Three football players with ties to Louisiana are finalists to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. Former Saints kicker Morten Anderson and former LSU Tigers Alan Faneca and Kevin Mawae. It’s the fourth time Andersen has been a finalist. The fourth round pick in 1982 scored 2,544 points, most ever in NFL history. Faneca was named to the All-Pro team eight times. Mawae has been a semifinalist the last two years and named an All-Pro eight times. They’ll find out Super Bowl weekend whether they made the Hall of Fame or not.

Former LSU football player Seth Fruge says an SEC championship ring and other football mementos were stolen from his Shreveport home over the Christmas break. Fruge played on special teams as a walk-on for the Tigers from 2009 to 2013. In a facebook post, Fruge says the thief took his blood, sweat and tears he shared with his teammates.

The LSU men’s basketball team takes on Missouri tonight at 8 Pm in Columbia. The Tigers are trying to end a two-game losing streak. In those two losses against Wake Forest and Vanderbilt, each team hit 16 three-pointers against LSU and the Tigers allowed 110 and 96 points respectively.

The Pelicans are off tonight, they host Atlanta on Thursday. First-round draft pick Buddy Hield has been named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month. The 23-year-old averaged 11 points a game and shot 48-percent from three point territory during December.

Saints Coach Sean Payton says it’s his plan that he will definitely be back next season. Payton says he’s already started working on what the roster might look like in 2017…
cut 10 (07) “…I’m doing”
Payton made the comments on WWL Radio in New Orleans. There’s been speculation he could be traded to another team.

And as usual, quarterback Drew Brees is confident about what next year’s team can accomplish. Brees says the right guys are in the locker room to make New Orleans a Super Bowl contender again….
cut 18 (20) “…very near future”
Brees and the Saints just wrapped up a third consecutive 7-and-9 season.

Former LSU football player Seth Fruge says an SEC championship ring and other football mementos were stolen from his Shreveport home over the Christmas break. Fruge played on special teams as a walk-on for the Tigers from 2009 to 2013. In a facebook post, Fruge says the thief took his blood, sweat and tears he shared with his teammates.

In the NBA, the Pelicans had their four game winning streak snapped last night with a 90-82 loss to Cleveland. New Orleans plays again on Thursday night when they host Atlanta.

And the Pelicans first-round draft pick Buddy Hield has been named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month. The 23-year-old averaged 11 points a game and shot 48-percent from three point territory during the month of 2016.

Nicholls State has now four in a row. The Colonels defeated Texas A-and-M Corpus Christi 68-64 last night.

Southeastern Lousiana won its 14th straight home game yesterday, a 74-63 win over U-I-W.

Saints Coach Sean Payton says it’s his plan to definitely be back next season. That’s based on what he said during an appearance on WWL radio last night. The head coach says he’s got four more years on a contract in New Orleans and he plans on honoring that. There’s been speculation that the Saints are interested in trading Payton for a draft pick compensation or possibly a player.

Quarterback Drew Brees is coming off another great season. He threw for over 5,000 yards for a 5th time. He also tossed 37 touchdown passes and completed 70% of his passes. The 37-year-old signed a one-year contract extension prior to the start of 2016 season…
Cut 17 (15) “at a time”
Brees also says the right guys are in the locker room to make New Orleans a Super Bowl contender again.

A former LSU football player living in Shreveport says someone broke into his house over the Christmas Break and stole his SEC championship ring and Outback Bowl ring, along with a BCS National championship watch. Walk-on Seth Fruge played on special teams and was a member of the Tigers from 2009 to 2013.

Last night at the Sugar Bowl, Oklahoma defeated Auburn 35-19. SEC teams went 6-and-6 during the bowl season.

In the NBA, the Pelicans four-game winning streak ended last night as New Orleans was defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers 90-82. The Cavs rallied back from a 10-point third quarter deficit.

In the Sun Belt…Freshman Justin Miller had 15 points as the Cajuns defeated Little Rock 69-52. ULM lost badly to Arkansas State 76-45.

Nicholls, Southeastern Louisiana, UNO and McNeese are all off to 2-0 starts in the Southland Conference. The Colonels topped Texas A&M Corpus Christi 68-64 last night. The Lions upended Incarnate Word 74-63 and the Cowboys knocked off Stephn F Austin 69-54.

Saints Coach Sean Payton said on his coach’s show last night that he definitely plans to be back next season. There’s been reports that the Saints and Los Angeles Rams are considering a trade that would send Payton to the West Coast and the Saints would receive draft or player compensation in return. But Payton said last night he plans on honoring the five-year contract he signed in 2016.

Quarterback Drew Brees has said that reports of Payton leaving have been completely made up and said it comes with the territory when you don’t make the playoffs…
cut 16 (14) “…speculation”
And Brees says his plan going forward is to play out the contract he signed in September that keeps him with the Black and Gold through 2017.
LSU has lost a verbal commitment from a linebacker out of Alabama. Three-star prospect Monty Rice now plans on attending Georgia as a mid-year enrolee.

Last night in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Oklahoma defeated Auburn 35-19 as the Sooners won their 10th straight. The SEC is 6-and-6 in bowl games this year and Alabama still has to play Clemson in the national championship.

The Pelicans took on the World Champs last night as Cleveland upended New Orleans 90-82. LeBron James had 26 points for the Cavs, who have won 13 of their last 15. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for New Orleans. Anthony Davis had 20 points and 17 rebonds in a losing effort.

UL Lafayette looked good on ESPN Two last nigh as the Cajuns rocked Little Rock 69-52. Justin Miller had 15 points

Elsewhere…ULM fell to Arkansas State 76-45. In the Southland, Nicholls, McNeese State and Southeastern Lousiiana were all winners.

The Falcons beat the Saints Sunday in the regular season finale for the two meaning Atlanta clinches the two-seed in the NFC playoffs and a first round bye. The 38-32 loss drops the Saints to 7-9 for the season. It’s reported that New Orleans Coach Sean Payton met with GM Mickey Loomis after the game to discuss the coach’s future with the team. Sources also say the Rams are expected to ask New Orleans for permission to speak with Payton about the vacancy in Los Angeles.

NFL analyst Mike Detillier says changes need to be made with the team in the off season, but not much on offense…:
CUT 12 (10) “right tackle”
He says New Orleans needs a top pass rusher and definitely a new special teams coach — and more to avoid yet another losing season.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl kicks off tonight in the Mercedes Benz Superdome as the Auburn Tigers take on the Oklahoma Sooners. Chief Operating Officer for the bowl, Jeff Hundley, says ticket sales weren’t as great as they have been in the past, as attention is shifting away from these bowl games…:
CUT 9 (06) “great tradition”
Kickoff is at 7:30.

The Citrus Bowl was a fun one to watch for LSU fans as the No. 20 Tigers beat No. 13 Louisville 29-9. LSU running back Derrius Guice was the MVP of the game, finishing with 26 carries for 138 yards. Tigers defensive lineman Davon Godchaux will forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft, he announced on social media Sunday.

In college hoops, Louisiana Tech pounced Southern Miss Sunday 79-55. Tulane fell to Cincinnati 92-56.

In the NBA, tonight the Pelicans face the Cavs on the road for a 6pm tip-off.

LSU and Louisville kickoff tomorrow at 10am in Orlando’s Camping World Stadium Citrus Bowl. Louisville comes into this matchup ranked No. 12 in the FBS in total defense, but LSU sideline reporter Gordy Rush doesn’t think this is a team that LSU won’t be able to run the ball against…:
Cut 17 (12) “who’s an edge rusher”
The game, which is the first-ever meeting between the teams in football, will be televised on ABC.

Today Head Coach Ed Orgeron said defensive end Frank Herron did make make the trip to Orlando because of academic reasons, but that he would rejoin the team in the spring.

The LSU men’s basketball announced Thursday before its SEC opener against Vanderbilt that they’ve released Craig Victor from the team for a violation of rules. In the game last night, the Tigers tied a school record for three-pointers made, but they couldn’t stop the Commodores who escaped with a wild 96-89 victory.

LSU and Louisville kickoff tomorrow at 10am in the Camping World Stadium. Tigers’ sideline reporter Gordy Rush says obviously the key in this Citrus Bowl contest is for LSU to stop the Heisman trophy winner Lamar Jackson. Rush says the D has to blitz and bring a lot of pressure to the QB like other teams that have beaten the Cardinals have been able to do.:
Cut 16 (07) “operate”
The game, which is the first-ever meeting between the teams in football, will be televised on ABC.

The LSU men’s basketball announced Thursday before its SEC opener against Vanderbilt that they’ve released Craig Victor from the team for a violation of rules. Coach Johnny Jones said it’s disappointing to have to take this action, but it should be an honor and a privilege to wear an LSU uniform. In the game last night, the Tigers tied a school record for three-pointers made, but they couldn’t stop the Commodores who escaped with a wild 96-89 victory.

This Saints season will conclude the same as the previous two; minus a spot in the playoffs. The Black & Gold will either finish 2016 with a familiar 7-9 mark or get to .500 with a win over the NFC South champion Falcons on New Year’s Day. Atlanta has the highest scoring offense in the league, but Saints linebacker Craig Robertson says it’s not anything New Orleans can’t handle…:
CUT 1 (15) “for your offense”
The Dirty Birds have punched their ticket to the playoffs already and with a win Sunday can earn the #2 seed.

Tonight in the NBA, the Pelicans take on the Knicks inside the Smoothie King Center. New York is coming to New Orleans off losses to Boston and Atlanta and haven’t won a game since December 11th. The Pels are on a three game win streak going into the meeting.

Steve Ensminger spoke to reporters in Orlando today for the first time as LSU’s interim offensive coordinator just days before his last game in the role. The Tigers are preparing to take on Louisville in the Citrus Bowl Saturday. Ensminger said he believes Coach O is the right man to be LSU’s head coach, and that Matt Canada is the right replacement as OC. He said he knew Orgeron would have to make a splashy hire in Canada and that it was never a job he intended to interview.

As for the game, LSU sideline reporter Gordy Rush says obviously the key in the contest is for the Tigers to stop the Heisman trophy winner Lamar Jackson. He says the key is to blitz and bring a lot of pressure to the QB like other teams that have been the Cardinals have been able to do.:
CUT 1 (07) “operate”
Kickoff Saturday is 10am.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says the team isn’t getting down about not making the playoffs once again this season. A victory for New Orleans in Atlanta this Sunday against the Falcons would mean they would avoid a third straight 7-and-9 season and Brees says finishing 500 is a big deal:
CUT 17 (12) “want to go”
The Saints are 7-3 in the Georgia Dome since Brees and Coach Sean Payton arrived in 2006. Kickoff Sunday is 3:25.

The Pelicans had a thrilling victory last night as they surged past the Clippers 102-98, highlighted by a 20 point performance by star Anthony Davis who had a soaring one handed alley oop dunk during a critical fourth-quarter charge. The Pels face the Knicks tomorrow at home.

College hoops, tonight Vanderbilt is in Baton Rouge to face LSU for an 8pm tip off in the PMAC.

The New Orleans Saints will look to avoid another paltry 7-and-9 season as they face the rival Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Quarterback Drew Brees says even though the team has missed out on the playoffs for a third consecutive year, spirits are high around the team…:
Cut 18 (19) “every team changes”
Kickoff Sunday is at 3:25.

The New Orleans Pelicans overcame some tough odds last night in their 102-98 victory over the Clippers. The Pels played more than half the game without coach Alvin Gentry who was ejected when arguing with an official. Star Anthony Davis highlighted a 20-point otherwise struggling performance with a one-handed dunk in the fourth quarter to turn things around for the Pels. New Orleans will host New York tomorrow.

Tiger fans are gearing up for the Citrus Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals. Vice President of Development for the LSU Alumni Association, Rhett Butler, says they’ll have a contingent of fans arriving in Orlando on Friday and that includes a large group who live in Florida. He says there are several reasons why there is interest in this game….:
CUT 7 (08) “big draw”
The team practiced this morning, then this evening will participate in the Day for Kids at Tinker Field near Camping World Stadium.

Last night in college hoops, Northwestern State beats Louisiana College 88-66. Tulane fell to Central Florida 85-72. Southeastern got the victory over Southern 64-53. ULM had an easy time against Grambling winning 81-45. Nicholls State beat Spring Hill 88-64.

Today Vanderbilt comes to the PMAC to face LSU for an 8pm tip-off..