Sean Payton remains the head coach of the Saints, despite weeks of speculation that he may want to coach for another NFL team. Payton spoke with reporters for about an hour talking about his love for the fans, the franchise and the city, despite all of its faults…

cut 14 (12) “it is home”

Payton has brought the Saints to the playoffs five times, which includes a Super Bowl championship, since his first season in New Orleans in 2006.

Payton still has two years left on his current deal. He says any talk of a contract extension will take care of itself. The coach also denied any kind of rift between him and general manager Mickey Loomis and also said its likely that interim defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will be back next season.

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle decided to rest four starters last night and the Mavericks still beat the Pelicans 100-91. Reserve guard Raymond Felton led the way for the Mavs with 22 followed by Chandler Parsons, the only starter in uniform for Dallas, with 21. Anthony Davis led all scorers in the game with 26, while Tyreke Evans added 16 for the Pels who are now 11-23 on the season. The Pelicans get a day off before taking on the Pacers in Indianapolis Friday night.

The Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team hopes to extend their home winning streak to 40 games when they host Old Dominion tonight. Both teams are undefeated in Conference USA play.

In the Sun Belt, UL-Lafayette is on the road to face Arkansas-Little Rock. The Ragin Cajuns are 5-6 and have won their last two. UALR comes into tonight’s matchup with a 12-1 overall record and a perfect 2-0 mark in conference play.

The ULM Warhawks are in Jonesboro, Arkansas to face Arkansas State. The two teams come into tonight’s game with identical 6-7 overall records and 2-0 records in the Sun Belt. The Red Wolves are riding a three game winning streak, while ULM has lost two of their last three.

Sean Payton announces he’s staying as the head coach of the Saints and hopes to remain in New Orleans for many years to come…
cut 15 (11) “…wagon out of town”
Payton had an hour-long press conference at the team’s training facility in Metairie and talked about his love for the city and franchise. When asked about the rumors that he was looking to coach elsewhere, Payton said there’s no backstory or hidden conversations.

Payton still has two years left on his current deal. He says any talk of a contract extenstion will take care of itself. The coach also denied any kind of rift between him and general manager Mickey Loomis and also said its likely that interim defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will be back next season.

An impressive win for the LSU men’s basketball team last night as the Tigers trounced ninth ranked Kentucky 85-67. They were able to win by 18 points, even though, freshman sensation Ben Simmons, missed a good portion of the first half because of foul trouble. Junior guard Tim Quarterman picked up the slack as he had 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists….
cut 30 (17) “…out for”
LSU is now 2-0 in the SEC and they’ll play Florida on Saturday in Gainesville.

The Pelicans begin a two-game homestand tonight against Dallas. The Mavericks should be a little tired, after winning in double overtime over Sacramento last night. New Orleans is playing in its first game since beating the Mavs last Saturday. Tip-off tonight is at 7 PM.

Big victory for the LSU men’s basketball team last night as they defeated ninth ranked Kentucky 85-67. Junior guard Tim Quarterman led the way as he scored 21 points, had 10 rebounds and seven assists…
cut 28 (11) “…team defense”
Craig Victor had 15 points and 12 rebounds and freshman sensation Ben Simmons had 14 points and 10 boards. Simmons watched much of the first half, because of foul trouble, but the Tigers still had a 10 point lead at halftime. Coach Johnny Jones credits Simmons supporting cast…
cut 29 (10) “….staying the course”
The Tigers are 2-0 in the SEC and they’ll face Florida in Gainesville this Saturday.

Saints Coach Sean Payton addresses the media this afteroon as reports swirl that other teams are interested in hiring him. Payton has two years left on his contract in New Orleans and the Black and Gold would have to be compensated by the team that hired him away from the Big Easy.

The Pelicans host the Dallas Mavericks tonight at the Smoothie King Center. Dallas should be a tired team. They needed two overtimes to beat the Sacramento Kings last night. The Pels haven’t played since Saturday when they beat the Mavericks in Dallas. Tip-off tonight is at 7 PM.

It was all LSU last night as the Tigers upended the ninth ranked Kentucky Wildcats 85-67. LSU took a 4-2 lead 2:40 seconds into the game and never looked back. Tim Quarterman led the Tigers with a 21 point, ten rebound, and seven assist performance at the PMAC. Craig Victor added 15 points and 12 rebounds and freshman sensation Ben Simmons scored 14 points as LSU is a perfect 2-0 in SEC play. The loss snapped Kentucky’s 22 game SEC winning streak. The Tigers continue league play this Saturday at Florida. Tipoff is at 12:30 and you can watch on CBS.

Tulane remains winless in the American Athletic Conference after losing to Houston 63-45. The Cougars led by 20 at halftime and cruised in the second half. The Green Wave really couldn’t get anything going, getting out rebounded 50-32 and shot just 32-percent from the field. Malik Morgan was the only Tulane player to score in double figures, with 11. The Green Wave looks to turn things around when they host Tulsa Sunday afternoon.

In the Southland Conference, Memphis dominated Nicholls State 82-46. The Colonels led the Tigers 14-7 before Memphis went on a 43-4 run and took a 29 point lead into the locker room at halftime. Nicholls committed 27 turnovers in last night’s contest. The Colonels have lost eight of their last nine games as they head back to conference play Saturday against Abilene Christian.

Although five Cowboys scored in double figures, McNeese State fell to Houston Baptist 82-73. Jamaya Burr led the Pokes with 17 points followed by Craig McFerrin and Lance Potier each with 12. The loss drops McNeese to 0-2 in Southand Conference play and 2-10 overall. Texas A&M Corpus Christi comes to Lake Charles Saturday.

Tonight in the NBA, the Pelicans host the Dallas Mavericks. This is a rematch from Saturday night’s contest where the Pels won 105-98. Tipoff is at 7PM at the Smoothie King Center.

LSU’s new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda says his style calls for a smart and aggressive defense. The former Wisconsin defensive coordinator says he’s already looked at game tape of LSU’s defense and believes the talent is there to produce a great defense…
cut 7 (10) “…dictate terms on people”
It was also announced today that LSU is working on extending offensive coordinator Cam Cameron’s contract.

And LSU Coach Les Miles says he’s banning his players from bars after senior tight end Dillon Gordon was stabbed multiple times. His injuries are not considered life threatening, but Miles says there’s no point in going to a bar, if violence erupts…
cut 13 (11) “…..fight night club”
Police continue to search for a suspect in Gordon’s stabbing.

Saints Coach Sean Payton is scheduled to talk with reporters tomorrow as speculation swirls he might not be the coach in New Orleans next season. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that Payton is looking at the vacancy in San Francisco. Quarterback Drew Brees hopes the uncertainity surrounding who will be the head coach next year will be resolved soon…
cut 18 (12) “….steam ahead”
ESPN is reporting Brees will not need surgery on his injured foot. Doctors have advised Brees to rest his foot for the next four to six weeks.

On the 28th anniversary of the death of former LSU great Pete Maravich, LSU will host 9th ranked Kentucky inside the arena named after Maravich. The Tigers, who won their SEC opener over Vanderbilt, can make a big statement with a win over the Wildcats.Tip-off is at 8 PM.

LSU’s new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda says he’s blessed and humbled to have the opportunity to coach for the Tigers. Aranda comes to Baton Rouge after guiding one of the top defenses in the country at Wisconsin. He describes his defense as smart…aggression…
cut 6 (08) “…intelligent”
After Aranda spoke, Coach Les Miles announced that they are working on extending offensive coordinator Cam Cameron’s contract.

LSU senior tight end Dillon Gordon is recovering after he was stabbed in a bar fight near the LSU campus. The injuries are not considered life-threatening. Gordon appeared in four games in 2015 during an injury riddled season and caught one pass. Because of his injuries on the football field, he’s seeking another year of eligibility from the NCAA. Police are still looking for the man who injured Gordon.

Still waiting to find out what will happen with Saints head coach Sean Payton. He’s been connected to the vacancy in New York as the football Giants are looking to replace Tom Coughlin. Quarterback Drew Brees hopes Payton is back and the future Hall of Famer says he’s open to a contract extension…
cut 17 (13) “…day after”
Payton is scheduled to speak with reporters tomorrow.

Big game tonight at the PMAC as the LSU Tigers host ninth ranked Kentucky. The Tigers are 8-5, while the Wildcats are 11-2 and the favorite to win the SEC. Tonight’s 8:00 tip-off is a sell out.

Elsewhere tonight…Nicholls is at Memphis, McNeese State visits Houston Baptist and Tulane battles the Houston Cougars. And Louisiana Tech’s Alex Hamilton has been named Conference USA Co-player of the week. The Bulldogs host Old Dominion on Thursday.

Speculation continues to grow over whether Sean Payton will be the head coach of the Saints in 2016. Several teams are reportedly interested in talking with Payton, who is still under contract with the Saints. Quarterback Drew Brees wants Payton back…

cut 16 (13) “strong relationship”

If Payton were to leave the Saints, the team would have to trade him to another organization. It’s been reported the Saints would seek a second-round pick in return. The Saints PR staff says that Payton will speak with reporters on Wednesday.

Former Ragin Cajuns star Charles Tillman will not be on the field for the Carolina Panthers when the playoffs start. The veteran cornerback has suffered a torn ACL and is out for the remainder of the season.

LSU will introduce new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to the media this morning.

New ULM football coach Matt Viator names Mike Collins as the Warhawks defensive coordinator and Matt Kubik as the team’s offensive coordinator. Collins is the son of ULM Hall of Fame coach Pat Collins and this will be his second stint as the D-C in Monroe. Kubik is a former Louisiana Tech quarterback who spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Stephen F Austin.

In college basketball, Louisiana Tech guard Alex Hamilton has been named Conference USA Co-Player of the Week. Hamilton led the Bulldogs to wins over Prairie View A&M and Southern Miss averaging 18.5 points and 9.5 assists per game. Hamilton shared this week’s award with Adrian Diaz of Florida International.

A big game at the PMAC tonight as LSU hosts the ninth ranked Kentucky Wildcats. Both teams come into the matchup having won four of their five games. Kentucky has won four of their last five games in Baton Rouge. Tipoff is at 8PM and it will be televised on ESPN.

Will Sean Payton be back next season for the Saints? That’s the big question Who Dats are asking? Players met with reporters today and Quarterback Drew Brees doesn’t want to see major changes…
cut 30 (09) ‘”…few years”
It’s been reported that Payton was set to meet with General Manager Mickey Loomis today. NFL analyst Mike Detillier on what that conversation would be about…
cut 6 (10) “…and beyond”
Now if Payton were to leave the Saints, the team would have to trade him to another organiziation. It’s been reported the Saints would seek a second-round pick in return. The Saints P-R staff says Payton will address reporters on Wednesday.

Former Ragin Cajuns star Charles Tillman will not be on the field for the Carolina Panthers when the playoffs start. The veteran cornerback has suffered a torn ACL and is out for the remainder of the season.

Tiger Rag Featured Columnist and Gannett reporter Glenn Guilbeau reports that LSU quarterback Brandon Harris is having surgery to repair a sports hernia. Harris told Guilbeau its a minor medical procedure that will take six to eight weeks of rehab, but the Tigers starting QB says he’ll be ready for spring practice.

LSU will introduce new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to the media tomorrow morning at 10 AM.

New ULM football coach Matt Viator names Mike Collins as the Warhawks defensive coordinator and Matt Kubik as the team’s offensive coordinator. Collins is the son of ULM Hall of Fame coach Pat Collins. This will be Mike Collins second stint as the D-C in Monroe. Kubik is a former Louisiana Tech quarterback and spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Stephen F Austin.

The Saints finished the 2015 season with a 20-17 win over Atlanta, improving their record to 7-9 on the year. Coach Sean Payton on the team’s effort in the regular season finale…
cut 17 (12) “…that was important”
What’s important now is whether Payton will return next season. There’s plenty of speculation going around, Payton could coach somewhere else next season. He declined to put those rumors to rest in Sunday’s postgame press conference…
cut (14) “…be more clear”
Payton is expected to meet with General Manager Mickey Loomis today.

Nice win for the LSU men’s basketball team on Saturday as they beat Vanderbilt on the road, but they can’t celebrate too hard as 10th ranked Kentucky will be at the PMAC tomorrow night. The Wildcats are 12-1 on the season and beat Ole Miss by 22 points in their SEC opener. After the game against Kentucky, LSU heads to Florida for a 12:30 Saturday afternoon game against the Gators.

Former LSU receiver Jarvis Landry broke Saints wide out Marques Colston’s record for most catches by a player in his first two seasons in the NFL. Landry has 194 grabs since he was drafted in 2014, while Colston had 168 receptions for the Saints in 2006 and 07.

LSU running back Leonard Fournette has been named the state’s top offensive player of the year according to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. McNeese State’s Wallace Scott was selected as defensive player of the year. And Louisiana Tech quarterback Jeff Driskel earned Newcomer of the Year honors.

In what might have been the final game of the Sean Payton era, the Saints defeated the Falcons 20-17 as Kai Forbath drilled a 30-yard field goal with no time left for the winning points. Payton says it was a gutsy win for his banged-up team…

cut 16 (16) “entire career”

The win gives the Saints a 7-9 record for the 2015 season and they end the year on a two-game winning streak.

LSU announces that Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Aranda will take the reigns of the Tiger defense next season. Aranda replaces Kevin Steele, who left to take the same position at Auburn. Under Aranda, the Badgers led the FBS in scoring defense, allowing less than 14 points per game. In fact, in five major defensive categories the Wisconsin defense ranks in the top seven nationally. In a twist of fate, LSU opens their 2016 football season against Wisconsin.

LSU picked up a couple of big commitments from Drake Davis and Michael Divinity at the Under Armour All-America Game Saturday. Divinity, a four star linebacker from John Ehret, graduated mid year and will be on campus this spring. Davis, who played wide receiver at IMG Academy in Florida, is a Baton Rouge native who also plans to play basketball.

In college basketball this weekend, Ben Simmons scored 36 as LSU won their SEC opener against Vanderbilt 90-82. The Tigers will host the tenth ranked Kentucky Wildcats tomorrow night.

Louisiana Tech crushed Southern Miss 87-57, UL-Lafayette pounded Appalachian State 79-59, Northwestern State fell to Houston Baptist 99-73, Lamar beat Nicholls State 79-67, it was Stephen F. Austin over McNeese 86-57, and UConn defeated Tulane 75-67.