Controversial Carolina Quarterback Cam Newton calls a gift he received from Saints defensive Cam Jordan “disrespectful.” Jordan sent Newton a broom, a reference to New Orleans sweeping the season series versus the Panthers last season. The three victories included a win in the postseason. Newton says he’s used the broom as motivation
Cut 13 (12) “…can’t wait.”
The Erik Swoope era with the Saints is over after one day. New Orleans claimed the tight end off waivers on Wednesday and released him the next day. He has been battling a knee injury. Coach Sean Payton says Ted Ginn Junior is getting close to returning, which is why the team released Brandon Marshall, who could come back. Again on Monday, it’s the Saints and Panthers in Charlotte.

The college football bowl season kicks off tomorrow and the Ragin Cajuns versus Tulane in the Cure Bowl is one of five games that will be played tomorrow. UL-Lafayette won its last three regular season games to clinch the Sun Belt West Division. A win on Saturday and the Cajuns will secure a winning record after three straight non-winning seasons. Coach Billy Napier on he wants to end the year….
cut 16 (12) “…right now”
Kick off tomorrow is at 12:30 from Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

In college hoops last night, McNeese defeated North Carolina Central 77-61 as James Harvey came off the bench to score 19 points. Troy Green had a career-high 19 points, but UNO lost to Tulsa 70-60.

Tomorrow, the Cajuns host Louisiana Tech and LSU will play St. Mary’s in Las Vegas.

The Pelicans got 44 points last night from Anthony Davis in a 118 to 114 win over Oklahoma City, who has the best record in the Western Conference. Julius Randle added 22 points and 12 rebounds and Jrue Holiday had 20 points and 10 assists. Coach Alvin Gentry says it was a good effort by his team that’s struggled to find consistency…
cut 30 (14) “…get done”
New Orleans gets a bit of a break, they don’t play again until Sunday against the Miami Heat.

After losing 84-72 last night to 24th ranked Houston, the LSU Tigers will stay on the road. Coach Will Wade’s team heads to Las Vegas to face St. Mary’s on Saturday night. It was a missed opportunity last night for the Tigers, they had a 25-point lead, but went through a significant scoring drought in the second half.

LSU continues preparations for its first ever appearance in the Fiesta Bowl where they’ll play U-C-F. Tigers tight end Foster Moreau says he’s excited for the opportunity to play in a New Year’s Six bowl game…
cut 18 (12) “….forward to”
The Athletic reports there’s growing talk among movers and shakers to expand the college football playoff from four to eight teams. But there are reports the SEC would not go along with any proposal that would end the SEC championship game.

Saints fans will keep an eye on tonight’s Thursday night NFL game as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs host Phillip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers. Mahomes and Rivers are two of the favorties to win the NFL MVP award, along with Drew Brees.

The Saints will visit Carolina on Monday night. It’s a must win situation for the Panthers, who are 6-and-7 and on the verge of missing the playoffs. Carolina also lost three games to New Orleans last season.

Anthony Davis scored a season-high 44 points, while Julius Randle had 22 points and Jrue Holiday added 20 points in the Pelicans 118 to 114 win over red hot Oklahoma City last night. Coach Alvin Gentry says it was a good win over the Western Conference-leading Thunder…
cut 30 (23) “…for him”
The Pels get a little bit of break as they don’t play again until Sunday against Miami.

In college basketball, LSU had a 15-point lead in the second half, but lost to 24th ranked Houston 82-76. Also, 11th ranked Texas Tech 79-44 over Northwestern State and Ole Miss defeated Southeastern Louisiana 69-57.

If the Saints win on Monday night against Carolina, New Orleans will clinch a first-round playoff bye. They can also secure a first-round bye if the Bears lose to the Packers on Sunday.

Veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall will not be with the Saints for their playoff run. He was released by the team after not playing in a game, since he was signed last month. Tight end Erik Swoope takes Marshall’s place on the roster. Swoope was released by the Colts after catching eight passes this season.

UL-Lafayette and Tulane have arrived in Orlando for their appearance in the Cure Bowl on Saturday. The Green Wave are a 3.5 point favorite.

Bowl practice is underway for the LSU Tigers. Joe Burrow says before they begin focusing on Central Frloida, he’s working to make himself a better quarterback…
cut 17 (09) “…every offseason”
And LSU safety Grant Delpit has become the ninth Tiger to be named a unanimous All-American.

LSU has begun bowl practices for their New Year’s Day matchup with Central Florida. Coach Ed Orgeron says they will continue to work on getting the offense to score more touchdowns and it starts with doing more with their quarterback…
cut 19 (14) “…on that”
LSU safety Grant Delpit has become only the ninth unanimous All-American in school history. Delpit was one of four Tigers who made the F-B-S Coaches All-America Teams.

The Saints have released wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Marshall never appeared in a game with the Black and Gold after he was signed last month. To take Marshall’s place, tight end Erik Swoope signed with the Saints. Swoope was just released by the Colts.

The LSU men’s basketball team visits 24th ranked Houston. The Cougars are 8-0 and they’ve won 21 straight at home, which is the second longest active streak in Division One basketball. The last time LSU has won a game on an opponents home floor, January 10th. Tip-off tonight is at 8 PM.

Also tonight…Northwestern state is at 11th ranked Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are also 8-0, while the Demons are just two and seven.

Southeastern Louisiana visits Ole Miss in a game that will be played at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson, Mississippi. Lions head coach Jay Ladner won a state championship in that building while coaching St. Stanislaus in 2011. This will be S-L-U’s first game in 11 days.

Last night, Louisiana Tech won its fourth straight, beating Mississippi Valley State 96-80. The Ragin Cajuns won their fifth straight as they defeated Prairie View 122 to 90. UL-Lafayette will host Louisiana Tech on Saturday.

And ULM started a four-game homestand last night by beating Grambling State 72-67.

Down 14-3 the Saints needed a spark and they got one from Taysom Hill. The versatile Hill blocked a punt and it led to a 28-14 win over Tampa Bay and the victory clinched a second straight NFC South title. Coach Sean Payton says Hill showed again why he’s so important to this team…
cut 6 (11) “…do it well”
New Orleans defense also dominated after giving up a touchdown drive on the Bucs first possession. Quarterback Drew Brees shook off two turnovers to throw for 201 yards. He had one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown.

And with three weeks remaining the Black and Gold have the top seed in the NFC South after the Bears beat the Rams in Chicago. The 11-and-2 Saints will visit Carolina next Monday night. The Panthers lost again yesterday to Cleveland.

Anthony Davis injured his hip in a first-quarter collision and only scored six points last night, but the Pelicans still defeated Detroit 116 to 108. Jrue Holiday stepped up and had 37 points, while Julius Randle added 28 points, six rebounds and five assists. New Orleans is at Boston tonight and Coach Alvin Gentry is not sure Davis will play.

LSU went on a 16-2 run late in the first half to pull away from Incarnate Word and earn a 91-50 victory. It’s the fewest points allowed by LSU with Will Wade as its head coach. Freshmen Naz Reid and Ja’vonte Smart each had 16 points. The Tigers begin a two-game road trip on Wednesday against Houston.

At the Allstate Sugar Bowl Prep Classic, the Class 5A championship game was the best game, as Zachary quarterback Keilon Brown connected with Chris Hilton on an 80-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter and the Broncos beat West Monroe 27-24 for their second straight title.

The Saints are hoping to wrap up the NFC South title tomorrow when they visit the Tampa Bay Bucaneers. The Bucs have won their last two and they lead the NFL in passing offense. Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston has thrown four touchdown passes and zero interceptions in the last two games. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins says they know what to expect from the Bucs…
cut 18 (18) “…have success”
Kick-off is noon and there’s a good chance for rain at kick-off.

The Pelicans had an eight point lead in the fourthe quarter, but lost to the Grizzlies 107-103 last night. New Orleans was just 7-of-29 from three point territory and they had 18 turnovers that led to 26 points for Memphis. The Pels fall to 13-14 on the season.

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There were plenty of points scored during day two of the 2018 AllState Sugar Bowl prep classic. Last night in the 3A title game, Sterlington could not hold on to an eight-point halftime lead and lost to Eunice 59-47. It’s the Bobcats first state championship since 1982. Simeon Ardoin rushed for three scores.

Michael Hollins rushed for 240 yards and four touchdowns as U-High defeated St. Thomas More 55-46 as the Cubs won their first back-to-back titles in school history.

Amite won its first state title since 2004 as the Warriors beat Welsh 47-20. Amani Gilmore threw five touchowns and ran for another.

Tonight the 5A title game features West Monroe versus defending champion Zachary. Kick off will be after 7 PM.

LSU linebacker Devin White told a Baton Rouge radio station it was a no brainer for him to play in the Fiesta Bowl. And the future first round pick says he’s not made decision on whether he’ll turn pro and enter the 2019 NFL draft.

The Saints will look to bounce back from last week’s loss to Dallas when they vist the Tampa Bay Bucs on Sunday. Quarterback Drew Brees says it’s a defeat they can learn from…
cut 17 (15) “….happen again”
Brees will need to get rid of the football as Tampa Bay has become better at rushing the passer since they fired defensive coordinator Mike Smith on October 15th. They’ve had 24 sacks in their last six games.

LSU’s Greedy Williams and Cole Tracy missed out on winning college football awards. Willams was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, while Tracy was up for the Groza Trophy.

LSU commitment Derek Stingley has been named the Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year. For his career at Dunham High School, Stingley had 27 interceptions and returned 15 kicks and punts for touchdowns.

It’s day two of the All-State Sugar Bowl Prep Classic. Yesterday, Kentwood, Lafayette Christian and Notre Dame of Crowley each won a state title. Tonight at about 7:00, Eunice seeks its first state title since 1982, while their opponent, Sterlington, won a Two-A crown in 2016 and now they are trying to win a championship in 3A. Panthers head coach Lee Doty says the Bobcats have a couple of player makers by the anmes of Deon Ardoin and Avery Lee…
cut 30 (11) “….big play ability”
The Prep classic concludes tomorrow night with the 5A championship game as West Monroe faces defending champ Zachary.

Tonight’s Pelicans game against the Grizzlies is a sell-out. New Orleans is 13-and-13 and it’s the same record they had at this time last year. Memphis has been one of the surprises in the NBA as they lead the Southwest Division with a 14-9 record. Tip-off is at seven PM.

A win Sunday over Tampa Bay and the Saints clinch a second consecutive NFC South title. The Bucs beat New Orleans in the season opener and Quarterback Drew Brees says Tampa Bay’s defense has been playing well lately…
cut 16 (20) “…continues to be”
Good news on the injury front for the Saints, Wide receiver Michael Thomas was a full participant at practice yesterday after sitting out on Wednesday. And running back Mark Ingram has been nominated for NFL Man of the Year. It goes to a player who gives back to his community.

LSU’s Greedy Williams and Cole Tracy came up empty at last night’s college Football Awards. Tracy didn’t win the Lou Groza award and Williams didn’t take home the Jim Thorpe Award which goes to the best defensive back.

At the state football championships yesterday, Kentwood won its ninth state title by beating previously unbeaten Oak Grove 40-21. Kangaroos quarterback TJ Hookfin threw for two touchdown passes, he also rushed for a score and caught a touchdown pass from LSU commitment Trey Palmer.

Lafayette Christian was the easy winner in the Division Four title game as the Knights crushed Lafayette Christian 56-7. L-C-A quarterback Zachary Clement (Clay-mon) had 333 yards of total offense, 222 yards through the air.

And in the Division III state title, Notre Dame thumped Catholic High of New Iberia 42-21. Noah Bourgeois capped off his sensational senior campaign with 162 yards rushing and the Pioneers won the school’s sixth state title.

Today at noon, Welsh goes for its second straight title as they battle Amite, St. Thomas More takes on University High in the Division Two title game and tonight its Sterlington versus Eunice. The Bobcats haven’t won a state title since 1982.

With a win on Sunday over Tampa Bay, the Saints can clinch an NFC South Title. It would be the first time in franchise history that the Saints won back-to-back division crowns. New Orleans will bring a 10-2 record to Tampa Bay, while the Bucs are 5-7. There’s also a 100-percent chance for rain on Sunday in Tampa Bay. Also Michael Thomas was a full participant at practice today, after missing yesterday’s practice.

The Pelicans up and down season continued last night as New Orleans beat the Mavericks 132-106. The Pels shot 55-percent from the field and hit a season high 17 3- pointers. New Orleans also had 29 fast break points, which pleased head coach Alvin Gentry. Julius Randle had 27 points and a season-high 18 rebounds. New Orleans hosts Memphis on Friday.

According to Rivals.com, LSU’s 2019 recruiting class is the third best in the country, behind Alabama, who is number one and the Aggies are number two. LSU has 3 five-star prospects.

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The Kentwood Kangaroos won their ninth state championship in school history with a 40-21 win over Oak Grove. The Tigers started the game right, as Otis Moore returned an interception for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. Moore also had a rushing touchdown, but the Kangaroos were too much. Kentwood quarterback TJ Hookfin caught a touchdown pass, rushed for another touchdown and threw for two more scores.
Right now at the Dome, it’s the Division Four title game as Ascension Catholic is taking on Lafayette Christian.

Tonight, it’s the Division Three title game as Notre Dame faces Catholic High of New Iberia. The Panthers are defending champs, beating Pioneers 33-16 in last year’s the title game. But earlier this year Notre Dame beat Catholic 49-0.

Three more championship games are on tap tomorrow as. in Class Two-A, Amite takes on defending champion Welsh at noon. At 3:30, it’s the Division Three title game as University High faces St. Thomas More. And then its the Three-A title game as Eunce and Sterlington square off at 7 PM.

LSU Athletics Director Joe Alleva says it is NOT time to discuss a contract extension for football coach Ed Orgeron. But Alleva is pleased the Tigers are heading to their first ever appearance in a New Year’s Six Bowl Game.

Orgeron is currently paid 3.5 million dollars a year and his contract does not expire until December 31st, 2021. According to USA Today, Orgeron’s salary is the 37th highest among college football coaches. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says he can see Orgeron getting a raise in the offseason…
cut 12 (04) “…salary”
According to USA Today, LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda is the highest paid assistant in college football at two-point-five million dollars a year. Offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger comes in at number 42 at 800-thousand dollars a year.

The Pelicans host Dallas tonight. The Mavericks are a surprising 12-and-10 on the season and they’ve won eight of their last 10, while the Pels are 12-and-13. Tip-off is at 7 PM.

Louisiana Tech’s Jaylon Ferguson has been named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year. The St. Francisville native set a school record with 15 sacks this year and is two sacks away from becoming the alltime sack leader in NCAA Football history.

McNeese State has apparently found a new head football coach. Nothing official from the school but there’s a report the Cowboys have hired South Florida offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert. Gilbert is also a former offensive coordinator at Texas and played high school football in the Lone Star state.

The Monroe News-Star reports Grambling State and its athletics director Paul Bryant have decided to go their separate ways. Bryant will leave the school at the end of the month and President Rick Gallot says the vice president for student affairs, David Ponton, will take over as A-D at the first of the year. Gallot says Bryant wanted to explore other opportunities.

Tonight in college basketball…the Ragin Cajuns take a break from final exams to host Loyola University of New Orleans. Tip off is at 7 PM.