Congratulations Drew Brees and the Saints

The Hobbit Looks Awesome

I wish it was Christmas today!

Moving On

Hornets fans it's the end of an era. It's a new day. It's time to move on. Last night, the NBA-owned Hornets sent franchise player Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and a 1st round pick (the better of Minnesota's unprotected #1 or the Clippers own pick).

For the past week, trade proposals have been leaked, the league has been criticized and the Hornets looked to be in a mess, but this trade is the best possible outcome a Hornet fan could hope for (short of CP3 having a change of heart and resigning in NOLA long-term ... keep dreaming). While fans may be looking through their teal glasses, NBA players know the truth: the Hornets are not a destination team at the moment. They are a sma

ll-market franchise with no owner. The league took them over last year because there were tons of concerns about the operations of the team. But looking at where the team was last year and where they are going, the future is bright.

Credit the NBA and Dell Demps for getting a good deal (almost all NBA pundits calling a a good haul for the Hornets). They now have pieces in place to build for the future. It remains to be seen how happy the incoming players will be about being traded. Gordon is the key piece in the puzzle. He will be up for an extension in the near future, and the Hornets have to do everything they can to convince him to resign here. He is the building block this team needed. Aminu is a recent lottery pick and while an unknown player, he could blossom into another building block. Kaman is an older piece with an expiring contract, so the team could hold onto him or flip him for some other players.

The key is the first round pick. Hornets fans will watch Minnesota basketball intently this season with a rooting interest (rooting against the T-Wolves), so the pick could be a higher one. You never know what could happen in the Draft Lottery, and it just gives fans one more thing to talk about and creates buzz around a franchise that is a distant second fiddle to the Saints in New Orleans.

With David West leaving in free agency and now Paul being moved, the Hornets team that fans have watch over the past few years is no more. It's a new era of Hornets basketball, one with a bright future. All indications are that a new owner will be in place in the near future. A new lease agreement is being worked on with the city and state, and the fans have really stepped up by buying more than 10,000 season tickets. Maybe New Orleans can be a basketball town after all.

And to Chris Paul, thank you for making basketball in the Crescent City relevant. Thank you for diving right into New Orleans. Thank you for carrying this team on your back for all these years. It was a fun run and you were a class act throughout your time here. Fans hate to see you go, but understand the business of basketball. It was better to move on now and not create a circus throughout the season. Good luck in the other LA.

SEC Champs!

It wasn't the prettiest first half, but thanks to the Honey Badger and LSU playing like LSU in the second half, the Tigers solidified their place as the #1 team in the country with its 42-10 win over Georgia in the SEC Championship. Now the speculation begins about who the Tigers will play for the BCS title in New Orleans. Will it be a rematch with Alabama or a date with Les Miles' former team, Oklahoma State, who destroyed Oklahoma in their last shot to impress voters.

It will be interesting either way, and we'll have one fan base upset with either outcome ... college football, you gotta love it.

In either scenario, it's hard to envision LSU losing in the Superdome. I think Alabama will be a tougher contest, just looking back at the 9-6 nail bitter earlier this year. But I'd stil

l give the edge to LSU in that game. Against OSU, LSU would be more heavily favored, but it seems to be the game most fans and media are hoping for. There's also the case that if Alabama would beat LSU, there might be a split champion since LSU has such an impressive resume and beat 'Bama on their home turf. No one really wants that, so LSU would just have to take care of business.

Someone on Twitter said the Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu, should pick the #2 for LSU to face. Since he takes what he wants anyway, he just might be the ultimate voice in this typical, crazy year for the BCS. He already decides where the goal line is, why not choose LSU's next opponent?

12-0

Merry Christmas

The Game of the Century

What more can be said about college football's most hyped game? #1 vs. #2, two storied SEC powers battling, the Nick Saban Bowl, etc. When LSU plays Alabama Saturday night, the biggest question is will the game live up to all the hype?

I'm saying nope. I think LSU walks away with this one in impressive fashion. Yes, I respect and appreciate everything Alabama has done this year, but I see LSU as the better team. LSU is more road tested and will relish the opportunity to play in front of 100,000+ fans in Alabama. This isn't the first time LSU has felt the pressure of playing a top 5 foe this year. Alabama has had a much easier road so far this year, and this will be the game that it comes back to haunt them.

Prediction:
LSU 41
Alabama 17

Movember

Looking for a good cause to support? Wondering why you are seeing a so many new mustaches on the fellas? It's Movember, of course.

I'll let my friend Josh explain it:

"It's Mo'vember, which is a cause that's been around for several years if you don't know. Basically guys, and some ladies if they're so inclined, grow mustaches and get people to donate money. It's like running a marathon but you burn no calories and look like a child molester at the end of it.

So if you want to donate even a $1, no pressure, go here:
mobro.co/TheDupeAbides. I'm part of Adam Richman's team. Yes the guy from Man v. Food. So if you don't do it for me, do it for Adam.

Thanks,
Josh"

Josh is on Adam Richman's (Man vs. Food) team and even got retweeted by Adam. Some of my other friends are participating as well (http://mobro.co/Dbricou, http://mobro.co/dwguidry). So hit up one of them with a donation to support this great cause.

One more time, with feeling ...

Are these getting old yet?

A must read on Steve Gleason

Former Saint Steve Gleason was the honorary captain for the Saints vs. Texans game. Gleason is battling ALS and the Times-Picayune had a must read piece on him this weekend.

LSU at Mississippi State

Tonight on Thursday night football, LSU takes on the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who are coming off a tough loss at Auburn. After LSU's opening win against Oregon, they had a cake walk last week against Northwestern State.

The short week will be tough for both teams, but LSU is more rested and is the better team.

Prediction: LSU 34 Miss St. 20

LSU Unveils Pro Combat Uniforms

So what do you think?

Here's the official unveiling article on LSUSports.net. And here's UniWatch's take on all the Pro Combat uniforms released this year.

LSU vs. Northwestern St. Prediction

Not much of a game here. LSU will get some playing time for lots of backups and newcomers. Fans should be excited to see Zach Mettenberger in the second half and be on the lookout for LSU alum Shaquille O'Neal roaming Tiger Stadium.

Prediction:
LSU 48
Northwestern St. 0

Ready for some football?

The NFL season kicks off tomorrow night with the Saints and Packers. What better way to start the season than with some inaccurate predictions:

NFL Playoffs:
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South: Houston Texans
AFC East: New England Patriots
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
Wild Cards: Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets

NFC North: Green Bay Packers
NFC South: New Orleans Saints
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys
NFC West: St. Louis Rams
Wild Cards: Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons

AFC Championship: Chargers over Patriots
NFC Championship: Saints over Cowboys

Super Bowl: Saints over Chargers

#1 Pick in 2011 Draft: San Francisco 49ers

League Awards:
MVP: Drew Brees, QB, Saints
Offensive Player of the Year: Mike Vick, QB, Eagles
Defensive Player of the Year: Ndomakong Suh, DT, Lions
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Mark Ingram, RB, Saints
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Von Miller, LB/DE, Broncos
Comeback Player of the Year: Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys
Coach of the Year: Steve Spagnuolo, Rams

LSU Helps Former NFL Players Transition to Life Off the Field

This summer, more than a dozen former NFL players attended "Personal Branding for Athletes" at LSU. The program is put on by LSU Executive Education, in partnership with NFL Alumni. Check out the story at LSU.edu.

LSU Moves up to 2nd in AP Poll, Stays 3rd in Coaches

The AP Top 25

Record Pts Previous
1. Oklahoma (32) 1-0 1,4481
2. LSU (17) 1-0 1,415 4
3. Alabama (9) 1-0 1,409 2
4. Boise St. (2) 1-0 1,310 5
5. Florida St. 1-0 1,196 6
6. Stanford 1-0 1,154 7
7. Texas A&M 1-0 1,033 8
8. Wisconsin 1-0 1,031 11
9. Oklahoma St. 1-0 981 9
10. Nebraska 1-0 947 10
11. Virginia Tech 1-0 906 13
12. South Carolina 1-0 843 12
13. Oregon 0-1 828 3
14. Arkansas 1-0 752 15
15. Ohio St. 1-0 606 18
16. Mississippi St. 1-0 594 20
17. Michigan St. 1-0 530 17
18. Florida 1-0 382 22
19. West Virginia 1-0 357 24
20. Baylor 1-0 284 NR
21. Missouri 1-0 242 21
22. South Florida 1-0 221 NR
23. Penn St. 1-0 147 NR
24. Texas 1-0 135 NR
25. TCU 0-1 130 14

Others receiving votes: Arizona St. 119, Auburn 85, Southern Cal 69, Georgia 52, Northwestern 40, Maryland 34, BYU 33, Iowa 29, Houston 27, Utah 24, Notre Dame 22, Michigan 17, Air Force 11, Pittsburgh 11, UCF 10, NC State 8, Hawaii 6, Tennessee 6, Arizona 5, N. Illinois 5, Southern Miss. 4, Clemson 1, Georgia Tech 1.

USA Today Coaches Poll
Sept. 6, 2011

Rank, Team (first-place votes), Record, Points, Last week's poll
1, Oklahoma (43), 1-0, 1,454, 1
2, Alabama (9), 1-0, 1,412, 2
3, LSU (7), 1-0, 1,366, 4
4, Florida State, 1-0, 1,198, 5
5, Boise State, 1-0, 1,197, 7
6, Stanford, 1-0, 1,180, 6
7, Oklahoma State, 1-0, 1,038, 8
8, Texas A&M, 1-0, 997, 9
9, Wisconsin, 1-0, 988, 10
10, Nebraska, 1-0, 910, 11
11, Virginia Tech, 1-0, 863, 13
12, South Carolina, 1-0, 827, 12
13, Arkansas, 1-0, 786, 14
14, Oregon, 0-1, 752, 3
15, Ohio State, 1-0, 686, 16
16, Michigan State, 1-0, 584, 17
17, Mississippi State, 1-0, 497, 20
18, Florida, 1-0, 375, 23
19, Missouri, 1-0, 309, 21
20, Penn State, 1-0, 247, 25
21, Texas, 1-0, 231, 24
22, Auburn, 1-0, 197, 19
23, Arizona State, 1-0, 189, NR
24, West Virginia, 1-0, 185, NR
25, TCU, 0-1, 140, 15

Dropped out
No. 18 Notre Dame (0-1, lost to South Florida 23-20), No. 22 Georgia (0-1, lost to then-No. 7 Boise State 35-21).

Others receiving votes
Baylor 117; South Florida 97; Iowa 44; Utah 42; Georgia 35; Houston 31; Northwestern 30; Arizona 28; Central Florida 18; Hawaii 17; Michigan 15;North Carolina 15; Clemson 13; Northern Illinois 13; Southern Mississippi 12; Air Force 10; Notre Dame 8; Tennessee 5; Brigham Young 4; Maryland 4; Georgia Tech 3; Washington 3; California 1; Cincinnati 1; Texas Tech 1.

LSU vs. Oregon Prediction

The LSU-Oregon game could be called the "Distractions Bowl" with both teams having faced off the field issues over the summer, but all that can be put behind them with a win this weekend. Both teams have national championship hopes with LSU being ranked #4 and Oregon ranked #3. A win on Saturday could propel either team for a special year.

LSU will be starting senior QB Jarrett Lee after Jordan Jefferson was suspended. Lee can sling it, but mistakes have proven costly in the past. If he can take care of the ball and rely on his talented running game, the LSU offense should be fine. On defense, LSU will have to deal with Oregon's fast-paced offense and the new faces stepping into more prominent roles don't get a cupcake game to get acclimated to the new season.

Les Miles is an x-factor in every game he coaches. He has the ability to get his players up for big games and his teams perform for the stage they are playing on and the college football world will be watching this game. Give Miles weeks to prepare for an opponent (just look at his bowl record at LSU), and he has his team ready to play. He's been preparing for Oregon all offseason, so LSU will come ready to play, despite the off-the-field distractions.

Prediction:
LSU 23
Oregon 13

Preseason Week 2: Saints at Texans

The Saints are on the road this weekend for their second preseason game against the Houston Texans. The biggest news of the week was that veteran right tackle Jonathan Stinchcomb was released. The move was a bit of a surprise, but after he played injured most of last season, the writing was on the wall for the former Pro Bowler. The Saints are groaming a new right tackle and it looks like fan favorite Zach Streif will get the first shot at the position.

A few veterans are battling through training camp injuries, so it will be interesting to see who plays and how much they play on Saturday. It will also be another chance for rookies and new comers to shine in game action. Mark Ingram, Josh Morgan and Johnny Patrick got Saints fans buzzing about their potential after their preseason debut. It will be interesting to see how they follow it up and if anyone else steps up.

In looking toward the game, I mostly want to see production from the first team offense. They didn't do much in limited opportunity against the 49ers. I'd like to see them come out like the Patriots offense has done in the preseason and fire on all cylinders, but as it is preseason, however they look, it's important to remember that we are still weeks away from these games counting and mattering. The players and coaches are more concerned with getting reps through live action and executing the play how it was drawn up. So fans need to just sit back and enjoy football and not be too critical if things aren't clicking 100 percent. Don't worry though, I'm sure Gregg Williams will make things exciting by bringing the house on blitzes even though its preseason.

As always though, here's to hoping there are no injuries!

Saints to Open Preseason Against 49ers

The Saints get the 2011 preseason underway tonight versus former division-rival San Francisco. Fans are geared up because football is back, so what to watch for tonight?

Here are some players I'll have my eye on to see how they perform:

• Mark Ingram, RB, #28 - of course all eyes will be on the former Heisman Trophy winner. This is the guy the Saints traded back into the 1st round for and reviews from camp so far have been glowing. This will be most Saints' fans first time to see Ingram in the black and gold.
  
• Cameron Jordan, DE, #94 - just like Ingram, Jordan was the Saints first 1st round pick this year and reviews have also been stellar so far. The Saints lacked a pass rush from their ends last year, let's see what Jordan brings.
• Patrick Robinson, CB, #21 - with Tracy Porter being out with an injury, Robinson has been seeing more reps and should get lots of playing time this year. Let's see what kind of improvements he's made from year one to year two.
  
• Men in the middle (Shaun Rogers, DT, #92 and Aubrayo Franklin, DT, #99) - the Saints beefed up the middle of their d-line with the additions of Rogers and Franklin. Let's see these two giants in action.
• Linebacker battle (notably Will Herring #53, Martez Wilson #95, Scott Shanle #58, Jonathan Casillas #52, Clint Ingram #57, others) - all training camp reports note OLB as the tightest and toughest race on the roster. Let's see who starts to separate themselves in this crowded group.
  
• Who's that guy? - every year fans latch onto to a "camp beast." We've seen fan favorites such as Junior Gallette (watch for him tonight as well), Pierre Thomas, Marques Colston, Rod Harper, Onome Ojo, Boo Williams, Zach Hilton, among others catch everyone's attention in the preseason. Who's it going to be this year? Some names that are being talked about in 2011 so far include Joseph Morgan, WR, #13; Joique Bell, RB, #20; Korey Hall, FB, #35; Tom Johnson, DT, #72; and Jarred Fayson, WR, #88.
• The Reggie Bush Factor - Reggie was a fan favorite, so everyone will want to see what we got for him (Jonathon Amaya, S, #40) and the man who is replacing him (Darren Sproles, RB, #43).

There will be lots to look for and lots of things to nitpick after tonight's game, but one thing we don't want to see is any injuries, especially to starters. *Keeping my fingers crossed*

Newest Saints at Training Camp

Yahoo Sports has lots of training camp pictures, including some of the newest faces at Saints camp. Here are some pictures of some of the bigger names.

The man traded for Reggie Bush, Jonathon Amaya:

Free agent signings:

Darren Sproles:

Aubrayo Franklin:

Saints 1st round picks:

Cameron Jordan:


Mark Ingram:

LSU is ranked 4th in Preseason Coaches Poll

Aug. 4, 2011 - preseason poll
Rank	Team (first-place votes)	2010 record	Points	Final 2010 ranking
1.	Oklahoma (42)	12-2	1,454	6
2.	Alabama (13)	10-3	1,414	11
3.	Oregon (2)	12-1	1,309	3
4.	LSU (2)	11-2	1,296	8t
5.	Florida State	10-4	1,116	16
6.	Stanford	12-1	1,101	4
7.	Boise State	12-1	1,065	7
8.	Oklahoma State	11-2	933	10
9.	Texas A&M	9-4	885	21
10.	Wisconsin	11-2	829	8t
11.	Nebraska	10-4	814	19
12.	South Carolina	9-5	779	22
13.	Virginia Tech	11-3	767	15
14.	Arkansas	10-3	750	12
15.	TCU	13-0	687	2
16.	Ohio State	12-1	631	5
17.	Michigan State	11-2	536	14
18.	Notre Dame	8-5	440	NR
19.	Auburn	14-0	329	1
20.	Mississippi State	9-4	301	17
21.	Missouri	10-3	266	18
22.	Georgia	6-7	260	NR
23.	Florida	8-5	240	NR
24.	Texas	5-7	162	NR
25.	Penn State	7-6	161	NR

Cha-Cha-Cha ... Changes

The second day of free agency turned out to be a crazy, busy day for the Saints. Let's take a look at all the names that were involved in deals:

• Reggie Bush was dealt to Miami
• Remi Ayodele signed with Minnesota
• Jermon Bushrod resigned
• Usama Young signed with Cleveland
• 3rd round pick Johnny Patrick signed
• Scott Shanle, Chris Reis and Jo-Lonn Dunbar resign
  
• Danny Clark resigned
• Randall Gay was cut
• Darren Sproles was signed

Wow, take a breath. All that happened in one day. That's not to mention Lance Moore and Leigh Torrence who announced their own deals via Twitter the day before. It's safe to say that the Saints roster will be completely different than last year. It's safe to say that that roster will be changing daily in the new look NFL. The Saints official site even put up a .pdf version of the roster dated July 28, 2011, showing that they too realize this is a very fluid time for the league.

Looking at the moves, the obvious big one is trading Reggie Bush. While Bush was loved and hated by Saints fans, he was great for New Orleans. He helped put the Saints on the map and gave the team star power when it needed it most. Now he's moving on to Miami, so to fill the void and not have to alter the offense too much, the team signed Darren Sproles. Sproles is smaller than Reggie Bush, but he is a similar player to Reggie. I think this is a solid move and the spotlight won't be nearly as big on Sproles as it was on Reggie, which will be a good thing. I with Reggie Bush the best of luck in Miami. I enjoyed watching him and rooting for him. Now, let's see if can really take this opportunity to be the man and fulfill his promise.

Out of the other signings, Bushrod is probably the most important. The Saints have one of the top O-lines in the league, so keeping continuity there is important. Now, the Saints biggest move will be signing all their draft picks and resigning Roman Harper ... Oh, and there's the tiny matter of Drew Brees' contract being up after this season.

Saints get busy in free agency

After the free agent floodgates opened yesterday, the Saints are getting involved today. The biggest news is that Lance Moore resigned with the team for five years (Moore broke the news himself on Twitter). Moore is a favorite of Drew Brees and a key part of the Saints offense. The Saints also signed LB Will Herring from Seattle and announced the signing of 20 undrafted free agents.

Finally ... the NFL has come back to business

I haven't posted much about the lockout through this frustrating ordeal, but now the news is spreading like wildfire that the players and owners have agreed on a new CBA.

Media are scrambling to get the timeline straight on when free agency will start, when teams can sign rookies and their own players, when trades can happen, when teams will report (Saints are rumored to be reporting for camp on Thursday). No matter what the logistics are, this will be a wild, wild week. Things that normally happen over the entire offseason are being squeezed into less than a week. Teams will report to camp before a large portion of the roster is even signed. It will be tough to keep up with, but fans across the country won't mind because America's game is back in business.

Welcome back NFL, now let the fun begin. WHO DAT!!!

Lost Deleted Scene

At Comic Con, Lost creators showed a "deleted scene" from season 1. See they planned it out from the beginning:

New Doctor Who Trailer

Second half of season 6 looks pretty exciting:




and here's a wrap-up of the Doctor Who panel from Comic Con.

History of Rap 2.0

It was great the first time around and Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon deliver again on "History of Rap 2"

Matt Smith Coming Back for Doctor Who Season 7

There's constant speculation surrounding the current and future actors playing The Doctor on Doctor Who. Ever since Matt Smith took the role, people have wondered how long he'll stay on. Yesterday, it was confirmed that he will indeed be back next season and that is great news for Who fans. Smith has taken the reigns of The Doctor and has never looked back. People were skeptical on whether he could follow David Tennant, but he's more than followed him. He is The Doctor.

One Year Ago Today

We saw this for the first time:



Do you miss it?

Saints Nail the Draft

The Sean Payton/Mickey Loomis regime has done it again. After successful drafts that brought players like Reggie Bush, Sedrick Ellis, Roman Harper, Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, Carl Nicks, etc., the Saints brain trust are getting praised for their bold moves in the 2011 draft.

In the first round, top-15 talent Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal, started slipping and the Saints eagerly scooped him up at #24 overall. Jordan doesn't blow you away as a speed rusher, but he fills a huge need and was one of the top defensive ends in the entire draft. But the Saints didn't sit on the hands waiting for their second round pick. They started asking, how can we get Mark Ingram as well, the top RB in the draft, and started making calls to get back in round 1. They found a suiter in the Patriots and sent their #2 and next year's #1 picks for the #28 pick and the opportunity to select Ingram.

This started a firestorm of debate regarding Reggie Bush's status and his future in New Orleans, especially after Bush tweeted that it's been fun New Orleans. But as Coach Payton said, Bush shouldn't be affected by Ingram. They are two different runners and Ingram is more of a Deuce McAllister-type than a Bush type. If I were Pierre Thomas or Chris Ivory, I'd be more worried than Bush should be. Payton loves Bush's diversity and caters his offense (sometimes too much) to Bush's abilities. With the injuries the Saints suffered at RB last year, they had to get the top runner in the draft and Ingram will look nice in the black and gold.

The Saints focused on defense in the rest of the draft. In the 3rd round, they had two selections: LB Martez Wilson, Illinois, at pick 72 and CB Johnny Patrick, Louisville, at pick 88. Wilson should compete for a spot on the outside and Patrick will start on special teams and could battle guys like Randall Gay and Leigh Torrence for playing time.

In the 7th round, the Saints took a chance on DE Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh, who is recovering from a torn ACL, at pick 226. If he comes back healthy, he could be a steal. With their last pick, #243, they took another special teams player in LB Nate Bussey, Illinois. Bussey is a tweener LB/S prospect, but he may be in the Steve Gleason/Chris Reis special teams mode.

All in all, it was a solid draft for the Saints, but fans won't really know the impact for a couple of years. Immediately, Jordan and Ingram should contribute, with Wilson competing with the other young LBs on the roster for playing time.

Draft Grades:

• NBC Sports: C
• Walter Football: C+
• CBS Sports: B-
• Fox Sports: B+
• SI.com: B+
• Sporting News: B
• Yahoo Sports: B+
  
• ProFootballTalk: Incomplete
  

The Eve of the NFL Draft

It's been one of the most uncertain offseasons in history and the past week has been part of the craziness. The lockout was lifted, but was it really? Nothing really changed and everyone's still waiting to see what judges and courts say before the league year begins. Fans just want to see football, and having free agency and trades take place around the draft is what everyone except the NFL wants.

Regardless of what the courts rule this week, the draft will still take place Thursday. The Saints are said to be looking for help on defense, specifically front seven help. There are some surprises in the mock draft universe, some thinking the Saints will look for running back help, others feel the team will target a new offensive lineman.

Here's a look at what mocks have the Saints doing:

• SI.com Peter King: Adrian Claiborne, DE, Iowa
• SI.com Don Banks: Adrian Claiborne, DE, Iowa
• Times-Picayune Mike Triplett: Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple
• Times-Picayune James Varney: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
• NFL Draft Countdown: Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple
• Walter Football: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
• CBS Sports Pete Prisco: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois
• Scout.com: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
• Fox Sports Peter Schrager: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
• ProFootballTalk: Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh

NFL Releases Schedule

For what it's worth, the NFL released the schedule for the upcoming season, if there is one. The exciting news for Saints fans is that the team will play in the Thursday night opener for the second year in a row, this time against the defending Super Bowl champion Packers. It will be a tough way to open the season, but hopefully the Saints become the first visiting team to knock off the champs in the opener.

Here's the rest of the schedule for New Orleans:

Sept. 8 at Green Bay Packers (Thursday)
Sept. 18 CHICAGO BEARS
Sept. 25 HOUSTON TEXANS
Oct. 2 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Oct. 9 at Carolina Panthers
Oct. 16 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Oct. 23 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (Sunday Night Football)
Oct. 30 at St. Louis Rams
Nov. 6 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Nov. 13 at Atlanta Falcons Noon
Nov. 20 BYE
Nov. 28 NEW YORK GIANTS (Monday Night Football)
Dec. 4 DETROIT LIONS Noon
Dec. 11 at Tennessee Titans
Dec. 18 at Minnesota Vikings
Dec. 26 ATLANTA FALCONS (Monday Night Football)
Jan. 1 CAROLINA PANTHERS

MLB Predictions

It's MLB opening day! What better time than now for some guaranteed to be wrong predictions?

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL West: LA Angels of Anaheim
AL Central: Chicago White Sox
Wild Card: Oakland A's

NL East: Atlanta Braves
NL West: San Francisco Giants
NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals
Wild Card: Colorado Rockies

ALCS: Red Sox over White Sox
NLCS: Braves over Rockies
Wold Series: Red Sox over Braves

AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez, New York
NL MVP: Albert Pujols, St. Louis

AL Cy Young: John Lester, Boston
NL Cy Young: Tommy Hanson, Atlanta

AL ROY: Michael Pineda, Seattle
NL ROY: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta

Saints On the Clock

Doctor Who Mini Episode

The next season of Doctor Who is still weeks away, but in the meantime, here's a mini episode, "Space," made for the BBC’s Comic Relief Night.

First Look at Zach Mettenberger

The most anticipated LSU quarterback recruit since Josh Booty? Hopefully this one works out better than that one did. Here's the new LSU "savior" Zach Mettenberger at the start of spring practice (pic courtesy of LSUSports.net):

Saints Make Key Signings as CBA Nears Expiration

The Saints have been active this week, as the NFL labor situation hangs over the entire league.

The Saints first locked down free agent DT Shaun Rogers to a one-year deal, which should help the defensive line and the run defense. Rogers is getting older, but upgrades across the defensive line were needed, and the Saints have taken chances with older d-linemen in the past.

Next, the team signed kicker Garrett Hartley to a five-year contract. Hartley has had an up-and-down first couple of years in the league, but despite some early struggles last season, he had a solid year. Hartley remains a fan favorite and has a well-established place in Saints history based off his game winning field goal in the NFC Championship game, sending the Saints to the Super Bowl. Holding the record for three 40+ yard field goals in the Super Bowl, also accentuates his resume. Locking down Hartley was another good move for the team, since kicker has been a revolving door since Sean Payton took over (John Carney, Olindo Mare, Taylor Mehlhalff, Hartley, Carney again, Hartley, and on and on ...).

Lastly, the Saints made a somewhat surprising move yesterday in signing a four-year deal with RB Pierre Thomas. The move isn't surprising that they'd resign Pierre, it's just that it came virtually out of nowhere. After the two sides remained far apart on an extension before last season, there seemed to be bad blood and then he got hurt. Rumors surfaced of the coaching staff questioning Thomas' toughness/healing ability; Thomas questioned team doctors as misdiagnosing his injury. All in all, many felt that it was Pierre's last year in the Black and Gold. Then out of the blue, he is signed to a four-year extension.

Thomas is a solid player and fits the Saints offense well. He can get tough yards and is one of the top screen-play running backs in the league. Brees loves checking down to him, and Payton loves calling screens for him. Pairing him with Chris Ivory creates a great 1-2 punch in the backfield. The signing does open up more questions, though, about the future of Reggie Bush. Will Bush be willing to take a pay cut, and if so, how much? Peirre reportedly got a $12 million deal over four years, Bush should get similar, but what if he gets more? How will that change the dynamic of both deals and the feelings of both running backs? Also, with three quality players at running back now, how do you split the load?

The signings of Rogers and Thomas fill needs for the Saints and they can now focus on other areas in the draft. Many had the Saints looking for a new running back in the offseason, but now I don't see them going in that direction. They may still bring in another defensive tackle, since Rogers is older and on a one-year deal, but it's no longer as big of a priority.

In other news, former Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey has signed with division rival Carolina and former kicker John Carney is looking to be brought onto the coaching staff as a consultant or coach. Good luck to Shockey, except for when he plays NOLA and I like the Carney move, as he has filled that role before, consulting Hartley during the Saints Super Bowl run.

First Game at The Box

Last night, I took Trace to his first LSU baseball game at the new Alex Box Stadium. LSU beat Southeastern 7-3, and we had a great time.

Here are some of the highlights of the night:

Eating all the popcorn he wanted:


Watching the game with his friend Cole:

Wait, there's a park here? This definitely put going to an LSU baseball game at the top of his LSU sports list:
Oh yeah, there was a baseball game going on too:

Congratulations Green Bay!

Super Bowl Prediction

This weekend is the big game. Packers vs. Steelers. Almost everyone is picking the Packers. They are the hot team coming in, having to win three in a row on the road to make the Super Bowl. Pittsburgh seems to win ugly, but they still win.

I see this as a defensive battle and I don't think the Packers will be able to move the ball on Pittsburgh the way they have the past couple of weeks. While I will probably be rooting for Green Bay, I think Pittsburgh's poise and experience will provide them with an edge.

So who's going to take home the Lombardi trophy?

Predictions:
Steelers 20
Packers 13

MVP: Troy Polamalu

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A Look at the Saints Draft Targets

It's Super Bowl Week, but fans of 30 teams have their eyes focused on another area this time of year: the NFL Draft. The Senior Bowl was held this past weekend, and fans are learning all about the top prospects who will head to the Combine in a few short weeks. With the labor dispute and a hold on free agent signings, the Draft will get more attention than ever.

Here's a look at who the Saints may be targeting with the #24 pick:

• Sports Illustrated's Don Banks: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
• Foxsports: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
• Mike Detillier: Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal
• DraftCountdown.com: Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal
• Walter Football: J.J. Watt DE, Wisconsin
• NE Patriots Draft: Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia
• NFL Draft Today: Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State
• Running the Zone: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
• Fantasy Football Xtreme: Cameron Hayward, DE, Ohio State
• Optimum Scouting: Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia
• FootballFanSpot: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
• NFL Draft Blitz: Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal
• New NFL Draft: Adrian Clayborn, DE/DT, Iowa
• NFL Draft Updates: Bruce Carter, OLB, UNC
• Football Draft Analysis: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
• New Sport Draft: Adrian Clayborn, DE/DT, Iowa
• Fantasy CPR: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
• Draft King: Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State
• Draft Tek: Mikel LaShoure, RB, Illinois
• Ultimate Mock: Rahim Moore, S, UCLA
• Xtra Point Football: Allen Bailey, DE/DT, Miami