Dattitude with Jim Derry

It has come down to this for the LSU baseball Tigers. Defeat North Carolina for the second straight day and return home to The Box for a Super Regionals matchup against West Virginia. Lose, and it’s the end of the line for this special team and for many of its stars. Who will pitch? Who will be the star? Will it be one of the usuals like Tommy ‘Tanks’ White or Steven ‘Monster’ Milam, or will it be...

With less than 2 months until the start of training camp for the Saints, we have had plenty of local opinions on what might happen in the 2024 season. Now, it’s time to get a neutral expert from outside of the New Orleans area. How will Klint Kubiak’s offense be different from Pete Carmichael? Will Derek Carr thrive, and will Taysom Hill play a larger role? Jim Derry has plenty of questions for on...

The New Orleans Saints have another major injury on their defensive line, as it was learned Tanoh Kpassagnon will almost surely miss the start of the regular season and beyond with a torn Achilles tendon. That pairs up with Chase Young’s neck injury that could have him sidelined into Opening Day. What does this mean – especially with the tough schedule early in the season? That’s a major topic of...

The first week of voluntary practices for the New Orleans Saints is in the books, and there were several notable no-shows. Among them were two of three running backs – Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams. Is there significance to this, and how key is it for them to get there to learn Klint Kubiak’s offense and to gain some cohesiveness? Does it matter if they don’t get the offensive line problems sol...

On Tuesday, New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen said All-Pro cornerback Marshon Lattimore will be back in 2024. Not saying we’re not sure, but is it a big deal we have heard nothing from Lattimore’s camp? What about how the team is lining up on the offensive line in OTAs, and what should we expect from Alvin Kamara, who also is a no show this week. Host Jim Derry will ask WWL-TV sports director...

The LSU baseball Tigers took care of business this past weekend with a sweep of rival-Ole Miss at Alex Box Stadium, but is it enough for the defending NCAA champions to earn a berth into the Regionals? That is Question No. 1 on Monday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 241) presented by Evangeline Securities, as host Jim Derry asks The Advocate LSU baseball beat writer Koki Riley, before he heads to Hoover,...

Dak Prescott. Jalen Hurts. Kirk Cousins. Patrick Mahomes. These are the quarterbacks the New Orleans Saints will have to face in succession over a four-game stretch early in the season. Can they navigate through that and find a way to a successful start? This is the No. 1 question posed by host Jim Derry to Times-Picayune and The Advocate sports columnist Rod Walker on a special, schedule-release...

The NFL schedule isn’t officially announced until Wednesday night, but we have the inside scoop on who, when and where the Saints will lineup throughout the 2024 season. (And it ain’t pretty.) That’s the main focus for Jim Derry, as he welcomes in ‘Inside New Orleans’ show host Eric Asher on Wednesday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 239) presented by Evangeline Securities. They will go through and talk a...

The first NFL practices are done for the newest members of the New Orleans Saints, but how significant were they? Do we like what we hear from quarterback Spencer Rattler and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry? Do we make anything of Taliese Fuaga practicing at left tackle? We hear from Rattler, McKinstry and new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak on Monday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 238) brought to you...

Much like last year – but maybe worse now – the New Orleans Saints have a quandary along their offensive line. Assuming right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is a no-go for at least the beginning of the 2024 season, first-round pick Taliese Fuaga likely will start there. So what does that mean for the rest of the offensive line? Will Trevor Penning have a rebirth of sorts and be able to go at left tackle? Wha...

It has been a week many people in Pearl River won't soon forget. Hours before seniors from the school were graduating and the baseball team was pulling off an improbable comeback to advance to the semifinals, a senior classmate was killed in a car accident. How has the team dealt with the tragedy, and can this group of young men continue to uplift a community in their first trip to Sulphur for the...

With less than 4 months remaining until the LSU football Tigers take the field in Las Vegas to play USC in the Trojans’ first game in the post-Caleb Williams era, where does this team stand? How does Brian Kelly’s offense look with Garrett Nussmeier set to take over behind center and one of the most experienced O-lines in college football? Can the defense be better (It has to be!) Host Jim Derry b...

It's nearly a week since the Atlanta Falcons drafted Michael Penix with their first-round selection and the eighth overall. That doesn’t make them better now, but the Las Vegas oddsmakers have not budged the odds in the NFC South and still have them as big favorites over the New Orleans Saints, the defending champs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers. Why? Does the draft mean nothing?...

The 2024 NFL Draft is in the books, and what grade to we give the New Orleans Saints? If one were to judge by the first two picks alone – Taliese Fuaga and Kool-Aid McKinstry, it might be as high as an A+. However, some of us think that “wasting” a fifth-round pick on quarterback Spencer Rattler drops it a bit. Is it a wasted pick, and does Kool-Aid for sure signal the end of Marshon Lattimore’s t...

Taliese Fuaga is the newest member of the New Orleans Saints after the team picked him with the first round of Thursday’s NFL Draft. Was this the right choice, and where does he slot in as a starter? What were his thoughts after being picked, and what did Coach Dennis Allen have to say? It’s a post-first-day Friday edition of the Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 232) presented by Evangeline Securities, as w...

We’re just hours away from the start of the 2024 NFL Draft, and there has been some movement both in mock drafts and in odds on where offensive tackles might go Thursday night. Will Olu Fashanu, JC Latham or other targets still be there when the Black and Gold draft at No. 14? Will the team think they are forced to make a move up? Would they consider a guy like tight end Brock Bowers of Georgia if...

It's the eve of the NFL Draft for the New Orleans Saints (and the other 31 teams in the NFL), but the biggest question is: How can this team check all the 'needs' buttons with so few early picks? Have no fear, NOLA.com Sports Columist Jeff Duncan is here with Jim Derry to answer that question. Of course, we have many other inquiries for Dunc, as well, and he shared his thoughts on Wednesday's Datt...

It seemed like it was all there for the New Orleans Pelicans to steal Game 1 on the road at Oklahoma City on Sunday night, but scoring just two points in the final 3½ minutes and hitting the free-throw line just nine times all night spelled a heartbreaking 94-92 loss. Can they rebound in Game 2? Will Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and others step up? The good news is it’s NFL Draft week, and Jim Derr...

Jayden Daniels continues to follow the lead of Joe Burrow, and although he won’t be picked No. 1 in Thursday’s opening of the 2024 NFL Draft, he almost certainly will be taken at No. 2 by Washington Commanders or at 3 by the New England Patriots. What kind of pro will the Heisman Trophy-winner be? That’s a lead topic for host Jim Derry, who brings on his old pal Larry Holder of The Athletic to tal...

There’s no question the Atlanta Falcons have a major upgrade at quarterback with the addition in free agency of Kirk Cousins. And with Bijan Robinson’s rookie season in his rearview mirror, does that make this team the favorite over the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South with new coach Raheem Morris? Jim Derry gets into that on Wednesday's Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 227) brou...

After one of the most impressive road trips in recent New Orleans Pelicans history, they came home and once again laid an egg against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Can they turn things around in the Play-In Game on Tuesday? What’s wrong with this team? What’s so different about playing at the Smoothie King Center? What was up with Zion Williamson on Sunday? Host Jim Derry talk...

The New Orleans Saints will go into the 2024 season in a strange position: not favored in the NFC South. Instead, it most likely will be the Atlanta Falcons? Who should it be, and why not the defending-champ Tampa Bay Bucs? Jim Derry brings on Doug Mouton to talk about it on Friday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 225) presented by Evangeline Securities, as they also talk about the Pelicans, who do the jo...

Doesn't this NFL Draft seem foolproof for the New Orleans Saints? Whether they remain at No. 14 in the first round or trade down a few spots, there are plenty of offensive tackles to target who would fit in and immediately be ready to play. Who are those tackles? Jim Derry takes a look and shares his thoughts on Wednesday's Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 224), and he also gives a positive update on the Pe...

The New Orleans Pelicans have picked the worst time of year to settle into a slump. They finish off a horrendous homestand Friday night against the lowly San Antonio Spurs, but they may have to do it without Zion Williamson, who is day to day after injuring his finger Wednesday night. With just six games left – four of which are on the road – can they get it together and finish in sixth or higher?...

For Angel Reese, Kim Mulkey and the LSU women’s basketball team, Monday night did not go down as they had planned in a loss to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. And now with Reese announcing she is leaving LSU for the WNBA, we ask The Advocate’s Scott Rabalais about the future of the program and if the team could have done anything different. Also, Scott talks a little about LSU baseball and th...