If only the pros were as good as the preps...

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate Sports Writer
• Published: Dec 30, 2005

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• %20If%20you%20think%20the%20south%20Louisiana%20sports%20scene%20is%20dominated%20by%20the%20colleges%20in%20the%20area%20--%20you're%20right.

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If you think the south Louisiana sports scene is dominated by the colleges in the area -- you're right.

But it's certainly not the only game in town -- or in this case, this part of the state. If you prefer to watch the pros play, there are enough things to see on a year-round basis.

The wide range of events includes football, basketball, baseball, women's football, indoor football, golf and horse racing, most of them within a 75-mile radius of the Capital City.

It starts with the New Orleans teams that play in the major pro sports leagues -- the NFL's Saints and NBA's Hornets -- and comes full circle with horse racing, which is found in three south Louisiana cities.

Naturally, the Saints and Hornets get most of the attention and draw the most spectators.

The Saints, who won their final four games in 2004 to finish 8-8, are preparing for their 39th season, which officially begins with the start of training camp on July 29.

Off-season strength and conditioning workouts have been under way since late March for the Saints, who hope to make the playoffs for the first time since 2000.

The team will hold training camp at its Metairie practice facility located at 5800 Airline Drive, with most of the workouts open to the public from July 29 until camp breaks the third week of August.

The Hornets just completed their third season as the main tenant in New Orleans Arena, which has a capacity of 18,500 for basketball.

The Hornets, who qualified for the playoffs in their first two years since moving to New Orleans from Charlotte, N.C., went through a rebuilding season in 2004-05 -- winning just 18 games.

New Orleans is also home to two other pro sports teams.

The Zephyrs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals and the VooDoo, an Arena Football League franchise owned by Saints owner Tom Benson, will begin their third season in January.

The VooDoo made the playoffs in their inaugural season in 2004 and just missed making postseason play this spring.