The Saints have several veteran safeties that will be asked to play key roles this season and that includes Roman Harper, Kenny Vaccaro and Jairus Byrd. But Coach Sean Payton says rookie defensive back Vonn Bell is also pushing for lots of playing time this season…
cut 30 (16) “…opened some eyes”
Bell had seven tackles, a sack and a tackle for a loss in last Saturday’s preseason game against Houston. New Orleans next preseason game is Friday at home against Pittsburgh.

Recently released Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis is reportedly visiting with the Pittsburgh Steelers today. Lewis’ first four seasons in the NFL were in Pittsburgh.

In the NBA, the Pelicans say they will hold training camp this year at their practice facility in Metairie, instead of the Greenbrier at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

LSU is eleven days away from kick-off against the Wisconsin Badgers to begin the 2016 season and there’s quite a battle to see who will start at nose guard in defensive coordinator Dave Aranda’s three-four scheme. Greg Gilmore came into the season as a possible starter, but 350-pound Travonte Valentine has shown up and is eligible to play this season. Gilmore is impressed with what Valentine can do on the football field…
cut 29 (16) “…unstoppable”
LSU offensive lineman George Brown Junior is on the move as he’s reportedly transferring to another school.

A truck from South Alabama University filled with donations for hurricane victims arrived in Lafayette today. Former LSU baseball player Mikie Mahtook’s foundation will donate five-thousand dollars to help flood victims.

After Saturday night’s loss to Houston in preseason action, Saints Coach Sean Payton expressed his displeasure with the team’s performance, especially on the offensive side of the ball. After looking at the tape, Payton says there were some bright spots….
cut 30 (30) “…quickness”
Payton believes he’ll get better play from the offensive line. He says part of the problem has been shuffling second year pro Andrus Peat between guard and tackle. He says hopefully Peat can settle in, now that tackle Terron Armstead is back healthy.

LSU has confirmed that top rated junior college defensive tackle Travonte Valentine is eligible to play this season. The 350-pounder had to pass a summer intersession class in order to play in 2016. Valentine’s addition to the roster, means quite a battle for playing time at nose tackle in Dave Aranda’s three-four defense. Greg Gilmore is competing with Valentine for that starting spot and he’s been impressed with Valentine’s ability…
cut 29 (22) “….learn from him too”
While LSU has added a defensive lineman to the roster, they’ve lost an offensive lineman. 2015 signee George Brown Junior is reportedly transferring.

The Saints are back at their training facility in Metairie as training camp continues for the Black and Gold. Veteran cornerback Keenan Lewis is no longer with the team. He’s been released, after knee and hip injuries led to the New Orleans native appearing in just six games last season. Coach Sean Payton says the decision to cut Lewis is based on the fact he couldn’t get on the field…
cut 19 (13) “…wish him well”
Lewis told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he and new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen didn’t get along from day one.

LSU is ranked fifth in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. It’s the Tigers highest ranking since 2012. The Tigers practice this afternoon. Running back Leonard Fournette did not participate in a scrimmage on Saturday, because of his sprained ankle. But Coach Les Miles back-up running backs Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams looked good.

Louisiana Tech football coach Skip Holtz still has not made a decision on who will start at quarterback for the Bulldogs when they begin the season on September 3rd at Arkansas. Tech held a scrimmage last Saturday and Holtz wasn’t very happy with his receivers…
cut 30 (16) “…we had”

McNeese State football coach Lance Guidry tells Chandler Rome with the American Press that he plans to name a starting quarterback on Wednesday. But Guidry plans to play two in the season opener against Tarleton State. Also, former St. Thomas More kicker Gunnar Raborn is transferring from Alabama to McNeese State.

The Summer Olympics are done. LSU athletics director Joe Alleva says four current and former Tigers earned medals. Former Lady Tigers Seimone Augusuts and Sylvia Fowles won gold medals for the US women’s basketball team.

The Saints continue training camp this afternoon in Metairie as they will hold an open practice to the public at the team’s training facility, starting at 3:30 PM. The first big roster cut will take place after Friday night’s preseason home game against Pittsburgh and wide receiver Brandon Coleman is fighting for a job. Coleman led the Saints in receptions with six catches for 47 yards on Saturday night against Houston, but had a chance to make several big plays and couldn’t hang on to the football. Payton says Coleman has had a “pedestrian like” camp…
cut 18 (17) “…seen better”
The Saints will also hold open practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both will start at 9:30 AM.

The LSU Tigers begin the season ranked fifth in the preseason AP Top 25. Alabama is number one, followed by Clemson, Oklahoma and Florida State. Six SEC teams made the poll. And if the season started today, Coach Les Miles says his starting offensive line would look like this…KJ Malone and Toby Weathersby are the starting tackles, Will Clapp and Josh Boutte (Boo-tee) will start at guard and Ethan Pocic is your starting center.

At Louisiana Tech’s scrimmage, Union parish fullback Bobby Holly had 61 yards on seven carries. Offensive lineman O’shea Dugas injured his leg, but it’s NOT considered serious.

The Saints are back at their training facility today after a disappointing performance in Saturday’s preseason loss to Houston. New Orleans defense played well, they held Houston to 59 rushing yards and forced a couple of turnovers. But Coach Sean Payton says the offense’s performance was as bad as it gets…
cut 17 (15) “…good things”
The Saints troubles on offense might start on the offensive line. There weren’t many holes for the running backs in Saturday’s loss to Houston and the o-line gave up two sacks in the first half.

The LSU Tigers begin the season ranked fifth in the preseason AP Top 25. Alabama is number one, followed by Clemson, Oklahoma and Florida State. Six SEC teams made the poll.

Louisiana Tech held its second scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday. Freshman defensive lineman Willie Baker and running back Bobby Holly were two guys who impressed. At ULM’s scrimmage this past weekend, Will Collins, Garrett Smith and Caleb Evans all threw touchdown passes. Ragin Cajuns quarterback Jordan Davis threw two touchdown passes on Saturday, one to Michael Jacquet and the other to Carlos Robinson.

In Natchitoches…Northwestern State’s defense produced five sacks, three of them by junior college transfer Tremaine Whittley in a scrimmage on Saturday. The Demons also had two interceptions. Devin Powell threw a TD pass at a scrimmage for Nicholls State. Southeastern Louisiana senior quarterback D’Shaie Landor threw four touchdown passes for the Lions in a scrimmage on Saturday morning.

And if the season started today, Coach Les Miles says his starting offensive line would look like this…KJ Malone and Toby Weathersby are the starting tackles, Will Clapp and Josh Boutte will start at guard and Ethan Pocic is your starting center.

The Saints have released veteran cornerback Keenan Lewis. The New Orleans native was signed as a free agent in 2013 and played really well that year. In 2015, Lewis was hit with several injuries, appearing in just six games and this offseason he could not shake a hip injury. Lewis’ departure means Delvin Breaux and second-year pro PJ Williams will likely be the Saints starting corners and New Orleans also recently signed 32-year-old Cortland Finnegan.

Tonight, the Black and Gold faces the Houston Texans in the second preseason game of the year. Kick-off is at 7 PM.

The 2017 NBA All-Star game will be in New Orleans. The association officially announced they are moving the game from Charlotte to the Big Easy. The star-studded contest will take place February 19th at the Smoothie King Center. It will be the third time that the All-Star game has been played in New Orleans since 2008.

The LSU Tigers will practice inside Tiger stadium today as two weeks from today the Bayou Bengals will open the season at Lambeau Field in Green Bay agaisnt the Wisconsin Badgers. Former LSU wide receiver Tyron Johnson has decided to transfer to Oklahoma State. The former Warren Easton star caught nine passes, one for a touchdown, as a freshman last season.

In NFL preseason action last night….former Haughton star Dak Prescott was 12 of 15 for 199 yards and two touchdowns in the Cowboys 41-14 victory over Miami. Former Saint Kenny Stills caught two TD passes for the Dolphins.

Grambling State has re-opened its search for an athletics director. New president Rick Gallot says they want to identify a choice as soon as possible.

At the Olympics….the US Women’s basketball team can win its sixth straight gold medal at the Olympics if they beat Spain. Two former Lady Tigers are on that team, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles.

The NBA All-Star game is coming back to New Orleans. The Big Easy replaces Charlotte as the host city for the event. The NBA decided against holding the All-Star game in North Carolina, because of a state law that limits anti-discrimination protections against LGBT individuals. It will be the third time since 2008 that the All-Star game will be held in New Orleans. The game will take place on February 19th, the first weekend of Mardi Gras parades.

Former LSU All-Americans Richard Thompson and Kelly Ann-Baptiste can win medals tonight. They are running in the men’s and women’s 4X100 meter relays. Thompson already has two Olympic Silver medals and he’s running for his native Trinidad and Tobago. Baptiste is also on the Trinidad and Tobago relay team and they finished third in their heat.

The US Men’s basketball team beat Spain today and they advance to Sunday’s gold medal game.

The Saints next preseason game is tomorrow night against Houston. It’s another chance for rookie wide receiver Mike Thomas to impress. New Orleans safety Kenny Vaccarro already likes what he sees from the former Ohio State standout…
cut 30 (16) “…excited him”
Kick off from NRG Stadium is at 7 PM on Saturday night.

The NBA has reportedly made the decision to hold the 2017 NBA All-Star game in New Orleans. The game was set to be held in Charlotte, but the league took the game away from them, because North Carolina passed a law that limits anti-discrimination protections for L-G-B-T people. It would be the third time New Orleans has hosted the game since 2008.

When it comes to flood relief efforts, LSU Coach Les Miles and dozens of football players visit a shelter in Baton Rouge where hundreds of flood victims have used as a temporary home. Running back Leonard Fournette told reporters his sprained ankle will be fine for the season opener against Wisconsin.

Also two trucks of flood relief items are headed to Baton Rouge from South Carolina University. Alabama men’s basketball coach and former Southern University star Avery Johnson has sent semi-truck full of supplies from Tuscaloosa.

The Saints hold another joint practice with the Houston Texans today and then they’ll play the Texans in a preseason game on Saturday night in NRG Stadium.

LSU football players and Coach Les Miles visited the Celtic Media Center in Baton Rouge Thursday, where many flood victims who lost everything are taking shelter. The team did not practice but instead signed autographs and posed for pictures with the evacuees.

This is the 2016 Olympic Update brought to you by LUBA Workers Comp … delivering genuine dependability.

Former Tigers Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustes helped lead the women’s basketball team to an 86-67 victory over France Thursday, and now head to finals to take on Spain.

Former LSU track and field athletes are going for the gold tonight. All Americans Richard Thompson and Kelly-Ann Baptiste will compete in the finals for the men’s and women’s 4×100 meter relays at the Olympic Games.

Former LSU soccer star Allysha Champman, who plays for Canada, will compete in the bronze medal game today against Brazil.

The US still leads in the medal count in Rio with 100 total, including 35 gold.

LSU’s biggest SEC rival is urging its fans to donate to South Louisiana flood relief efforts. In a report on the Alabama athletics website, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban says rivalries take a back seat to those in need. He says so many people came to the aid of Tuscaloosa following the tornadoes, and they want to do something to give back.

The hits keep on coming for the Saints. New Orleans cornerback Delvin Breaux was carted off the practice field in Houston Thursday after limping to the sideline. Then offensive tackle Zach Streif and cornerback PJ Williams also took a ride in the cart off the field. The good news is that all three players reportedly had cramping issues due to the Houston heat. New Orleans takes on the Texans in preseason action tomorrow night.

In the MLB, former Tiger Alex Bregman and the Astros fell to former LSU Baseball star Kevin Gausman and the Orioles 13-5 and Houston has now lost 5 straight. Bregman homered for the Astros in Thursday’s game. Gausman struck out 8 in 6.2 innings in the win.

The LSU football team did not practice today, which gave them an opportunity to visit flood victims at a Baton Rouge shelter. Coach Les Miles brought about 50 players to the Celtic Movie Studios, where hundred of people without a home are staying. Many players, including running back Leonard Fournette, signed autographs and took pictures with the evacuees.

LSU kicker Colby Delahoussaye has spoken with reporters for the first time since he survived a fatal wreck in Wisconsin. Two other people were killed in the single-vehicle crash. Delahoussaye understands how thankful he is to be alive…
cut 30 (23) “…right now”
Delahoussaye has a chance to be LSU’s starting kicker when they face Wisconsin in the season opener in Green Bay.

Three Saints players were carted off the field today as the team had a joint practice with the Texans. But none of the injuries are serious, in fact Zach Streif, Delvin Breaux and PJ Williams all went down because of cramping issues practicing in the Houston Heat. New Orleans will face the Texans in the second preseason game of the year on Saturday night.

Former-Saints player Darren Sharper was sentenced to 18 years in a federal prison today for drugging and raping 9 women in four states. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Sharper’s sentence is not that long, considering the charges against him….
cut 9 (10) “…incredible deal”
The maximum sentence he was facing was around 20 years.

In major league baseball…former LSU baseball stars Kevin Gausman and Alex Bregman will face off against each other tonight in Baltimore. Gausman will get the start for the Orioles, who will take on Bregman’s Astros at 6:05.