State Farm to end ties to Bayou Classic in 2013
State Farm is ending their relationship with the annual Bayou Classic Game beginning in 2013 after more than a decade as the event’s title sponsor.
Dottie Belletto, president of the New Orleans Convention Company, which manages the game between Southern and Grambling State, said Wednesday the parting is amicable.
“It’s all good. We have new partners coming to the table,” Belletto said. “It’s a positive transition. They’ve been a good partner for many years, but things change.”
Belletto said the biggest difference resulting from the ending of the partnership is that the Bayou Classic will take back control of its logo — a Southern Jaguar fighting a Grambling Tiger over a football encircled with the words: State Farm Bayou Classic.
“It really is a good thing for the Bayou Classic to take back ownership of the logo,” Belletto said.
Fans who attend the 39th annual New Orleans event during the Nov. 24 weekend won’t notice any difference, other than a Thanksgiving Day Parade that will be 30 percent larger than in the past, she said.
Fans who attend next year’s event likely won’t notice a difference either, Belletto said.
Messages left with State Farm’s Louisiana and national offices weren’t returned Wednesday afternoon.
LSU’s Ernest takes silver at World meet
BARCELONA, Spain — LSU’s Aaron Ernest captured the silver medal for the United States, tying a personal best in the 100-meter dash at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics.
Ernest tied a personal best with a time of 10. 17 seconds. Great Britain’s Adam Gemili posted a winning time of 10.05
“I feel great. Obviously, I wanted to win, and I could have put together a better race today, but I’m pleased with the outcome,” Ernest said.
Ernest will compete in the 200 and 4x100 relay in first-round action Thursday and Friday.
Manning academy starts Thursday
THIBODAUX — The Manning Passing Academy returns to Nicholls State University in Thibodaux for its seventh season beginning Thursday and running through Sunday.
Returning with the MPA will be the Iberia Bank Air-it-Out and Quarterback Challenge scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium.
The annual Air-it-Out and Quarterback Challenge session is a highlight of the Manning Passing Academy. Top quarterbacks and receivers from the college and pro ranks square off in the exhibition.
Tickets for Air-it-Out will be $8 until the day of the event, $10 at the door and are available through Nicholls’ new ticket website, nichollstickets.com.
CST to broadcast Hall ceremonies
NATCHITOCHES — Cox Sports Television, in association with Louisiana Sports Writers Association productions, will televise the 2012 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The telecast will feature highlights from the induction ceremony held last month at the Natchitoches Events Center.
Eight state sports figures were inducted, including football players Roger Carr, Warrick Dunn, Deuce McAllister and Terry Robiskie; basketball player Aaron James; football coach Pete Richardson, college baseball player Eddy Furniss and jockey Mark Guidry.
Also during the event, LSWA members Bill Bumgarner formerly of the New Orleans Times Picayune and now with Sportsnola.com, and recently retired executive sports editor of The (Baton Rouge) Advocate, Butch Muir, received the Distinguished Service Award in sports journalism. L. J. Mayeux, former national president and Chairman of the Board for Ducks Unlimited, received the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award.
Compiled from a staff report and news releases.
Sevin named UNO track and field coach
NEW ORLEANS — Ty Sevin, a coach with the United States Track and Field national team program, was selected to lead the reinstated University of New Orleans track and field program, the University announced Wednesday.
Sevin, a Cut Off native, will also take the reins of the cross country program.
Sevin has spent the past five years based at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., coaching athletes who have represented USA Track and Field in the discus, pole vault, javelin and shot put. He will accompany two of those athletes to London in early August for the Summer Olympics.
Sevin served as head coach for two years at McNeese State and as an assistant at Michigan State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.
An accomplished athlete himself, Sevin started his collegiate career at LSU, where he played on the football team from 1990-92 in addition to competing in track and field. He was a member of LSU’s national championship track team in 1990, when he was a finalist in the Southeastern Conference meet in the decathlon and javelin.
Sevin then moved to Texas A&M, where he earned All-American status in 1993-94 while claiming a Southwest Conference championship in the javelin in 1994. He was also a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier.