Welcome to the dog days of summer

The middle of July can be a very trying time for sports fans around the country due to the lack of interesting headlines and sporting events.

The NBA finals and draft have come and gone, baseball’s dog days are here as the season makes its half-way mark, and NFL training camp with pre-season scrimmages are still a few weeks away.

Even our nation’s birthday has passed with one of the greatest summer traditions, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, which saw the red, white and blue recapture the coveted Yellow Mustard Belt.

So where does a sports fanatic turn to fill the void left from the inactivity?

How can we pass the time that’s slowly ticking away until all is right with the sports world again?

Here are a few remedies to cure the summertime blues:

n Watch a few episodes of &#8220Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe.”

Rowe puts himself inside the bowels of the nastiest workplaces in the country. South Louisiana has welcomed Rowe on beaucoup occasions in his continued quest for getting his hands dirty for your television enjoyment.

If after one or two episodes you are not hooked, I suggest your check your pulse.

n If your pulse does beat on, then get on the World Wide Web and visit a site entitled YouTube.com.

I am sure that I’m not breaking any new ground in your life by providing this web address, but hopefully the videos I suggest will allow for a few good laughs.

A series of videos called &#8220Tour of The Bayou” will have you in tears of laughter no matter how many times they are viewed. The bayou area is seen and explained in a unique and comedic way that may change your take on Cajun festivals and southern Louisiana life.

n Following your new outlook on life get a few friends together and head towards the Crescent City.

Once there stop by the French Quarter and enjoy some delicious beignets. Wash them down with sips from a cup of café au lait (coffee and milk) at the famous Cafe du Monde.

You do realize that I could not finish this column without a food and or coffee reference. Pieces of fried dough covered in delicious powdered sugar are certainly another treat from this part of the country.

Just writing about this subject makes me a little hungry.

n After a good meal it will be time to sit back and relax. Place yourself in a comfortable chair with sufficient lighting and enjoy the latest publication from author Rick Reilly, &#8220Hate Mail From Cheerleaders.”

The book is a collection of his best columns from the pages of Sports Illustrated.

He covers the stories that extend beyond the sidelines, baselines, and roadways of sports with a sense of humor that is unmatched.

Each story appears in a previous column, but contains a follow-up and &#8220Where are they now?” side to update the progress of features that were &#8220to be continued.”

Unlike those stories ours is coming to a close. Whether you spend your down time enjoying &#8220Dirty Jobs,” perusing YouTube, eating at Cafe du Monde, or reading &#8220Hate Mail From Cheerleaders” keep in mind they are only suggestions.

Football season will be here before you know it.

The diamonds will once again turn into rectangle battlegrounds and all will be right with the world.

Cade Voisin is the progam director for ESPN Radio AM 1490 and host of &#8220The Red Zone.” Contact Voisin at 985-851-1020 or cvoisin@sunburstradio.com.