Fast Eddie: Tulane-ECU Pick
In this story:
If you didn't get to meet my "friend" Fast Eddie before the Tulsa game two weeks ago, you will today.
He's that friend you have that just has a way of dropping in on you when you least expect it. He's not a bad guy, or even an unpleasant one. He's just someone who has the worst timing. If you just sat down to dinner, he calls you. If you are enjoying quiet time, he'll show up. I never have figured out how he does it. He just has a knack. He's never given me his name. I've always called him Fast Eddie.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! I hear from behind me. Yeah, it's Fast Eddie. Just dodging the pot holes on New Orleans streets is enough. Fast Eddie has found me and is pointing out his window, motioning for me to pull over. I tell myself, I am NOT going to be one of those people who stop in the street and put on my blinkers. So, I pull over to a vacant spot on Canal Street. Apparently, Fast Eddie IS one of those "stop traffic, but I have my blinkers on" kind of people.
"Dougie!," he yells at me as he rolls down his window. "Took the week off last week, and snagged this jewel," he says as he points at his Toyota Corona.
"Man," I say, "that's a classic."
"Yep," Fast Eddie replies. "The final year, 2001. You just don't find these anymore."
I wondered why, as the sound of horns begin to fill the air behind his hazard-blinking find.
"Made me some money from that Tulane-Tulsa game," Eddie points out.
I remembered, he had told me that the Green Wave would cover the spread, and he was right. "So that's how you got your 'jewel' there?" I questioned.
"Uh huh," Fast Eddie replies, as the honks get a little longer behind him. "I usually don't splurge, but I needed a new ride, so why not?" Before I can suggest that he move out of the lane of traffic, he moves the conversation to this week.
"I'm telling you," he begins quickly, "Sumrall's right: this ECU team is no slouch. They can toss it with anyone, getting the bombs regularly. Their D isn't bad, either. Tulane is a 6-and-a-half point favorite. I don't think it's gonna be enough. I'd take the points and the Pirates." Then, just as quickly as he found me, he chugs off in his new ride with just enough smoke trailing behind him to cover up his temporary tags...if he had them.
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.