By Steve Graf

Today, I’m going to veer from my usual perspective as an angler and go down a different path that has brought me to where I am today. People come and go in our lives, but some people have a bigger impact than others. Now this is not always by chance, but I think it’s all a part of God’s plan for each of us.  Some folks we meet and truly get to know over a long period of time, forming a friendship that leaves a lasting impression on our lives. While there are others who come into our life for a brief moment and change our direction forever. Today I’ll reflect and tell you my story of someone who falls into this latter category.

As an athlete growing up, I was blessed with some great coaches from my Little League days through high school, college and professional…coaches who knew how to push me to be the best I could be, not just as an athlete, but as a person. They taught me that those who work harder than everyone else will be the most successful.  They emphasized how to be a leader on and off the field. My first coach, James Stansell, showed me, at the age of 8 years old,  what it meant to believe in someone. He was a tough old cuss who had a reputation for being too rough with kids; a coach who had you run laps at the next practice if you made a mistake like missing a ground ball, striking out or making a bad throw. But one thing he gave me was confidence. He would tell me every day how much he believed in me as a player, and how I was ‘his” guy and that there was no one better. He taught me to believe in myself more than anyone else would ever believe in me. These lessons continued to be taught by my high school and college coaches…lessons like being responsible, taking pride in who you are, and understanding that you control your own destiny. They stressed that as a player you represent your parents, coaches, community, and school, but more importantly, you represent yourself. You’re truly a reflection on those you’re associated with.

Now, let me introduce you to the man that changed my life forever. As a high school quarterback from Mt. Pleasant, Texas, I played at a school with a reputation for winning. However, in my senior season of 1978, things did not go as planned for us as a team. With a new coaching staff, to say we struggled is an understatement. But it’s funny how things worked out. We were playing the Atlanta Rabbits in East Texas one Friday night and a coach by the name of Al Miller of Northwestern State was there scouting a linebacker from Atlanta. A coach on our staff, Coach Mike Fields, made conversation with Coach Miller at half time and encouraged him to take a closer look at me as a potential college player. I never knew this until months later when Coach Miller came to my house on a cold winter night to visit with my parents and me.

Now after being recruited by several Division 1 schools, I had heard all the BS a player could possibly hear. I thought Coach Miller would be the same, but was I ever wrong. I asked him if he could guarantee that I would be a starter and not be redshirted …. like other schools had promised. Yes, that was an arrogant question, but I wanted to see what he would say. Would Coach Miller be like all the rest? Well, he did not give me the answer I was expecting. He said “Steve, I’m not here to guarantee you anything other than the opportunity. It’s up to you when you get there as to whether those things happen for you or not.” WOW!!! Finally, someone who shot me straight and told the truth! This hit me like a sledgehammer right between the eyes. I knew right then and there that I was headed to Northwestern State to further my education and athletic career and I did not even know where Northwestern State was located! Coach Miller’s attitude and honesty had won me over; he was different. 

I never got to play under Coach Al Miller since he committed to be the strength & conditioning coach for the NFL’s Denver Broncos under Head Coach Dan Reeves in 1979.  His status as the best strength and conditioning coach in the country has made him a legendary Hall of Fame coach that continues to this day. The biggest honor for me was knowing that I was his last recruit to Northwestern State. Coach Miller changed the direction of my life, even though he never coached or spent any substantial amount of time with me…just that hour and a half at my house in the winter of 1978. That was all it took for him to have a lasting impression on my life and become a man who I will forever be grateful to.  He was the catalyst that allowed me to have a great career at NSU, graduate, get drafted, and meet and marry the love of my life, Sherrie. We had three kids and raised them on the banks of Sibley Lake in Natchitoches, watching them grow up and become fine people. To this day, I am aware that my existing life was set into motion because of a coach who saw a young boy from Mt. Pleasant, Texas, that he thought deserved an opportunity. Thank you, Coach Al Miller, for changing my life!!!

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The countdown begins! Women of Victory presents-Fall into Jesus V: Strengthened to Stand!

The annual women’s conference begins today and continues all weekend.  See the flyer at the bottom of this article.

The conference asks that you invite any woman who is going through fire or has gone through the fire and has gained an unbreakable Strength!!!

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The 33rd annual Christmas Gala, produced by the Mrs. H.D. Dear Sr. and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts at Northwestern State University will return to campus for 2021.  The Gala will be presented Dec. 1-3 in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium. Performance times are 7 p.m. each evening with a 9 p.m. performance on Dec. 3.

The 2019 Gala was moved off campus due to construction in the auditorium. Last year’s performance was virtual due to the pandemic.

Tickets are $15. NSU, BPCC@NSU and Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts students are admitted free with a current student I.D.

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The 2021-22 basketball season is off and running.  This week Red River High published the schedule for all basketball teams.  And this year Red River Basketball is holding a tournament.  Red River’s tourney is slated for December 2nd

Among the listings are several traditional match-ups.  The Bulldogs are again going to the Doc Edwards Invitational and the Bossier Invitational tournaments.

New tournaments include those at Anacoco, Southwood and Castor.

District play begins with a match at Lakeview January 18^th.  The Bulldogs wrap up district play on February 11^th when Many comes to town.

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By Royal Alexander

In the last few weeks comedian Dave Chappelle has been prominently in the news for a stand he has taken regarding the content of his shows, particularly the latest Netflix special that debuted on Oct. 5th.  He was, as he always is, acutely anti-woke and generally offensive and insulting toward numerous groups, races, and ethnicities.  Among many other topics, he regularly targets gender issues with his jokes including the LGBT movement whom he has called “the Alphabet people.”  Right on cue, of course, he has now been attacked by LGBT activists and social media mobs.

What is most interesting to me is how improbable it is that a foul-mouthed comedian would be leading the charge against one of the greatest cultural dangers of our time—the bullying, suppression, and canceling of artistic expression and speech.

What we are really seeing is what many of us always thought was the case: jokes are allowed, and encouraged, if they target the “right” people or groups—or rather the people and beliefs the Left thinks are wrong.  However, the moment the humor and mocking are extended to the Left’s favorite dogma or groups, broad outrage follows.  In other words, freedom of speech is permitted—provided The Mob agrees with it.  Their commitment to inclusion ends with those with whom they disagree— sometimes violently.  These Thought Fascists believe in diversity of all things—except thought.

As the Wall Street Journal has succinctly noted: “… the recent dustup over Mr. Chappelle only further demonstrates the true power of political satire and comedy.  It can shine a light on the unflattering traits of those controlling our cultural institutions.  Funny is funny, even in a time of political polarization and censorship.  Comedy can get people of all stripes laughing and dole out a little truth while their guard is down.  This is why, from woke boardrooms to the White House and elite universities, those wielding cultural power today can’t abide humor that illuminates their moral failures, their hypocrisy and the ultimate bankruptcy of their worldviews.  Jokes intended to provoke a good-natured laugh are now met with calls for censorship, boycotts and even “fact checks.”

The long and short of it is that a joke, by its nature, is made at some person or group’s expense.  That is what makes it funny.  The humor comes from pointing out a quirky or unusual human characteristic; a foible—and every one of us have them—being one of the things that make us human.  It is our very imperfection, the error-filled, mistake-driven way we learn and improve—that is interesting and funny.  And yes, jokes can sting and hurt but that truly is one of the prices we pay for living in a free society that values freedom of expression for everyone.  (Remember, we can always change the channel or avert our eyes).  It is one of America’s greatest promises and virtues.

Otherwise, certain groups—the Thought Police—then take it upon themselves to decide what speech or expression is “hate filled” and “offensive” and that quickly becomes a slippery slope because every single one of us has a different idea about what is offensive and unacceptable.  Soon, comedy would become so bland and boring we would no longer be entertained by it.

However, let’s keep in mind that the Cancel Culture seeks far more than an end to jokes from comedians they don’t like.  As America has witnessed over these past two years, the Cancel Culture seeks, through the use of intimidation, bullying and violence, to “cancel” those with whom they disagree from eating establishments, academic institutions, places of employment and in the most violent examples, to literally ‘cancel’ the lives of those with whom they disagree.

This pushback by Chappelle appears to be the beginning of other artists and entertainers also beginning to say, “enough is enough, you are killing comedy and entertainment.”  Chappelle is an unlikely messenger but the message he brings is critically important to our living in a free society.

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Timothy Hughes Gardner, Sr.

October 1, 1965 to November 11, 2021

Celebration of Life Sunday, November 28 at 11:00 am at Grand Bayou Event Center

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School children begin their Thanksgiving break at the end of classes today.  Both Red River and Riverdale will be closed beginning Monday, November 22^nd through Friday, November 26^th.  Classes resume on November 29^th.

The community wide Thanksgiving service is Sunday evening at 6:00 pm.  It will be held at First Methodist on Front Street.  Bro. Nathan Davis of First Baptist will bring the message.  Refreshments will be served following the service.

Northwestern State University announced it will be closed Nov. 22-26 for Thanksgiving break. Classes will resume and administrative offices will reopen Monday, Nov. 29.  Watson Library will close Friday, Nov. 19 at noon and will reopen on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. 

The Randall J. Webb Wellness, Recreation and Activity Center will have regular hours through Tuesday, Nov. 23 and will be closed on Nov. 24-26. The WRAC will resume regular hours on Saturday, Nov. 27.

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The street is open after months of closure due to sewer repairs.  Here is the advisory from the state transportation department.

UPDATE: DOTD advises motorists that the Town of Coushatta has completed repairs to their sewer line and US 84 (East Carroll Street) has been REOPENED.

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Timothy Hughes Gardner, Sr.

October 1, 1965 to November 11, 2021

Celebration of Life Sunday, November 28 at 11:00 am at Grand Bayou Event Center

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It starts today, the Coushatta Chamber’s Fill Santa’s Sleigh holiday shopping event.  Shop today (November 17^th) and tomorrow at local businesses.  Some lucky shopper could win a basket filled with prizes valued at more than $350.

First stop is to go to any participating merchant on the list below.  Get a “Fill Santa’s Sleigh” card.  That merchant will give you the first business sticker for your card.

The Red River Parish Journal is offering a Secret Santa Word to give you an additional chance to win.  That word is “HIPPO” as in the holiday song “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”  Write “HIPPO” in the blank on your card.

Shop 4 or more participating businesses on November 17 & 18.  Make a purchase of at least $20 from one of the merchants.  Fill out the card and take it to Deen & Company at 5012 Cutoff Road by noon on November 19^th to enter the prize drawing.

Good luck.  And enjoy the Fill Santa’s Sleigh holiday shopping event.

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By Christy Suggs

Friday night the Dawg Pound was alive with excitement as the Bulldogs took on the Rayville Hornets in the 1st round playoff game. The Bulldogs received the ball to start the game. The Dawgs trying to set the tone for the game made a huge error on the second play of the drive with a fumble. This forced the bulldog defense to stop a drive already started in the Dawgs territory. The defense did not fall under the pressure, created a forced fumble that was picked up by Terrell Gary and ran in for touchdown.  Bulldog fans went wild!!! This play made the Top 5 plays of the night on KTBS Friday Night Fever. The Hornet’s next drive ended shortly with another fumble recovered by the Dawgs. The RR Bulldogs ended their offensive drive with a 13 yard jet pass that was run in for a touchdown by Antron Williams. This made the 1st quarter score 14-0 with over 6 and half minutes to still play. Again the Bulldogs defense stopped the Hornets forcing them to punt. The punt being very short gave the Bulldogs field position in the Hornet’s zone. One the first play, D’Evin McDonald ran a 49 yard touchdown off another jet pass, making the score 21-0. The Bulldog’s defense, still hot, got a huge sack on fourth down giving the ball back to the offense on the Hornet’s 47 yard line. A deep bomb from Tre Smith to Antron Williams resulted in a touchdown that was 47 yards. This ended the 1st quarter RR 28 Rayville 0.

The Bulldogs defense forced the Hornets to punt. This punt was a line drive straight to Trent Grigg who ran in for a 32 yard touchdown bringing the score to 35 to 0. The Hornets drive again resulted in a punt. The Bulldogs took full advantage, scoring once more with a 1 yard run from Lenard Mosely. (RR 41-0). Bulldogs scored once more before the half with a 16 yard pass completed for a touchdown by Antron Williams. This left about 1 min before halftime allowing the Hornets to finally score. Teams went to the lock rooms with a score of 48-6.

Starting the half the Bulldogs kicked off to the Hornets. Nearing the end zone the Hornets tried for a pass, this resulted in an INT by Terrell Gary. This interception was caught in the endzone giving the Bulldogs the ball on their 20 yard line from a touchback.  A bad snap on a field goal attempt gave the ball back to the Hornets.  On a fumble by the Hornets the Dawgs are given the ball back on the Hornets 22 yard line.  The Bulldogs turned over the ball via a fumble by freshman Mon’trevieon Smith.  The Hornet’s scored on a 19 yard passing touchdown and a 2 point conversion bringing the score to 48-14.  On fourth down, the Dawgs attempted a field goal but was slightly right and missed. The Hornets were given the ball back but did not score because of time. Final score was RR 48- Rayville 16. 

Head Coach Jeff Harper had the following to say about the game. “I am very proud of how well our team played Friday night. We were physical, forced multiple turnovers, scored in all 3 phases and put Rayville away early with 48 first half points. The fast start allowed our coaches to get the younger guys meaningful playoff experience that will benefit our program moving forward. The atmosphere was great and I’m glad our seniors got one more home game.  This week we play #8 Rosepine (10-1) on the road. We will need another great week of practice to be successful.”

Come join the traveling fan club and join us in Rosepine.

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By Julie Page

On Sunday, December 5 at 6 pm, our children’s choir (FBC) will be presenting a Christmas musical. We would like to invite the community to come out to watch, worship, and fellowship with us.

“Angel” means “messenger,” and what better way to spread the message at Christmas time than with angels! Our entire children’s choir is made up of angels! In fact, they are all waiting to be told when to go to earth and make the grand announcement.

As they wait for the call, they review God’s faithfulness through His promises and some of the prophecies about the Savior’s birth. The musical is full of worship and plenty of celebration, since the angels understand the love God has for His people in sending His Son to earth.

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By Doug Ireland, Journal Sports

Thanks to a power play by people in Lake Charles, there’s been a big drop in blood pressure for plenty of folks in Natchitoches, Hammond, Thibodaux and a few on the Lakeshore in New Orleans.

A Tuesday afternoon announcement confirmed a swift turnaround toward status quo. McNeese revealed it was staying put in the Southland Conference, renewing longstanding cordial relations with Northwestern, Southeastern, Nicholls and UNO, much to the dismay of former friends in Texas.

It resuscitated the Southland from extinction, while creating at least a big wobble for the Western Athletic Conference, where former Southland members Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, Lamar and Abilene Christian bolted earlier this year.

They tried to entice McNeese to join them. The Cowboys were receptive over the last several months, with McLeaders traveling to Denver a few weeks ago to make a membership presentation to current WAC gurus. The footsies and flirting seemed heading toward a likely engagement.

The Texas Traitors and the Cowboys have the same ultimate destination in mind: moving up from the Southland and Football Championship Subdivision membership (on-field playoffs for the top 24 teams nationally) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (and a chance to play in a low-level bowl game). The incentive$ were the lure of bowl revenue (not a lot for the bottom tier in the FBS), the chance to add another digit to low to mid-six figure paychecks from the biggest schools for football guarantee games (a trip to LSU or Texas might net an extra half-million), and the belief that playing more overly ambitious opponents at home might hike ticket revenues.

Let’s not get logic involved here and overcome ego. Anyone who has tracked attendance figures around the state has to admit the real path to hike home game ticket revenues would be to hire Marty McFly as commissioner, get Doc Brown’s flux capacitor going, and Go Back to The Gulf States Conference. Not exactly the future, but rebuilding a league with in-state schools would boost crowds in all sports, not just football, while cutting travel costs.

That’s not happening. Never mind the millions that would be produced in gate revenue and the millions in state money that would be reduced for travel.  Ambition overrules everything.

Well, actually, in big league college sports, TV money does. It’s the lack of a local TV market of any consequence that left Louisiana Tech behind recently when much of Conference USA bolted for better deals and new territory. CUSA quickly went contraflow and a few days ago invited desolate-in-the-desert New Mexico State (stealing the Aggies from the WAC), deep pocketed and lonely Liberty, and two FCS stalwarts, Jacksonville State and Sam Houston (twice divorced, split from the Southland last year and now, the WAC; although there’s some chatter that the $2 million CUSA entry fee might sour Sam’s shift).

Where there are entry fees, there logically are exit fees. When the Texas schools bolted the Southland this spring, they each paid a relatively paltry $300,000 – as much as Sam Houston pays its baseball coach. Not exactly a tall hurdle to clear, so the remaining Southland membership agreed to hike their exit penalty rate.

Except in case McNeese makes a future move to FBS. The pile of concessions granted by the Southland Conference (with approval of its university presidents) was recited in a joint announcement Tuesday by the league and McNeese, with one exception. They didn’t mention McNeese staying is an engagement, not a remarriage. The door is left wide open for the Cowboys to climb up, at no cost. Nada. No toll booth to pass.

That’s a victory in Cowboy country, but a hollow plank elsewhere. McNeese going FBS is unlikely to occur any time soon. The only nearby FBS conferences, the Sun Belt and CUSA, aren’t interested or it would have already happened. For better (Sun Belt) and worse (CUSA), their membership shuffling is over for at least the next little bit, until the next seismic activity rolls downhill from the Power 5 leagues. When that happens, and it’s coming, it may very well knock the NCAA into oblivion.

In real time, McNeese recognized that losing New Mexico State and Sam Houston not only dashed the WACky dreams of upsizing to FBS status, but also suddenly greatly expanded an already frightful travel budget. The idea of a southern division was shot for a conference that stretches out to LA, up to Seattle, and into Arizona and Utah.

But keeping that option on the table presented a do-or-die decision to the Southland. Losing McNeese  would have collapsed the league because it would have fallen below minimum membership requirements to maintain automatic NCAA postseason qualification for its championship teams in all sports, not just football. NSU, Nicholls, SLU and UNO were already hurriedly considering unappealing fallback affiliations with the Ohio Valley Conference or the Atlantic Sun, both requiring leapfrogging states to get to conference contests.

So, the Cowboys got everything they asked for to stay put. From 2023-26, McNeese will host the conference basketball, baseball and softball tournaments, a decision that raised the ire of many coaches and fans around the Southland. The annual conference preseason football media event will be in Lake Charles. Don’t rule out the conference opening a satellite office there, hinting at moving its headquarters to SWLA.

My lunch bunch pals are wondering if we have to go to the Lake City for all future eatin’ meetin’s, or at least for four years.

Will the Southland sponsor a championship in duck calling and stage it in Cameron Parish?

Hmmmm, could be. The marsh people, who up until a couple of weeks felt like McLeast, too long taken for granted in the Texas-heavy Southland pecking order, are suddenly McAlmighty.

“A school that was desperate to get out of the league now becomes its biggest player,” wrote Lake Charles American Press columnist Jim Gazzolo.

The Southland sunshine dimmed a bit Friday when it lost the Alamo City’s Incarnate Word in a move that illustrates the desperation of the WAC. Stephen F. Austin 1) reluctantly accepted UIW into the Southland several years ago; 2) left the Southland citing substandard facilities and a lack of commitment to athletics by some league members, a clear diss aimed at UIW and Houston Baptist; and 3) now has kissed the pig and rolled out the WACky welcome mat.

But while amusing from that angle, UIW’s move does heighten the Southland’s urgency to recruit a couple more Division II football-playing members. Schools like Arkansas Tech, West Texas A&M, Central Oklahoma, even Delta State and West Florida could be receptive to an upgrade.

Some better be. You have to wonder, will Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (a non-football Southland member) look at a suddenly Louisiana-heavy league, and have a WAC-waiver? Will UL System czar Jim Henderson do what he didn’t earlier this fall regarding the McMove Mistake, and ensure that the inquiries by SLU and Nicholls toward possible ASUN affiliation are 86’d?

Time to update that #SouthlandStrong hashtag. It hasn’t fit all year. Truly, it was #SouthlandShaky, and for the time being, it’s #SouthlandSaved. For now.

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By Molly Seales

On Thursday, November 11, the Riverdale Lady Rebel basketball teams travelled to Providence Classical Academy in Bossier City to kick off their 2021-2022 season. Fans filled the entire visitor’s side to cheer on the Lady Rebels. They did not disappoint. In the JV game, the Lady Rebels defeated Providence 32-17. 8^th grader Makayla Pickett led the charge, tossing in 11 points and being a huge rebounding factor in the paint. 9^th grader Haylee Smith got the butterflies out in the first quarter and then got hot, adding 8 points of her own. 8^th grader Mary Claire Jones, who starts on varsity, played one quarter and scored 5 points. 9^th grader Jadyn King contributed 4 points and was a strong defensive factor. 9^th grader Chloe Jordan and 8^th grader Charity Williamson had 2 points each. 8^th grade guard Hanna Catherine Huddleston did not score in the game, but she had numerous assists while leading the offense on the floor and playing a huge role in the Lady Rebel defense.

In the second game of the evening, the varsity Lady Rebels defeated Providence 62-24, with all of the players getting playing time. Seniors Kenley Loftin and Rylee Kate Woodard both came out hot and ready to play in the first game of their senior season. They played only 3 quarters each and put up some great numbers. Woodard led the team in scoring with 16 points, while Loftin wasn’t far behind with 14 points of her own. Both of them had 2 3-point baskets. Woodard also had 7 steals, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds, while Loftin had 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 assist. Sophomore Sky McMullan was solid across the board with 9 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 blocked shots. 8^th grader Mary Claire Jones led the offense from the point guard spot and had 5 points (including a 3 pointer,) 6 assists, 2 rebounds, and a steal. Georgia Carlisle and Haylee Smith each had 4 points in the game. Renee Prosperie, Jessie Kate Cobb, Emily Kirkland, Kacie Harper, and Gracie Stephens all chipped in 2 points for the Lady Rebels.

The Lady Rebels next stop will be in Haynesville Monday, November 15, where they will take on Claiborne Academy. The JV girls’ game will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will be followed by the varsity girls. Congratulations to both teams on their big first game wins. Good luck Lady Rebels!

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Greg Burke announced Monday he will step aside after 25 years as Northwestern State’s athletic director to accept another position at the university.

Burke requested to be reassigned to a role in fund raising for the NSU Foundation. He began his NSU career generating revenues as director of the NSU Athletic Association and served for five years as director of athletic development at the University of Akron.

The longest-serving athletic director in Louisiana and the Southland Conference, Burke has guided the NSU athletic department since 1996. Discussions with university officials about his future role at NSU have been ongoing for several months.

Northwestern President Dr. Marcus Jones said, “Greg has been highly respected by colleagues in college athletics in Louisiana, the Southland Conference, and the nation throughout his long tenure at NSU. His fervent commitment to enhancing and expanding the overall experiences of our student-athletes has never wavered.”

Jones said the university will engage a sports consulting search firm to assist in the search for a new athletic director and that an advisory committee of university stakeholders will also be appointed to provide input in the process. He said a new AD should be selected within six to eight weeks.

Vice President of External Affairs Jerry Pierce said, “Northwestern is indebted to Greg for his years of dedicated service and extensive contributions to the university. He has made a positive impact on intercollegiate sports in the state and nationally. I am confident that he will continue to serve the university passionately and effectively in his new role at the school.”

Appointed as Northwestern’s 20th president earlier this month after serving as interim president since July, Jones plans to initiate a major development campaign at the university in 2022. He said Burke’s “experience and expertise in fund-raising will be valuable as we embark on that important campaign.”

Burke’s shift away from athletics comes during one of the most turbulent times nationwide in intercollegiate sports because of such issues as conference realignments; name, image, and likeness rules; transfer portal implications, and COVID-related disruptions.

Pierce said, “With the turmoil surrounding college athletics nationally and the importance of continuity and stability in our intercollegiate sports programs and experiences for student-athletes, we are fortunate that Greg will continue to serve as AD during the national search for his successor.”

Burke, who announced his decision to the Athletic Department staff Monday morning, said, “The timing is right for me to make this transition to the NSU Foundation. Doing so will enable me to focus solely on raising funds for a university which means the world to my family and me. I have always had a great working relationship with (NSU Foundation Executive Director) Drake Owens and look forward to working with him and his staff.”

A native of Alliance, Ohio, Burke is a graduate of the University of Mount Union in Ohio and received his master’s degree from Kent State University.

He was a sportswriter for the Alliance Review newspaper in Ohio and director of news and sports information at Hiram College in Ohio before joining the NSU Athletic Department as an intern in 1985.

Burke held athletic fund-raising positions at Northwestern and the University of Akron before becoming athletic director at NSU in 1996.

Under Burke’s leadership, the NSU Athletic Department produced the lone Southland Conference Triple Crown championship, winning the league’s football, men’s basketball and baseball regular-season titles in the 2004-05 academic year. That trio of championships highlighted a run that included 25 NCAA postseason appearances, 24 Southland Conference regular-season championships, 19 SLC Tournament titles, three Olympians and two individual national champions during Burke’s tenure.

The Northwestern State men’s basketball team produced two NCAA Tournament victories during Burke’s time at the helm of NSU athletics, including one of the most memorable upsets in tournament history – the Demons’ 64-63 upset of third-seeded Iowa on March 17, 2006.

NSU student-athletes flourished away from the competitive surface during Burke’s career, collecting 11 Academic All-American honors, numerous Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year acclaim and Southland Conference Steve McCarty Citizenship Award winners. In the most recent NCAA Graduation Success Rate data, NSU student-athletes posted a program-record 87 percent graduation rate.

Burke recently began his second of a five-year term on the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee after previously serving on the NCAA Committee on Academics and Championships/Sports Management Cabinet, the NCAA Division I Football Issues Committee and the NCAA FCS Committee.

Said Burke: “There will no doubt be a void, having worked in college athletics for the past 43 years, but Susu and I will continue to be financially and personally supportive of NSU’s teams and coaches as a fan and advocate. I am forever grateful to Dr. Randy Webb, Jerry Pierce and the Athletic Council led by Dr. Vicki Parrish for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime to lead the NSU athletic program. Over the past 25 years, it has been a blessing to have developed relationships with so many student-athletes, parents, faculty, alumni and NCAA staff members, as well as with coaches and administrators at NSU and nationwide. Much has been accomplished over the course of time but there is always more that can be done to position NSU Athletics for success on all levels. With that in mind, I encourage those who love NSU Athletics to either keep supporting or to begin supporting our student-athletes and coaches because every single gift makes a difference.”

Photo:  Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

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By Teddy Allen

This week in 1969, the children’s television program Sesame Street first aired on PBS.

What started with Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch launched an assortment of misfit, humorous, glorious creatures known as Muppets, and the world has never looked at a frog or at a pig the same way since.

Take your tacky comedians and your crude comics and give me Muppets any day.

Sesame Street was the idea of public television documentary producer Joan Ganz Cooney, who wanted to create an educational series for pre-kindergarten children, something that would help teach them their ABCs and how to count. It was set in a fictional New York City neighborhood with nice adults and the creations of puppeteer Jim Henson.

Immediate smash hit. Big Bird dominated the 1970s every bit as much as bellbottoms, tie-dye, and the Cincinnati Reds.

I was never a big Sesame Street guy. I was older by then and my pre-Sesame Street allegiance was to Captain Kangaroo (more on that another time). But Henson kept creating more and more characters, and each was bound for stardom and the silver screen — funny and clever and sometimes smart and sometimes silly — so by the 1980s, I was all about any Muppet movie that showed up.

The best in one small-brained man’s opinion is “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” released a mind-boggling 29 years ago in 1992. (I’d have guessed 10 years, tops.) During this holiday season — and Thanksgiving Eve is a week from tomorrow, Nov. 24 — you might want to give it a look-see. The songs aren’t great, but I think it’s overall genius, like most everything else this bunch creates and performs.

This adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella “A Christmas Carol” stars Michael Caine as the miserly, Christmas-hating Ebenezer Scrooge, and he plays it straight as if he’s working with “the Royal Shakespeare Company,” he said. True to his word, he does nothing “Muppety.”

But the Muppets do.

The narrators are Gonzo the Great and, to add humor and wisecracks, the brilliant Rizzo the Rat. Love, love, love the Rizzo.

Kermit the Frog, the greatest Muppet of them all, maybe the Robert De Nero of Muppetdom, is, of course, Bob Cratchit. Miss Piggy is Mrs. Cratchit, and a tiny Kermit is Tiny Tim.

There is an understated scene early in which Bean Bunny shows up at Scrooge’s place of business on Christmas Eve, singing carols in the snow, and Scrooge sneers down and throws a wreath at him. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a rewind part for me, one of many tiny touches that make this must-see Muppets.

Remember Statler and Waldorf, the two cranky hecklers in the balcony in Muppet skits? They are the brothers Marley who come back to warn Scrooge and tell him he’ll be visited by three spirits. The loveable Fozzie Bear plays Scrooge’s old employer — Mr. Fezziwig in the original but Fozziwig here — who runs a rubber chicken factory.

And of course, a lot of rats like Rizzo are Cratchit’s co-workers, huddled about trying to keep warm underneath their shawls and stovepipe hats. A rat in a stovepipe hat? Now that’s comedy. (It’s the little things.)

Don’t get caught up in the gimmicks and forget the acting though. You’d think that after 50 years, Kermit the Frog would be typecast. Not hardly. Guy’s such a quality actor that I don’t see a frog when I see Kermit as Cratchit; I see Cratchit as Dickens might have imagined him — had Dickens imagined him as a frog.

Take 85 minutes, gather the loved ones, and enjoy yourself some “Muppet Christmas Carol” in the next few weeks. You’ll probably send me chocolates if you do.

God bless us, everyone.

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From Twin Blends Photography

“OLD TOWN” Coushatta Resurfaces!                   

Did you know that most of what was called “Old Town Coushatta” is now a part of the Red River? Yep, that’s right, the mighty Red River swallowed up a lot of this “wild west” looking town right after the turn of the century. Fire after fire destroyed many of the buildings and the final nail in the town’s coffin came when the railroad came through about a mile east. That’s when the businesses moved  to where they are now in order to be closer to the railroad.

Since our dad’s family is from Coushatta, and they almost assuredly shopped in Old Town, we thought we would travel to the Red River Parish Library and do some investigating! We uncovered tons of old photos of the town and to top it off, Maxie Almond and Bobby Yarborough brought us a map of Old Town that blew us away! It shows all of the old business that have been lost to time. Well, we decided to bring the Old Town back to “the surface” by overlaying the old map over a Google Earth Shot from today! With that being said, the next time you drive over the Coushatta bridge just imagine the town below you underneath the flowing waters of the Red!!

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Beginning Sunday, November 28 Red River Cowboy Church will begin having monthly youth nights- REFUGE! This will be open to RRCC youth as well as ALL in the ENTIRE community!!!

Cowboy Church said, “Our goal is to create a time for pre-teens and teens to unite together to have fun and fellowship, while learning and building skills to be bold for Christ!… Please be in prayer as we get started.”

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The path to good health includes staying up-to-date on health screenings and diagnostic exams. Timely care and early detection can prevent serious illnesses and improve outcomes. The following are commonly recommended general health screenings for both men and women. You may also want to talk with your primary care physician about other possible screenings based on your personal or family medical history.

• Age 18 – Routine wellness exam and labs are recommended for both men and women beginning at age 18 and then performed on an annual basis. Blood sugar levels should also be screened to determine risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes.
• Age 20 – Cholesterol screenings are recommended for men and women every five years to assess the risk for cardiovascular disease. In families with a high incidence of cardiovascular disease, screenings may be recommended for children and adolescents as well.
• Age 21 – A Pap smear is recommended for women once every 3 years to test for the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells on the cervix, the opening to the uterus. No physician referral is needed, and OB/GYN physicians provide these screenings.
• Age 40 – A mammogram, to screen for breast abnormalities including cancer, is recommended for women at age 40 and then each year or two years thereafter depending on family history. No referral or doctor’s order is needed for an annual screening mammogram.
• Age 45 – The American Diabetes Association recommends both males and females be screened for diabetes.
• Age 45 – A colonoscopy is recommended for men and women to detect any abnormalities in the large intestine and rectum, as well as for colon cancer. Physicians base their recommendations for follow-up screenings on the findings of the initial colonoscopy and family history.
• Age 50 – A prostate screening is recommended for men on an annual basis to help detect prostate cancer. This screening is performed by a urologist and includes a physical exam as well as blood work to measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA) present in the blood.
• Age 60 – A DEXA scan for both men and women to measure bone density is recommended. This scan can help determine if you are at risk for osteoporosis. Physicians will then recommend appropriate follow-up screenings in subsequent years.

So, take control of your health by getting age-related screenings. It is important for you to speak with your primary care physician to schedule these screenings and ensure you stay on the path to good health!

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By Brad Dison

Lloyd Jeffries of Memphis, Tennessee, suffered from Cerebral Palsy (CP), a group of disorders which affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture.  CP is the most common motor disability in childhood.  In severe cases, a sufferer of CP might require specialized lifelong care.    Lloyd’s case was severe.  In 1968, when Lloyd was just sixteen years old, he suddenly lost the ability to speak.  He could only produce a sort of crowing sound.  Doctors gave Lloyd’s mother the grim prognosis that Lloyd had a paralyzed larynx and would never speak again.  Lloyd eventually lost his ability to stand on his own and required a wheelchair to get around.  When it became too difficult for his family to properly care for him, Lloyd became a resident of the Shelby County Home for Incurables.

One morning in 1980, Betty Dozier, Lloyd’s nurse, came into his room and greeted him with a “good morning” as she did every morning.  She waited patiently to hear his normal crowing sound.  Lloyd started to crow, but then something unexpected happened.  His crowing sound merged into an intelligible reply.  Lloyd said “good morning.”  Lloyd had been unable to speak for 18 years. 

At first, the nurse thought Lloyd was using some sort of electronic device to speak, but that wasn’t the case.  Lloyd and his nurse both looked at each other in stunned silence.  Lloyd tried another word, and then another.  After a short conversation, Lloyd said he wanted to call his mother. 

Lloyd’s mother was at home making a glass of tea when her telephone rang.  She answered it and heard Lloyd greet her with just three words.   At first, Mrs. Jeffries thought someone was playing a cruel joke.  “It’s me,” Lloyd said.  “I can talk again.”  Mrs. Jeffries was in shock.  Tears welled up in her eyes as that three-word greeting replayed over and over in her mind.  Tears turned into laughter as their conversation continued.

Lloyd was thrilled.  After his lengthy conversation with his mother, Lloyd wheeled himself around the nursing home and conversed with the other residents.  Everyone wanted to hear him speak and they certainly got their chance.

Several doctors examined Lloyd but were never able to explain how he regained his ability to speak.  To Lloyd and his mother, it was nothing short of a miracle.  Mrs. Jeffries said, “I was always a believer in God – but now I’m really a true believer.”  What were those three words, the first three words Mrs. Jeffries heard Lloyd speak in nearly two decades?  Mrs. Jeffries answered the phone and heard Lloyd say, “Happy Thanksgiving, Mother.”

Sources:

1. The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee), November 29, 1980, p.3.
2. The Daily News-Journal (Murfreesboro, Tennessee), November 30, 1980, p.6.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Cerebral Palsy.” Accessed November 13, 2021. cdc.gov/ncbddd/cp/facts.html

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Today is the day.  Red River 4-H has scheduled the sweet potato and pecan pickup for today.  If you bought from the fall 4-H fundraiser, you may pick up your order from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm today.  Red River 4-H said, “Thank you to 4-H families for selling and 4-H supporters for buying.”

Looking for a gift that everyone will find use for all year long.  Give them the gift of “news” from the Red River Parish Journal.  Email subscriptions are free for both the person giving and the person receiving it.  As Archie Bunker said, “If it don’t cost nuttin’ you can afford to be generous.”  For everyone who wants to keep up to date with Red River Parish happenings, give them the Red River Parish Journal.  Just CLICK HERE to sign them up.

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Report from the Red River Sheriff’s Office for November 7-14, 2021.

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