What does it mean to be ‘in the know’ in New Orleans when it comes to the sports scene? Well, it means a lot of things. For one, going forward, it means checking in with enthusiastic locals like the folks running In The Kneaux, even for those working in the industry. Dodson explains in this feature. First, I know stating New Orleans is unique is almost a waste of bandwidth…almost, except The Culture cannot be stressed enough. Everyone who has visited or is from here knows this and won’t let the rest of the world forget. It’s why people from all parts of the globe find a way to migrate here for a drink or twelve. Having covered multiple sports in several states for publications of varying sizes since college, and as someone born and raised mostly in southern Louisiana, I can definitively say that uniqueness extends to the sports coverage. The Houma-born fan in me hopes it stays that way. Now, not to get nostalgic, but if only the city still had a full-time, daily-run newspaper like back in the day. Perhaps the Green Wave and Pelicans would get more love outside of the Gulf South region. Sure, the Saints will sell pages of copy, content, and cold drink coozies all day long regardless of their record. This in turn will attract some advertisers but not at the rate it used to, so the wave of local beat reporters slowly drifted away, like the last drops of the Mississippi back into the gulf only to be replaced by AirBnB listings. Some returned in new roles but the decay of the daily paper has left a vacuum and it really hurt the little guys. Even high school sports coverage from the ‘big guys’ in print and television has dropped, for many reasons starting in the boardrooms. Thankfully, the most passionate fans have stepped into the void and have even broken some stories. Nick Underhill created a niche that now employs other aspiring reporters and prep coverage is almost all online and through high school-specific sources like JJ Marshall . After a few years of getting to be a fly on the wall writing for the rent and freelancing in New Orleans kitchens, it seems not having the news foundation hurt the city as a whole because stories get told by out-of-town tourist journalists. To quote the culture: They ain’t on dem beans. (H/t to Devin at Hold The Mayo Sports) Now, there are dozens of locals running the radio shows and podcasts, and many are plugged in in a way that would be impossible in bigger markets. It’s a blessing that adds a layer to the conversations between the bar rooms and barbershops. Zion even brought those blessings (and at the time, debates) to the churches that one Sunday. Still, you’ve really got to do something to get noticed nationally coming out of New Orleans. Respect is hard to come by as it is. Tulane is learning that the hard way right now and ESPN’s College Gameday show is already feeling the heat from the Texas-sized bad decision. It makes it harder for the non-Saints organizations to have their accomplishments noticed if they are not blasted on the front page through the city’s newsstands. It gets even more difficult if the Saints, Pelicans, and LSU are all rolling at the same time. Things get overlooked in crowded kitchens. But Tulane? The Ranked, I say Ranked Tulane Green Wave? I won’t do them like Gameday. Their story will not be buried here. I also won’t dare pretend to know more about Tulane Football than Maddy Hudak or Crissy Froyd . Anyone else talking over them when the subject is a Ranked Tulane is like putting mayo in coffee. Actually, after a very short booth review, extend that to football in general. I’m not breaking down defenses like it’s a True Detective case. They are, and more. So talking over those ladies when the topic is Tulane? It shouldn’t be done, (but sometimes curiosity, whiskey, and pickle-back chasers….) Did I mention they were capital ‘r’ Ranked? Pack Yulman and find out. So back to it. There is a reason The Ringer did an article on the Pelicans beat being the loneliest in the NBA. The shade was deserved then, and Mac’s Griffin Presser account kept the act going for a while. However, solutions to solve the lack of informed content are emerging and all of the local ventures (like In The Kneaux!) play a big part. The city is starting to speak up a bit more and some of the more vibrant personalities are getting noticed. Keep supporting those putting in the effort. It’s the “If you ain’t gonna hype you, who will?” mantra in full effect. Let’s break it down like a neworleans.football piece by Mr. Underhill, who has told his story on why he returned several times. Look at how the national media treats New Orleans. I was hired by Forbes almost as soon as the Pelicans won the Zion Lottery. Andrew Lopez got his jump to ESPN the same night, just a few days after thoughts of leaving the industry altogether. He shared on the ESPN Daily pod the story of how that night unfolded and how he got to share it with an elementary school friend, Will Guillory of The Athletic now but formerly with the local paper. As long as the big names hire local talent, there should be some great content to balance out the less informed fly-by-night nonsense that generates headlines for all the aggregate sites. The big daily shows trying to attract eyeballs see New Orleans as a stepping stone. The teams here are normally just acting as a segue to more important drama in more relevant media markets. Locally, there have always been suspicions about where these slights came from, at least in some way. I know I did, and so did my late grandfather Old Man Dodson, especially since those same talking heads would talk up how the Superdome should always be in the Superdome rotation regardless of the Dome’s age. Case in point, non-Tulane edition. Pelicans Opening Night In Brooklyn. In The Kneaux and Pelicans Scoop was in the building. Same seat, wearing a pair of Nike Spike Fortys . When in Brooklyn, ya wear Sho Nuff’s Ya Dig… Anyway. National media. Hot take artist gotta eat. Fox Sport’s Nick Wright. Which, the Fox family of networks isn’t exactly known for promoting or broadcasting basketball. It isn’t part of their economy, so why promote it much unless it draws big Skip and Shannon talking Lebron and the Lakers ratings numbers. (ITK Fact Check: Even then Fox Sports 1 doesn’t ‘do numbers like that’ as the nephews say.) Brandon Ingram a piece? Yea for the future. But for a trade? That’s the conversation after the Opening Night win over the Nets you going with sir? Ingram and Zion Williamson will have friction eventually as they jostle to be the leading dog in the yard? That’s the milkshake you serving up, with a vague reference to the sources on the secondary shows? Do you Nick Wright. Gotta eat. I get it. However, 100 other people were in the room and didn’t get that impression. Those In The Kneaux in New Orleans know better than to swallow that microwaved fare from the Big Applebee’s of sports takes.