The Saints had their first training camp practice of 2017 today. The team is gearing up for the upcoming season at the team’s training facility in Metairie. Coach Sean Payton says some of the toughest position battles will take place along the defensive line….
cut 30 (20) “…battles shape up”
Rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore is trying to beat out P-J Williams for the starting cornerback job opposite of Delvin Breaux. If Lattimore wins that battle, expect to see Williams start at nickel back.

The Saints added a veteran offensive lineman to the roster today by signing Orlando Franklin. The 29-year-old played left guard for the Chargers the past two seasons and started all 16 games last year.

New ULM athletic director Nick Floyd met with the media today for the first time since he was hired. He takes over an athletic program that has the lowest budget out of the 128 FBS schools and the three major sports, football, men’s basketball and baseball all had losing records last academic year. But Floyd says it’s his goal to win at a high level….
cut 5 (09) “…best experience possible”
Floyd says his number one priority is to run an athletic program with the highest degree of integrity that also looks out for the well-being of the student athlete.

Louisiana Tech has set dates for football fan days. The first will happen on Friday August 18th at Freedom Fields in Bossier City and the second fan fest is the next day at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston.

Saints and Pelicans Owners Tom and Gayle Benson are getting into the beer business as they’ve announced the purchase of Dixie Brewing Company.

The Saints have their first training camp practice today. Coach Sean Payton says there’s a lot of work ahead for this team, because they play in a tough division and the beginning of the schedule is difficult. He looks forward to progress they’ll make during training camp….
cut 14 (09) “…especially early”
The Saints have finished seven and nine during the last three years. He says during this camp he wants to establish a certain amount of toughness and leave camp with some confidence.

LSU players report for camp on Sunday and Coach Ed Orgeron says the Tigers will practice very much like NFL players. He says each week of practice will conclude with a so-called preseason game in Tiger Stadium. Coach O’ also plans to have his guys practice outside as much as possible, so his players can use the heat to their advantage once the season starts.

Nick Floyd met the media for the first time today, since he was named athletics director of ULM. Floyd takes over an athletic program that is known as the lowest funded in the country out of the 128 FBS schools. He says fiscal responsibility is just the nature of the business…
cut 4 (12) “….manner possible”
Floyd has 33 years in collegiate athletics management. Since 2004, he’s served as the executive associate director of athletics at East Carolina.

Grambling says its new artificial turf at Eddie Robinson Stadium should be complete by August 25th. The old field has been excavated, a new retaining wall has been installed and there’s also a new drainage system.

Current UL Lafayette baseball coach Tony Robichaux will be inducted into the McNeese Sports Hall of Fame. Robichaux coached at McNeese from 1987 to 1994 and compiled the most wins in school history.

LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron spoke to the Baton Rouge Rotary Club today to give a preview of the 2017 season. Orgeron says the offense will look different under new offensive coordinator Matt Canada….
cut 13 (11) “…good”
It’s expected senior Danny Etling will be the Tigers starting quarterback. Orgeron says Etling will have to earn the job during preseason camp, which starts next week. He says the other quarterbacks on the roster will have a chance, including incoming freshman Myles Brennan…
cut 14 (08) “….when he’s ready”

In major league baseball…former LSU pitcher Aaron Nola and the Phillies take on the Astros tonight. No Alex Bregman for Houston. He’s out with a hamstring injury.

The football season is back as Saints players report for training camp today. One of the big off-season additions was the signing of future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says hopefully this means head coach Sean Payton will be more committed to the running game this year
Cut 30 (08) “off the field”

Former Louisiana Tech star Kenneth Dixon will miss the upcoming season. The Ravens running back underwent surgery this week for an injured meniscus. He rushed for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns last season.

McNeese announced today it’s latest inductees into the school’s sports hall of fame. Current UL Lafayette baseball coach Tony Robichaux is one of the inductees. Robichaux coached the Cowboys baseball team from 1987 to 1994 and compiled the most wins in school history. Also going are former football players Adam Henry and Toddrick Pendland. Henry is a former LSU assistant coach.

The Saints get back to work today as they report for training camp. New Orleans has failed to notch a winning record since 2013, because of problems on defense. Saints NFL analyst Mike Detillier says says it remains to be seen if the Saints defense has improved enough in the offseason to keep opposing offenses off the scoreboard…
cut 14 (12) “…on the quarterback”
The Saints will not have linebacker Dannell Ellerbe this season. There are reports the team will place him on injured reserve and then release him in three weeks once he is healthy. Ellerbe had four sacks in nine games last year, but injuries have forced him to miss a lot of games over the last two years.

Former LSU Tiger Booger McFarland will be seen this fall on ABC as an in-studio analyst. McFarland has been working at the SEC Network since 2014. At ABC he’ll work alongside Mack Brown and Kevin Negandhi.

All-Star Anthony Davis told the Associated Press the Pelicans are tired of losing, but they have the roster this season to do something about it. Davis looks forward to trying to make some noise in the loaded Western Conference as he believes the team looks good on paper. Davis has spent the offseason spending a lot of time working out with DeMarcus Cousins and A-D likes the addition of veteran point guard Rajon Rondo.

In major league baseball….the Astros blanked the Phillies 5-0 yesterday. Former LSU standout Alex Bregman had to leave the game with discomfort in his right hamstring. His status is day-to-day. Houston has a 17.5 game lead over Seattle for first place in the AL West.

Kerrick Johnson is the new head baseball coach at Southern University. Johnson replaces the legendary Roger Cador. This is Johnson’s first time as a head coach. He’s previously served as an assistant coach at Nicholls and played at Bethune-Cookman.

The Saints look to get back to the playoffs this season as they report for training camp. The New Orleans franchise has finished 7-and-9, the last three seasons. NFL analyst Mike Detillier projects the Saints will once again be solid on offense with Quarterback Drew Brees at the helm and an emerging pass catcher…:
Cut 13 (10) “it’s Michael Thomas”
The Saints have failed to notch a winning record since 2013 because of problems on defense. Detillier says says it remains to be seen if the Saints defense has improved enough in the off-season to keep opposing offenses off the scoreboard.

LSU announced Tuesday it’s 2017 home opener against Chattanooga on September 9th will kick off at 6:30pm. It will be televised on the SEC Network Alternate channel. It’s the first time ever LSU and Chattanooga have played each other in football.

The SEC announced the UL-Lafayette football game against Texas A&M on September 16th is scheduled for 11am. Coverage will be available on the SEC Network. The Cajuns season opener is on September 2nd against in-state rival Southeastern Louisiana. ESPN and the Sun Belt Conference will announce viewing access for games 12 days before they are scheduled.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis will be holding a basketball camp at UNO on August 7th and 8th for kids aged 7-15. The Pels star says it’ll be the first camp he’s ever held in The Big Easy during his time there, and he’s looking forward to spending some time with kids who are pumped about basketball.

In other Pelicans news, the club has reportedly waived guard Quinn Cook. It comes as a surprise as management priased Cook during summer league play.

Former LSU football stand-out La’el Collins has agreed to a two-year extension with the Dallas Cowboys, according to a report. It indicates the right-tackle will get $15.4 million dollars through 2019.

The Saints report for training camp tomorrow and the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting the team is placing linebacker Dannell Ellerbe on injured reserve, because of a foot injury. Ellerbe appeared in nine games last season and recorded four sacks and only played in six games in 2015. Rapoport also reports the Saints plan to waive the veteran once he becomes healthy, which one source says will happen in a few weeks.

There are multiple reports that say former LSU Tiger La’el Collins has agreed to a two-year, 16-million dollar contract extension. It will make him one of the highest paid right tackles in the game.

Former Louisiana Tech standout and Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon has injured his knee and underwent surgery today. Dixon is expected to miss six to eight weeks. He was already set to miss the first four games of the season as he’ll serve a suspension for violating the NFL’s policy against PEDs.

LSU’s home opener against Chattanooga on September 9th will kick-off at 6:30 PM and it will be televised on the SEC Network Alternate channel. The SEC also announced the game between the Cajuns and Texas A-and-M on September 16th will kick-off at 11 AM and it will be shown on the SEC Network.

Jordan Davis has been named the starting quarterback for the Cajuns this season. Coach Mark Hudspeth is expecting a big year from the junior out of Texas…
cut 19 (19) “….security”
The Cajuns have seven road games on the schedule this year. Not only will they travel to College Station, they’ll also go to Ole Miss and Tulsa.

The Saints report for training camp tomorrow. The team has already placed starting left tackle Terron Armstead and center Max Unger on the physically unable to perform list. Armstead could miss the first half of the season with a shoulder injury, but Unger is hopeful to be back before the regular season as he recovers from foot surgery.

Other news, wide receiver Willie Snead has signed his tender as an excluse-rights free agent and he’ll make 615-thousand dollars this year. Snead and the Saints are expected to work towards a long term deal. And linebacker and special teams standout Michael Mauti has inked a one-year deal.

Former Louisiana Tech standout and Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon has injured his knee and he’ll undergo surgery today. Dixon is expected to miss six to eight weeks. He was already set to miss the first four games of the season as he’ll serve a suspension for violating the NFL’s policy against PEDs.

LSU’s home opener against Chattanooga on September 9th will kick-off at 6:30 PM and it will be televised on the SEC Network Alternate channel. The SEC also announced the game between the Cajuns and Texas A-and-M on September 16th will kick-off at 11 AM and it will be shown on the SEC Network.

At Sun Belt Football Media Day in New Orleans, ULM players have a positive outlook for the upcoming season, despite winning just four games last season. Senior offensive lineman Frank Sutton says last year’s team performed better than most expected and they expect to do the same again this season…
Cut 16 (24) “from there”
The Warhawks were selected to finish ninth in the league this year.

At Sun Belt Football Media Day in New Orleans, ULM players have a positive outlook for the upcoming season, despite winning just four games last year. Senior defensive end Caleb Tucker says players got comfortable with Coach Viator’s staff in 2016…:
Cut 17 (15) “this year”

Mark Hudspeth is entering his 7th season as head coach of UL Lafayette. His team has seven road games this year and the coach says none of them will be easy..:
Cut 18 (24) “at a time”
The Cajuns are projected to finish in the middle of the pack in the Sun Belt.

Saints Wide receiver Willie Snead has signed his exclusive rights free agent tag with New Orleans, according to the NFL transactions wire, locking him in for one year at $615,000. Linebacker Michael Mauti is rejoining the Saints. The Black and Gold begin training camp tomorrow in Metairie.

Fans hoping to attend the free practice sessions this weekend are scooping up the tickets. The Saints announced Monday that all spots for Saturday’s practice have been claimed, but a very limited number of seats are still available for Sunday. Fans must claim tickets at neworleanssaints.com in order to attend.

According to sources, the Pelicans and forward Darius Miller have agreed to a deal for the former Kentucky Wildcat to return to the team. The report indicates Miller officially signed a two-year deal Monday, with the second year being a team option.

Former LSU football coach Les Miles has been very vocal in expressing interest to coach again in any Power 5 position, and USA Today’s Dan Wolken reports the Mad Hatter is extremely interested in the Ole Miss vacancy.

Researchers at LSU say the 2017 NBA All-Star game had a $44.9 million dollar economic impact to the state of Louisiana. The study said visitors spent an estimated $23.7 million.

The Saints open training camp later this week. Starting left tackle Terron Armstead will miss all of camp and is not expected back on the field until at least October because of a torn labrum in his shoulder. Head Coach Sean Payton appeared on a New Orleans radio station this morning and said the team is deeper at left tackle than probably any of the years he’s been with the Saints. But Payton says it’s devastating that defensive tackle Nick Fairley will not play this season, because of a heart condition.

In recruiting news…Rummel wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has verbally committed to Florida. Chase also considered LSU and TCU.

The USA Today’s Dan Wolken says former LSU head coach Les MIles is extremely interested in the head coaching vacancy at Ole Miss. Miles has reportedly made his interests known to influential Ole Miss boosters. Miles is 63-years-old and has made it no secret that he would like to coach at another Power Five school again.

Lafayette native Andrew Stevenson becomes the 73rd former LSU Tiger to make the Major Leagues. Stevenson appeared in his first major league game after he was called up from Triple-A by the Washington Nationals. Stevenson played for the Tigers from 2013 to 2015 and was drafted in the second round by the Nationals in 2015. He came in as a pinch hitter yesterday and stayed in the game to play in left field and went 0-for-2 in the Nats six to two win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Former LSU All-American golfer Sam Burns finished tied for sixth at this weekend’s PGA Barbasol Championship. The Shreveport native had three straight rounds of five-under 66s to finish 18-under par for the tournament. Bruns is expected to turn pro in September.

Twenty-three-year-old Texan Jordan Speith won the British Open by three shots over Matt Kuchar. Speith has now three legs of a career Grand Slam and can win them all next month when he plays in the PGA Championship.

Former LSU outfielder Andrew Stevenson received a Major League call-up Sunday from the Washington Nationals, and made his MLB debut in the series finale with the Diamondbacks in Arizona’s Chase Field. The Nationals had 6-2 victory in the game. Stevenson, who started in 154 games in center field during his college career, earned 2015 first-team All-SEC and third-team All-America honors at LSU, and he was a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. He went 0 for 2 yesterday.

4-star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase committed to Florida over LSU and TCU on Sunday following a visit to Gainesville. The prospect out of Rummel is No. 21 in his position for the 2018 recruiting class on the 247Sports composite rankings. The service also ranked Chase as the No. 5 recruit in Louisiana in the Class of 2018. Chase can make his verbal commitment official in December during the NCAA’s newly implemented early signing period.

Sun Belt Media Day kick off today in New Orleans inside the Mercedes Benz Superdome. The UL-Lafayette football team was picked to finish 5th overall in the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Poll. ULM was chosen to finish ninth. Defending SBC co-champion Appalachian State is the favorite to win the conference championship for the second consecutive year. The Sun Belt’s annual media day begins Sunday.

Former LSU golf star Sam Burns spent the entire day on the leaderboard Sunday at the PGA Tour Barbasol Championship. The Shreveport native, who is expected to turn pro in September, finished the 72 holes in a tie for 6th. After the final round, Burns sent out a tweet thanking fans for their support on a great final day of the tour which was also his 21st birthday. As a professional, Burns would have earned more than $113,000 yesterday.

In the British Open, it was Jordan Spieth claimed the win by three shots closing with a 1-under 69.