New Orleans is increasing its support of the Hornets, one of the better teams in the NBA. Four of he last six games have been sellouts. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that the Hornets have are just 5-4 after the All-Star break after posting the West’s best record in the first half of the season. They are showing signs of slipping at the worst possible time.
Hornets coach Byron Scott expects all his players to be healthy for Wednesday night’s game at the San Antonio Spurs in the Arena. David West (ankle) and Bonzi Wells practiced on Monday. Wells has only played in three games since coming to the Hornets in a trade with Houston.
Chris Paul is playing as well as before the break, but fellow All-Star West is shooting just 42.5 per cent from the floor. Peja Stojakovic is shooting just 40 per cent.
With relatively unproven Melvin Ely and Hilton Armstrong on the bench, the Hornets wanted P.J. Brown back for the homestretch, but Brown signed with the Celtics.
The Hornets were listless in a loss to Washington last Sunday after Scott gave the players a day off. That was a mistake.
“I came in and said, ‘OK, guys, tomorrow, we’re going to do the same things in practice that we did Saturday…Oh, wait, that’s right, we didn’t practice,” said Scott. He has put them through rigorous workouts ever since.
“Mike James wanted to know if he could stay in Houston after our game on Saturday night,” said the coach. “I said, ‘Sure Mike, as long as you’re back here by 11 a.m. Sunday because we’re practicing.’ He said, “Really?’ I said, ‘Yeah, and we’re practicing Monday and Tuesday, too before we play the Spurs on Wednesday.”
After the Spurs, the Hornets host the Lakers on Friday night and are at the Pistons on Sunday in a game that will be televised nationally by ABC.
Going into the Spurs game, Paul is averaging 21.3 points per game with an average of 11 assists and 2.7 steals. No player in NBA history has averaged 20 points, 10 assists and 3 steals for an entire season.
The Top Hats and High Tops Black Tie Gala is scheduled for Thursday from 6:30-10:30 p.m. at the Audubon Tea Room. Guests will be treated with an elegant evening filled with live entertainment by Dr. Michael White, live and silent auctions, food and the opportunity to interact with the team and coaching staff. All proceeds will benefit the Shinn Foundation, especially the franchise’s Hoops for Homes Teacher’s Initiative. All tables have been sold.
A Hornets Watch Party is set for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Acme Oyster House in Covington. Hugo and the Honeybees will be there.
WHY FAVRE RETIRED
In December, 2003, Irvin Favre told Mike Detillier, NFL analyst and regular of WWL, what it would take for his son, Brett, to retire from the Packers. Detillier did a radio show with the elder Favre, a former coach at Hancock North Central, and here’s what Irvin told Detillier:
“Brett has a body that could play until he is well into his early 40s, but he is going to burn up before he breaks down. What I mean is that his body is like a much younger player, but that same intensity will consume him. I guess he gets that from me, but no matter how good he plays, he thinks he can play better. On the football field, nothing is quite good enough for him. While that is great for a younger player, it wears on you mentally when you get older.
“Things have changed in Green Bay since Mike Holmgren and Ron Wolf were there. The people running the show now are good people, but they seem to be more concerned about the money issues that producing a Super Bowl team. They want to build through the draft and that is great, but you have to spend money in free agency also. If the organization doesn’t try to add a main cog or two in free agency, Brett is not going to just hang around and hope the younger guys can come around. Brett’s a guy that doesn’t need much motivation, but like everyone else when they get older, they need a spark in their job to continue. Brett’s spark would be to add a couple of game-changers on offense.”
LSU SCRIMMAGE
Coach Les Miles put the Tigers through their first scrimmage of the spring on Monday.
Among the highlights of the scrimmage was a 60-yard catch-and-run TD by Jared Mitchell along with a 40-yard interception return for a score by Ron Brooks.
"This was our sixth day of spring practice and we are making progress," said Miles. "We had a light scrimmage and I saw some good things that we did well and some other things that we have to work on."
The coach said both quarterbacks are making progress and that redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee "had a pretty good day throwing the football."
Defensively, tackle Marlon Favorite had a sack while safety Chad Jones added a tackle for a loss. Jones continues to split time between football and baseball. On days when LSU has football practice, Jones is with the football team and on other days he's with the baseball squad.
"Chad practicing football this spring is going to help him become an every down player for us," said Miles. "There will be plenty of baseball left for this spring once football practice is over."
LSU will take Tuesday off before returning to practice on Wednesday. The Tigers will have their first full scale scrimmage of the spring on Thursday before they take off for a week for spring break
SAINTS RE-SIGN TIGHT ENDS
The Saints have re-signed tight ends Eric Johnson and Billy Miller...Veteran quarterback Mark Brunell, 37, will visit the team on Tuesday. He will be the second former Pro Bowl player to interview for the backup quarterback job. Trent Green visited the Saints last week,but signed a three-year deal with the Rams for $8.9 million...As the Knicks discovered last Monday night,, when Chris Paul makes up his mind to take over a game there's nothing an opponent can do to stop him. He made two two key baskets and assisted in another to power the Bees on a 10-0 game-ending run, The pass first point guard has been scoring more lately, hitting at least 20 points in his last six games...
Last year's Masters winner Zach Johnson will play in this year's Zurich Classic, which will be played March 27-30 at the TPC Louisiana in Westwego. Paul Azinger, 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, also is in the field...Did you see where Barack Obama's campaign raised $55 million in February? Wow, that's almost as much as USC boosters raised before national signing day.
"WHY FAVRE RETIRED
In December, 2003, Irvin Favre told Mike Detillier...."
Thanks for the 5 year old quote that goes counter to what Brett Favre said in his retirement press conference. They're polishing your Pulitzer.... Written by Bayou Badger
on 3/11/2008
REPORT SPAM OR ABUSE
New Orleans
