Very interesting indeed. The SE tip of LA was sort of like a sharp stick into him, but the waters to his NW are more energy to sustain him for his final punch!
That "stick," Plaquemines Parish has been paying dearly for this too. They've been in the red near the eye for many hours now in the worst wind. The last graph I saw had it at 90 plus. They been there all along while Ivan tried to make up his mind where to go.