Pence that NCAA sporting events cannot return if campuses remain closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby says the V-P expressed a hopeful and optimistic tone.

A week from today is the first round of the N-F-L draft. The Saints have the 24th pick. It’s possible former LSU Tigers Patrick Queen and Justin Jefferson could available for New Orleans to take. They do need wide receivers and linebackers. Several mock drafts have the Saints selecting Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray. Murray started 42 games for the Sooners and recorded 37 tackles for a loss in three seasons at O-U.

On the first day of the spring signing period, LSU basketball signed three players, including the son of LSU basketball great Shaquille O’ Neal. Six-foot-nine forward Shareef O’ Neal is transferring in from U-C-L-A. The Tigers have also signed six-foot-six strong forward Mwain Wilkinson from Las Vegas and six-foot-three guard Eric Gaines of Georiga. 24-7 sports ranks LSU’s incoming recruiting class as the fifth-best in the country.

And the P-G-A is looking at returning to competition in May or June, with no fans.

ESPN’s Chris Fowler says there will be severe challenges to start the college football season in September. Fowler says if universities do not allow students back in the fall, then there will be no football games with fans in 2020. Fowler says based on the people he’s talking to, a college football season in spring 2021 makes more sense…
cut 30 (12) “….fall back position”
Vice President Mike Pence held a conference call with the College Football Playoff management committee this morning. C-F-P executive director Bill Hancock told ESPN that he didn’t think the V-P understood the level of difference between college and the pros. Hancock says colleges can’t quarantine athletes like pro teams might be able to. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick called it a productive call.

The country’s infectious disease expert said today that professional sports could return this summer if the games are played in empty stadiums and teams are strictly quarantined in large hotels in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Doctor Anthony Fauci says weekly testing will also have to occur.

Saints spokesperson Greg Bensel said in a statement that the NFL franchise in New Orleans is preparing to play this season and working with healthcare professionals is part of that planning. Bensel released the statement after New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell recommended no large gatherings or festivals in the city in 2020.

The son of legendary LSU basketball player Shaquille O’ Neal is officially an LSU Tiger. Shareef O’Neal’s paperwork arrived at LSU today as he’s transferring in from U-C-L-A. Shareef O’ Neal announced in January that he’s leaving the Bruin program after averaging just two points and three rebounds during his redshirt freshman season. He averaged 28 points and 17 rebounds during his senior year in high school in Santa Monica, California.

ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler says the idea of a college football season starting in the spring, instead of September is gaining momentum. Fowler used Instagram to inform fans of what he’s hearing. Fowler brought up the possibility of pushing the season back to November, but that might not work either…
cut 30 (10) “…disastrous”
Fowler says if the season started in February, there’s a chance testing will have come a long by then and perhaps we are closer to a vaccine.

The country’s infectious disease expert said today that professional sports could return this summer if the games are played in empty stadiums and teams are strictly quarantined in large hotels in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Doctor Anthony Fauci says weekly testing will also have to occur.

Saints spokesperson Greg Bensel said in a statement that the NFL franchise in New Orleans is preparing to play this season and they are being very proactive in working with healthcare professionals so that when they do play, the health and safety of fans, staff, players and coaches is a top priority. Bensel released the statement after New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell recommended no large gatherings or festivals in the city in 2020.

Conference USA, the Sun Belt, and American Atheltic Conference are among five major football conference commissioners asking the NCAA to relax requirements to compete in Division One. The NCAA requires Division One schools to compete in at least 16 varsity sports, but there are some schools because of finances who have already made the decision to drop certain sports programs.

24-7 sports has updated its list of the top football players in Louisiana for the Class of 2021. Terrebonne defensive tackle Mason Smith is ranked number one, followed by Lafayette Christian’s Sage Ryan.

ESPN Broadcaster Chris Fowler believes it will be impossible to have a college football season in the fall. Fowler says university leaders will have to make a decision by the end of next month whether schools will wecome students back in August. He says some schools might feel comfortable, while others will not…
cut 30 (35) “…not a strategy”
Fowler says holding the college football season in the spring is an idea gaining momentum.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is recommending that the city does not host any large events or festivals until 2021. When asked what this means for the Saints, Cantrell says she doesn’t think anyone has a clue right now. Saints senior vice president of communications Greg Bensel released a statement following the mayor’s press conference that said the franchise is preparing to play. Bensel says when they return this season, their highest priority will be the health and safety of fans, staff, players, and coaches. Bensel says they are proactive in working with healthcare professionals and in constant contact with local and state governments.

The Conference USA, the Sun Belt, and American Atheltic Conference are among five major football conference commissioners who are asking the NCAA to relax requirements to compete in Division One for four years. The NCAA requires Division One schools to sponsor at least 16 varsity sports and there are some schools because of finances who have made the decision to drop certain sports programs.

The Carolina Panthers have made Christian McCaffrey the highest-paid running back in the NFL as he’s reportedly agreed to a four-year, 64-million dollar contract. The 16-million dollar a year contract eclipses what Dallas gives Ezekiel Elliot, which is 15-million dollars a year. McCaffrey rushed for over one-thousand yards and had over one-thousand yards receiving. McCaffrey’s deal could impact what Saints running back Alvin Kamara will seek next offseason. Both players were taken in the 2017 draft. Kamara has 4.476 total yards and 38 touchdowns, while McCaffrey has 5.443 total yards and 39 scores.

The NFL and its players’ association agree to a plan that allows teams to hold virtual offseason workouts. There will be two phases of the Virtual Period program, April 20th to May 15th and a second period will begin May 15th to June 26th.

College Football Playoff Director Bill Hancock told ESPN that they are planning for a normal regular season and a playoff schedule, despite concerns the COVID-19 pandemic could delay the start of the college football season. Hancock says it’s only April and too soon to discuss what would happen if the season couldn’t start in September.

The NFL draft is a week from Thursday and it will be televised on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network. Commissioner Roger Goodell will announce the draft picks from his home in Bronxville, New York. The draft is set to begin at 7 PM on April 23rd.

The X-F-L has filed for bankruptcy. There are no plans for the XFL to resume play in 2021 or beyond. The league suspended operations last Friday.

The mother of Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns has died due to complications from the coronavirus at the age of 58. Jacqueline Cruz-Towns has been in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator for the last few weeks. The Timberwolves say Jacqueline is her son’s number one fan.

College Football Playoff Director Bill Hancock told ESPN that they are planning for a normal regular season and a playoff schedule, despite concerns the COVID-19 pandemic could delay the start of the college football season. Hancock says it’s only April and too soon to discuss what would happen if the season couldn’t start in September.

LSU Strength and Conditioning Coach Tommy Moffit says as it stands now, the earliest LSU football players could return to campus is June 1st. He says it would take about a month to get the players ready for fall camp…
Cut 18 (22) “…the key”
Moffitt says based on what he can tell, 60-percent of the players are doing what they should be doing when it comes to staying in shape.

The NFL draft is a week from Thursday and it will be televised on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network. Commissioner Roger Goodell will announce the draft picks from his home in Bonxville, New York. The draft is set to begin at 7 PM on April 23rd.

The X-F-L has filed for bankruptcy. There are no plans for the XFL to resume play in 2021 or beyond. The league announced last Friday it was laying offf its staff. The X-F-L was five weeks into its first season since 2001 before the coronvirus suspension.

LSU freshman forward Trendon Watford has declared for the N-B-A draft, but he will not hire an agent so he can retain his college eligibility as he goes through the evaluation process. There are mock drafts that show Watford getting selected in the second round. The Alabama native averaged 14 points and seven rebounds per game as a freshman.

If it were normal times, LSU would hold a spring football game on Saturday. Instead, the players are working out on their own, hoping there will be a football season in the fall. LSU Strength and Conditioning Coach Tommy Moffit says based on what he can tell 60-percent of the players are doing what they should be doing when it comes to staying in shape, but everyone is falling behind…
cut 17 (30) “…that”
Moffit says it would take about a month to get players ready for fall camp if the NCAA allows additional organized workout times.

LSU freshman forward Trendon Watford has declared for the N-B-A draft, but he will not hire an agent so he can retain his college eligibility as he goes through the evaluation process. NBA Draft-net rates Watford as the 78th overall prospect and only 60 players are drafted. The Alabama native averaged 14 points and seven rebounds per game as a freshman.

ULM All-Sun Belt player Michael Ertel is transferring to U-A-B as a grad transfer. He averaged 16 points a game last season and chose the Blazers after also receiving interest from Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, and Memphis.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is reporting that the NBA is looking at a 25-day program before the teams re-start the season. Play has been suspended since March 11th and Commissioner Adam Silver says the league will not make a decision until May on when the season will start. But when they do, a 25-day ramp-up period would consist of eleven days of individual workouts and then two weeks of full-team drills.

The New York Post reports that once Saints Quarterback Drew Brees retires he will work for N-B-C. Brees apparently chose NBC over ESPN, who is trying to improve its Monday Night Football Broadcast Booth. The New York Post report says Brees would start as a game analyst on Notre Dame Football and as a studio analyst for “Football Night in America” and could be groomed as a successor to Chris Collinsworth.

Eight former LSU players will participate in the 2020 NFL virtual draft broadcast. This means Joe Burrow, Grant Delpit, Justin Jefferson, Kristian Fulton, Lloyd Cushenberry, Patrick Queen, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Thaddeus Moss will be available for interviews once they are selected. The former Tigers are among 58 players who will participate.

ESPN reports NBA teams are united in an effort to encourage the league to push the draft from June 25th to no sooner than August 1st. Commissioner Adam Silver says a decision on when the season would re-start will not be made until May 1st.

The LHSAA has made the decision to cancel the seasons for spring sports. But what about fall sports? LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine says football teams will receive an extra week of practice since they are missing spring football. Bonine says eligibility issues also have to be addressed…
cut 18 (14) “….senior year”
State and local education leaders have yet to announce policies on determining if a student should advance to the next grade. Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to announce that schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year. The LHSAA executive committee plans to meet in June to assess the situation at that time.

The X-F-L has laid off all of its staff and there are no plans to resume the league in 2021.

The LHSAA’s 2019-20 athletic season is over as executive director Eddie Bonine cancels the seasons for spring sports. Baseball, softball, track and field and other sports have been on hold since mid-March. Bonine says they hoped that those seasons could resume, but the continuing spread of the coronavirus left them with no choice but to end high school sports for this school year
Cut 16 (19) “…the money”
Bonine hopes the fall sports season will start on time. He says football teams will get an extra week of preseason practice, but eligibility issues will have to be addressed. He says the LHSAA executive committee will meet in June to discuss the situation.

A four-star safety out of Texas commits to LSU. Bryan Allen Junior is rated as the second-best safety in the nation by 24-7 sports for the class of 2022.

Eight former LSU players will participate in the 2020 NFL virtual draft broadcast which is in two weeks. This means Joe Burrow, Grant Delpit, Justin Jefferson, Kristian Fulton, Lloyd Cushenberry, Patrick Queen, K’Lavon Chaisson and Thaddeus Moss will be available for interviews once they are selected. The former Tigers are among 58 players who will participate.

Former Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks is on the move again. The Rams have traded Cooks to the Texans for a future fourth-round pick. This will be Cooks’ fourth team after he spent his first three seasons in New Orleans.

A court official says the emails the Saints sent to the Archdiocese of New Orleans should remain private. A man who says he was abused by clergy with the Archdiocese of New Orleans says the Saints helped the church conceal the crimes. The Saints say their told the Archbishop to be transparent.

In a move that doesn’t surprise anyone, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association has decided to cancel the rest of the season for spring sports because of the coronavirus pandemic. LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine feels horrible for the seniors…
cut 17 (19) “…recommendation”
Bonine says the LHSAA executive committee is scheduled to meet in June to talk more about fall sports. Football teams will get an extra week of practice.

A four-star safety out of Texas commits to LSU. Bryan Allen Junior is rated as the second-best safety in the nation by 24-7 sports for the class of 2022. LSU’s 2022 class features four commits.

Several former LSU players will participate virtually in the 2020 draft which is in two weeks. This means Joe Burrow, Grant Delpit, Justin Jefferson, Kristian Fulton, Lloyd Cushenberry, Patrick Queen, and Thaddeus Moss will be available for interviews once they are selected.

Former Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks is on the move again. The Rams have traded Cooks to the Texans for a future fourth-round pick. This will be Cooks’ fourth team after he spent his first three seasons in New Orleans. He’s battled concussions and only caught 42 passes last season.

A court official says the emails the Saints sent to the Archdiocese of New Orleans should remain private. A man who says he was abused by clergy with the Archdiocese of New Orleans says the Saints helped the church conceal the alleged crimes. The Saints have said they were offering advice to the Archbishop, advising him to be transparent in their list of identifying abusive clergy.