Early's right on time

Former LSU star Early Doucet was in town today, signing autographs for Alltel.

If anybody on LSU's national championship team had a gripe with life it may have been Doucet. A groin injury cut into his senior season. Another injury kept him out of the Senior Bowl. When the NFL draft came, he lasted until the third round when the Arizona Cardinals finally picked him. This for a guy who many thought would be a first-round pick heading into his senior season.

Yet you won't hear any complaining from Doucet.

"It was tough,'' he said today, "but things happen for a reason. God has a plan for me. He never puts you in challenges in life that you can't overcome. That was just one challenge in my life that helped me grow as a person and helped me understand and appreciate the game a lot more. When it's taken away from you, you appreciate a lot more.''

And for the rest of us,you appreciate the attitude Doucet has shown. Actually, falling to the Cardinals may be a good thing with Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner at quarterback. While the team hasn't been a consistent winner in a lifetime or two, Doucet could be part of a team that is about to turn things around.

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Of Astros and NBA playoffs

Greetings from Minute Maid Park in downtown Houston, where the 2005 National League champion Houston Astros are playing the 2007 NL champion Colorado Rockies.

More on the Astros in a minute. First, a little on the NBA playoffs.

HORNETS
How 'bout them Hornets? They just won't quit. Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler and David West are too much for the Mavericks to handle.

The Hornets will move on to play the winner of the San Antonio-Phoenix series.

ROCKETS
The Rockets had a terrific regular season, but it's a bit much to expect them to beat a Utah Jazz team that beat them WITH Yao AND Rafer Alston last season...

I talked to former Tech star Paul Millsap after last night's game, and he was feeling pretty good after the Jazz took one from the Rockets on the road.


SUNS, SPURS PUT ON A SHOW
The Suns-Spurs game is an example of what makes the NBA playoffs so exciting. Double overtime. Shaq. Tim Duncan. Steve Nash. It doesn't get much better.

KING JAMES
And what about LeBron's performance yesterday? Think he's overrated, DeShawn Stevenson?
James did what superstars do; he put his team on his shoulders and carried them to victory.

ASTROS
Back to the Astros.

They're riding a three-game losing streak, but think about this: they're in the NL Central.
This division won't be decided until the last two or three weeks of the season - I'm talking September. Five months from now!!

Until then, everybody's a contender in the NL Central.

Greetings from NBA playoffs

Greetings from Toyota Center in downtown Houston, where the Rockets will host the Utah Jazz tonight in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round matchup.

Rockets star Tracy McGrady has been to the playoffs six times and failed to advance to the second round on each occasion.

Former Louisiana Tech star Paul Millsap isn’t shedding any tears for McGrady, however.

Millsap, a forward with the Jazz, will do all within his power to make sure McGrady comes up short again.

Millsap and the Jazz sent McGrady packing in the first round last season.

NBA predictions

OK, I'm not the biggest NBA fan, but in this job, you have to keep up, so here are my first-round picks.

East
Boston over Atlanta in 4
Detroit over Philly in 6
Orlando over Toronto in 6
Cleveland over Washington 6

West
Lakers over Denver in 5
New Orleans over Dallas in 6
Phoenix over San Antonio in 7
Houston over Utah in 7

We'll see how I do.

Hornets and Mavs oh my

Well, well, well.Looks like the Ark-La-Tex will have an NBA playoff series to watch.

Since we don't have a team on the radio here anymore (thanks Hornets) and Shreveport gets the Mavs on TV and Bossier City gets the Hornets, this should be a rather interesting series.

No, it's not Saints-Cowboys or Cowboys-Saints. But it's better than, say, Warriors-Mavs a year ago.

You have the same people who equate geographical boundaries with loyalty. (Although considering state dollars go to the Hornets maybe that should be a factor.) You have the same people who go with the team they loved first.

Should be interesting.

Great meals at prep games

I don't have to tell you that I likes me some ball park groceries. You can tell that by looking at me.

Centenary's Glenn Evans makes a pretty mean hotdog at the concession stand for home softball and baseball games. If you want a great ball park hamburger, check out the grilled delicacy at the Byrd softball field.

I found another great one at Evangel on Tuesday. I sauntered up to the concession stand and ordered a hamburger. "We don't have hamburgers," the matron'd said. "We have barbecue sandwiches."

After telling them I'd had a great burger the day before at the Byrd playoff game, the Evangelistas scoffed, saying their barbecue sandwich was better. I decided to give it a try. I downed the first one in about four bites so I went back for a second.

"How does it matchup with those Byrd hamburgers?" the concessionaire asked.

"I'd have to call it a draw," I said, while considering a third.