Fast Eddie Takes a Look at Tulane-UTSA
In this story:
As I round the corner near the Bud's Broiler on Canal Boulevard, I see Fast Eddie on crutches, his leg in one of those plastic splints protecting him while he tries to master the bolsterers. As I approach, he's breathing heavily as he balances his body and his one, good leg on the props.
"What happened to you?" I begin, realizing I shouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know; but it's too late. The words are already out of my mouth. Permission has been granted.
"I don't think I'm as young as I used to be," Fast Eddie explained, while not really explaining. Seeing the look on my face, he caught on. And explained.
"My kid wants to play football," Fast Eddie tells me. "I know a few things about it, so I brought her out to the neutral ground so we could run a few plays."
"Hold on," I said as I helped him to steady himself on his supports. "Is that how you got hurt, by playing football with your daughter?"
"Nah," Eddie said. "We never got there. I tripped coming down the stairs, and the rest as they say, is history."
I didn't ask him to go into any more details, because I was afraid he would.
"Hey, can you help me up the steps here?" Fast Eddie asks as we get near the entrance to Bud's. "This crippin' around has worked up an appetite on me."
We take the few steps up to the entrance, and as I'm holding the door open for him to collect his burger, he gives me his sage advice about this week's game between Tulane and Texas-San Antonio.
"Look," Eddie begins, "I know there have been distractions with people saying the big teams are coming after Sumrall." He's referring to the rumors swirling with each firing of another coach in the NCAA. Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall's name ends up on everyone's list.
"That's not the problem," Fast Eddie rolls on. "The problem is that Alamodome. It's like moving all those stupid cow bells from Mississippi State into something with a roof and letting 'em loose. It is a madhouse in there. They've won a load of conference games there for a reason: it is the biggest home field advantage I've seen in a while."
"I know I'm gonna get some flack for this," Eddie says as the door to Bud's begins to close behind him, "but I say take UTSA and the three-and-a-half points."
And with that, my long-time "friend" limps into Bud's. I bet he's getting a #4.
- Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
- If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Doug has covered a gamut of sporting events in his fifty-plus years in the field. He started doing sideline reporting for Louisiana Tech football games for the student radio station. Doug was Sports Director for KNOE-AM/FM in Monroe in the mid-80s, winning numerous awards from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association for Best Sportscast and Best Play-by-Play. High school play-by-play for teams in Monroe, Natchitoches, New Orleans, and Thibodaux, LA dot his resume. He did college play-by-play for Northwestern State University in Natchitoches for nine years. Then, moving to the Crescent City, Doug did television PBP of Tulane games and even filled in for legendary Tulane broadcaster, Ken Berthelot in the only game Kenny ever missed while doing the Green Wave games. His father was an alumnus of Tulane in the 1940s, so Doug has attended Tulane football games in old Tulane Stadium, the Superdome, and Yulman. He was one of the 86,000 plus on December 1, 1973, sitting in the North End Zone to seeTulane shutout the LSU Tigers, 14-0. He was there when the Posse ruled Fogelman and in Turchin when the Wave made it to the World Series. He currently is the public address voice of the Tulane baseball team.