Brandon Jacobs' season over

Napoleonville native Brandon Jacobs, a running back for the New York Giants, will have knee surgery and won't play in the Giants' season finale on Sunday, the New York Daily News reports.

Giants Coach Tom Coughlin made the announcemnht on Wednesday. Coughlin did not specify what Jacobs' knee damage is. The problem wasn't discovered until Jacobs was examined on Tuesday.

"I think Brandon's always had some issues that he's had to deal with," Coughlin said. "He wouldn't use it as an excuse and I won't either."

42 seek Nicholls coaching job

Hud Jackson, son of former Nicholls State football coach Sonny Jackson, ex Tulane assistant coach Frank Monica, ex UL-Monroe coach Charlie Weatherbie and former Nicholls assistant coach Tim Rebowe top the list of applicants to replace Jay Thomas as Nicholls State's newfootball coach, according to NewOrleans.com.

Also on the list of aplicants: Former New Orleans Saints defenseive back Tyrone Hughes and Joshua Earle, an LSU assistant who also coached at Nicholls.

Orgeron says he's staying at Tennessee

Ed Orgeron, a Larose native and assistant football coach at the University of Tennessee, tells Go Vols Extra that rumors of him taking jobs at the University of Nevada Las Vegas or Southern California aren't true.

“I’ve been busting my tail recruiting for Tennessee; that’s my focus,” Orgeron told the Web site.

I-49 Task Force tries to revive interest in finishing route from Lafayette to New Orleans

The I-49 Task Force is looking at using gasoline taxes and tolls to pay for the project, which would make US 90 and interstate highway from Lafayette to New Orleans, according to reports from The Advocate in Baton Rouge and the Lafayette Daily Advertiser.

Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph (pictured right) said there's a chance the project could get funding from either the long-term transportation funding bill being considered in Congress or a second round of economic stimulus spending from Washington.

Either way, Randolph told the newspapers, a show of local support improves the chances of funding.

“It always makes a difference if we are all speaking with the same voice representing a lot of people,” she said.

Lafourche musicians write a 'Who Dat' song

Travis Thibodaux and his father Gary Paul Thibodaux of Raceland have written their own take on "Who Dat?" and the Saints' march toward the Super Bowl, the Times-Picayune reports.

The song, "Who Dat Roll," has been recorded by Williams Riley, a Nashville, Tenn.-based band led by Larose native Steve Williams. Travis is the band's drummer.

You can hear the song at Williams Riley's MySpace page.

Thibodaux native Renald Richard is 'I've Got a Woman' co-writer

The Naples (Fla.) News has a feature on 84-year-old Renald Richard, a Thibodaux native who co-wrote Ray Charles' classic "I've Got a Woman." Richard played trumpet in Charles' band and went on to a life as a music teacher in New York before retiring to Florida. He now writes gospel songs.

Ex Nicholls player to coach at LSU

The Advocate is reporting that Frank Wilson, a Nicholls graduate, will replace Larry Porter on LSU's coaching staff. Porter was named coach at Memphis last week. Porter was running backs coach and chief recruiter for the Tigers.

Wilson, 36, currently coaches wide receivers at the University of Tennessee.

A three-year letterman on the football team at Nicholls State from 1993-1995, Wilson earned honorable mention all-conference honors as a running back his sophomore year. He was also named preseason all-conference as a defensive back his junior year and as a running back his senior year.

Parkview blanks ED White

From The Advocate: No. 2 Parkview Baptist returns to the Superdome Classic for the second time in three years with a dominating 42-0 victory over No. 3 E.D. White, setting the stage for the Eagles to try to win their third state championship this decade.

Auburn gigged for recruiting violations over Reed

The Dothan (Ala.) Eagle, Mobile press Register and Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser are reporting that Auburn University committed secondary recruiting violations in May during an event that Thibodaux High's Trovon Reed and several other recruits participated in.

The violations involved how the recruits were treated during "Big Cat" weekend in May. The SEC and NCAA said Auburn erred by participating in a game-day simulation and by allowing recruits to interact with boosters.

Because of the rule-breaking, the Southeastern Conference prevented Auburn from sending correspondence, including e-mail, to six recruits including Reed until Sept. 30. The school was allowed to make just one phone call to each in the month of September, in which a member of the coaching staff had to read a three-paragraph statement that explained why contact would be temporarily cut off.

Reed signed with the school in November.

Thibodaux native's son was world's most famous amnesiac

From CNN: Henry Molaison, known as H.M. in scientific literature, was perhaps the most famous patient in all of brain science in the 20th century.

"My daddy's family came from the South and moved North, they came from Thibodaux Louisiana, and moved north," Molaison would say. "My mother's family came from the North and moved South." Within 15 minutes he might repeat this exact statement twice more, unable to remember that he'd already said it. Scientists studied him for most of his adult life.

This week, researchers are dissecting his brain to figure out exactly which structures contributed to his amnesia, which he suffered for more than 50 years.

Chackbay teacher plans backwards half marathon

The Times Picayune and the Tri Parish Times both have a feature on Richard Strasbourg, a French teacher at Chackbay Elementary School from Montreal, Quebec, who plans to run the Ole Man River half-marathon backward on Dec. 20 in New Orleans.

He's not nuts, the papers report. He's raising money to fight cancer and he's trying to win a spot in the Guiness Book of World Records.

You can read more about Strasbourg's effort and make a donation at this page.

Magazine profiles Port Fourchon

Supply Chain magazine profile says "Strategically invaluable Port Fourchon thrives on leadership and is a vital link to offshore oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico."

You can see a digital copy of the magazine's print profile at this link.

Phylway gets $12M levee contract

Phylway Construction of Thibodaux has been awarded a $12,191,374 construction contract for a Corps of Engineers levee near Lake Ponchatrain, the Web site Defense Professionals reports.

The project is north of Airline Highway in St. Charles Parish. The levee goes from from Good Hope to Cross Bayou. This is the project's second phase. The project's estimated completion date is Jan. 17, 2011.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, is the contracting agency. (W912P8-09-D-0046).

'Colonel Kringle' appears at Nicholls on Thursday

The Nicholls Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, along with Santa Claus and the Lafourche Parish Government, will participate in the Southland Conference's 12 Days of Christmas by hosting the first annual "Colonel Kringle," which is a toy drive held to assist local families in need during the holiday season.

All who bring an unwrapped toy to the Nicholls-Loyola basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 3, will have a free photo opportunity with Santa Claus, who is making a special appearance for all to make early Christmas wishes.

The toys raised by the Colonel Kringle will then be donated to the Lafourche Parish Government Community Services branch to be placed with families in need of the gifts.

Nicholls names interim football coach

Nicholls State assistant football coach Kent Keith has been named interim head coach, and a search committee has been formed to select the next head coach of the football program, the Nicholls Athletic Department announced.

"Kent Keith has head coaching experience. He was the most logical choice in terms of keeping the program moving forward during this important recruiting period," Nicholls Athletics Director Rob Bernardi said.

The department also announced the formation of an 11-member search committee to begin the process of finding a new head coach.

THS 21 -- W. Monroe 45 FINAL

Listening to the game on KBZE.com.


Fourth Quarter
THS has ball with Granier at quarterback. Reed is out with an ankle injury. THS on the march to WM 1 and turns it over on downs. WM moves to the 15, fumbles, THS recovers at the WM 16 and scores a touchdown on the next play. 2-point conversion attempt fails. 3:33 left in the game.

WM recovers on-side kick. Marching in THS territory. Knockum ejected from game with 2 unsportsmanlike penalties in one play. Ball on THS 2. TD WM. PAT good. 45-21

THS started at its own 20, three plays later, WM intercepts the ball.

WM runs down to the THS 6. Another unsportsmanlike conduct call moves the ball to the 2. WM takes a knee. GAME OVER.

Third Quarter
THS started the second half at its 39. Moved to the WM 30 before two sacks and a failed 4th down conversion gave the ball to W. Monroe on the WM 47. Personal foul call on THS moved the ball to the THS 30.

WM on move, but fumble at the THS 20. THS recovered the fumble and scored a touchdown on an 82-yard pass play. 2-point conversion try after WM offsides was good. 15-35

Tigers recover onside kick but pushing penalty gives the ball to WM at the THS 40. WM on the move. At the THS 10, but penalties push the ball back to the 22. Move to the 12, but false start penalty pushes it back to the 17 on 3rd down. 34-yard FG attempt is good.

First Half
Thibodaux High came out fighting early with an on-side kick. But the Tigers weren't able to capitalize. Although the score was tied 7-7 early, West Monroe scored 28 unanswered points in the first half.

Lorio: THS has its work cut out for it tonight

Thibodaux High Coach Dennis Lorio offered these comments to The (Monroe) News-Star about tonight's opponent in the state quarterfinals.

“It’s West Monroe — it’s a power offensive line, a very versatile quarterback and speed at tailback,” Lorio said. “The quarterback is capable of throwing and doing some damage in the passing game, so it’s a tall order to find out how we can stop them.”

You can read more about tonight's game here.

Judge gives DA OK to lead probe of ex-jailer

The Advocate reports that state District Judge Ralph Tureau has ruled that Lafourche Parish District Attorney Cam Morvant can lead an investigation into former Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Brown and his role in a trip that jail trusties took to Thibodaux unescorted.

Brown sought to remove Morvant from the case, saying Morvant and Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack are fishing buddies, citing a picture of the two that appeared in a recent edition of a local sports magazine . Brown's attorneys dropped their objection after meeting with Morvant and his assistants, the newspaper reported.

New Sage Energy completes Lafourche Crossing well

New Sage Energy Corp., which is based in Toronto, Ontario, announced today that it has drilled and completed the J. Leger #1 well in the Lafourche Crossing Field.

The well reached a total depth of 10,648 feet and was completed between 10,614 feet and 10,643 feet with initial flow test results that show a tubing pressure of 3610 psig, a flow rate of 910 mcf/d natural gas and 29 bbls/d of 52 degrees API oil, equivalent to roughly 100 BOE/d. New Sage holds a 5% working interest in the J. Leger #1 well.

New Sage, whose primary focus has been in South America, announced last month that it was initiating a strategy for developing oil and gas projects in the U.S. Gulf Coast. The strategy is focused on "work-over" projects in areas with known historic producing formations and excellent existing infrastructure in Louisiana, Texas and Alabama.

KBZE-FM 105.9 to broadcast THS game

KBZE-FM, "The Breeze," has announced that it will broadcast Friday night's game between Thibodaux High and West Monroe. You can listen to the broadcast live online at this link.

Antsy farmers bring 4Q loss for Deere

Deere & Co., which manufactures sugarcane harvesting equipment in Thibodaux, lost $223 million in the fourth quarter, primarily due to slower farm equipment sales caused by economic concerns, the company reported.

"Farmers follow the daily news and are as concerned as anyone about the general economy," Susan Karlix, Deere's manager of investor communications, told the Associated Press. "It is one reason farmers are expected to be cautious on farm equipment purchases in the year ahead."

Overall, Deere was profitable in fiscal 2009, which ended Oct. 31. Net income was $873.5 million, or $2.06 per share, compared with $2.053 billion, or $4.70 per share, last year. Read the company's news release here.

W. Monroe drops a notch in USA Today poll

West Monroe dropped from 15th to 16th in USA Today's weekly poll because of their poor performance against St. Augustine on Nov. 20. How far will they drop after Friday night's game with Thibodaux High?

Saints breeze to 10-0

Saints beat Tampa Bay 38-7, now 10-0 for first time ever.

Familiar names in running for Nicholls football job

NewOrleans.com reports that several coaches with ties to Nicholls State are in the running to replace Jay Thomas as the Colonels head coach.

They include: UL-Lafayette and former Nicholls assistant Tim Rebowe, South Alabama and former Nicholls assistant and player Mitch Rodrigue, Sam Houston State defensive corodinator Scott Stoker, Crowley High head coach Tommy Tate and Central Arkansas assistant head coach Hud Jackson. Jackson, pictured at right, is the son of former Nicholls coach Sonny Jackson.

Saints-Bucaneers game on Sirius Channel 126

Folks in Louisiana can watch the game on Fox, but those outside the area who rely on Sirius for their weekly Saints fix can catch them on Channel 126 this week.

Thibodaux High, ED White win playoffs, S. Lafourche out

THS 27 FINAL
St. Paul 17

ED White 7 FINAL
Richwood 6

South Lafourche 2 FINAL
Westlake 26

Thibodaux will play at West Monroe in the quaterfinals. Planning to go to the game? Here's a map to the stadium and detail on the visiting team's tailgate area.

ED White will host Independence

Thomas out as Nicholls football coach

NewOrleans.com/Sports is reporting that Nicholls State football coach Jay Thomas has coached his last game for the Colonels.

Thomas told the Web site that he was informed of his firing mid-week. The formal announcement is expected Friday.

Thomas has coached at Nicholls for 12 years, including the last 5 years as head coach. His last winning season with the Colonels was in 2007, when the team went 6-5. NSU was 3-6 last year and with Thursday's 45-30 win over Southeastern, ends this season 3-8.

Nicholls signs 11 for baseball

The Nicholls State University baseball team continued its rebuilding efforts under head coach Chip Durham (pictured at left) as the Colonels announced the addition of 11 new recruits as Nicholls finalized its 2009 early signing class on Wednesday.

Philip Lyons of ED White and Jacob Benoit of Thibodaux High were among the signees.

"We signed some more high school kids that we think we'll be able to develop and grow, and the four junior college kids should be able to help us right away," Durham said. "We did a really good job getting some more local kids into the program."

For a full list of recruits, click here.

Panel looks at hurricane protection in Thibodaux

The Advocate reports on a meeting of the Donaldsonville to the Gulf Science and Engineering Review Panel in Thibodaux this week. The Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities created the panel earlier this year to look at scientific questions dealing with a flood protection system the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is considereing from Donaldsonville to the Gulf of Mexico.

“Living in post-Katrina Louisiana, hurricane protection is just vital to our communities,” Steve Mathies, director of the state’s Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration, said. “We expect you to help us balance that dire need for hurricane protection with the need to restore and protect our wetland resources.”

Thibodaux radio icon dies

The Tri-Parish Times pays tribute to the life of local radio legend Marie Bergeron, who died in Lafayette on Sunday.

Bergeron covered news and events in Thibodaix for more than 40 years. She was the host of KTIB-AM's popular "Dialogue" talk show for half of those years.

LSU No. 10 in polls, No. 8 in BCS

LSU moves up to No. 10 in the USA Today coaches poll and the Harris poll and moves down to No. 10 in the AP poll.

The Tigers remain No. 8 in the BCS, thanks to computer standings.

Reed helps Auburn win state No. 1 trifecta

Mobile Press-Register notes that with the signing of Thibodaux High QB Trovon Reed, Auburn has commitments from the No. 1 prospects in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas. They're still working on Texas' No. 1 player.

The Birmingham News reports tha Trovon's signing will help Auburn secure a Top 10 recruiting class. the newspaper also notes that SEC schools have signed 31 high school All-Stars so far.

Nicholls beats Northwestern in battle of NSUs

From Nicholls Sports Information: For the second consecutive week, Nicholls State's offense was without a turnover, while the defense forced two in the Colonels 28-21 victory over the Northwestern State Demons on Senior Day Saturday afternoon in John L. Guidry Stadium.

The win ended Nicholls (2-8, 1-5 SLC) seven game slide, and left Northwestern State (0-10, 0-6 SLC) still in search of its first win of the 2009 campaign.

You can read The Associated Press's version of the game story here.

Thibodaux High beats St. Thomas More in OT

Two-point conversion does the trick in overtime for Thibodaux High as the Tigers beat St. Thomas More 15-14, The Advocate reports.

The Lafayette Advertiser reports that the 2-point conversion was made easier by a penalty against St. Thomas More for lining up in the neutral zone.

THS will host St. Paul's next week. St. Paul's beat Destrehan 35-14 Friday night, according to NOLA.com.

Other scores from WWL radio:

South Lafourche 45
Central Lafourche 14

ED White 55
Cohen 18

Remember Veterans on Veterans Day

Mathews native named co-captain for Northwestern's game against Nicholls

Albert Smith, a Central Lafourche graduate and senior defensive tackle for Northwestern State University, has been named a defensive co-captain for Northwestern's game with Nicholls State at John L. Guidry Stadium in Thibodaux on Saturday, Nov. 14, according to Northwestern's athletics office.

Smith, son of Julia and Albert Smith Sr., is one of 5 players from south Louisiana who will serve as Northwestern's co-captions for game.

Ida brings work for Fourchon-based Remote Operated Vehicle support boat

UpstreamOnline.com reports that Italian offshore contractor Saipem is preparing to deploy its 250-foot remotely operated vehicle support vessel HOS Mystique for post-storm inspections, repair and maintenance work in the Gulf of Mexico following Tropical Storm Ida.

Court's in session again at Lafourche Courthouse

The Tri Parish Times reports that work is complete on Judge F. Hugh "Buddy" Larose's courtroom, meaning that renovations to the historic structure required after Hurricane Gustave last year are finished.

LA Times weighs in on oyster ban

The Los Angeles Times looks at the FDA's plan to ban raw Gulf oysters during warm months.

California banned raw oysters from April through October and eliminated deaths from vibrio vulnificus, a deadly bacteria sometimes found in raw oysters harvested in warm months.


Mike Voisin, owner of Motivatit Seafoods Inc. in Houma, told the paper the new FDA rule is dictitorial. The FDA says the rule will stop 15 deaths a year.

"To protect everybody from everything, we'd stop driving in cars. We'd stop driving in planes," Voisin told the LA Times. "We'd stop getting out of bed."

Tax Foundation study says Lafourche property taxes among lowest in the nation

The Tax Foundation reports that Census Bureau data released Oct. 27 show that over a three-year period (2006, 2007 and 2008), homeowners in New York and New Jersey counties paid the most in property taxes, while those in Louisiana parishes paid the least.

According to the study: "The bottom 10 counties in median real estate taxes as a percentage of home value over 2006-2008 are (also all from Louisiana), from highest to lowest percentage, Livingston Parish (0.15%); Terrebonne Parish (0.14%); Avoyelles Parish (0.14%); West Baton Rouge Parish (0.14%); Assumption Parish (0.14%); St. James Parish (0.14%); Lafourche Parish (0.14%); Tangipahoa Parish (0.12%); St. John the Baptist Parish (0.11%); and St. Bernard Parish (0.11%)."

Playoffs have Thibodaux High @ St. Thomas More, Cohen @ E.D. White and Central Lafourche @ South Lafourche

You can see the Louisiana High School Athletic Association state playoffs bracket here.

Lafourche Schools to reopen on Tuesday

Lafourche Parish Schools were closed Monday, but will reopen on Tuesday.

Nicholls State will decide on Monday morning whether classes will be canceled.

Lafourche/Terrebonne in Tropical Storm Wind Watch and coastal flooding warning as Ida strengthens and moves into Gulf

Read reports from:

The National Weather Service South Louisiana report


The National Hurricane Center

The Weather Channel

Ex assistant Assumption jail warden wants Cam Morvant off his case

The Advocate reports that Michael Brown, who was fired June 30 from his job as a lieutenant with the Assumption Sheriff’s Office, is the focus of a grand jury probe into an unsupervised trip by two jail trusties who drove to Thibodaux to pick up auto parts on Oct. 2, 2008.

Lafourche District Attorney Cam Morvant is leading the probe, but Brown's attorney, Marvin Gros, filed papers to have Morvant removed from the case because Morvant was photographed with Assumption Sheriff Mike Waguespack on a fishing trip in the Gulf around Labor Day. The photo appeared in the October issue of Louisiana Sportsman magazine. Gros says because Morvant and Waguespack are "fishing buddies," Morvant should not be involved in the investigation.

Stephen F. Austin rallies in second half to beat Nicholls State

Nicholls State played turnover-free on offense, piled up 434 total yards and forced four turnovers on defense. But it was not enough. The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks came from behind for a 31-27 victory on Saturday night.

Read the details from Colonel Sports.

CBS Sports has the Associated Press story on the game, along with key stats.

The Advocate in Baton Rouge also has a game story.

Ida heading for the Gulf

Get the latest at hurricanes.gov.

Saints put their money where their mouth is

Los Angeles Times story on the Saints' $2,000 mouthpieces, claims they give the team an edge by boosting short-term power.

Jon Gruden swears by them. "If there's 2%, 5%, any percent of benefit, and it's good for your safety, who are we kidding?" Jon Gruden told the newspaper. "This is a game of inches, man."

The Saints are on Sirius Channel 121 Nov. 8

Folks in Louisiana can watch the game on Fox, but those outside the area who rely on Sirius for their weekly Saints fix can catch them on Channel 121 this week.

Thibodaux IAC turns 50

From a Letter to the Editor in The Nicholls Worth from LeRoy Fremin:

"Someone came up with the idea of forming our own club, paying dues, having softball tournaments and paying our own way. Hence, in September 1959, we gave birth to the Independent Athletic Club of Thibodaux. So, for short we became the I.A.C. of Thibodaux. We had 15 charter members and a charter of our own thanks to the help of our late assessor Ambrose Landry.

"He guided us and swore us all in as bonafide members. Our dues were $1 a month and nearly every month we met at a new place, most of the time we met in the garage of my dad, Bill Fremin.

"Our charter members and members of our softball team were as follows: Billy Fremin, David Fremin, Pat Szush, Cyrus Tardo, George Papa, Mike Papa, Maurice Badon, Eddie Duet, Larry Gros, Fred Thibodaux, Charles Berger, Donald Barbier, Jim Soignet, Tommie Daigle and of course myself, LeRoy "Chune" Fremin."

USA Today features T-Bob Hebert on eve of Alabama game

USA Today takes a look at the challenge T-Bob Hebert, son of Cut Off native Bobby Hebert, faces against Alabama's Terrence Cody.

"I told T-Bob the thing to do is to get into a chicken fight with him," Bobby Hebert told the paper. "(Scratch and claw and do anything short of putting another lineman on his shoulders.) If he's aggravated with you, then it's harder for him to make a play."