The Saints will be in Metairie for training camp this season. The last three years, New Orleans held training camp in West Virginia. Coach Sean Payton was very complimentary of the setup at the Greenbrier Resort. But the team let the contract expire after three years and three straight non-playoff seasons. Saints anlayst Mike Detillier says practicing at the resort was not the reason for the losing seasons…
cut 17 (17) “…talent”
The Saints have also announced that Curtis Johnson is back as the teams’ receivers coach. Ryan Nielsen is the new defensive line coach. He’s been a college coach for 14 years, most recently with North Carolina State.

Louisiana Tech announces running back Jaqwis Dancy is cancer free. He was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma in October and is now cancer-free after several rounds of chemo and a couple rounds of radiation.

Louisiana Tech failed to score in the final 3:45 of last night’s ball game but they still defeated UTEP 62-61. Erik McCree had 19 points and eight rebounds to lead the way.

UNO moved into first place in the Southland standings with a 69-63 win over McNeese State last night. Michael Zeno had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Privateers who are 9-3 in league play. The Cowboys had a four-point lead at halftime, but their conference record falls to 4-8.

Also in the Southland, Houston Baptist routed Northwestern State 86-69. The Demons are in last place with a 3-8 league record.

The 20-and-33 Pelicans begin a four-game road trip in Minnesota tonight. New Orleans will also play Sacramento, Phoenix and Memphis to close out the road swing. Three of the teams have losing records and the Pels need some wins because they are fading out of playoff contention. Alvin Gentry’s team is 3.5 back of Denver for the final playoff spot.

The Saints will stay in Louisiana for training camp this season. The NFL team will train at their facilities in Metairie after holding camp in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia the last three seasons. Saints analyst Mike Detillier says it’s good news for the fans…:
Cut 16 (15) “for that”
The team let the contract expire in West Virginia after three years and three straight non-playoff seasons.

Meanwhile the Saints continue to fill out their coaching staff as they announce former Tulane Head Coach Curtis Johnson, and former defensive line coach & run game coordinator for North Carolina State, Ryan Nielsen have been hired. Curtis joins the Saints staff as receivers coach and gets the title of Senior Offensive Assistant. Neilsen will be the new defensive line coach for the Saints.

In college hoops, Louisiana Tech managed to escape with a nail-biting 62-61 road victory over UTEP last night. With the win, Tech is now in a three way tie for fifth place in the Conference USA standings.

In the Southland, Northwestern Fell to Houston Baptist 86-69 in Natchitoches. UNO had a massive second half surge to down conference foe and in-state rival McNeese 69-63 last night in Lake Charles.

LSU second baseman Cole Freeman and outfielder Antoine Duplantis have been named to the SEC Coaches Pre-season All-SEC first team. Shortstop Kramer Robertson, outfielder Greg Deichmann and starting pitcher Alex Lange were named to the second team. The Tigers’ baseball team is a unanimous pick to win the 2017 SEC West Division, and both LSU and Florida were voted co favorites to win the SEC championship by the league’s 14 head coaches.

The Shreveport Times is reporting that Bulldogs quarterback J’mar Smith will make the Tech baseball roster and help provide depth in the outfield.

The Saints announce they will hold training camp this year at their team’s facility in Metairie. The last three years they were at White Sulphur Springs, West Virgina and each season ended with a seven and nine record. 2009 to 2013 was the last time they held training camp in Metairie and they had two of the best seasons in franchise history during that time.

LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron formally introduced his two new assistant coaches today. Tommie Robinson is the Tigers new running backs coach and recruiting coorindator and he explained why he left a good situation at Southern Cal…
cut 30 (21) “…about him”
New Orleans native Mickey Joseph is the other new addition and he’ll coach receivers.

LSU and Florida were voted co-favorites to win the 2017 SEC baseball championship based on a poll of the league’s coaches. Five players were also named to the coahces preseason all-SEC squad….Cole Freeman, Antoine Duplantis, Kramer Robertson, Greg Deichmann and Alex Lange.

LSU Coach Paul Mainieri has announced Lange will start on opening night against Air Force on February 17th. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says it’s not a big surprise, since he’s the ace of the staff…
cut 19 (10) “….arm strength”
During the opening weekend, Jared Poche will start on Saturday and freshman right-hander Eric Walker will start on Sunday. Mainieri says Walker knows how to change speeds and he can throw three pitches for strikes.

In college hoops tonight…Louisiana Tech is at UTEP. The Bulldogs are two games back of Middle Tennesse in the Conference USA standings. In the Southland…Northwestern State hosts Houston Baptist , while UNO is at McNeese. The Privateers are tied for first in the league.

LSU introduced its two new assistant football coaches today, Tommie Robinson and Mickey Joseph. Robinson will serve as the Tigers running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. He was recently named the Pac-12 Recruiter of the Year and he talked today about what it takes to be a good recruiter….
cut 30 (12) “…relentless”
Joseph will coach the wide receivers and the New Orleans native says he plans to improve the Tiger wide outs…
cut 29 (16) “…can be”
Joseph has previously coached at Louisiana Tech and Grambling.

LSU designated hitter Byrce Jordan will miss the 2017 season after tearing his ACL in his knee in practice. The former Barbe standout was expected to bat clean-up after hitting .293 last season. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says Bryce Jordan would have been the perfect hitter behind LSU’s best power hitter Greg Deichman, who is slated to bat third…
cut 18 (18) “…of stuff”
Mainieri says there are three players who can fill the D-H role this season, Jordan Romero, Bryce Adams and left-handed hitter Mason Templet.

In basketball…the Utah Jazz blasted the Pelicans 127-94 last night. In college hoops…Louisiana Tech is at UTEP. The Bulldogs are two games back of Middle Tennesse in the Conference USA standings. In the Southland…Northwestern State hosts Houston Baptist , while UNO is at McNeese. The Privateers are tied for first in the league.

LSU’s All-SEC designated hitter Bryce Jordan will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL. Coach Paul Mainieri says the injury occurred at practice as Jordan was chasing a foul ball down the left field line and felt his knee buckle. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says the injury is a blow to the Tigers..:
Cut 17 (11) “line-up”
Mainieri has also announced that junior right-hander Alex Lange will start on opening night against Air Force on February 17th.

The Ragin Cajuns baseball team is the unanimous choice to win the Sun Belt Western Division title based on a poll of the league’s coaches.UL Lafayette received all 12 first place votes.

LSU Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron’s staff continues to come together. It’s reported that new Tigers’ linebackers coach Dennis Johnson will receive a two-year deal for $180,000 a season.

In the NBA, the Jazz jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter and it was domination through the end of the game, as Utah danced past the Pels 127-94 last night in the Smoothie King Center. It was the worst loss of the season for New Orleans. Anthony Davis was presented with his All-Star Game jersey before Wednesday’s game, but he was limited to just 12 points in 30 minutes of action. The Pelicans fall to 20-32 overall and now hit the road for four games.

The Pelicans and Saints announced Wednesday that they are stepping up to help out victims of the tornadoes that hit New Orleans on Tuesday. The franchises have opened up the practice facilities in Metairie to serve as a collection site for non-perishable food items and other disaster-relief supplies.

In college hoops, Southeastern lost a rough one to Texas A&M Corpus Christi in Hammond by a score of 69-53. The Lions return home to play New Orleans Saturday.

Today UNO will travel to face McNeese State. The Privateers head into the game as the league’s top shooting team. Northwestern State is at Houston Baptist. And Louisiana Tech is at UTEP.

LSU Baseball Coach Paul Mainieri said today that all-SEC designated hitter Bryce Jordan will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL. Mainieri says the injury occurred at practice yesterday as Jordan was chasing a foul ball down the left field line and felt his knee buckle. The injury is a blow to the Tigers. The former Barbe standout was expected to bat clean-up after hitting .293 last season. Coach Paul Mainieri says Bryce Adams and Jordan Romero are couple of options to fill the DH role.

The Ragin Cajuns baseball team is the unanimous choice to win the Sun Belt Western Division title based on a poll of the league’s coaches.UL Lafayette received all 12 first place votes. UT Arlington was picked to finish in second and the national defending champs, Coastal Carolina is the preseason favorite in the east.

And former LSU pitcher Kevin Gausman avoided arbitration with Baltimore by agreeing to a $3.4 million dollar contract for the 2017 season.

LSU football coach Ed Orgeron has called a press conference for 10 AM tomorrow to announce the hiring of assistant coaches Mickey Joseph and Tommie Robinson. Joseph is a New Orleans native and he’ll coach receivers, while Robinson replaces Jabbar Juluke as the Tigers running backs coach. The Baton Rouge Advocate’s Ross Dellenger says Robinson has 30 years of coaching experience that includes both college and pro. Dellenger says Robinson will also serve as LSU’s recruiting coordinator…
cut 30 (24) “…centered around”
Robinson was recently named PAC-12 recruiter of the year.

LSU Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron has hired New Orleans native Mickey Joseph as his wide receivers coach and Tomme Robinson as the team’s running backs coach. Baton Rouge Advocate Reporter Ross Dellenger said on Tiger Rag Radio last night that both coaches were brought in to bolster LSU’s recruiting efforts….
cut 30 (19) “…fill your recruiting needs”
Former LSU running backs coach Jabbar Juluke has found a new job after he was reassigned by Orgeron last week. Juluke has been named the running backs coach for Texas Tech.

And New Hall of Famer Jason Taylor has made some interesting comments regarding former LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Taylor called Cameron “an idiot” in a stroy published in the Miami Herald. Taylor suffered through a 1-15 season with the Dolphins and Cameron was the head coach.

The Saints and the Pelicans are stepping up to help those who were impacted by yesterday’s tornado outbreak. The professional franchises are working with the United Way, the American Red Cross and the Second Harvest Food bank to provide necessary relief items. Non-perishable food and other tornado-related items can be dropped off at the teams’ training facilities in Metairie.

Tonight, at the Smoothie King Center the Pelicans will host the Utah Jazz. Utah leads the Northwest Division with a record of 33-19.

Last night in college basketball…LSU fell to Kentucky 92-85, tonight Tulane hosts Houston and Southestern is at Texas A-and-M Corpus Christi.

Louisiana Tech’s Erik McCree has been named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association men’s basketball player of the week. McCree scored 30 points in a win over Marshall on Saturday. The Bulldogs at at UTEP tomorrow.

And the Ragin Cajuns baseball team is the unanimous choice to win the Sun Belt Western Division title based on a poll of the league’s coaches.

LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron has hired Tommie Robinson to serve as running backs coach, assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator. Robinson comes to LSU after spending last season at Southern Cal as the running backs coach. Also Mickey Joseph joins the Tigers staff to coach wide receivers after serving as running backs coach at Louisiana Tech for one year.

Former LSU running backs coach Jabbar Juluke didn’t waste time getting another job. He was reassigned at LSU last week, and now is rejoining the Texas Tech staff. He’ll serve as associate head coach for the Red Raiders.

LSU announced that their spring game will begin at 7pm on April 22nd in Tiger Stadium and will be televised by the SEC Network. It’s the first prime time kickoff for a spring game in years.

The New Orleans Saints have filled out one of the final openings in their coaching staff with the hire of Ryan Nielsen to lead the defensive line. Nielsen spent his coaching career in college football, most recently at NC State.

In college hoops, the LSU men’s basketball team has lost their 10th game in a row after blowing another SEC game to No. 15 Kentucky, 92-85. The Tigers’ losing streak matches the longest since the 2010-2011 season. But LSU did overcome a 25 point second half deficit to try to stay in the game, just 6 points away with 14 seconds left, but it was too little, too late. The loss drops LSU to 1-10 in conference play.

Tonight Tulane will host Houston and Southeastern is at Texas A&M.

In the NBA, the Pelicans hit the hardwood again tonight in the Smoothie King Center to take on the Jazz.

Former LSU star Shaquille O’Neal and his TV colleagues will be headed to Champions Square in New Orleans to broadcast live during the NBA All-Star weekend beginning February 16th.

Former LSU pitcher Kevin Gausman avoided an arbitration hearing with the Baltimore Orioles by agreeing to a $3.45 one year contract. According to Fox Sports, which first reported Gausman’s agreement, the contract has built-in bonuses of $50,000 if the right-hander reaches 30 and 33 starts in 2017.

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron has hired Southern Cal running backs coach Tommie Robinson and Louisiana Tech running backs coach Mickey Joseph. Robinson is considered one of the top recruiters in the country and he’ll coach the running backs. Joseph is a New Orleans native and he’ll coach the wide receivers.

LSU running backs coach Jabbar Juluke will reportedly be hired by Texas Tech. Juluke was reassigned within the athletic department last week by Orgeron. Juluke spent a month on Texas Tech’s staff last year, when the New Orleans native was hired by LSU. The former Edna Karr Head Coach spent only one season on LSU’s staff and his removal has reportedly led to some hard feelings by high school coaches in New Orleans. There’s talk about a possible recruiting boycott and keeping New Orleans kids from going to LSU.

And former Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Dykes has reportedly been named to TCU’s staff as an offensive analyst-slash-consulant.

Bastrop offensive coordinator Adrian Burnette has been named the new head coach of the Rams replacing Marcus Yanez. Burnette is Bastrop’s fourth head coach in the last four years.

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron is close to hiring USC running backs coach Tommie Robinson and Louisiana Tech running backs coach Mickey Joseph to fill two vacancies on his staff. Joseph is a New Orleans native. Orgeron is looking for a new wide receivers and running backs coach.

And LSU is also reportedly looking at a couple of transfers to join their team. Former Clemson offensive tackle Jake Fruhmorgen and a scholarship offer has been extended to former Texas Tech defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko.

It looks like Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban will need to find a new offensive coordinator. There are multiple reports that say Steve Sarkisian will leave the Crimson Tide to replace Kyle Shanahan as the Falcons new offensive coordinator.

LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine is a finalist to become the executive director of the Florida High School Athletic Association.

The Pelicans ended a four-game losing streak with a 111-to-106 win over the Phoenix Suns. Anthony Davis had 34 points and nine rebounds, while Jrue Holiday had 30 points and nine rebounds. There’s also trade specualtion out there as reports indicate the Pels have talked with the 76ers about acquiring Jahlil Okafor, who was the third overall pick out of Duke a couple of years ago.

Tonight in college basketball….LSU is at 15th ranked Kentucky. The Fighting Tigers are on an eight-game losing streak, while the Wildcats have lost three of four. Tip-off is at 6 PM on ESPN.

Last night….ULM fell to 1-10 in the Sun Belt with a 69-55 loss to Georgia State, the Ragin Cajuns led for much of the second half last night but ended up losing to Georgia Southern 74-70.