Thibodaux student arrested for taking gun to campus
November 17, 2016
Fiber internet comes to Terrebonne Parish
November 21, 2016
Goodness, gracious, Saturday hurt my soul.
LSU lost a game that if one played it back 99 other times, the Tigers would likely win 90 times out of the 100.
And to top it all off, all of our area’s football teams are gone from the prep football playoffs.
What a bummer.
So here we go – another mailbag for you guys to enjoy.
It comes at the perfect time. There’s so, so much we can talk about in the world of sports.
Even if I’m currently fuming!
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Q: So, does this mean Bebe Orgeron has no shot to get the LSU job? (Asked by SadTigerFan)
A: I think he’s probably done, but I think LSU is in a very, very bad position because they’re drawing dead in a hurry. The two names we hear most are Houston coach Tom Herman and Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher. But guess what? Herman IS going to Texas. Book it. So that means the school must either accept that it’s a hostage to Fisher and hire him at an absurd price or they must let Athletic Director Joe Alleva find someone else – something no LSU fan trusts him to do. If it’s me, I still want Orgeron. Hell, it’s not his fault LSU fumbled the football on Saturday.
Q: You’re an Orgeron guy. But assume it’s not him, who do you want next? (Asked by Joe Bethancourt)
A: I don’t want Jimbo Fisher. If you take away the two seasons he had Jameis Winston, his entire resume has been underwhelming given the NFL-level talent he’s had and the pastry-soft conference he’s within. A couple names that I’d take good, long looks are Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre and Penn State coach James Franklin. MacIntyre is intriguing because of how swiftly he’s turned around both Colorado and San Jose State – turning each from a complete cellar dweller into a contender. For Franklin, the allure is that he’s been in the SEC before. He won at Vanderbilt, which is mission impossible. He’d do well at LSU, too.
Q. Who’s the best local prep basketball team this season? (Asked by Tommy Breaux)
A: To heck if I know, man! We just have too many for me to definitively favor one over the other without seeing a lot of non-district action. But I won’t duck out of your question, so I’ll take a stab at it and say that Ellender is the best team locally. Any squad with Davontavean Martin is one that’s easy to rally around. But hell, H.L. Bourgeois won’t be a walk in the park for 32 minutes, either. Neither will Central Lafourche … or Thibodaux … or Terrebonne … or South Lafourche … or anyone else, quite frankly. The list can just keep going on and on and on. We are a community that is so, so loaded with great basketball talent.
Q: Who are some names you’re hearing for the South Lafourche coaching gig, and what do you think about the whole ordeal with Brandon Nowlin? (Asked by Chad Guidry)
A: It’s really, really early to start talking about names for the South Lafourche head football coaching job. Heck, the prep football season isn’t even over yet and the job isn’t even officially posted on the Louisiana High School Athletic Association database as being open. But I think the school will be shocked at how little interest the job gets locally. Sure, there will be a lot of journeymen who apply – the same people who apply for literally every job that comes open in America. But I think the high turnover there from years past has a lot of people spooked – based on the conversations I’m having with people. Now, about Coach Nowlin. I’ve been pretty vocal in my thoughts about that situation. I think he’s a good coach and a good guy. He’s outspoken and fiery, yes. But those aren’t attributes he hides. If the school didn’t want outspoken and fiery, then they shouldn’t have hired him in the first place.
Q: It’s almost Black Friday. What one sports-themed item would you wait in line for at 3 a.m.? (Asked by KangarooKrew)
A: Wow, that is an unbelievable question. I’m not much into memorabilia and I don’t wear jerseys and stuff, so my pool of things to pick from is a little limited. But I do like gear, so I think I would wait in line for an unlimited supply of LSU, Dallas Cowboys or Houston Rockets gear. I have a lot of things for all of those teams as it is, but goodness, couldn’t I ever use a little more?
Q: Nicholls basketball got a big win to start their season. Will Richie Riley lead them to a big year? (Asked by Rob Renfroe)
A: I wouldn’t see why not. Nicholls has a lot of quality players on its roster, and they’re not led by a first-year coach, which often sparks a newfound energy into a team. I like Riley’s style. I love the up-tempo pace and the fact that the Colonels shoot a lot of 3-pointers. Look at the way basketball is evolving and the evolution is toward both of those things. The early-season results are promising. It sure looks like the Colonels are in position to shine.
Q: Do the Saints have any shot to make the playoffs? (Asked by LacyLou)
A: In a word, no. They are 4-6 and are just too far out of the chase with just six games to play. The Saints have invented ways to lose games in 2016, and I have no reason to believe that things will suddenly change in the final month of the season.
Q: Give us percentages of Ed Orgeron being LSU’s next head football coach (Asked by Tom Borne)
A: Being the head coach? I’d say 8 percent. Being still on staff as an assistant? Maybe 15 or 20 percent. Joe Alleva is in over his head and I trust he will do whatever makes the least amount of sense for the greatest amount of people involved.
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