Air Miles: LSU football coach Les Miles flew between Omaha, Neb., and Baton Rouge for Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s College World Series games between the Tigers and the Texas Longhorns. Private dollars were used to pay for Miles to travel between the two cities, says LSU Athletics spokesman Michael Bonnette. LSU men’s basketball coach Trent Johnson also attended Tuesday’s game. Bonnette says LSU is pleased that Miles and Johnson attended the CWS. “It generates positive national publicity for LSU when coaches are shown on televised games supporting other teams at championship events,” Bonnette says. ESPN cameras frequently showed Miles during the games Tuesday and Wednesday, and he even gave an interview from the stands.
Just moving down I-10? LSU’s Marcus Thornton is one of several players the New Orleans Hornets are considering choosing in tonight’s NBA Draft, the Times-Picayune reports. The Hornets are picking 21st in the draft and are looking for a power forward, point guard or combo guard. Other players the Hornets are interested in include Tyler Hansbrough and Wayne Ellington, both from North Carolina and Virginia Commonwealth point guard Eric Maynor. Sports Illustrated’s most recent mock draft has the Hornets taking DeJuan Blair, a power forward from Pittsburgh. The magazine also says the team may trade the pick as part of a payroll cutting move.
On the shelf: Tim Molton, an LSU wide receiver who was poised to be a key member of the Tigers offense, hurt his knee and could miss much of the upcoming season, reports ESPN.com. Molton, a redshirt freshman, sustained the injury during an off-season workout. His injury will force the Tigers to rely more on the highly touted Rueben Randle and could mean Russell Shepard may be used as a receiver. Read the ESPN story here.
Football is just around the corner: Offensive tackle Ciron Black and linebacker Jacob Cutrera are the two Tigers who will represent LSU at SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala., next month. Black, Cutrera and Miles are set to meet with reporters July 24, the final day of the three-day event.
