To Be In The Kneaux: What Does It Mean In New Orleans Sports?
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.
I’m slow with the video. BI just walked in.
— Dodson, Chris Dodson (@DoingItDodson) October 23, 2022
“Love huh?”
“All love for the city.” @PelicanScoop in here. SKC sold out. Team walking with a STEP! pic.twitter.com/jBYAqZxlEB
Between Kyrie’s craziness, Ben Simmons’ back, and LeBron’s chase of Kareem, Kevin Durant is getting a slide as he ages into his mid-thirties. And the Nets are a mess, as we’ve seen play out. The tweets didn’t get much attention at the time (thanks Elon), but KD walked in about an hour before tip like it was a beer-league game. Ben was already on the court halfway through a warmup. The receipts are public. There was a weird vibe in the hallways like maybe the best player in the rec-league run couldn’t get a babysitter and the rest of the squad was worried.
But why burn that bridge with the Nets early, right Nick? They are neighbors after all and it’s a long season. The NYC media mob might laugh with Frank Isola in the workroom (hilarious, btw) but we are all looking to scoop the competition. Might as well find a negative angle on the Pelicans in the meantime. They’ll be moving the team to Louisville in three segments and a commercial break according to a blogger guest from Cleveland…yawn.
New Orleans is too small a village for sports secrets. The FedEx driver dropping off cases of unsold ruffles to Anthony Davis is going to tell his friends if the door gets answered with a smile, or if the gate isn’t even opened to make things easy. The bartender on the Bayou St. John is going to talk about writing those papers for the one-and-done draft pick, and have the old party pics to prove they at least knew each other. The list goes on. At least 12 Pelicans fans knew about Stan Van Gundy flying into the MSY before Woj sent the tweet.
The Big Easy is also too small to get too scrappy. Sure, everyone in the industry has a job to do, a job they want, and the job with a salary that would make a few more headaches worthwhile, even with the drastic changes in how the job is done now compared to when we were all kids. Those days before Woj even went to Yahoo, much left dropped a bomb tweet. Those prime spots in the press box don’t come open often, though.
It’s much easier to show folks around, that’s just the city my baby. Never know what you might learn. Even a rook to the room can throw up the Gem of Media Day and get a very personal, authentic answer from Garrett Temple. A few weeks later we both are sitting a few feet away from Steve Kerr, learning the ropes on how different PR teams run sessions one mic pass at a time. The shared successes of the community extends to Rel and the Pels 12 leaders getting their own affiliated podcasts, not to mention the feature spots on the local news channels.
So, Nick. A point. All of the local writers and reporters know that Ingram is happy here. So does the guy who sells BI the durags on Canal St. The front office knows they’d have to face down some furious fans if they tinkered with this Pelicans squad too much in the next few seasons. Willie Green might lead a locker room mutiny if Griff even considers a B.I. trade.
This city does not mind slowing down to enjoy the blessings whenever they come. Soak it all in while you can as long as you can. The storms are surely coming. Just don’t know when. Not sure if the alert from Zion Williamson was aired but just a reminder to heed The Warning: Beware of which weather forecaster you’re listening to. They aren’t all sitting in the same studio.
Zion at the podium. @PelicanScoop pic.twitter.com/8ZNcsQMMHr
— Dodson, Chris Dodson (@DoingItDodson) October 20, 2022
To address some concerns. The Smoothie King Center is not the worst arena in the NBA. The stadium and revenue are not the issues, sorry not sorry Kendrick Perkins. Some say those choppy waters will come with the luxury tax bills come due. I doubt it. Will Gayle Benson pay a luxury tax as high as the Golden State Warriors? Never. The same can be said for 28 other ownership groups. The bottom ten, going by Forbes valuations, couldn’t afford it if they wanted to.
Benson ain’t bottom-10 NBA owner broke, she has billions to the Buss Family millions, but not too many people are Warriors rich either. At some point it becomes cheaper in the longer term to buy a team or expansion franchise, just ask Seattle and Oklahoma City about the sale and Harden trade. Extremely large luxury taxes bills are only justified if there is a championship at the end. That’s a hell of a bet. I’ll play Powerball and the free pools on the gambling apps. The $2 ticket is in my price range.
The media landscape around Crescent City sports is shifting like the coastal marshlands. The Saints have a full scrum covering the team. Pick the folks you like and roll with them like a Mardi Gras float. Don’t troll the ones you don’t. It’s a bad look. As for the Pelicans. Christian Clark, Will Guillory, Andrew Lopez, Oleh Kosel, Shamit Dua, the Aforementioned Rook Mr. Reed. Myself. No one asks more questions or spends more time around the team, especially the ‘Big 3’ who travel to all away games. If you’re wondering why a question didn’t get asked during the media session broadcast, hop in the mentions or blast it out in the Spaces.
Someone will likely provide an answer, perhaps even Antonio Daniels. Podcasting personalities like the folks running In the Kneaux are the next addition to the roster. New Media outlets are getting access. Lee Anderson went to the Jordy Culotta Show to give some Zion Williamson updates “Straight From the Horses Mouth.” Now we got Ron traveling over for some games, sitting next to the Boot Krewe team. The Pels12 and fans with the energy to keep their shows going have friends in the building too. Stewards see a lot when the bowl is closed. (Pro tip: Young journos should learn to make friends with the staff. If nothing else, you get more on the media meal plate.)
The Smoothie King Center faithful also watch more Pelicans film than some of the other teams in the division. We sometimes get to sit with the scouts and it makes for great press box chatter. But the fans are watching with a different level of investment. It is obvious and there is something that can be learned from it. The fans are turning the game from last night back on to break down how Naji can help Zion on the defensive end as a way of relaxing and winding down from work.*
Yes, some have gone to that level of defending Z in a debate. Ya’ll get wild at the Mid-City Yacht Club. Some get Eye Of The Tiger fiesty on podcasts and always seem to turn up in Chris Connor’s Spaces. Love it. Getting in those feelings is ok. It’s safe in here, mostly. Don’t bring up The Legend of Luke Babbitt though, it crumbles the convo like old expired Tate’s. IYKYK.
Do strap in for a wild ride through the rest of the year and the end of your favorite team’s season. Find a few new people to listen to along the way. The excitement around Tulane, the Saints, the Pelicans, and LSU will help bring the community back together it a way that only sports in NOLA can. Take some time to support the undefeated Delgado Dolphins men’s hoops team with national championship aspirations or head down to see Loyola University, the defending NAIA Champs.
You never know who you might run into. No matter what city, the best way to be In The Kneaux, is to be in the building. In between, we can argue about all-time great teams, top 10s, or whether NASCAR is as much of a sport as PickleBall…
"Pickle ball is having a MOMENT"
— Who F'n Kneauxs (@WhoFnKneauxs) November 6, 2022
What is a sport? Chess? The Spelling Bee? Give us your thoughts and check out our discussion in this segment from our latest episode! Link in the thread! pic.twitter.com/fvOw7qng1E
*(For those wondering: When I relax, I am the anti-Brandon Ingram. I turn off most basketball and head to soccer. Work is still work after so many hours and the World Cup is just around the corner. Fuck Qatar’s Cup and FIFA.)
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