Over the years, every sport has been given a “black eye.” No matter what sport it is, people are always looking for some form of illegal or unethical issues that they can bring to light.

Recently, professional basketball had the controversy over a referee who was betting on games he was calling. Baseball has the infamous Pete Rose controversy with his betting on baseball. Football and baseball over the years have both gotten black eyes over the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. But when it comes to tournament bass fishing, the sport continues to battle with the never-ending effects of bass dying after a tournament. 

Now this is not due to a lack of concern about keeping their catch alive, as there are times when no matter what you do, you will still have a fish die in your livewell. It’s actually very important to the anglers in general because dead fish can cost them a lot of money. A dead fish can also hurt an angler when it comes to Angler of the Year (AOY) standings which usually has a cash bonus for the winner at the end of the year. So, it’s important for tournament anglers who participate in this sport to be conscious of how they take care of their catch.

Admirably, 98 percent of all bass tournaments do a great job of implementing rules that penalize anglers for weighing dead fish. Some events deduct anywhere from a quarter to a half-pound penalty for every dead fish weighed in. While this doesn’t sound like much, it can be the difference between finishing first or 10th. It’s the difference between getting paid or going home with nothing. 

Just like so many things in our world today, there are always people watching and looking for a reason to create controversy that will help their agenda. In the fishing world that would be PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). This organization continues to target tournament bass fishing and would like to see the sport discontinued. They show up at boat ramps all across the country wearing fish costumes and making their presence known while protesting bass tournaments. 

But what they refuse to see is how well and to what extent anglers go to keep fish alive. On the professional level or other high exposure events, fish care is critical. Nothing upsets an angler more than losing a fish in their livewell. I’ll give you an example of how much attention I give to fish care while they are in my possession. 

In the fall, winter, and early spring months, it’s unusual to have a fish die in your livewell due to the cooler water temperatures. Hot water is the enemy of tournament anglers and during the summer months this is hard to combat. This is why I hate summer tournaments! You spend so much time babysitting your catch and constantly checking on them to make sure they are in good shape as the day progresses; it’s a job! Here’s what I have found over the years that can make a huge difference in fish care and that has worked extremely well for me. 

 When an angler first launches his boat on tournament morning, he should immediately fill his livewells with fresh cool water. This is because the water is at its coolest point for the day. Next, put G-Juice or any other good additive into the water to help add slime back to the fish after they have been handled. It also reinvigorates bass and keeps them in stable condition before weigh-in.

After doing these two things, turn your livewell on recirculate. The next step is crucial to keeping the water cool and is where anglers often make their biggest mistake when trying to keep fish alive. When the livewell is recirculating,  add ice, or in my case, frozen water bottles. For me, I’ll mix G-Juice into bottles of water and freeze them so that I can drop one bottle in the livewell every hour. I remove the bottle cap which allows for the gradual addition of more G-Juice while simultaneously maintaining the water at a cooler temperature the entire day. DON’T ADD HOT FRESH WATER TO YOUR LIVEWELL DURING THE DAY! This is a recipe for disaster!

 If anglers want to continue to have bass tournaments, they have got to become more diligent about taking care of their catch. The problem is, when people show up at a boat ramp where there was a tournament the day before and see dead fish floating, photos are taken and posted on social media for all to see! This is nothing but ammunition for organizations like PETA who want to eliminate tournaments all together.

To sum this up, tournament anglers and tournament trail organizations need to do a better job when it comes to fish care if they don’t want the sport to get another black eye. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and be conscious of taking care of your skin by using plenty of sunscreen and wearing protective clothing.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

Natchitoches attorney-at-law Jack O. “Britt” Brittain Jr., one of the most remarkable and beloved ambassadors ever in his community, passed away Tuesday morning at age 67 after a brief illness.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Church in Natchitoches, with Father R. B. Williams, O.P., under the direction of Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home. A visitation will be held at the funeral home in Natchitoches from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday.

He was born June 20, 1956, and died July 11, 2023. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jack Oliver Brittain and Ann Williams Brittain, paternal grandparents, Clarence Lafitte Brittain and Irene Humphries Brittain, and maternal grandparents, Judge R. B. Williams and Ora Garland Williams.

He is survived by six treasured siblings: Dr. Marguerite “Cissy” Picou and her husband, Dr. Bryan A. Picou of Natchitoches; Rebecca Brittain Morris and her husband, Wallace “Wally” E. Morris of Alexandria; Judge Lala Brittain Sylvester, and her husband, Russell “Rusty” L. Sylvester of Natchitoches; Eliza Brittain Behrendsen, and her husband, Gunnar F. Behrendsen of Natchitoches; John A. Brittain, and his fiancé, Janice Wheat of Youngsville; and Mary Jane “Cookie” Brittain Richardson, and her husband, Kirk J. Richardson of Nashville, Tenn.

Britt has 16 beloved nieces and nephews: Marguerite “Megan” Picou Bishop, and her husband, Ashley, Sara Picou McCann, and her husband, Gabe, Catherine “Catie” Picou Oryl, and her husband, Ben, Dr. Bryan A. Picou, Jr, and his wife, Kassie, Winfield Hancock Morris, and his wife, Lidiane, Wade Hampton Morris, and his wife, Kathryn “Kat,” Lala “Brittany” Sylvester Gaspard, and her husband, Brett, Courtney Elisabeth Sylvester, Ashley Kathleen Sylvester, Kathleen Marie Sylvester; Behrend Brittain Behrendsen, Ashton Lafitte Behrendsen, Sydney Brittain Dickson, and her husband, Clayton, Ann Marie Brittain; Stanley John Richardson, Richard Blanchard Richardson.

He loved his 15 grandnieces and grandnephews: Emma Virginia Bishop; Ella, Liam and Andrew McCann; Mack, Molly, Fiona and Claire Oryl; Amelia, Oliver and Eleanor Picou; Cooper Morris; Maeve Bailey Gaspard; and Rigby and William Dickson. 

In lieu of flowers, the family hopes friends will consider contributions to the Jack Brittain, Jr., Memorial Scholarship Fund at Northwestern State University to benefit a female student-athlete.

Contributions can be made online by visiting: fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/nsujack. Contributions can also be mailed to: Demons Unlimited Foundation, Attention: Jack Brittain, Jr., Memorial Scholarship, 468 Caspari Street, Natchitoches, LA 71457. For more information, please contact NSU Associate Athletic Director Darian Westerfield at 318-357-4560.

He was a faithful parishioner of The Minor Basilica Immaculate Conception Church. Among his social memberships, he was a longtime member of the Krewe of Dionysos, and had been a member of Holiday In Dixie Cotillion, Holiday In Dixie Planter’s Ball, and an escort for the St. Denis Art Guild.

“Britt” was a 1974 graduate of St. Mary’s High in Natchitoches and was one of the first people inducted in the St. Mary’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He lettered four years in track, football and basketball, and played in the Louisiana High School Coaches’ All-Star Football Game in 1974. Britt was selected to attend Boys State, and also served as a page in the Louisiana Legislature and at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. He also worked for U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston, helping staff his north Louisiana office. In his senior year of high school, his fellow students voted him Mr. SMH. As an adult, he was an active member of the Tiger Athletic Association.

He chose to stay home and attended Northwestern State University, earning a football scholarship. He lettered in all four seasons (1974, 1975, 1977, 1978) first as a running back, then a receiver, and was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Britt graduated with a business administration degree in 1979, and set his sights on law school to become an attorney like his father.

He was admitted to the Paul Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University and earned his Juris Doctorate in 1982.

He served as a clerk for Louisiana Head Supreme Court Justice Jack Watson.

Britt entered public service after law school, and joined Senator Johnston’s staff in a full-time capacity, working both in Washington, D.C., and around Louisiana.

“Britt worked for us even in high school. We trusted him to represent the requests of North Louisiana for his entire tenure with our offices,” said Senator Johnson. “My wife and I have known Britt since he was born. He will be missed.”

Britt worked with Senator Johnson until the senator’s retirement. He was immediately offered, and accepted, a position with new U.S. Senator John Breaux as his North Louisiana Chief Political Aide and served until Senator Breaux closed his Shreveport office.

After coming back to Louisiana, Britt settled in Shreveport, where he was well-known and beloved in Shreveport-Bossier society. He was even named by the Shreveport Times as one of the city’s “Most Eligible Bachelors,” a distinction he informally retained for years to come.

He became a member of the Indoor Tennis Association in Shreveport and later was part of a United States Tennis Association national finalist and state champion team. He was a state-ranked singles player.

After leaving government service, Britt worked as a Merrill Lynch Financial Planner in Shreveport. He ultimately returned to his hometown and joined the Brittain Family Law Firm as an attorney-at-law, remaining in practice for the rest of his life, with specialties including estate planning, timber management and oil & gas leasing. His invaluable service to a far-reaching and diverse group of clients and friends was universally admired.

He was among the best of the best and always provided the life and joy of any event. Britt made his priorities in life serving others, supporting countless noble causes and especially his beloved hometown and alma maters of St. Mary’s, NSU and LSU. For decades, he was an avid friend to NSU’s Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority co-founded by his grandmother Ora G. Williams in 1929. Early this century, the sisters showed their love and appreciation by creating the “Jack ‘Britt’ Brittain Service Award” given to a person who is remarkably supportive of the Tri Sigmas at NSU.

“Jack defined the virtue of generosity. He was generous of time, generous of treasure, and most importantly generous of spirit,” said Dr. Jim Henderson, president of the University of Louisiana System and former president of NSU. “His support for our alma mater knew no bounds and was exceeded only by his love and support of his family and friends. When our fathers met as football teammates at Louisiana Tech in the 1940s, they had no idea their sons would bond as Demon alums some 70 years later. Jack was a treasure to us all and I will cherish his friendship for life.”

He spent 18 football seasons as the often unconventional, always passionate sideline reporter for the Demon Sports Network, and did everything he could in support of NSU Athletics in all sports. Britt’s loyalty and service was recognized by the N-Club, the university’s association of former athletic letterwinners, in 2013 when he was surprised by being inducted into the N-Club Hall of Fame as a winner of the Distinguished Service Award. He was a founding member of Demon Brothers, a football alumni group, a member of the Demons Unlimited Foundation and the NSU Alumni Association, and was universally beloved by student-athletes, coaches and staff from all sports and all ages.

Through his involvement with NSU Athletics, he developed deep friendships with sports media, coaches and athletic personnel from around the state and Southland Conference. He volunteered to do legal work for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, some which was vital to the location of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in Natchitoches. He also enthusiastically attended annual inductions and assisted in LSHOF operations, notably taking a major role in hosting golf tournaments. He was awarded a Life Membership in the LSWA and later, in 2017, became a recipient of the organization’s most prized honor, the Mac Russo Award, given to an individual who “contributes to the progress and ideals of the LSWA.”

He made it his mission to spread joy and happiness at every opportunity, throughout his life, and was lovingly loyal to his family and friends. He was a trusted confidant and advisor to people in all walks of life, a gracious and festive host, and a servant/leader in his community, state and nation.

He will be missed. Britt left an indelible, lasting impact with no boundaries. To know him was to love and admire him, and also, to feel his unabashed love that he shared with everyone.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at 11 AM.  Burial will follow at American Cemetery.  The family will receive friends at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 from 8:30 AM until 10:45 AM.

Mary Frances deVargas Lowrey, a cherished piano player and teacher, passed away peacefully at her residence in Shreveport on July 8, 2023, at the age of 78 due to a lengthy illness. She was born on July 10, 1944, to Frances and Richard deVargas of Natchitoches.  She was a graduate of Natchitoches High and attended Northwestern State University. She was an active member of the Catholic Church and involved in numerous charitable and civic organizations.  Mary Frances enjoyed entertaining and hosting many guests in her home over the years. She was a talented pianist and dedicated her life to her musical passions, inspiring countless students with her talent and nurturing their love for music.  In 1975 Mary Frances married her love Louis Lowrey and were married for 45 years until his death. 

She is survived by her loving children Jackie Hill (Trey), Francie Ingram Stinnett (Pat), and Denny Lowrey. Mary’s legacy lives on through her grandchildren: Andrea, Rachael, Brennan, Garrett, Caleb, Logan, Lark, and Jaxon.

She is reunited in heaven with her parents Richard and Frances deVargas; her beloved husband, Louis Lowrey; her brother, Dickey deVargas; son-in-law, Jay Ingram; and grandson, Grant Ingram.

Mary will be fondly remembered for her beautiful melodies and the impact she made on those around her.

Rotary Past-President Aaron Johnson was honored for his outstanding leadership as President at the July 11 luncheon. The Rotarians appreciate his hard work and commitment to Rotary. Pictured from left are Johnson and the new Rotary President Joe Sers (Photo by Dr. Ron McBride).

Football games. Volleyball and tennis matches. Athletic department fundraisers. Functions throughout the city of Natchitoches.

Those were places Jack Brittain Jr. was likely to be found – and more likely to have left a lasting impact.

Brittan, a four-year Demon football letterman and 2013 N-Club Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award honoree, died Tuesday morning at the age of 67 after a brief illness. Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 13 from 9-11 a.m. at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home at 848 Keyser Avenue with a celebration of life to follow at 11:30 a.m. at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at 145 Church Street in Natchitoches.

“Northwestern State has lost one of its most passionate supporters and one of its most endearing figures,” Director of Athletics Kevin Bostian said. “More importantly, Northwestern State has lost a special human being. When I arrived in Natchitoches in January of last year, Jack did so much more than offer me a place to live. He made sure I felt like I was at home. He asked about my wife, Megan, about my kids. He turned what could have been a challenging transition into a smooth, seamless fit. In a short period of time, Jack became like a family member to me in the same way he did to generations of Northwestern State student-athletes, fans and supporters.”

A standout multi-sport athlete at St. Mary’s Catholic School before coming to Northwestern State, Brittain primarily played wide receiver long before the pass-happy offenses of today were widespread.

That did not lessen his desire to leave a positive imprint on his hometown and follow in the college football footsteps of his father, Jack Sr., who played running back at Louisiana Tech from 1945-48.

“He wasn’t big,” said fellow wide receiver Bruce Bickham, who remained close to Brittain after the two met as freshmen ahead of the 1974 football season. “He was regular size, about 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, but he used every ounce to block or tackle or whatever he needed to do, whatever coach A.L. Williams told him to do.”

Brittain’s selfless style of play portended his post-playing life and career as did sharing a locker room with legendary NSU running back and sprinter Joe Delaney.

Brittain played a pivotal role in keeping Delaney’s memory and heroism alive after Delaney’s death trying to save three children in a Monroe pond June 29, 1983. Brittain represented Northwestern State at Delaney’s 2004 Ring of Honor ceremony in Kansas City and was a pivotal figure and vital resource in the development of the ESPN 30 For 30 short, “Delaney,” which premiered in 2015.

“A purely selfless, giving, caring, loving individual who got great joy from bringing joy to everyone around him – that’s the core principle of his life,” said longtime NSU Sports Information Director Doug Ireland, who spent more than two-thirds of his 30-plus year NSU tenure working with Brittain. “He and all of Joe’s teammates were in awe of Joe as a teammate and as a person. They were all devastated by what happened. Many of them made it their duty to do all they could to help (Joe’s wife) Carolyn, the kids and the family and, as the years passed, to continue to honor and represent Joe and to ensure his legacy and his heroism were continually celebrated.

“As Britt said in the ‘Delaney’ film, ‘How many of us would do what Joe Delaney did?’ Britt Brittain was one of those people who would.”

Brittain’s largesse was not limited to Northwestern State football.

In addition to serving as the sideline reporter for football radio broadcasts on the Demon Sports Network for 18 years, he was an avid supporter of all NSU athletics — offering assistance to various programs within the department, leaving a stamp on them in the process.

“Jack Brittain was a Natchitoches legend,” said former NSU tennis standout Shayne Fitzwilliam Duke, a 2005 N-Club Hall of Fame inductee. “Since I arrived at NSU in 1985 until now, Jack has always welcomed me with a big hug and a huge smile. He was always generous and interested in me and my family. Jack was a wonderful supporter of NSU athletics and NSU tennis. I am blessed to have known this incredible human.”

His influence extended past the playing field and well past Natchitoches’ city limits.

After attending law school, Brittain was involved in the Louisiana political scene, working alongside U.S. Senators John Breaux and J. Bennett Johnston and other high-ranking politicians. The networking connections he made assisted a litany of NSU administrators throughout their tenures in Natchitoches.

“He was a confidant – someone I could call off the record,” said Dr. Chris Maggio, who served as Northwestern State’s president from January 2017-June 2021. “He loved Northwestern, but he would be brutally honest with you. His background in politics and his connections opened a lot of doors for me and for the university. It’s something I will always be appreciative of. He stayed abreast of politics at the state and national levels. That information was invaluable to me in my role as president.”

A lifelong Natchitoches resident, Maggio said he recalled listening to radio broadcasts of Brittain’s athletic performances at St. Mary’s, where he excelled in basketball, track and field and football, eventually choosing the latter in college.

The threads that began in his childhood continued throughout his life.

“His passing leaves a huge void in our community that won’t or can’t be filled,” said former NSU Director of Athletics Greg Burke. “One word I think of with Britt is ‘ominpresent.’ It didn’t matter if it was a civic affair, a social affair or an athletic event, he was always there. He was there in a physical presence, but he was also there for a lot of people in his own way. It was under the radar because he wanted it that way. He never did it for personal credit. As much as his physical presence will be missed, there are ways people don’t know about where he will be missed. He was so much more to so many more than just Northwestern State athletics. His impact carried through the state and beyond.”

That impact was visible – even if Brittain did not choose for his efforts to be.

For instance, Brittain served as legal counsel for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. The LSWA holds its annual convention in Natchitoches alongside the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction weekend. Whenever new Hall of Famers came to Natchitoches, they typically found Brittain involved in some shape or volunteer fashion.

“He liked the LSWA because he loved the people who made up the organization and who came to Natchitoches and supported the Hall of Fame, another entity he gave so much to in terms of effort and passion and sweat equity,” Ireland said. “Jack was not somebody who was a check writer and his support ended there. He was a sweat equity guy. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to support any cause that he came across and valued. That meant getting up before dawn to get and fill ice chests to a golf course or an event. He took it very personally. He wanted to help in any way he could.”

The respect from the LSWA was mutual as Brittain was made a life member of the organization and later received its Mac Russo Award, given to an individual or individuals who “contributes to the progress and ideals of the LSWA,” in 2017.

Jack Oliver Brittain Jr. was his given name, but “help” or “assist” could easily have been his middle name.

“That was the biggest thing – his willingness to help,” said NSU football coach Brad Laird, who first got to know Brittain during Laird’s Demon playing career from 1991-95 before forming a deeper bond upon his three coaching tenures. “He understood what it meant to help and to serve. He was such a genuine person who wanted to help when it was needed. I don’t know if there’s anyone who can say anything bad about Jack, because that’s how he lived day in and day out – to help any way he could.”

That includes his friends of nearly five decades.

Alongside Bickham, Brittain and fellow receivers Ken Meeks and Bo McCollister remained close friends long after their playing careers.

Whether it was golf – “M and M vs. B and B all the time,” said Meeks – or vacations, the four formed a deep bond that lasted nearly a half century.

Said Bickham: “The greatest thing in my life was meeting Jack Brittain Jr. out of the blue.”

The Natchitoches Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred early Tuesday morning at Motel 6.

On July 11, 2023 around 2:19 a.m., officers with the Natchitoches Police Department were dispatched to Motel 6 located at 7624 Highway 1 By-Pass in reference to a gunshot victim.  Upon officers arrival they located, Michael Porter, (B/M, 35 y.o.a. of Natchitoches) who was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.  Michael Porter was pronounced deceased by the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office as a result of his injuries. 

This investigation is ongoing and the Natchitoches Police Department will release more details as they become available.

If you would like to report suspicious activity please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101 or if you have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact Detective Shermaria Lewis at (318) 357-3914.  Remember all information given shall remain confidential.  

How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:

You can also report a tip anonymously by downloading the P3 Tips app on your smart phone or by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388.  All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward up to $2,500 for the arrest of an offender.

The Natchitoches City Council held a brief meeting on July 10 to approve the following agenda items:

ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION:

Award The Bid For Professor M. Richardson Park Improvements (Bid No. 0661)

RESOLUTIONS:

Execute Change Order No. 2 For The Purchase Of A 47’ Sheave Height Digger Truck For The Utility Department (Bid No. 0639)

Execute A Certificate Of Substantial Completion To The Contract Between The City Of Natchitoches And Williams Equipment Services, LLC For 2021-22 Street Rehabilitation Program, Phase 1 (Bid No.   0641)

Address Administrative Aspects Of The Proposed Application Assistance For Grant Submitted For Funding To The LCDBG Clearance Grant Program

Address Legal Aspects Of The Proposed Application Assistance For Grant Submitted For Funding To The Louisiana CDBG Clearance Grant Program

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The next scheduled City Council meeting will be Monday, July 24, 2023.

Former two-time Southland Conference champion Northwestern State baseball outfielder Jeramie Hale, who coached the St. Mary’s baseball team to a state championship, is the new Natchitoches Central High School softball coach.

Hale steps in for Ronnie Abels, who moved back to his Winn Parish roots after a very successful stint leading the Lady Chiefs, who won at least 20 games and made significant playoff runs in each of the last four seasons.

A 21-year coaching veteran, Hale has been on the NCHS faculty and athletic staff for several years, serving on Abels’ staff and previously as an assistant baseball coach, among other roles.

Hale guided St. Mary’s to a 2011 state baseball championship after a state runner-up finish a year earlier with the Tigers. He won state Coach of the Year honors from both the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association.

“I am so fortunate to follow in the shoes of a man like Ronnie Abels and take over the helm of the Lady Chief softball program,” said Hale in a press release issued by NCHS. “Looking forward to working with these young ladies and coaches to continue a winning program and keeping Lady Chief softball at the top of the state.”

NCHS principal Micah Coleman cited Hale’s experience as key to the decision.

“Coach Hale has done such an admirable job in assisting coach Ronnie Abels for the last couple of years, and is deserving of the opportunity to lead our ladies’ program into even further depths of success as the head coach,” said Coleman. “Coach Hale is an educator that has always stepped up to the plate when it comes to putting students first at NCHS. I am excited to continue to see our ladies win at a high level.”

Hale was a starting centerfielder for the Demons in 2001-02, when NSU won the Southland Conference championship under two different head coaches, John Cohen followed by Mitch Gaspard.

NOTE — This is part of a series of stories profiling the 12-person Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023, who will be inducted to culminate three days of festivities in Natchitoches July 27-29. For tickets and more information, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.

By TEDDY ALLEN, Journal Sports/Written for the LSWA

A two-time All-America receiver and the SEC Player of the Year as a senior in 1987, former LSU Tiger Wendell Davis is so unassuming, so under the radar and in the moment, that how good he was can somewhat escape a lot of folks, including, of all people, Wendell Davis.

“It’s beautiful to see how the game’s evolved, especially at the receiver position,” he said from Chicago, where he’s lived and worked and raised a family since his NFL career ended after a devastating injury five games into his sixth season with the Bears in 1993. “These guys today are a lot taller, a lot faster, a lot stronger … they make such a big difference out there.”

In his LSU-loving mind are pictures of Kayshon Boutte, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Jarvis Landry, Josh Reed, Odell Beckham Jr., dude after dude from the past 20 years, guys who, if you saw them walking in Baton Rouge, you’d know where they were going and why: to Tiger Stadium, to catch a bunch of footballs.

“To me,” Davis said, “as a receiver, it’s beautiful to see … the way they’re built, the way they move. They possess it all.”

He smiles — it’s a sideline-to-sideline smile, always — and he shakes his head, almost in disbelief. And then with a hint of shy amazement, one of the most prolific receivers in school history says, “I couldn’t do what they do.”

Which is fine except … well, he did.

He did what they’re doing.

And he did it before many of them were born.

While it’s been 30 years since he retired as a player and a quarter century since he finished his college career with three touchdown catches and the Most Valuable Player award in the 1987 Gator Bowl, and while the world and the game has changed plenty, the LSU record book hasn’t changed as much as you’d think.

The record shows that even the passing of time makes it impossible to overlook the accomplishments of Wendell Davis, a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s outstanding Class of 2023.

“We sort of changed the SEC in the mid-’80s, the way teams had to defend; Wendell was a big part of that,” said Tommy Hodson, also a Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer and the triggerman for all those passes to Davis those final two fabulous years of Davis’s college career in 1986-87. “When you look back now, what he did still stacks up.”

Davis still holds the school record for career receptions with 183, and outside of Eric Martin — his Hall of Fame immediate predecessor at LSU — and a Todd Kinchen, Andy Hamilton and Carlos Carson dotted here and there, each an outstanding player, Davis is the only guy who played pre-2000 whose name still litters the receiving Top 10 lists, most of which he was at the top of when he left LSU as a first-round pick to Chicago.

Davis left LSU as the leader in receptions in a game (14) and in a single season (80), in single-season receiving yardage (1,244), in receiving TDs (11) in yards per game (113.1) and in career receiving yards (2,708).

Dude from Shreveport-Fair Park could play.

And remember: until the 2002-03 season, statistics in bowl games and playoff games didn’t count. Plus teams played 11 game regular seasons then, and maybe a bowl. Now a team can play as many as 15 in a season.

Take the Top 50 receivers in either catches or yardage last year in the NCAA and compare them to Davis’s junior season: only six had more yardage, only 13 had more catches, and all but two had the advantage of playing more games. Insane when considering we’re comparing today’s throw-it-everywhere game to what LSU and Davis and Hodson did 37 years ago.

The problem for defenses and the advantage for Davis and his teammates was so simple it’s elusive: nobody could cover him.

“What he did was amazing back then,” Hodson said. “It’s even more amazing today. He had a great final game in the Gator Bowl (nine catches for 132 yards and three TDs) and that doesn’t even count.

“Funny to think about it, but it started out with eight catches here, seven there, another eight or 10 …,” Hodson said. “Then the story started to grow.”

“The best thing I can say about Wendell is that as a safety, I was playing against all kinds of great receivers every week in the SEC,” said former teammate Jamie Bice. “But we knew we’d never see a better receiver on Saturday than we’d seen every day in practice in Wendell; that receiver just didn’t exist.”

The Davis Story started innocently enough when he showed up in Baton Rouge largely unannounced. He’d been recruited lightly and late by the staff of head coach Jerry Stovall, who signed Davis — right before the whole staff was fired.

Davis thought, “Uh-oh.”

“They listed me at 6-1; I’m about 5-11, really,” Davis said. “Most of my career I played at 185 to 187. Speed’s average. But the thing that stood out was that I could run routes. And I loved football and the whole team concept and I worked hard at everything I did. I was sure if I worked hard, I could be successful.

“It’s just that, with a new staff, they didn’t know what they were getting with me,” Davis said.

No. They did not. Who could have figured this average-looking mildly recruited freshman would, as a junior and senior, win so much hardware and help lead his team to a pair of Top 10 finishes.

But he did. New coach Bill Arnsparger kept the signed recruits. A defensive whiz, he bolstered the Tiger line on both sides. And in 1986, after Davis had averaged about a catch-and-a-half a game his first two seasons and Eric Martin had left for the NFL, a freshman quarterback named Hodson from Central Lafourche met Davis.

“He was highly recruited and was going to get the chance to play,” Davis said. “My thinking was I need to get to know him, and the way to do that was to really work out with him.”

Summer meant throwing and catching and talking. Understanding. And then, “the second or third game,” Hodson said, “it just kind of clicked.”

The hash marks were wider then, and Davis usually lined up as the split end to the short side. Teams blitzed a lot and played man almost exclusively.

“On the short side, Wendell’s the easier throw, the shorter throw,” Hodson said. “It just started out as a hook, an out, a fade, a go … it was easier. And his route running as so precise. And to be honest, the corners weren’t as good back then. And that’s really it. That’s how it happened.”

Eight catches here, seven there … Then the story started to grow …

“Just a lot of work,” Davis said. “At practice, getting to become comfortable with each other and trying to understand one another. But the trick was, ‘Can we transfer that to the game field?’ We were able to do that.”

“We were both precise; we both had a lot of discipline,” Hodson said. “In practice if things weren’t lining up, I might ask him to put a hitch step in his route. Or he’d ask me to make it a quick five (step drop) instead of regular speed. The smallest things so we could time it all perfectly.”

If three or four QBs were in a rotation throwing to receivers at practice, Hodson might do some quick math and step out of line.

“I’m skipping,” he said, “until I get to Wendell.”

The out route and the skinny post were the duo’s “go to” throws. “You’ve got the same footwork, the same break,” Hodson said. “Wendell would give you the same look off the ball, but you didn’t know if he was going in or out.

“Or we’d run a corner from the inside slot. The defense would be in man and the guy was always running behind Wendell,” Hodson said. “All the time. I just lob it over the top and he catches it. I bet he scored 10 TDs on that one route.”

He scored the final two on that route in the Gator Bowl when he made South Carolina’s self-named “Black Death” defense look more like they were playing dead. Men against Chickens. The win was LSU’s first bowl victory since 1979 and gave the Tigers their first 10-win season in a quarter century.

(For the record, the first TD was on an out route Davis caught on the hash at the 39. Easily left his defender, juked another, raced down the sideline.)

“Everything just clicked that day,” Davis said. “We went out the way we wanted.”

The end wasn’t as wonderful with the Bears. Averaging 40-plus catches a season in his first five years in the NFL, Davis seemed heading toward a pro career similar to that of his friend Martin, who played 10 years in the league. That changed in October of 1993 at a game in Philadelphia against the Eagles when Davis tried to jump for a pass — and never left the ground. His cleats stuck in the god-forsaken AstroTurf in Veterans Stadium, and the result was a tear of both patellar tendons, the rope that keeps the kneecaps in place.

“They found my kneecaps,” Davis said, “up in my thighs.”

He tried a comeback the next fall with Indianapolis. Didn’t work.

He also got a call from Philadelphia in 2004 right before the Vet was demolished.

“They asked me if I’d like to press the button (to start the implosion),” Davis said. “I just said, ‘No thanks. I’m done. I’m good.’”

And Davis is good these days. Better than good. He says the injury helped him understand more fully that “you’re really not in control of those things, that there’s a purpose for your life,” he said. “And I also learned that it’s not about me; it’s about serving Him and serving others.”

Besides, he says now, the end of playing football was “the end of something great but the start of something awesome.”

The NFL experience, he said, “was wonderful, to be able to have some success at that level. But more important was getting married to the girl of my dreams (Trish, from Illinois) and for us to have kids and be married for the last 32 years. That’s the awesome part. Just transitioning from being a player to being able to coach, then to be a part of corporate America in business, which I love. I’m just so grateful for my opportunities.”

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

By Katie Bedgood, Lakeview FFA Chapter Member

This past week at the 94th annual FFA convention I had the opportunity to sit in on a workshop given by Enterprise Aquatics. During this workshop they taught us different things that go into aquatic farming.

There are three big things when dealing with aquatic farming which are recirculating aquaculture systems, hydroponic systems, and aquaponic systems. Recirculating aquaculture systems is a new way to farm fish. Instead of growing fish outdoors we now have the technology to have big indoor fish tanks with a controlled environment and an almost completely closed circuit.

Next is hydrophonic systems and that is a way to grow plants without soil but instead with water filled with nutrients. The best plants to grow are greens, root crops, herbs, and more.

Lastly, we have aquaponic systems which are pretty much a combination of recirculating aquaculture systems and hydroponic systems. Using this system you use the waste from your fish to put into the water for your plants, so they get the nutrients and can grow. This is a sustainable way of cultivating food without using soil and is a fast and upcoming thing used more and more in agriculture.

The coaches on the sidelines will be different, but there are plenty of familiarities for the Northwestern State soccer team in its 2023 schedule. 

With a nine-team Southland Conference, NSU takes on a pair of conference members twice—Houston Christian and McNeese—and the other six conference institutions once in the 10-match league slate. 

New coach Ian Brophy starts his career with a challenging non-conference schedule, beginning with a pair of road games against perennial power North Texas (Aug. 20) and Mississippi State (Aug. 24), the latter of which reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 

“Having our first two games away against two national powerhouses is challenging to open up the season,” Brophy said. “But it will be a good test to see where we are at early on.” 

Prior to the regular season opener, fans can come out to the Lady Demon Soccer Complex when NSU plays an exhibition game against UL Lafayette on Aug. 12. 

Rice, playing in its first year as a member of the American Athletic Conference, comes to Natchitoches for the regular season home opener Aug. 27. 

That match with Rice is the first of two non-conference home contests, also welcoming Alabama A&M to Natchitoches on Sept. 3. 

In between the two home games is a visit to Southern Miss on Aug. 31. 

The non-conference slate rounds out with a pair of road games at Jackson Sate (Sept. 8) and one of the most anticipated games on the schedule against LSU (Sept. 10). 

“It will be nice to end the non-conference schedule with such a challenging opponent like an LSU right before we begin conference play,” Brophy said. “We always build our non-conference schedule with the conference season always in mind. 

“We wanted to be battle-tested and proven going into conference play.” 

It is the first time NSU has played LSU since 2015, a 1-1 tie in Baton Rouge. 

NSU begins its 10-game conference slate with a pair of home games, hosting Southeastern Louisiana (Sept. 17) and UIW (Sept. 22). 

To start the road portion of the conference schedule, the Lady Demons aim for revenge against Texas A&M-Commerce (Sept. 24) after falling to the Lions in the SLC Tournament in 2022. 

NSU returns home for the fourth game of the league schedule, welcoming McNeese to the Soccer Complex, the first of two matchups between the rival schools. 

“We want to take advantage of having three of our first four at home to begin conference play,” Brophy said. “We will need to capitalize on it to pick up points and start league play off strong because it is important to start the conference season off strong.” 

The Lady Demons bounced the Cowgirls from the conference tournament in 2022 with a 5-0 victory, but the teams played to a 1-1 draw during the regular season matchup. 

After starting the conference schedule with three home matches in four games, NSU embarks on a stretch of three consecutive road contests. The three matches—at Lamar (Oct. 6), HCU (Oct. 8) and McNeese (Oct. 13)—are the first stretch of three straight road games during conference play since 2018. 

NSU has had a rivalry with Lamar, as two of the best teams in the SLC for the past decade. The Lady Demons split with the conference champion Cardinals last season, winning 2-0 in Beaumont, Texas. HCU is the second of the two teams that NSU has an in-season home-and-home with and the trip to Lake Charles completes the home-and-home with the Cowgirls. 

The Lady Demons wrap up their home schedule with games against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Oct. 15) and the second meeting against HCU (Oct. 22). 

A trip to Nicholls on Oct. 27 finishes off the regular season schedule. 

After hosting the conference tournament in 2022, the SLC Tournament is in Corpus Christi, Texas, this season, as the Lady Demons aim to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons. 

pikappNSU- Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity’s national headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina has ranked the Beta Omicron Alumni Chapter among its top alumni groups in the country.

Last week the Fraternity announced the Northwestern State University alumni organization had earned Champion Master Alumni Chapter status for its efforts to connect and engage with alumni members.

“This award recognizes alumni chapters and housing corporations that operate at the highest level in promoting lifelong brotherhood through communication, alumni events, sound business practices and support of the undergraduate chapter,” a news release stated.

The Beta Omicron Alumni Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation, Inc. exists to support student members of the fraternity by connecting generations of initiates through meaningful experiences, providing housing for the undergraduate chapter at NSU, and supporting leadership initiatives through mentoring and other volunteer opportunities. The alumni chapter’s board of directors holds biweekly virtual meetings and coordinates support of NSU and campus initiatives on behalf of its alumni members.

Its efforts have been recognized numerous times in recent years, most notably, being named ‘Housing Corporation of the Year’ in 2021 and ‘Alumni Chapter of the Year’ in 2015 and 2013.

Natchitoches City Council will have a pre-council meeting on Monday, July 10 at 5:30 pm beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. to discuss non-agenda items. The City Council meeting will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month and will be reserved to only items on the Agenda.  The public is invited to both the pre-council meetings and council meetings with the understanding that items not on the agenda will not be discussed at the scheduled council meetings, but the public is welcome to discuss any topic at the pre-council meetings.  The City Council Meetings are held at the Natchitoches City Council Chambers located at 716 Second Street, Natchitoches, Louisiana.

AGENDA:

ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION:

#039   Nielsen Ordinance Authorizing The Mayor Of The City Of Natchitoches To Award The Bid For Professor M. Richardson Park Improvements (Bid No. 0661)

RESOLUTIONS:

#065  Petite Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Execute Change Order No. 2 For The Purchase Of A 47’ Sheave Height Digger Truck For The Utility Department (Bid No. 0639)

#066  Smith Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Execute A Certificate Of Substantial Completion To The Contract Between The City Of Natchitoches And Williams Equipment Services, LLC For 2021-22 Street Rehabilitation Program, Phase 1 (Bid No.   0641)

#067   Elie Resolution Addressing Administrative Aspects Of The Proposed Application Assistance For Grant Submitted For Funding To The LCDBG Clearance Grant Program

#068  Harrington Resolution Addressing Legal Aspects Of The Proposed Application Assistance For Grant Submitted For Funding To The Louisiana CDBG Clearance Grant Program

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The next scheduled City Council meeting will be Monday, July 24, 2023.

Sam Friedman, Longtime resident of Natchitoches died peacefully on July 2, 2023 in Glenville, North Carolina. Mr. Friedman’s death brought hundreds of visitors to Natchitoches to pay their respects to this Hotelier, cattle rancher and businessman who always called Natchitoches home.

Mr. Friedman’s business acumen and visionary approach to the hotel industry, forged relationships across America for over 50 years. Natchitoches hotels, businesses and our local airport were inundated with mourners who traveled to Natchitoches from New York City, Chicago, Miami, San Antonio, Boston, Nantucket, and numerous other places to pay respects to Mr. Friedman.

Mr. Sam Friedman’s life was memorialized on Friday July, 7th, 2023 at the Natchitoches Events Center with a funeral service that was live streamed to many of the 80 hotels he or his company, Dimension Development, either own or manage.

Mr. Friedman will be sorely missed in the Natchitoches Community, at LSU football games or salt water fishing with his friends.

SERVICES: Samuel James “Sam” Friedman

The City of Natchitoches Planning and Zoning Department approved 53 permits during the month of June with an application value of $2.5 million.

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