Former LSU standout Chad Jones, whose career looked to be over after ankle and leg injuries in a horrific auto accident over two years ago, was honored by the bowl for his comeback efforts. The former defensive back and baseball standout has been working with physical therapists and rehabilitation specialists since his June 2010 accident, and physical therapist John Moran said he is trying to schedule a private workout with the New Orleans Saints.
Jones has been cleared for unlimited workouts, even though the New York Giants — who drafted him in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft — released him earlier this year.
Also featured during the banquet was guest speaker and Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, who said his two-decade professional football career doesn't measure up to the excitement of guiding Washington into the 1978 Rose Bowl.
"I've played in a lot of playoff games and had a lot of accolades," Moon said, "but nothing equals going out and getting that Rose Bowl win."
Washington beat heavily-favored Michigan 27-20 that year, with Moon being named the game's MVP, and he credited some of the things that bowl games create with helping forge that win.
"Bowl games help create team unity," he said. "It becomes a you versus the world mentality. We became much closer as a team because we played in a bowl game.
"This bowl game in particular has grown so much in 12 years, and you're going to have an attendance record again this year. That's wonderful here, because I know people here love their food, they love their partying and they love their football team ... especially the Saints. but that spills over to the college football teams here."
UL coach Mark Hudspeth and ECU coach Ruffin McNeill also spoke at the event, before both teams headed out for their final workouts before Saturday's 11 a.m. contest at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Cajuns had a walk-through at the 'Dome Friday morning and headed out to the New Orleans Saints practice facility for a final session mid-afternoon Friday.
MAY 22 This post was written the day after the second line shooting in NOLA, by Brentin Mock. Mock is a friend of Deb "Big Red" Cotton, a blogger who was shot in the back and was seriously injured. It is a raw, emotional piece of writing, something the writer obviously felt he needed to get off his chest. But it raises questions that can't be easily dismissed, and might give some insight into where the source of these events truly is.
MAY 22 In this Baton Rouge Business Report post, Rolfe McCollister considers the privatization of bus service in Baton Rouge. After decades of under-funding, it is a mess, and although a tax (partially) passed last year, improvement hasn't happened yet. McCollister apparently feels it is time to let private business get in on the transit business.
MAY 22 This post on Bayou Buzz by Jeff Crouere urges the defeat of a bill that would grant modest pay increases over the next several years to the state's judges and clerks of court. The state is in no position to fund pay hikes, Crouere argues, with the pay increases costing a total of $9 million over several years. It sends the wrong message to the (proverbial) hard-working people of Louisiana, he says.
MAY 22 The Advocate reports here that State Treasurer John Kennedy is complaining about a meeting of the corporation that oversees the state's tobacco settlement. The Governor wanted it restructured, and he has some support, but not a lot. The corporation agreed with his plan, but Kennedy didn't, and it appears that the meeting was noticed in a manner completely different than that of all previous meetings. Kennedy's given to hyperbole, but in this case the fish don't smell too fresh.
MAY 22 In this Advocate story, Carencro Police Chief Carlos Stout says the recent federal indictment of a strip club owner is all wrong. The indictment alleges that drugs and prostitution went on with impunity because club staff made arrangements with "local" police. Stout says it never happened, and while his cops do work security in the parking lot, they're not allowed inside.
MAY 22 This amusing post in DIG Baton Rouge recounts an ad that ran on Craig's List recently; the advertiser was seeking tenants for a Beauregard Town house. He knew his market, and wrote an ad that the most ironical hipster couldn't resist. Apparently, he really did know his market, because the ad worked like a charm.
MAY 22 In this post in The Lens, Mark Moseley comments on the rhetoric Gov. Jindal employed in trying to save his tax "reform" package. One interesting point concerns Jindal's use of his brother, Nikesh, in a little story. Nikesh left Louisiana because of his inability to get a decent job, the story goes, but the story won't hold water: Nikesh lives in DC, which has an income tax level comparable to Louisiana, Moseley says. If income taxes caused the dismal situation, it should exist in DC too. Right?
MAY 22 This post by columnist John Maginnis traces the trajectory of the bill that would fund construction at community and technical colleges -- and bypass the Board of Regents and traditional higher ed funding mechanisms. Sure, it will bust the legislature's self-imposed debt limit, but some leges feel that there's more need (because there is more growth) in the community and technical college area than in the university area, he says.
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