You can request “Lovesick Teenager”, “Wholehearted Mess“, and “You Do You” by calling KLSU’s request line at 578-5578.

KLSU will be screening the anxiously awaited White Stripes Documentary “Under Great White Northern Lights” on St. Patrick’s Day, Wednesday March 17th from 7-10pm!

Come watch it with us in the Holliday Forum in the LSU Journalism Building and you could win White Stripes or KLSU prizes!

It’s free and open to the public!

Standout tracks include the single, “Oh! Centra”, which boasts chipmunk vocals rapping about coming of age, kangaroos, and dance moves over blooping 8-bit synths. “Intervales Theme” is a breezy anthem for a gorgeous day, and “Off My Mind” is a trip-hop rooted waltz peppered with glockenspiels and keyboards.

If there’s any album to welcome the arrival of springtime, this is it. No Más hits store shelves April 20th, but all mentioned songs can be requested on KLSU by calling the request line at 225.578.5578.

All KLSU T shirts are $20!

Bumper Stickers are $2! If you’d like to order one, contact promotions@klsuradio.fm and let us know what size and style. (Sunglasses Tee or Funky Tee) We accept check and credit card purchases. Make the check out to “LSU Student Media” and be sure to put “KLSU” in the memo line.

Prices for Merch:

T-shirts- $20 plus 4.80 for tax and shipping
Bumper stickers- $2 plus $1.68 for tax and shipping
T-shirt and Bumper sticker together- $22 plus $4.98 for tax and shipping

All checks should be mailed to:

KLSU

B39 Hodges Hall
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
70803

Now get out there and rep KLSU hard!

An old Box fan favorite made it’s way a little further down Nicholson Drive for the 2010 season. The Intimidator, a billboard showcasing LSU’s national championship prowess in right field, is the most recognizable addition to Alex Box.

The Intimidator is also accompanied by a new set of right field bleachers, which brings the total seating capacity of the stadium to 10,150.

Construction is underway on a new Championship Plaza outside the venue.  The plaza is a commemoration to LSU’s six baseball national championship titles.  Right now, flags to celebrate each of the championships are flying on the future plaza location.

On field additions were also made this season.  Purple and gold crests of LSU’s 2009 Championship are painted on the grass in front of both home and away team dugouts.

You can listen to Out of Bounds on Sundays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. only on KLSU.

(Editor’s note: This is Part III of Carter “The Power” Bryant’s Major Super Bowl Preview. Part I & II can be read on www.klsu.fm.)

The term “Team of Destiny” is being used abundantly to describe the 2009-10 New Orleans Saints.

But it’s for good reason, because the Saints really are a “Team of Destiny.” And I ‘m not talking about the “underdog”, “four years after Hurricane Katrina” and “never been to a Super Bowl” voodoo magic everyone already knows about.

There have actually been two happenings since the NFL Championship weekend that signifies the Saints winning Super Bowl XLIV.

The first involves uniform color.

For the past five years, the team wearing white as won the Super Bowl.

It may not seem important, but the Indianapolis Colts chose which jerseys the teams will wear Sunday because they had a better regular season record than the Saints.

The Colts selected to wear their home uniforms, which are their blue jerseys.

The Colts were in the Saints position in Super Bowl XLI when the Chicago Bears elected to wear their navy uniforms. The result was Colts quarterback Peyton Manning getting the “monkey of his back” with a 29-17 victory.

The Saints have also won all of their games this season when they wore white jerseys except in the Week 17 loss versus the Panthers. But starting quarterback Drew Brees and many other Saints starters rested the game to get healthy for the playoffs.

This isn’t good for a Colts team that is playing a “Team of Destiny.”

The second happening involves virtual reality.

Video game phenomenon “Madden NFL” has correctly picked five of the last six Super Bowl winners in their yearly game simulation.

The game it missed was the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots two years ago in one of the most significant upsets in Super Bowl history.

In this year’s animated battle, the game ended with the Saints defeating the Colts 35-31 with Drew Brees taking home the MVP honors.

This isn’t good for a Colts team that is playing a “Team of Destiny.”

The only piece of magic I found in the Colts favor involves the city of New Orleans. This is because it involves NOLA native Peyton Manning.

Before this season began, Manning was notorious for being a superb regular season quarterback but mediocre playoff performer. Like I mentioned in Part II, Manning’s Super Bowl run wasn’t too spectacular.

But players as good as Manning eventually figure things out because of repetition. And I knew before this season began he would eventually put up massive playoff statistics because his playoff career is similar to two-time Super Bowl champion John Elway.

Manning coming into this postseason was a career 7-8 in the playoffs. Elway was a career 7-8 before his Super Bowl runs.

I know those records just happen to be the same, but in actuality they were both at the same points their careers. Look at their statistics at this point in time. (Remember, the Denver Broncos ran the football more than the Colts.)

J. Elway - 3547 Yds, 21 TD’s and 18 Int’s

P. Manning - 4208 Yds, 22 TD’s and 17 Int’s

Also, both players had one shining moment in playoffs after their first 15 playoff games. Peyton’s was his first championship and Elway’s was this.

But still, it’s not really close in a destiny contest. The Saints have everything falling in their favor. Just look at hobbled Colts stars Reggie Wayne and Dwight Freeney.

And to add fuel to the fire for the Colts, I am predicting Manning to win his second Super Bowl title in a 24-20 slugfest. I am 4-6 picking playoff games this season.

This isn’t good for a Colts team that is playing a “Team of Destiny.”

(Editor’s Note: This is Part II of Carter “The Power” Bryant’s Major Super Bowl Preview. Check back tomorrow for Part III as he tries to figure out who will hoist the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 7. To read Part I, click here.)

In Part I of this Super Bowl breakdown, I gave the first of three keys to winning this year’s Super Bowl for both the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. I explained how important distributing the offensive wealth will be on Sunday as teams try to dissect out the opposing team’s defense.

In Part II, I will show that if either team succeeds at point #2, success at distributing the football will be extremely difficult.

2. Disruption

Who can get to the quarterback?

Well, because of the way the Saints have played defense, the better question would be:

WHO CAN HIT THE OTHER TEAM’S QUARTERBACK HARD BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE?

The Saints and Colts will need to make the opposing quarterback uncomfortable in next week’s game to have success. That starts with disrupting plays early by getting behind the line of scrimmage on defense to make plays.

Colts

(Insert your name here) might be tired of hearing this, but the Dwight Freeney ankle injury is massive blow for the Colts.

First off, Freeney has been the face of the front seven of the Colts for many years. And remember, Colts safety Bob Sanders, the leader of the defense, was done for the season in Week 8 because of torn biceps. It would be amazing if the Colts win this Super Bowl without both of those two guys at 100 percent.

(Side Note: This might sound strange to many people reading this note, but all-everything quarterback Peyton Manning WAS NOT the main reason why the Colts won Super Bowl XLI. It was the emergence of the Colts defense due to the late season return of Sanders. In fact, Manning threw three touchdowns, seven interceptions and had only one QB rating over 80 in the four playoff games.)

The impact on Freeney’s injury also allows the offensive blocking scheme to shift. Saints tackle Jermon Bushrod struggles against elite pass rushers, but he can now breathe easier knowing Freeney won’t be playing or playing at less than full speed. Payton can now trust Bushrod in one-on-one situations more, which will allow Saints running backs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas to receive more instead of staying to block.

But Colts edge rusher Robert Mathis might have something to say come Super Bowl Sunday about the Saints new blocking scheme. Since 2004, Mathis has averaged just under 10 sacks a season as Freeney’s partner in quarterback crime. Mathis can silence “he only gets sacked because Freeney gets so many double teams” critics if he can get Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

But because Mathis will not be used to being the defensive end that is constantly getting chipped by running backs, there is a good chance he might not make too much happen on the other side of the ball.

But what helps the “League’s Most Underrated Unit” is their overall speed.

The Colts didn’t really blitz too much during the season because of their ability to get to the passer with only four rushers and their athletic linebackers abilities to make plays in coverage.

But if the pass rush is null, don’t be surprised if head coach Jim Caldwell and defensive coordinators Larry Coyer designs more blitzes to get to Brees. Remember, the Colts have not faced a team this season that has the speed at the skilled positions like the Saints do. No back-7 in the league can match up unless pressure is being applied.

Colts defensive tackles Raheem Brock and Eric Foster will also need to do a better job of collapsing the pocket. They also will need to monitor the Saints top-10 rushing attack, which can be deadly with Thomas, Bell and Bush. It won’t be an easy task as Saints guards Jahri Evans and Carl Hicks are both playing at an extremely high level.

Saints

In a traditional sense, the Saints defense is not a playoff built defense.

Teams can run the football against New Orleans for huge chunks of yardage at a time. The Saints also allow passes underneath to pick them apart for long drives, allowing the opponent to rack up huge numbers in time of possession.

But the old rules are out as far has successful defenses are concerned. In the modern NFL, the Saints defense does exactly what is needed to win football games:

1. Don’t Allow Big Plays

2.      Force turnovers

The Saints, despite giving up 475 yards of total offense and 31 first downs to the Minnesota Vikings, did just that in the NFC Championship Game, forcing the purple and gold to turn the football over five times.

The Vikings this year didn’t turn the football over more than twice in a game this year.

But this goes back to the offseason, where KLSU Sports Director Jason Templet attended Saints training camp with yours truly. We both witnessed at the end of every inter-squad scrimmage or drill that the Saints defenders would frantically try to punch the football out of the offensive player’s hands at the end of each play.

Saints running back Reggie Bush even told the media how intense those practices were. He, along with Bell and Thomas, would look like they were receiving constant Manny Pacquiao jabs to the stomach during practice when teammates would try to punch the football loose.

But the message Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams got across to his unit in the offseason was simple. Williams preached to his players to try and get the football at every possible moment.

Williams also sent Manning a very simple message last week.

In the playoffs so far, Williams’ defense has beaten down on two former MVP’s. And I mean it was brutal. The constant shots provided by Darren Sharper and co. ended Kurt Warner’s career on a low note. And after the way Brett Favre looked in the postgame press conference, I wouldn’t be surprised if he never speaks about playing football again. (Yeah I know, last sentence was a hyperbole.)

But nobody gets rid of the football quicker than Peyton Manning. He doesn’t allow pressure to get to him. And I’m pretty sure if there is an interception, head coach Jim Caldwell will tell Manning just to run as far away from the ball as possible.

Unlike the Colts defense, the Saints love to blitz often from every direction. But the problem with that lies in the brilliant mind of Manning. With an extra week of film study, the Colts’ signal caller will know what checks to call when he sees Williams giving him a different look.

But Peter King pointed out in Monday Morning Quarterback a few weeks ago that Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma has a bright mind of his own.

Before Brett Favre’s crucial interception that led to the overtime period, Vilma at the last second changed the defense from man to zone. The end result was another Favre blunder in a big game situation.

But the Pro Bowl linebacker will be overmatched against the league’s most cerebral quarterback. It’s so tough to know where Manning is going with the football.

The Saints have got to disrupt the timing of the Colts’ offense, because I am pretty sure the Colts feel they have an advantage over the 20^th ranked defense of New Orleans, as long as they hold on to the football.

(Side Note: It wouldn’t surprise me if the Colts try to attempt a “Hot Hands” off of “The Little Giants” (2:44 mark on the video) on their skilled position players by forcing them to put Super Glue on their hands. That’s how important holding onto the football is against the Saints defense.)

The Saints will also need to push up the middle from defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis.

Like I said last week against the Minnesota Vikings, let the Colts’ running game try and win the game instead of Manning. Besides, the Colts are last in the NFL when it comes to rushing the football.

But the Colts have been good in short yardage situations with running backs Joesph Addai, Donald Brown and Mike Hart, which is all they have to be with the best quarterback in the league in 2009 on their side.

Ellis and other interior lineman have to step their game up to at least somewhat manage the running game. But not letting Manning step up in the pocket is of the upmost importance.

The battle of the line of scrimmage will always be critical in every form of football. But in order to stop the best two quarterbacks of the last two years, they key to stopping them is to disrupt their rhythm in their offensive flow.

Heartland is Owen Pallett’s third release to date, and it’s by far his most intricate. Formerly performing under the moniker Final Fantasy, Pallett is perhaps best known for his string arrangements for artists such as the Arcade Fire, Beirut and the Mountain Goats. However, Heartland is his own recorded masterpiece (composed by Pallett, performed by the Czech Symphony Strings and St. Kitts’ Winds) that’s not afraid to embrace its electronic and pop influences. Song structures take a cue from his one-man live show, a spectacle of looped violin and piano, but are expanded upon with an almost eclectic set of instruments.

Lyrically, Heartland follows the story of Lewis, a character in a fictional 14th century world of which Pallett himself is the god. The plot is a complex story of devotion and rebellion; eventually Lewis becomes disillusioned with his imperfect god and kills Pallett. The lyrics themselves are curiously written, often riddled with references to video games and previous albums.

Standout tracks include the grandiose opener Midnight Directives, the poppy single Lewis Takes Action, the somber E is for Estranged (Pallett’s violin skills really shine here) and the epic track Lewis Takes Off His Shirt. However, the songs are best heard in the context of the album as a whole.
-NTB

You can request Midnight Directives, Lewis Takes Action and Lewis Takes Off His Shirt by calling the KLSU request line at 578-5578.

I’d say the show is loosely based off of this:

This is how I wake up!

You can hear Perky’s Playhouse on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 6-9 only KLSU.

(Editor’s note: This is Part I of Carter “The Power” Bryant’s breakdown of Super Bowl XLIV. Check back for Part II later and the finale on Friday as he tries to figure out who will hoist the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 7.)

The Saints are in the Super Bowl.

Wow.

Now that’s a first. I can’t believe I just said that. How can something that seems so farfetched be one of the few true statements I’ve said in regarding this year’s NFL post-season?

My 4-6 record in picking playoff games thus far sheds dark light on my performance in last year’s playoffs. To go along with my preseason prediction of the Steelers winning the Super Bowl, I went 8-3 in picking games with all of my losses due to the brilliance of Kurt Warner (who sadly retired last Friday).

But to get back to the Super Bowl, the game between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts is going to be bombarded with storylines. Including:

The best quarterback in the NFC versus the best in the AFC. Defenses that hold no regards for human existence. Teams who scared Mercury Morris half to death late into the regular season. And, best of all, a struggle between pro-life and pro-choice activists over a commercial that involves Tim Tebow, who seems to never get any attention from the national media.

All three phases of football needs to be in tip-top form when two even teams meet in the Super Bowl. But since the Colts and Saints are evenly matched in all categories, I believe these three factors will determine who wins Super Bowl XLIV.

1. Distribution

In the modern era of professional football, teams that can make explosive plays down field wins football games. With the league now being driven by quarterbacks, it comes to no surprise that Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are the quarterbacks who are playing for the Super Bowl.

But with the Colts and Saints defenses playing their safeties in Deep Cover-2 for most of their games this season, it will be tough to complete big throws down the field. Defensive coordinators Gregg Williams and Larry Coyer do a great job of mixing up coverages underneath because of the athletic linebackers both teams possess.

To combat deep coverages and pre-snap defensive movements, Manning and Brees will have to distribute the football to many different players to be affective on offensive.

Colts

The Colts had to deal with the best cornerback in the NFL in Jets’ shutdown specialist Darrelle Revis in the AFC Championship Game, who had previously shut down every receiver he has faced in this season. Colts Pro Bowl wideout Reggie Wayne was held for only 33 yards in their first meeting.

With young and inexperienced receivers at the number two and three options, offensive coordinator Tom Moore and Manning decided to start the game off in two tight-end sets. With the Jets dominating the first and most of the second quarter, the Colts decided to make a switch in the game plan. The changes the Colts had to make involved Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon in position to make plays at the other receiver positions.

After the switch, Manning led the team with one of his patented two-minute drives at the tail end of the second quarter. Collie picked up all 80 yards on the drive on three catches, including a 16-yard strike for a touchdown.

(Side Note: Manning is the most lethal quarterback in the NFL with less than two minutes remaining. In the Colts three biggest wins this season (Patriots, Ravens, Jets), the four-time MVP led his team down the field to score before the end of the half or game. Belichick remembers.)

Collie and Garcon ended up having career days in their victory against the Jets, with both receivers going over 120 yards and scoring a touchdown apiece. This is important, because even though they survived “Revis Island”, they will still have their hands full with a talented Saints secondary.

As I wrote in my NFC Championship breakdown, Saints quarterback Jabari Greer was the second most efficient corner according to Football Outsiders. Greer had a big day against Sidney Rice, who in the previous week put together one of the best playoff receiving performances in NFL history against the Dallas Cowboys.

That sucks for you again Reggie Wayne.

Manning will also not see the #11 and #85 jerseys as clear as they were against the Jets’ Dwight Lowery and Lito Sheppard. Saints cornerback Tracy Porter is better than both of those players and also made big plays, including one REALLY BIG PLAY, in the NFC Championship Game.

But nothing seems to stop Manning in big games nowadays.

The Saints have struggled in stopping slot receivers, so Collie could have another big game. But look for tight end Dallas Clark to make some noise on offense. Clark has been relatively quiet this postseason and can really cause matchup problems for defenses.

Saints

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and Brees should feel relatively lucky they won their last football game.

I really have a tough time believing Payton intentionally called the game conservatively against the Vikings because that was in his game plan. He is not that stupid. He wouldn’t have just wanted to play field position. He lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with than kind of mindset.

IF THE SAINTS WOULD HAVE LOST IN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP, EVERYBODY WOULD BE QUESTIONING SEAN PAYTON’S PLAY CALLING.

Calling two running plays to begin the overtime period with all of the momentum in the world on your side? Come on now Sean. You might be a team of destiny, but don’t rely on it like Les Miles did in ‘07.

I know Vikings defensive ends Jared Allen and Ray Edwards are bulls on the outside, but that doesn’t mean taking the football out of your best player’s hands in the most important game in Saints history!!!

But in Payton’s defense, Brees wasn’t himself in that football game either despite his 197 yards and three touchdowns. After the first couple of drives, he was shaky for the rest of the game. He threw numerous passes that looked more like broken records than spirals, fumbled a snap from center deep in his own territory and didn’t seem comfortable in the pocket all night.

The Saints did have had many contributions from many different players in the victory against the Vikings. But did it not seem like the Saints were in their usual flow in that game? The Vikings dominated that game because Brees wasn’t consistently spreading the ball around like he had been all season.

The Saints skilled position players have got to play better. Outside of running back Pierre Thomas, the Saints skilled position players seemed really tense. That can’t afford to happen against the Colts.

Though Saints wide receiver Marques Colston is known league wide as the Saints best offensive target for Brees, “Who Dat Nation” realizes this offense is unstoppable when numerous black and gold offensive weapons are involved.

If the Saints win the Super Bowl, the rest of the country will recognize the Saints as the “Greatest Show on Turf” since the Warner/Faulk/Holt St. Louis Rams.