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SECond fiddle to football
 No offense to Gov. Bobby Jindal but his inauguration next week to mark the beginning of a second term in office isn't the big news in Louisiana these days.
Instead, it's football that has the public's attention, and that's understandable since the New Orleans Saints will host the Detroit Lions Saturday in the first round of the NFL play-offs. The record-breaking Saints, including quarterback Drew Brees, who may be the classiest individual to ever wear a Saint uniform, are hitting on all cylinders headed into the post season.
Meanwhile, the BIG GAME is Monday when our LSU Tigers take on Alabama for the BCS national title. That's right. The little bastard (Nick Saban) will return to Louisiana with his Crimson Tide in tow, offering LSU head coach Les Miles the opportunity to silence his detractors for good. After all, Miles must live with fact that he won the 2007 BCS title at LSU with ball players who, by and large, were recruited and signed by Saban before he bolted from the Ole War Skule for a coaching job in the NFL. A win over Bama – and Saban – on Monday would solidify Miles' mark as the most successful coach in the history of LSU football.
It would feel good, too.
While it's difficult not to focus on the Tigers and the Saints, we shouldn't overlook the importance of the activities surrounding the inauguration of a governor, particularly one like Jindal, who, at the age of 40, will still be a young man when his second term comes to a close in January 2016, a presidential election year. Keep that date in mind.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that Jindal has been in Iowa of late, campaigning for Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who's seeking the Republican nomination for president this year. Jindal endorsed Perry months ago when the Texas governor appeared to have a chance at capturing the nomination. At least that's how it appeared on the surface, or before Perry fell apart in a debate when he couldn't remember which three agencies of government he would dismantle if he became president.
Iowa is a small state population-wise, but with its first-in-the-nation caucuses, it wields a big stick in presidential primary politics. A win in Iowa can hand a candidate much-needed momentum with the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries on the horizon.
Though Perry's campaign has been on life support for weeks now, Jindal has remained loyal to him. How long will that last, you may wonder.
If he's smart, which he is, Jindal will stick with Perry for the long haul, laying the ground work for a presidential campaign of his own. That's exactly what Jindal is doing, evidenced by his presence on the campaign trail with a candidate who has no chance of becoming the GOP nominee to oppose President Obama in November.
Speaking of Obama, the likelihood that he will be re-elected in the fall improves as each day passes. As disheartening as that may sound or read, that's an accurate statement because the Republicans don't have a heavyweight to nominate.
A weak field of Republicans isn't the only thing Obama has working for him. There's more, including an improving economy and a declining unemployment rate while more Americans have more income at their disposal thanks to falling gasoline prices. Add it all up, and it's good news for an incumbent president, even Obama.
While it's all shaping up rosy for Big O, the political stars are lining up for Jindal, too.
Why?
It's simple.
Jindal's presidential campaign can officially begin as soon as the votes are counted in November, or as soon as the television networks declare Obama the victor against whomever the Republicans ultimately nominate.
Yet, Jindal still has a job to do in Louisiana. It all begins anew on Monday, just hours before LSU vies for its fourth national title.
GEAUX TIGERS.
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