Sad day on the news beat...

Seven National Guardsmen were killed when a bomb destroyed their Bradley Fighting Vehicle during an evening patrol in Taji, outside Baghdad. Six of the Guardsmen were from southeast Louisiana, a seventh from New York. The T-P reports that it was the deadliest day for a single National Guard unit in the Iraq war.

The life of the New Yorker is no less precious, but there is an added poignancy when such sadness is visited upon our neighbors. The price is too great, it is time to start bringing our troops home!

Bernard "Buddy" Diliberto, the colorful sports commentator for WWL radio, has died at age 73 of an apparent heart attack. Buddy spent over 50 years covering the New Orleans sports scene, first in the newspaper, then on television and finally on radio. He will most be remembered for being the original "baghead," going on the air with a brown paper bag over his head in the midst of a 1-15 Saints season in 1980.

Also in the world of sports, Jim Haslett has been told by New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson that he will return for a sixth season as coach. He may hang in long enough to coach the Los Angeles Saints.

Stay in touch.

jbv's Competitive Edge