The Saints are getting ready to play the Chicago Bears on Monday night. New Orleans can still win the NFC South, even though they have a five and eight record. They are competing with Atlanta and Carolina for the division title and a home playoff game. But NFL Analyst Mike Detiller says the Black and Gold can’t worry about that…
cut 17 (11) “…important thing”

The Falcons are hosting the Steelers this weekend and Carolina will take on Tampa Bay. Derek Anderson will start at quarterback for the Panthers, as Cam Newton is out with a back injury, after he was involved in a car accident.

In major league baseball…former Southeastern Louisiana pitcher Wade Miley has been traded to the Boston Red Sox. Miley was 8-12 with a 4.34 ERA last season with Arizona Diamondbacks.

LSU senior left tackle La’el Collins has received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which goes to the Southeastern Conference’s most outstanding blocker. Louisiana Tech quarterback Cody Sokol is the Conference USA newcomer of the year. And Ragin Cajuns sophomore Elijah McGuire has been named the Sun Belt’s player of the year.

In college basketball…the Ragin Cajuns defeated Louisiana Tech 94-86. Shawn Long had 24 points and 15 rebounds for UL Lafayette, while the Bulldogs Erik McCree had 25 points.

In the NBA…the Pelicans lost another close game on the road. Dallas defeated New Orleans 112-107. Anthony Davis had 31 points and 11 rebounds. But Dallas had four players score 20 points or more and led by Monta Ellis 26 points. The Pels are now 10-11. They host Cleveland tomorrow night.

The Saints return to work today to get ready for Monday night’s game against the Chicago Bears. Since Sunday’s embarrassing loss to Carolina, wide receiver Joe Morgan has been released, safety Kenny Vaccaro has been benched and Coach Sean Payton has held several one-on-one meetings with team leaders. NFL analyst Mike Detillier on the situation

cut 16 (18) “roller coaster ride”

The Saints can still win the NFC South, even though they have a five and eight record.

The Saints reportedly worked out kicker Garrett Hartley yesterday. Hartley was released by the Black and Gold towards the end of last season and replaced by Shayne Graham, who has been the team’s field goal kicker since. Graham is 18-of-20 field goals this year, but he did miss a 42-yarder last Sunday.

Monta Ellis scored 13 of his 26 points in the final four and a-half minutes of the game as the Dallas Mavericks upended the Pelicans 112-107. Jrue Holiday scored 31 and Anthony Davis threw in 30 as the Pels fall to 10-11 on the season. The Pelicans host Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers tomorrow night.

In college basketball, it was UL-Lafayette over Louisiana Tech 94-86 and Southern fell to Minnesota 85-57.

LSU senior left tackle La’el Collins has received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which goes to the Southeastern Conference’s most outstanding blocker. Collins has registered 84.5 knockdown blocks in 12 games this season.

Louisiana Tech quarterback Cody Sokol is the Conference USA newcomer of the year. Sokol is ninth in the nation in passing touchdowns and 22nd in yards.

And Ragin Cajuns sophomore Elijah McGuire has been named the Sun Belt’s player of the year. The all-purpose back rushed for over 1,000 yards this season and led the league with all-purpose yards per game.

The Saints reportedly worked out kicker Garrett Hartley today. Hartley was released by the Black and Gold towards the end of last season and replaced by Shayne Graham, who has been the team’s field goal kicker since. Graham is 18-of-20 field goals this year, but he missed a 42-yarder last Sunday.

There’s also report that Michigan interim athletic director Jim Hackett wants LSU’s Les Miles as the next head coach of the Wolverines. LSU athletic director Joe Alleva told the Baton Rouge Advocate that he has not been contacted by another school about speaking with Miles. Tiger Rag Editor Robert Stewart is like many who believe that the mad hatter will not return to his alma mater…
cut 10 (11) “….talent here’
Another report says that Miles’ agent has been contacted about Michigan’s football vacancy.

LSU senior left tackle La’el Collins has received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which goes to the Southeastern Conference’s most outstanding blocker. Collins has registered 84.5 knockdown blocks in 12 games this season.

Ragin Cajuns sophomore Elijah McGuire has been named the Sun Belt’s player of the year. The all-purpose back rushed for over 1,000 yards this season and led the league with all-purpose yards per game.

The Cajuns placed eight on the All-Sun Belt team. First teamers are offensive lineman Daniel Quave, defensive tackle Christian Ringo and nose guard Justin Hamilton. The Warhawks tallied 12 All-Conference selections. First team selections are wide receiver Rashad Ceaser, defensive lineman Gerrand Johnson, defensive back Mitch Lane and kicker Justin Manton.

And Louisiana Tech quarterback Cody Sokol is the Conference USA newcomer of the year. Sokol is ninth in the nation in passing touchdowns and 22nd in yards.

It’s being reported that the University of Michigan has reached out to LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles to fill their vacancy for the same position. Two websites that cover Wolverine athletics report that the school has contacted Miles’ agent to see if the LSU coach has interest in the position which was made available after the school fired Brady Hoke. Coach Miles played his college football at Michigan under coach Bo Schembechler from 1974-1975 and also served two stints as an assistant coach there. Miles was linked to the Wolverines last two head coach openings in 2007 and 2010.

Fresh off a three-game West Coast road trip, the Pelicans returned home last night to handle the New York Knicks 104-93. Tyreke Evans lead all scorers with 27-points. Anthony Davis added 18 and Omer Asik added 16 as the Pels improve to 10-10. Amare Stoudemire scored 26 for the struggling Knicks, who fall to 4-19 on the season. The Peicans have now won two-in-a-row. This is the first time the Pels have strung together consecutive victories in nearly a month.

Yesterday seemed to be an interesting day at the Saints facility in Metairie. It is reported that a minimum of 10 players were called individually into Head Coach Sean Payton’s office for a “review”. Payton has publicly stated his displeasure in the teams embarrassing loss to the Panthers on Sunday and has stated that he’s not afraid of making whatever changes are necessary to turn things around.

The Saints did waive fourth year wide receiver Joe Morgan yesterday. Morgan has had some physical setbacks in his career. He spent two of his four season on injured reserve due to knee injuries. Morgan has only appeared in five games this season. Morgan had 14 receptions for 471 yards and three touchdowns in his career with the Saints.

Safety Kenny Vaccaro has been pulled from the starting lineup. Vaccaro started all 13 games this season, grabbing two interceptions and breaking up five other passes. Jamarca Sanford, a free agent signed last month, will likely step into the starting lineup. Sanford started in Minnesota from 2011 to 2013.

In college basketball action… ULM upended Northwestern State, 82-74.

New Orleans Head Coach Sean Payton is getting serious about the team after dealing with backlash from the embarrassing loss to the Panthers on Sunday. He’s saying that some of the players are on notice and there is even a report today that wide receiver Joe Morgan has been waived. Payton alluded Monday some could be losing their jobs…:
CUT 6 (11) “who’s doing it”
The Saints have lost four of their last five games heading into a Monday night matchup in Chicago. However they are still tied for the division lead.

Speaking of the Panthers, team officials say quarterback Cam Newton has two transverse process fractures in his lower back after being involved in a two-vehicle crash not far from the team’s stadium in Charlotte. They have not given any estimate on how much time, if any, that Newton may miss.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Gordon said Tuesday he’ll be back in 2 weeks after tearing the labrum in his shoulder. The Pels are 2-5 since he got hurt November 22nd in a game at Utah. New Orleans hosts the Knicks tonight in Smoothie King Center.

The Big Easy is once again expecting many football fans in town for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl and the Allstate Sugarbowl. New Orleans Tourism & Marketing Corporation President Mark Romig says the January 1 game between Alabama and Ohio State will pack the city…:
CUT 1 (10) “alumni presence”
He says the December 20th New Orleans Bowl game against UL-Lafayette and Nevada is expected to be a good one as Ragin’ Cajun fans always travel well down I-10.

Pathetic, terrible, horrendous, all of those adjectives describes the Saints 41-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers yesterday in the Mercedes Benz Superdome. It’s the fourth straight loss at home and the largest margin of defeat for the franchise since 2007. Saints Coach Sean Payton didn’t sugarcoat the performance when he spoke with reporters after the game…

Cut 17 (10) “it was awful”

Carolina jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and the Saints didn’t do much to get back in the game.

Elsewhere in the NFC South…Tampa Bay fell to the Detroit Lions, 34-17, and the Atlanta Falcons are on the road to take on the Green Bay Packers. A loss by Atlanta, and the Saints are still tied for first in the division.

Anthony Davis scored 23 points and Jrue Holiday added 22 as the Pels blew past the Los Angeles Lakers 104-87.

The LSU football team will play Notre Dame in the Music City Bowl on Tuesday, December 30th. It’s the 15th straight season the Tigers will play in a bowl game and it’s their first meeting against the Fighting Irish since beating them 41-13 in the 2007 Sugar Bowl. Offensive guard Vadal (vuh-Dall) Alexander is excited to face Notre Dame…

Cut 19 (18) “play em”

Kick-off for the game is set for two PM in Nashville.

Louisiana Tech has accepted an offer to play in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. The 8-5 Bulldogs will take on the University of Illinois in the game on December 26th at the historic Cotton Bowl stadium. The Fighting Illini come into this matchup with a 6-6 record.

In December 20th’s New Orleans Bowl, UL-Lafayette will face Nevada. This is the Ragin Cajuns fourth straight appearance in the game, which will have a 10AM kickoff and will be televised nationally by ESPN.

4 state football champs were crowned last night in the Allstate Sugar Bowl/LHSAA Prep Classic inside the Mercedes Benz Superdome.

In Division IV, Ouachita Christian crushed University Lab 52-6. This is the Eagles’ third state championship in four years.

In Division III, Calvary Baptist held off Catholic-New Iberia 27-24 to win their second consecutive title.

In the Division II title game, University Lab overcame an early deficit to defeat Parkview Baptist 46-32. The Cubs finish the season with a perfect 14-0 record.

And in Division I, Jesuit won its first state championship in over 50 years as they upended John Curtis 17-14. The Blue Jays last state championship came in 1960.

Louisiana Tech takes on Marshall in the Conference USA Championship game today in Morgantown, West Virginia. In order to win, the Bulldogs will have to slow down a Thundering Herd offense that’s averaging 47 points a game. Marshall’s QB is senior Rakeem Cato and Tech Head Coach Skip Holtz says there’s a lot of talent around him…

cut 16 (10) “they have balance”

Holtz says the conditioning could play a factor in this one, because Marshall has played some of its best football in the fourth quarter this year. Kickoff is at 11AM and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

The SWAC Championship Game is this afternoon in Houston. The Southern Jaguars will take on Alcorn State for the league. Southern is looking to capture its second consecutive SWAC Championship and avenge an early season 56-16 loss to the Braves. You can watch on ESPNU beginning at 3PM.

Louisiana Tech takes on Marshall in tomorrow’s Conference USA Championship game. This is the first time the Bulldogs will play in a conference title game. Tech Head Coach Skip Holtz says conditioning could play a factor in this one, because Marshall has played some of its best football in the fourth quarter this year…

cut 17 (20) “big plays”

In order to win, the Bulldogs will have to slow down a Thundering Herd offense, lead by quarterback Rakeem Cato, that’s averaging 47 points a game. Kickoff is at 11AM and can be seen on ESPN2.

The Southern Jaguars will take on Alcorn State in SWAC Championship game in Houston tomorrow. Southern is looking to capture its second consecutive SWAC Championship and avenge an early season 56-16 loss to the Braves. You can watch on ESPNU beginning at 3PM.

The Saints will try to end a three-game home losing streak when they host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The Black & Gold go into the game with a healthy backfield as Khiry Robinson is expected back from a six-game absence because of a forearm injury. Quarterback Drew Brees says Robinson will be a nice addition to what Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram are capable of doing…

cut 19 (14) “is great”

Before they started this losing skid in the Dome, the Saints won 20 straight games, including playoffs, played in New Orleans.

There’s a full slate of college basketball games for tomorrow…

McNeese hosts UL-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech takes on Jackson State, Tulane will host Mississippi State, Southeastern Louisiana travels to take on Southeast Missouri State, and ULM will play host to Louisiana College.

In college hoops…Point guard Josh Gray hit a layup with 7.4 seconds remaining in the game to give LSU a 74-73 upset win last night over 16th ranked West Virginia. The Tigers trailed by as much as 14 points before charging back to secure the victory on the road. LSU Guard Tim Quarterman came off the bench to rack up 30 points as the Tigers improve to 6-2 on the season. This is LSU’s first road victory over a ranked opponent since 2005.

Louisiana Tech will face Marshall in the Conference USA Championship game on Saturday. It’s the first time the Bulldogs will ever play in a conference title game. In order to win, the Bulldogs will have to slow down a Thundering Herd offense that’s averaging 47 points a game. Marshall’s QB is senior Rakeem Cato and Tech Head Coach Skip Holtz says there’s a lot of talent around him

cut 16 (10) “they have balance”

Kickoff is scheduled for 11AM and you can watch on ESPN2.

The Saints will look to end a three-game losing streak at home when they host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Before they started this losing skid in the Dome, they won 20 straight previous games, including playoffs, played in New Orleans. Quarterback Drew Brees on trying to snap the home losing streak….

cut 18 (08) “and practice”

The Saints go into the game with a healthy backfield as Khiry Robinson is expected back from a six-game absence because of a forearm injury.

Anthony Davis pumped in 30 points last night, but Golden State still trounced the Pelicans 112 – 85 in Oakland. New Orleans was held to just 12 points in the second quarter and trailed by 22 in the third, as they lost the 7th out of their last 10 games on the road. The Pels fall to 8-9 on the season, while the Warriors won their 11th in a row to improve their league best record to 16-2. The Pelicans’ West Coast swing continues tomorrow against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Pelicans begin a difficult three-game road trip tonight at Golden State. New Orleans is coming off a win over Oklahoma City, while the Warriors have the best record in the NBA at 15-and-2. The Pels announced the signing of forward Dantee Cunningham. The five-year vet was charged last April with felony domestic assault, but that charge was dropped in August after investigators determined his girlfriend’s story didn’t add up. He’s averaged six points and four rebounds a game during his career.

In college basketball tonight…the LSU Tigers are at 16th ranked West Virginia, who is a perfect 7-0. The Bayou Bengals had a nice win over UMASS on Tuesday and they are hoping to carry that momentum into Morgantown. Tip-off is at six o’ clock on E-S-P-N 2.

The Saints are continuing preparations for Sunday’s home game against Carolina. New Orleans is listed as a nine a half point favorite.

Louisiana Tech leaves tomorrow for West Virginia where they’ll play Marshall University on Saturday in the Conference USA Championship game. The Thundering Herd are second in the F-B-S points scored as they’ve averaged 47 points a game.

Southern will meet Alcorn State in the SWAC Championship game on Saturday. These two teams met on September 27th in Lorman, Mississippi and Alcorn won easily 56-16. The Braves had 682 yards of total offense.

In other college football news…Jim McElwain is the new head coach at Florida. McElwain won ten games at Colorado State this season and he’s a former offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama.

Tomorrow in the Mercedes Benz Superdome, four state champions will be crowned in football. All from the select brackets. The Division Three title game at 1:30 will pit Calvary versus Catholic of New Iberia. The Cavaliers beat the Panthers by one point in the semi-finals last year.