MARCH MADNESS MEANS BIG BUCKS FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES!

Tuesday, March 26^th,2024

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

MARCH MADNESS MEANS BIG BUCKS FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES!

 

Are you all fired up and into March madness? It’s my favorite sports time of year. Now I understand you may disagree, but I’ll take the college basketball tournament over any other sporting event, even the Super Bowl. The college basketball playoffs run through the month of March culminating in the championship game on April 8th in Glendale, Arizona.    There are 67 total games in t

he tournament, and I’ll be watching a good number of them.

 

No, I don’t follow college basketball as a diehard fan from a neutral point of view. The all-time winningest basketball coach, who won two national championships was a guy named Dean Smith. who coached the North Carolina Tar Heels. Would you believe that the first guy Coach Smith ever offered a scholarship to was me? That’s right! I did not amount to that much of a college player, but I did have the irrefutable honor of being Coach Smith’s first recruit.

 

Now I realize that college basketball plays second fiddle to football here in Louisiana and throughout the entire south. But basketball has made giant leaps in popularity and in basketball competitiveness in recent years. LSU’s legendary coach Dale Brown brought basketball into the mainstream here in the Bayou state, where he won numerous Southeast Conference championships, and took the Fighten’ Tigers to the final four on two different occasions.

 

LSU did not make the tournament during the past two years under new coach Matt McMahon. They had unceremoniously fired their previous coach, Will Wade, who presently is one of the hottest college coaches in America. Wade was dismissed by LSU under questionable circumstances many believe. I’m one of them. Wade was caught on tape saying that he had made a “strong ass offer” to a recruit, but still was turned down. The NCAA, the governing body, for college basketball, assumed it was a financial payoff.  So just what does a “strong ass offer” mean?

 

When I was recruited to come to North Carolina, I was offered a scholarship referred to as a full ride. It included my college tuition, along with room and board at the college dormitory.  But I asked for more.  Instead of living in the dormitory, I wanted a monthly check to cover an off-campus apartment as well as meal money. I also asked for a laundry allowance as well as unlimited purchases at the campus bookstore.  I suppose I was asking for a “strong ass offer,” and I got it. And this is legal under the rules both then are now. So what Coach Wade said about “a strong ass offer” is open to interpretation.

 

Even if there were charges of unscrupulous, recruiting by Wade, everything the NCAA and other investigators alleged is perfectly legal today. College athletes are pulling in big bucks, with a number of players pulling in over a million dollars a season. There’s no loyalty to a recruit’s alma mater. It’s all about pulling down the big bucks. 

 

After being the ceremoniously, fired by LSU, without a hearing of the full story, Wade took a job at McNeese University in Lake Charles. The year before he was hired, McNeese had lost 23 games. In his introductory press conference, he said he would reverse this number, and win 23 games in his current year. He did not win 23 games. He won 30.

 

Wade has become a real sports hero in Lake Charles. People high-five him wherever he goes. When he comes on the basketball court before a home game, the loudspeakers blare Johnny Cash’s song “God’s Gonna Cut You Down. LSU did not make the NCAA tournament this year. Will Wade’s team did, making it the first time since 2002.

 

There are lots of stories like this from colleges playing in this NCAA tournament. It’s one of the reasons why post season basketball has become the leading cash cow for the NCAA, earning over one billion dollars a year.

 

Major college sports have become farm teams for the pros.  Number of players end up as many as three different colleges in their athletic careers. I don’t like it, and I yearn for the good old days. But that’s life in the new college sports world we are living in today.

 

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. You can also listen to his weekly podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.

 

GOOD AND BAD NEWS FOR LOUISIANA INSURANCE!

Monday, March 19th, 2024
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

GOOD AND BAD NEWS FOR LOUISIANA INSURANCE!

Throughout Louisiana, it’s common knowledge that the Bayou State has the highest insurance rates in the country when it comes to ensuring both homes and automobiles. This is not new news. This current unworkable insurance market has been the same old, same old for a number of years. So can anything be done to curtail the outrageous amount of money that the average insurance policyholder pays? Or will these folks just be stuck in a deepening pothole of unaffordability?

Since I served as the state’s insurance commissioner for 12 years when insurance rates were on average the same as the rest of the south, I know a little bit about what works and what doesn’t. So lend me your ears, dear reader, as I bring you, good news and bad news.

First the good news. Louisiana has an elected insurance commissioner, but his policies need the support of the governor. Fortunately for incumbent insurance commissioner Tim Temple, he looks to have the active support of newly elected governor Jeff Landry. In years past, recent governors punted on any insurance involvement. They just referred any insurance questions to the insurance commissioner. The governor can make a big difference if he has the desire.

I was fortunate when I served in office to have the full support of Governors Edwards, Foster and Roemer. Each of these chief executives supported and signed off on my program whenever I brought specifics to them. The proof was in the pudding, as rates stayed in the middle of the pack of states all over the nation.

Here is the bad news for Louisiana policyholders. The cost of insurance will undoubtedly go up, not just in Louisiana, but for policyholders in states all over the nation. There are three main reasons. First of all, the inflationary spiral has affected products across the spectrum. It just costs more to buy a car today. Salaries and materials have taken a leap just like they have for the cost of food at the supermarket and many other retail products.
Secondly, car repairs cost a lot more after an accident. Twenty per cent more from just a few years back according to a number of analysts. So, as these repair costs go up, insurance companies pass along such increases to policyholders.

Third, drivers are opting to spend more on the cars they buy. Many drivers today want a more expensive car with more electronics, plusher interiors, and more bells and whistles. Bigger SUVs are all the rage, and these larger vehicles just cost a lot more. And bigger more expensive automobiles cost more to insure.

Another factor concerning cars across the country involve how newer automobile models keep track on your driving. These recent cars are called “smart phones with wheels,” as they tell your insurance company when you drive, how far you drive, how fast you drive, and any violations you may have. All this information goes in a “LexisNexis report” that can be obtained by your insurance company. So whether you like it or not, your newer vehicle passes on all your driving habits. And insurance companies use all this information to determine what rate they charge you.

So yes, the governor, the insurance commissioner and the legislature have put finding ways to reduce the cost of insurance on the front burner of issues they are considering. But they are stuck with what’s happening not just in Louisiana, but in other states all across the country.

It’s unfortunate, no it’s a shame, that’s the legislature did not take much more aggressive action in recent years. There are a number of solutions I have outlined in past columns that could have brought about reductions for policyholders. There are new laws needed and changes in policy that I will outline the future columns. But we have to be realistic. What happens across the nation has a direct impact on the cost of insurance right here in Louisiana.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. You can also listen to his weekly podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.

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HOW OLD IS TOO OLD TO BE IN PUBLIC OFFICE!

Monday, February 26th, 2024

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

HOW OLD IS TOO OLD TO BE IN PUBLIC OFFICE!

 Age has never seemed to be such a big issue in American politics. Do we let our elected officials stay in office way too long? Should there be restrictions as to when older politicians must step down?  Or should we just let the voters decide as to when someone is too old to serve?

This issue is front and center because of the coming presidential election. It’s obvious now that there will be a Biden – Trump rerun for the presidency, and whoever wins will go out of office as the oldest president to ever serve.  President Biden took a major hit recently when a special counsel report described him as a “well – meaning, elderly man, with a poor memory, who has diminishing faculties in advancing age.”  Wow! I would consider that a pretty big hit.

Former President Trump is slightly younger by four years, but he too has suffered his own bouts of aging lately. He often is confused, saying we are on the verge of World War II, and that he defeated Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton.  He referred to his Republican primary challenger, Nickie Haley, as Nancy Pelosi, the former house Democratic speaker.

So it’s apparent that the current president and former president both have memory problems. Biden seems to mumble when he speaks, and Trump speaks in circles, constantly repeating himself. But that’s how they’ve always been. Voters were aware of this when they elected both of these politicos, so they knew what they were getting.  And yes, they both are much older than former presidents, but people just live longer today.

You think these two politicians are old? Their pikers compared to a Louisiana guy, Red Sims from up in the Monroe area. He was 96 years old and had served on the Ouachita Parish school board for 31 years.  Red was sharp as a tack right up until he died according to those who knew and worked with him. Yes, he was elderly, but he was the voters’ choice.

I was an elected official in Louisiana for 28 years and held four different offices. Today, I’m approaching 84 years, and feel like could perform any statewide office in Louisiana as well as I did some years back. Yes, there is a wear and tear factor on being an older elected official.  So how do you deal these pressures?

Any major elected official on either the state or national level generally has two responsibilities in holding office.  The first and most important is to administer their office and set public policy.  Perform the duties they were elected to carry out. Deal with the day in, day out problems that spring up. For presidents, there are always international conflicts. For governors, there is public policy involving crime, the environment, and putting people to work.

But there is a second responsibility, and that’s getting out and communicating with the public. Presidents travel the world to meet with foreign leaders. Governors crisscross their own states to stay in touch with voters. And this is where the wear and tear factor sets in. It’s one thing to sit in meetings on and off throughout the day. It’s another to travel by car or plane, meet and greet constituents and other elected officials, then get back home late at night. It’s tiring for any elected official to keep a schedule of traveling a good bit. It’s exhaustive for a president.

In England, the Prime Minister deals with the internal affairs of the country, and all the ceremony, the pomp and circumstance, is undertaken by the king or queen. How about that idea? Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees was the king of the Washington Mardi Gras Ball this year, so he’s already tuned up for such a job. And of course, the queen would be an easy pic. Doesn’t Taylor Swift get involved in just about everything?

Of course, such an idea is a pipe dream. We are stuck with the system where our presidents have to perform a wide variety of duties including ceremonial events and much travel. Maybe Biden and Trump are both passed their prime. So for good or bad, the voters have to make the choice. That’s how our system of democracy was drafted. And that’s probably how it should be.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. You can also listen to his weekly podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.

 

LOUISIANA LEGISATURE PUNTS ON CRIME SOLUTIONS!

Monday, March 11^th, 2024

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

LOUISIANA LEGISATURE PUNTS ON CRIME SOLUTIONS!

 

     The Louisiana legislature just finished the special session on crime spending several million dollars to come up with more ways to reduce the violence that continues to plague the Bayou state. Their solution seem to be to stick it to the convicts currently serving time, but ignoring the growing wave of juvenile crime that continues to spread throughout both big cities and rural areas alike. 

 

      Since Louisiana has the distinction of having the nation’s highest incarceration rate, the legislature’s new laws send a message that any chance of parole is all but abolished, and having long sentences generally will mean the prisoners will serve out their life in the prison geriatric ward. These older convicts, who hope to spend their final years being looked after by family members, are often filled with prostate problems, dementia, and other diseases that barely let them get along day in and day out. Nonviolent convicts should have the chance with good behavior to one day be paroled.

 

     Lengthening prison sentences and doing away with options for parole often do little to protect the public. It’s the young thugs that seem to be doing all the carjacking, committing armed robberies, and even murder; all while they’re in their teens. Older prisoners in their 70s or 80s are like old over the hill athletes. They are generally worn out and just don’t have the ability to perform or be dangerous anymore.  

 

     Here are just a few of the suggestions that should have been Implemented into law. First of all, implement a statewide curfew. Why on earth would anyone be supportive of a 13 or 14-year-old being on the streets at 4 o’clock in the morning. Unless the young person is traveling for a job, get them off the streets by midnight, particularly during the week.

 

     Instead of sending Louisiana National Guard members to the Texas border, use them to back up law-enforcement here at home. Particularly in the New Orleans French Quarter, or at any special large events that take place throughout the state. I was working in New Orleans doing a syndicated radio program following Hurricane Katrina. I was often in the French quarter at night, and there were National guardsmen patrolling the area. I never felt more safe, and would often high five the soldiers, and buy their meal if they were in the same restaurant as me. New York has just placed national guardsmen in subways. So why can’t guardsmen be used to stop some of the rampant crime in Louisiana?

 

     The legislature should have provided funds to allow municipalities to ask for grants in their fight against crime. A number of cities across the country are allowing police departments to tap in to cameras mounted outside homes in high crime neighborhoods. A police department can monitor suspicious activity by using private cameras.  The state is spending millions of dollars to re-roof private residences. Why not spend a couple of hundred dollars per home in high crime areas so that a camera system can observe neighborhoods in towns and cities across the state.

 

     Let me say this. I’m a big “keep the government from snooping in my business” guy. But cameras are on public utility poles and private businesses all over the state. If you are going to have them, put them to use in profiling these younger criminals and teenage thugs. If real estate agents can use drones to take pictures of my house and Amazon can snap pictures and deliver by drone, put drones to use in heavy crime areas after dark.

 

     Numerous studies have shown that if you light up neighborhoods where there is a concentration of crimes, break-ins and carjackings in those areas take a drop. The legislature could offer grants to municipalities to put stronger lighting systems in such locations. 

And I haven’t even begun to list programs like midnight, basketball, and other weekend activities to keep these kids off the street. There is a whole host of ideas being put in place for crime prevention across the country. Where are the fresh ideas been put forth by our legislature instead of just rehashing older programs? Thirteen and fourteen-year-old kids are carjacking, committing armed robberies and even murder. It’s time we crack down on these young offenders.

     

     The message is simple to our legislators. Time to get creative about finding solutions to the outrageous rate of crime here in Louisiana.

 

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. You can also listen to his weekly podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOUISIANA SHOULD HAVE HAD THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY!

Tuesday, March 5^th, 2024

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

LOUISIANA SHOULD HAVE HAD THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY!

     This is a big election week all over America.  Super Tuesday is the name given to the holding of presidential primaries and caucuses  in 15 states and one U.S. territory, all who will hold elections on March 5, 2024.

     Donald Trump is the front-runner in the Republican race, polling in double-digits over his rival former South Carolina Gov. Niki Haley, according to multiple polls.  President Joe Biden is a cinch to win every state on the ballot with big margins. So where is Louisiana and all this mix?

     The Bayou State is scheduled to have its presidential primary on March 23rd.  With so many other states already having their election, Louisiana is irrelevant to the entire process.

     Actually, there is no national requirement that a state has to hold a presidential primary. A few states, including Colorado, Iowa and Nevada hold caucuses where each party conducts regional meetings to discuss and vote on delegates who are pledged to a specific candidate. A similar system was in place in Louisiana for a number of years.

     So how can Louisiana still have a presidential primary without spending any money? Just look at the election cycles. The first selection presidential delegates is set for January 15th with the holding of the Iowa caucuses. In fact, the national election season kicks off even earlier on August 23ed of last year when Iowa held a non-binding straw poll. So why should Louisiana wait until March 5th of this year?

     Louisiana is the only state in the nation to have a statewide election close to the presidential primary elections. The gubernatorial runoff date in Louisiana was held on  November 18^th of last year. Why not kick off the presidential election campaign right here in the Bayou State on this election date? Along with the various state and local races, Louisiana should consider including on the ballot the nation’s first presidential primary.

     Since the state is holding its regular election anyway, there will be no additional cost involved to the taxpayers. In fact, there would be the savings of some five million dollars.  Pretty good chump change for a state that is facing major financial challenges. All candidates for president would certainly be expected to flock to Louisiana, spending a good deal of money trying to garner national attention at the state’s first presidential primary. And Louisiana voters would have a chance to highlight Louisiana issues. It would seem to be a win, win for the State.

     Can you imagine the massive sum of money that would be spent in Louisiana, as candidates run major media campaigns with the hopes of building momentum for the early spring round of elections? It would be the nation’s first indication of what voters were thinking, what issues were important, and what candidates were emerging as favorites. Finish sixth in Louisiana, and it undercuts any candidate’s effectiveness in raising campaign dollars and building major support as the next election primaries approach.

     To prevent legal challenges by both national parties, the election would have to be non—binding. Party caucuses could take place later in the spring, at no cost to the state, to select delegates who will attend the national convention this summer. And even though the results would be non—binding, Louisiana would jump from the irrelevancy it is now, to the leader of the pack in selecting the next president.

     The legislature could alleviate the cost of the required primary and put Louisiana front and center of the national presidential campaign by merely allow candidates for president to appear on this coming November’s election ballot. That’s all it would take.

     There is a better way for the Louisiana to get the nation’s attention then just having the highest crime rates and the highest cost of insurance in the country. If the legislature wants to save money and get back in the mix of being relevant on a national political level, a presidential primary at the same time as our gubernatorial elections makes good sense.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. You can also listen to his weekly podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.