On Sunday 7 February 2010, the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl.  The NOLA Post recorded these scenes of celebration in downtown New Orleans as the streets filled with celebration.  Here is a look back to that time in two parts:

Part 1

Part 2

Below is a sample picture from the above two posts, but clicking on both links will show several pictures taken that night.

The NOLA Post also recorded the pregame scene in the French Quarter earlier that same day.

James A. Robichaux

Monday was an unseasonably warm in New Orleans, with temperatures in the mid-70s and humid.  Some UNO students took the opportunity to study by Lake Ponchartrain.

The University of New Orleans is on the southern shore of Lake Ponchartrain.

A Long Way From Home

Below is seen Maja, a film student from Poland, who came to Louisiana to study in August.  On this muggy, humid day, the opaque horizon is barely visible.

Maja said that she came to UNO because of the film program, and she was studying for a film class on the shore this afternoon.

James A. Robichaux

In January 2011, the NOLA Post covered the 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in New Orleans in 2 parts:

Part 1

Part 2

Below are two sample pictures, but much more, including an interview with a paradegoer and several pictures, can be found in the two parts.

The pictures were taken near Claiborne Avenue.

James A. Robichaux

Saturday was run-off election day in Louisiana.  One of the candidates vying for an elected position was Kira Orange Jones, candidate for the local district seat in the state’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.  Orange Jones won, defeating eight-year incumbent Louella Givens in an election that signifies major changes that could soon take effect in how Louisiana chooses to educate its young.

Orange Jones made a visit to some of her sign-waving supporters on election day, and here are scenes from her visit to the supporters on the corner of St. Charles Avenue and Louisiana Avenue in New Orleans.  Orange Jones is seen at in the center of the below picture with her face shown on a campaign sign in the background.

At right in the above picture is Dwight Rhodes, who serves as Chief Academic Officer for the ReNEW Charter Management Organization.

A Vocation For Service

“I’m running for this office because I think all children deserve the opportunity to have a great education. I myself am a career educator, and, so I’ve seen first-hand what’s possible when children are given access to educational opportunities that are transformational.  I think all kids deserve that,” Orange Jones, seen again below, said.

“I also know from my own personal experience the role education plays in changing lives because I myself am someone who benefited from having really great teachers in my life, that changed my life.  So, I chose education and I ultimately chose BESE because I think all kids deserve that,” she continued.

This busy intersection in New Orleans wasn’t the only place Orange Jones visited on election day.

“We’ve got tons of supporters all across the district.  We’re spread across five parishes today from St. Charles and Louisiana [the intersection at which these pictures were taken] to St. Charles, Louisiana, which is a parish,” Orange Jones, seen below greeting supporter Brian Weimer, said.

“We’ve got kids holding Kira Orange Jones signs in Algiers on the Westbank as we speak.  All day I’ve had the chance to go around and visit the different sites and meet all kinds of people who are working hard to get out the vote today,” Orange Jones concluded.

Weimer, a New Orleans attorney, is seen again above.

The supporters were camped out in the neutral ground of Louisiana Avenue on the river side of St. Charles Avenue.

Many, like Rhodes, seen again below talking to a visiting cyclist, are part of the charter school movement.

Rhodes is seen again talking below to Orange Jones in the middle of the intersection.

Mike Hobbs, seen below, supporting not only his candidate but also his school in the upcoming LSU-Mississippi football game that night, said that he was campaigning for Orange Jones because of “support of schools, support of school choice, support of having parents that can be independent-minded.”

At least his candidate in the election won; his school didn’t fare so well in its football match that night.

The above picture is posed and was taken per a request from Rhodes.

Here are a few additional pictures.

A few additional pictures and some larger versions of some pictures already seen in this post can be seen here.

James A. Robichaux

In high school football action on the night of Friday 18 November, the Jesuit Blue Jays came from behind and defeated East Saint John in the second-round of the playoffs.  A week before that, on Saturday 12 November,  Jesuit defeated Sulphur High School at Tad Gormley Stadium in the first round, and here are some pictures from that game.

In the first half, Jesuit’s Paul Stanton, who would score four touchdowns a week later against East Saint John, is brought down by Sulphur defenders.

Now with Sulphur with the ball, an unidentified Jesuit defender brings down and unidentified Sulphur runner.

Josh Deblieux makes contact with a Sulphur ball-carrier.

Below is the scene on Jesuit’s next drive, just before scoring.

Junior quarterback Tanner Lee is behind center above.

Back And Forth

On Sulphur’s next drive, the Jesuit sideline is seen in the background, with head coach Wade Keiser at the far right.

That’s senior defensive back Rhett Renolds trying to reach the Sulphur ball carrier.

Here’s a closer look at the Jesuit sideline.

Below, with less than a minute remaining in the first half, Jesuit senior quarterback Cameron Dobbins scores from six yards out.

Below, Jesuit’s athletic director David Moreau watches the halftime performances with some children.

With the Jesuit band performing on the field at halftime, kicker Ralph Freibert is stretched by a trainer.

Towards the end of halftime, the team takes the field again, seen behind Freibert kicking and Michael Guste holding.

The above and below scenes were taken from behind the south end zone.  Below, Sulphur’s team emerges at halftime.

In second half action, with Sulphur’s fans looking on from the stands, Jesuit’s Austin Duncan is brought down by Sulphur defenders.

The Blue Jays pulled away, and younger and reserve players got chances to play, including junior running back Kalan Minnard.

The game ends, with Jesuit winning 40-14.  The teams did the traditional handshaking at the end of the game.

In a scene showing the team, band, cheerleaders, dance team, and fans and students all in one view, the traditional post-game playing of school songs is done.

Below, coach Wade Keiser addresses his team after the victory.

Below, wide receivers coach Gino Giambelluca reaches to kiss his girlfriend Melissa O’Rourke.

The Blue Jays will host Carencro at 19:00 on Friday night at Tad Gormley Stadium.

Additional game pictures will eventually be published here.

James A. Robichaux

Grinding seasons is fully underway in bayou country west of New Orleans, as the annual sugar harvest season is busy as usual.  This is the scene at Raceland Raw Sugars 40 miles west-southwest of New Orleans on November 5.

Raceland Raw Sugars was recently a feature on the NOLA Post for a different reason.

The sugar mill is more than 120 years old.

James A. Robichaux

This is Part 2 of 2 of the NOLA Post‘s coverage of the prep football game between Franklinton and Jesuit on Friday 14 October 2011 at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans.  Part 1 started with pregame activities and ended with Franklinton punting after failing to make a first down on its opening drive.

The Jesuit Blue Jays then took the field.

On Jesuit’s first offensive play, Paul Stanton puts the Blue Jay’s in scoring position with a 45-yard run.

A Demon defender finally brings down the elusive back as the Blue Jay sideline looks on in the background.

Now in scoring position, Jesuit quarterback Cameron Dobbins gets his offense set on its second play.

Jay Pyburn catches a 13-yard pass from Dobbins in the endzone on Jesuit’s second play, and the official in the background signals a touchdown.

Dobbins comes to the endzone to congratulate his tight end.

Then, Stanton, whose run the previous play set up this scoring play, comes to congratulate Pyburn.

The Franklinton sideline in the background watches as Michael Guste holds and Ralphie Freibert kicks the extra point.

Franklinton then went to work on its second drive.

Like the first drive, it did not last very long.

Punt

The Demons failed to make a first down, and a scene seen in Part 1 a few minutes before, Franklinton’s Jordan Smith punting, took place again.

Below, offensive line coach Graham Jarrott addresses his players before they take the field for the second drive.

Cameron Dobbins gets his offense set again.

With Franklinton’s cheerleaders and three officers of the law in the distance, Jesuit running back Paul Stanton lines up as a receiver with Franklinton’s Pierre Wilson defending.

After Dobbins keeps the ball, the official spots the ball on the next play.

Senior running back Austin Duncan scores, as Jesuit gets out to an early two-touchdown lead.

Duncan and Stanton then rest and rehydrate on the bench.

Nick Scandurro then comes to congratulate Duncan and Stanton, who did not play at all in the second half.

As reported by The Times-Picayune, Jesuit built on its lead and held on to it as Franklinton only scored one touchdown.  Additional game photos and larger versions of some of the images presented here can be found in this album.

This ends the NOLA Post‘s coverage of this particular game.

James A. Robichaux

These pictures, presented in chronological order, are of pregame activities and the first half of the first quarter of the prep football match between Jesuit High School in New Orleans and Franklinton High School.

The Jesuit cheerleaders pose before the game at Tad Gormley Stadium.

The school’s marching band prepared.

While the dancers prepared on the field.

Franklinton’s team had a pregame huddle at the south endzone.

Franklinton is in Washington Parish, near the Mississippi state line on the 31st parallel in the northeastern part of the southeastern part of Louisiana, known as the Florida Parishes.

National Anthem

The Jesuit sideline stands at attention for the National Anthem.

The Franklinton sideline can be seen in the distance in the below shot showing the Jesuit sideline in the foreground.

The Jesuit community has plenty of history and a large following.

The school is located on S. Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans.

False Starts, False Hopes, For Franklinton

Franklinton received the opening kickoff and started the game thereafter with two false start penalties.

The below picture would be iconic of the story of the night for Franklinton as it struggled to gain yardage.

Below, Jesuit’s defensive linemen check the information on their wrists.

The Blue Jays would force Franklinton to go three-and-out on its opening drive.

A Busy Night For The Punter

Jordan Smith ends Frankliton’s first drive by punting the ball.

There was little question about if Jesuit would score soon.  The only questions were how and how long.  Stay tuned for the illustrated answer, which will be posted in Part 2, which will also be posted on the Facebook fan page, which is the best way to be alerted to new articles on the NOLA Post.

James A. Robichaux

This is Part 2 of 2 of the NOLA Post‘s coverage of the high school football game Saturday 8 October between the undefeated Cardinals of Belle Chasse High School and the Eagles of Archbishop Shaw High School.

The second half started with Shaw kicking off, trailing by six, having failed to put any points on the board yet.

After talking to the referee above, Shaw kicker Kyle Camardelle kicks off below.

On the Cardinals’ opening down, center Devin James snaps to quarterback Asphenn Gaines, who has led his team to an undefeated start of the season.

The Cardinals’ sideline looks on as the offense drives.

Meanwhile, Shaw fans cheer on their team, which was still shut out at this point.

Shaw wide receiver Kent Shelby was shaken up on a play and had to be taken out of the game for awhile.  He is seen on the sideline with a trainer.

After some rest and recuperation, his convalescing completed, Shelby gets up and prepares to re-enter the game.

Soon thereafter, an unidentified Shaw runner is brought down by a swarm of Belle Chase defenders.

Shaw kicker Ryan Camardelle is seen again, this time patiently watching the action from the sideline.

Camardelle has already been seen here kicking off to start the first half, and now he and a companion watch from the sidelines.

Shaw was driving, and would soon get to the end zone for the first and only time during the game.

Shelby, seen earlier convalescing on the sideline, apparently recovered from his injuries, and brought in a touchdown in Shaw’s only score of the game.

The Shaw sideline does its part in the kickoff, which Belle Chasse returned fairly close to the goal line.

Barely a minute into the Belle Chasse drive, Quadry Antoine punches it in from six yards out.

The Belle Chasse fans were happy; their team is undefeated more than halfway into season.

The Times-Picayune‘s article on the game has more information.

James A. Robichaux

This is Part 1 of 2 of the NOLA Post‘s coverage of the high school football game Saturday 8 October between the undefeated Cardinals of Belle Chasse High School and the Eagles of Archbishop Shaw High School.

Above, two Shaw defenders are seen between plays.  Below, Belle Chasse defenders take down a Shaw runner.

Below, a Shaw coach instructs defensive lineman Steven Gibson.

The Belle Chasse sideline is seen in the distance across the field.

On the same drive, the Shaw offense is seen running against the Belle Chasse defense.

Shaw quarterback Quentin Gibson gets off a pass despite pressure from Cardinal defenders.

Shaw punts, and Belle Chasse senior return man Clint Ragas waves off the ball, signaling to his teammates to stay away from the ball.

The Shaw punt team downs the ball after it stops moving.

At the end of the first half, Belle Chase led 6-0.

Halftime

Belle Chasse players rest as the Shaw band performs in the background.

Raising Cane’s restaurant sponsored a fundraiser at halftime involving fans throwing tennis balls at a target; cheerleaders then picked up the tennis balls.

Would the Shaw Eagles come back in the second half?

Stay tuned to find out in Part 2.  Be alerted to site updates on the NOLA Post by joining the Facebook fan page.

James A. Robichaux