Jammal Brown returned to Norman, Okla., the past Saturday to receive a diploma in multidisciplinary studies from the University of Oklahoma.
Brown, the Saints' offensive left tackle, is four years and two Pro Bowls away from his game with the Sooners.
Brown has plans for his post playing days with the Saints for using his sociologically-related degree and his experiences at OU are central in those plans.
"Id like to be an athletic counselor and work closely with the kids," said Brown. "Going from high school to college is a big jump. You go through being a big star to taking a backseat. Some people don't take to that too well. I've been in every situation. I stuck it out.
"A lot of people waste that opportunity when they get into a situation that they're not familiar with, and they never pan out. They need help in the transition. I went through all those aspects and I think I could guide them."
Meanwhile, the Saints rookie minicamp offered little insight into who might win a job behind Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas.
Undrafted free agent linebacker Jonathan Castillas of Wisconsin might have a chance to earn a place on the Saints regular-season roster this season as a special teams player. According to scouts, he is a terrific pursuit defender, will run sideline to sideline and chase plays down from behind. He has solid speed (4.45 in the 40) and plays well in space. Played on weak side at Wisconsin, but because of his size (6-1, 226) might never be more than a special teams player in the NFL.
Beavers edge Zephyrs 3-2
The Portland Beavers edged the Zephyrs 3-2 on Sunday at Zephyr Field om a rain-soaked contest.
Rains washed away any hopes that Jarrett Santos had of getting his second win in as many starts. He started strong for the Z's. but gave up three runs in the top of the third inning. After settling down in the fourth. the rain became too heavy to continue, forcing the umpires to stop play for 49 minutes with the Z's down 3-0.
Bullpen pitchers held Portland scoreless for the five innings following the delay, but the offense could not string together enough hits to get anything significant going. John Lindsey went 1-for-4 with a home run to close the gap to 3-1 on the sixth.
The Z's threatened again in the eighth. John Raynor led off with a double, and Manny Mayorson's groundout moved him to third. Michael Ryan then singled, driving in Raynor. Afer a Lindsey goriudout and a walk to Mat Craig the Beavers brought inpitcjer Mike Elstrom to face Brett Hayes.. Hayes popped out to end the inning.
The two teams will meet again on Monday night a 7 at Zephyr Field.
SOME HITHER, OTHERS YON: New Orleans is favored to get its 10th Super Bowl when the NFL owners assemble in Fort Lauderdale for their annual May meeting. The Saints recently made a deal with the state to stay in the city through 2025, but the underdogs, Arizona and south Florida, could argue that the Louisiana legislature hasn't officially rubber-stamped the deal and so one of the venues should be picked for 2013 and New Orleans could get the following year's...Miami football czar Bill Parcells to 34-year-old pass rusher and Dancing with the Stars participant Jason Taylor entered the Dolphins football complex: "Elvis is back in the building."...Adam Lambert is a 3 1/2-to-1 favorite to win the American Idol championship on Tuesday night...SI.com NFL expert Peter King ranks the Saints as the 24th best team in the league for the upcoming season. Sorry, Peter, the Saints should be in your top 10...Dodgers reliever Will Ohman on Manny Ramirez being linked to a female fertility drug: "For a guy going into his second trimester, he looks great. He's barely showing."...The jerseys of LSU legends Tommy Casanova. Ben McDonald and Rudy Macklin have been retired. The three join an elite group of former athletes and coaches whose jerseys have been retired in the 116-year history of LSU athletics. Only five other persons in Tigers history have had their jerseys retired, including Pete Maravich, Bob Petit and Shaq O'Neal in basketball, Billy Cannon in footballand Skip Bertman in baseball. Casanova is the only three-time All-American is the history of LSU football and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He played six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals while earning a medical degree. He is now an ophthalmologist in Crowley. Now she's Alexandra the Greatest. Rachel Alexandra, the filly hyped as the finest of her gender since the immortal Ruffian, did something Ruffian never did, She whipped the daylights out of colts and a gelding, won one of the great classics of the American turf, the Preakness, dusted the winner of the Kentucky Derby, and ran her way into hearts and history. "She struggled with the ground and I had to get into her with the whip a bit, but the more I asked, the more she struggled," said her jockey Calvin Borel of Catahoula, a town with two red lights. He also rode Mine That Bird to victory in the Kentucky Derby, but switched horses for the Preakness. Birdie ran second. "God only knowshow good she is," said the jockey. "She's everybody's dream horse. She
s the greatest I've ever been on." Her owner said he would like to run her in the Belmont in three weeks. That promises another dazzling match up with Mine That Bird, surely a huge crowd pleaser. The biggest winner of all was thoroughbred racing, It put on one helluva show and there were no injuries or accidents. Alexandra The Greatest. What a gal!.....
If Brett Favre was in front of you at the super market, here's what you might get: "I'll take plastic. I mean paper. I mean plastic. I mean paper..."...Peyton Manning's PeyBack Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 in grants to 104 community agencies. The breakdown" $222,800 in 48 organizations in Indiana, $135, 330 to 31 organizations in Tennessee and $141m900 to 25 New Orleans-based charities. The Peyback Foundation, a public non-profit corporation, was established by Manning in 1999 to promote the future success off disadvantaged youth by assisting programs that provide leadership growth and opportunities for children at risk...Reserve linebacker Shomari Clemons, who appeared in six games as a redshirt freshman, is no longer a member of the LSU football program. He made four assisted tackles last season. Originally signed by the Tigers in 2006, Clemons failed to qualify academically. He signed again the following year and joined the team as part of the 2007 freshman class. In 2008, he was issued a summons for shoving a police officer and disturbing the peace. Suspended from the team, the former West Monroe all-state player did not play in that year's spring game. Other players who have left the program since January include quarterback Andrew Hatch, wide receiver Ricky Dixon, offensive lineman Ernest McCoy, cornerback Phelon Jones, defensive tackle Kentravis Aubrey and reserve kicker Andrew Crutchfield. Hatch transferred back to Harvard, Dixon and McCoy transferred to Texas Southern. Jones asked for his release last month and is transferring to Alabama. Aubrey gave up football because a bad back...
Buster Davis, former LSU wide receiver, knows this spring and summer are big with his future at San Diego. He was the Chargers' first-round pick in the draft two years ago and has his season cut short last year when he was forced to undergo groin surgery. He hopes he past his injuries and can cash in on his yet untapped talent...Another former Tiger, linebacker Darry Beckwith, signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent, might have a chance to make the San Diego roster. He has decent quickness (4.77 in 40) and is an explosive hitter. Had 180 tackles at LSU and will make some missteps, but still seems to find the ball and make a play. His lack of size (6-feet, 242) and a history of injuries are drawbacks..The 49ers drafted LSU ex defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois in the seventh round and gave him a $192,250 signing bonus.....Bears GM Jerry Angelo said he feels good about the Chicago secondary: "Craig Steltz (LSU ex) should take a step up this year. We picked up Josh Bullock (Saints ex), who had a good play history." Where was that good play history?....
Jammal Brown returned to 
