Show your love: Baton Rouge has been named as a finalist for the title of the top tennis town in America, putting the city up for a $100,000 award. The U.S. Tennis Association named Baton Rouge as one of the top 10 tennis towns out of 56 nominees, based on the widespread popularity of the sport around the city. Other finalists include Las Vegas, Hickory, N.C., and Independence, Kan. An online poll is running through July 26; to vote for Baton Rouge, click here. The winning city will be announced during the U.S. Open tennis tournament and will receive $100,000 for community-wide tennis events or facility improvements. The second place city will receive $50,000, the third place winner gets $25,000 and the other finalist cities will get $2,000 in tennis equipment.
Black, Dickson, Scott make first team: Ten LSU players have been named to the preseason All-SEC football team, the second-largest contingency from any university. Only Florida, the defending national champions, had more players on the coaches’ team, with 16 representatives. Seniors Ciron Black, Richard Dickson and Charles Scott made the first-team offense. Black, an offensive lineman, was a unanimous selection, while this was the second year in a row Scott made the first team at running back. Wide receiver Brandon LaFell was a second-team pick, while Terrance Tolliver was a third-team selection at wide receiver. Charles Alexander made the second-team defense as a defensive lineman and Chad Jones was selected for the same squad at defensive back. The third-team defense included lineman Rahim Alem and linebacker Perry Riley. Trindon Holliday was selected as a third-team return specialist.
Prizes include cash, VIP access: The New Orleans Saints are the latest NFL club to enter a joint marketing effort with a state lottery. The Louisiana Lottery will offer a $5 Saints-branded scratch-off game beginning in early September. The top cash prize will be $100,000, and lottery players also will be eligible for second-chance prizes that include tours of the NFL club’s suburban New Orleans training center or special access for Saints home games in the Louisiana Superdome. “Imagine touring the Saints practice facility, having lunch with the Saints’ head coach, enjoying the season in plaza sideline seats or getting VIP access to pregame field activities or a clubroom in the Superdome,” says Lottery President Rose Hudson. Earlier this year, the New England Patriots, Washington Redskins and Houston Texans were among teams announcing similar partnerships with lotteries in their areas.
