The Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association (LADA) is releasing its 2022 economic impact report, which shows Louisiana’s new car and heavy truck dealers generated $19.1 billion in total sales. New car sales alone produced $733 million in sales tax revenue for the state. With these revenues, Louisiana’s new car and heavy truck dealerships supported 36,541 total direct and indirect jobs in 2022, making a significant contribution to the state’s economy.

“With nearly 350 new car and heavy truck dealerships spread across the state, Louisiana’s automobile dealers have proven to be a driving force in our economy,” said LADA President Will Green. “Our industry helps provide choice, access and competition for consumers, along with stable employment opportunities, all of which supports the growth and prosperity of Louisiana.”

On average, each of these dealerships employs 55 Louisianians earning nearly $80,000 per year in communities throughout the state. This competitive compensation benefits employees and their families, enhancing the quality of life for many individuals within the state and contributing to statewide economic growth. The payroll generated by both new car and heavy truck dealerships in 2022 amounted to $1.38 billion.

Further, new car and heavy truck dealership employees contribute more than $374 million in state and federal income tax combined.

“These numbers validate what we have always said: Louisiana’s automobile dealers bring great value to their communities,” said Kristie Hebert, LADA Chairwoman. “But we know that beyond the financial impact are the people who are training and mentoring thousands of employees at work and volunteering their time, talents and resources to so many worthy causes they support in their personal lives.”

The National Automobile Dealers Association utilized the Center for Automotive Research, S&P Global, the Tax Foundation, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau to determine these economic impact numbers for 2022.

More than 600 Benton Elementary school students were treated to a sneak preview of the 15th annual Ray Forchier Memorial Rodeo recently where featured entertainment was riding, roping and clowning around.

Kids from elementary schools were admitted to Benton’s Willie Waggoner Arena at no charge for the special showing courtesy of area Bossier Parish Police Jury members.

Caddo Parish Middle Magnet School is among the nine Louisiana schools to be named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The winning Louisiana schools are located in Caddo, East Baton Rouge, Lincoln, Livingston, Natchitoches, Ouachita, St. Tammany, and Terrebonne parishes. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps.

(Editor’s note – early this morning, Greg Brooks Jr.’s family posted a statement on social media acknowledging he had surgery to address a large brain tumor. This story was written following Tuesday evening player interviews when LSU was unable to release that specific information due to federal HIPA regulations related to medical privacy rights.)

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

Ask any LSU player who has stood shoulder to shoulder in a defensive huddle with Greg Brooks Jr. or had to try to block him in practice, and the answers echo each other.

“Everybody knows he plays with his heart and he plays hard,” LSU starting center Charles Turner said.

Brooks’ self-assessment from a couple of years ago explains perfectly why he brings his best to every game, practice and off-season workout.

“I never get comfortable where I’m at because anything can be taken at any time, so I really just compete every day,” Brooks, the Tigers’ graduate student starting safety, said in August.

It’s why it was unusual last Thursday when Brooks, a team captain, wasn’t at practice preparing for the Tigers’ Southeastern Conference opener at Mississippi State.

“It was very tough especially not seeing that he was present at practice and having to find out what happened to him,” LSU starting defensive end Sa’vion Jones said.

What exactly has happened to Brooks remains unknown. But when Tigers’ head coach Brian Kelly revealed after last Saturday’s 41-14 win at MSU that Brooks was sidelined indefinitely with “a medical emergency” and the game ball would be presented to Brooks, it seemed drastically more serious than the vertigo he suffered in preseason practice.

“It was tough on the guys and tough on all of us,” Kelly said of explaining to the team about Brooks’ absence.”

The fact Brooks will miss Saturday’s game in Tiger Stadium vs. Arkansas, a team he started 31 times for in three seasons before transferring to LSU last season, resonated from Baton Rouge to Fayetteville.

“I want to start out talking about Greg Brooks,” Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said as he opened his Monday press conference.

“I’m not positive what is going on with him, but they talked about a medical emergency. Greg was a wonderful kid when he was here and did a great job for us.

“Whatever it may be, I want him and his family and LSU to know that we’re concerned, we’re praying for him, and we hope that he has a speedy recovery. I wish I knew more about it, but I don’t. I do know a medical emergency means there’s something wrong, and our thoughts and prayers are with him and the LSU football team and community.”

Brooks posted the following message on Instagram last Thursday:

“Ppl who overcome darkness in their life typically have a fire inside them that is almost impossible to extinguish. . .the story ain’t over it’s already written God makes no mistakes watch how I break the knob.”

When Brooks met with Baton Rouge-area media after transferring from Arkansas along with another former New Orleans area high school star, Joe Foucha, he spoke about the pride and responsibility of playing for his home state.

Despite Brooks’ West Jefferson High coach Cyril Crutchfield describing Brooks as “never having a player that was that much of a student of the game,” LSU never offered Brooks a scholarship in its signing class of 2019.

He originally committed to Mississippi State before signing with Arkansas, where he had 112 tackles, 5½ tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups and 4 interceptions in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Then, just like his father Greg Sr., who played a year at Michigan before transferring to Southern Miss for his final three seasons, the junior Brooks decided to put his name in the transfer portal in January 2022 knowing then-new LSU coach Kelly was seeking defensive backs.

Last season, Brooks started 13 of 14 games he appeared in and ranked fifth on the team in tackles with 66. In a 21-17 win over Auburn, he returned an interception 30 yards in the fourth quarter to seal the Tigers’ victory.

Through the first two games this season, he already had 8 tackles, 2 pass breakups and a QB hurry. “He had a dream as a kid just to play here his whole life,” Turner said of Brooks, So him coming back and playing for LSU was a big deal.

“He’s a guy that kind of went under the (recruiting) radar and then came back home and tried to do everything the right way. He’s worked his tail off every day he’s been here. He’s a tough, tough kid.”

Jones recalled a running workout this past summer that had a group of Tigers ready to call it a day early.

“Everybody was hunched over, hands on hips and ready to give up,” Jones said. “He (Brooks) walked to the front of us and said `We need to pick this up.’”

And now, he’s inspiring teammates as he battles his “medical emergency.”

“Him going through that makes you realize every day could be your last day,” Turner said. “So, you just have to go out there and attack every day. That’s the motivation he gives us.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

High school coaches are major influences on their players, and other students, too.

For this week’s Coaches’ Roundtable, we thought it would be interesting to see who were the biggest influences on our local head football coaches when they were in high school.

But we added a request: please try to cite somebody who made a big impression on you but was NOT your coach. A teacher, a principal, a staff member, even a best buddy or a girlfriend.

None of our coaches mentioned girlfriends. One wrote: “my wife is the only woman in my life that was ever of any significance. That’s my official answer, forever.” Smart man! 

The answers reflected how classroom teachers and others of a generation ago are having significant impact today, on students and athletes who never met them. 

Clint Walker, Plain Dealing – “Ron Festavan. He was the principal of Northwood and a great leader. He made sure I ‘toed the line.’ He is now the mayor of Vivian, I believe, and I always enjoy when I get to see him. He made sure I did things the ‘right way.’

“Also, Marilyn Beach, my English teacher. It was hard work and she kept things rigorous for us, but it instilled work ethic in the class that bled over to now. I hated English, but have come to enjoy some of it.”

Denny Duron, Evangel – “I attended Captain Shreve High School, and the most influential individual other than my coaching staff was an amazing English teacher by the name of Dr. Bridger. I couldn’t wait to get to her class every single day… she was a fascinating lecturer.”

Reynolds Moore, Benton – “At Carthage High School in Carthage, Miss., Mr. Burns taught several different social studies classes. He was one of those special teachers who allowed each one of us to be himself and listened to our questions. I learned a lot about life from him, and a lot of the way I teach reflects how he treated us.”

James Bradford Jr., Green Oaks – “I graduated from CE Byrd. Mrs. Vienne, my history teacher, made a huge impact. Being a former athlete, she understood how hard to push and motivate us. She had an incentive to treat us to dinner for top students. I worked hard to see if she was being for real. Made me feel it was OK to be a smart athlete. 

“Also in the school administration, Mr. Crosby always kept it real. I went to his office one time as a freshman for a tardy. He never saw me again my entire high school career.”

Chase Thompson, North Caddo – “I went to Sarepta High School and North Webster High School. In no particular order … 1) Mr. Kerry Phillips — His English classes always came with unpredictable creativity and laughter.

2) Mr. Michael Corley — He was an elite educator and a prominent member of the Sarepta community. He was a great role model for professional excellence.

3) Mrs. Karen Applegate — Her class changed my opinion of math. She taught the class in a way that gave me confidence. Without her class, I probably would not have become a math teacher.

4) Mr. Drew (Sarepta janitor) — His enthusiasm and positive attitude permeated throughout the school. He was a friend to everyone who came through the doors at Sarepta High School.” 

Mike Greene, Loyola – “I attended Jesuit (now Loyola) and played all three sports so I was around coaches 24-7, but the person other than coaches would have to be the English teacher. Sharon Duhon Smith. She was soooo tough on you in class. You better wear your uniform correctly, and you worked your behind off in there! 

“It was nothing to stay an hour every day after school until you got your work done! I was throwing darts at her picture at home! Then when I got to college and was making A’s in literature and my other English classes, it hit me what she was doing! 

“Any time you have a coach doing well in literature, someone worked overtime. What is even better is when I came back to coach, she was one of our biggest football supporters. She moved to Marshall (Texas) and is now retired.”

Austin Brown, Northwood – “My answer might be a little different. It’s my ninth-grade principal, Rick Mahaffey at Lawton High in Oklahoma. 

“I did not know his impact until I became social media friends with him almost 20 years later and I saw how good of a man he is and how much pride he takes in my growth and maturity!

“Although I don’t remember much of the talks we had when I got called to his office, I do remember feeling like this is someone I should respect and listen to. Now I understand why. I hope to be that type of educator!”

Stephen Dennis, Huntington – “I’m Parkway HS, class of ’03. It’s hard to not include a coach, when Coach Jim Gatlin made such an impact in my life. I don’t know that I would be a coach today if not for him. He was literally the first person that told me I needed to be a coach, that I was pretending if I tried to do anything else!”

Gary Smith, Bossier – “I’m sorry, but I have to point out two of my coaches at Bossier High School, Jim Gatlin and Mitch Downey (now Bossier Schools superintendent). They had great influence on many.”

Stacy Ballew, Byrd – “I want to point to the older players on the 1993 Byrd football team. We had some good ones back then and they taught us all how to play. There was a bunch of good ones. That was the class that went 10-0. My last year to play was ’95 and they made a big difference for us.”

And since it’s Brotherton Bowl week, we finish with …

Coy Brotherton, Parkway – “I went to Haughton, and was lucky enough to have both my brother and dad as coaches at the school to look up to. I grew up in the coaching office and at school, so a lot of people made an impact on my life. One non-coach was Mrs. Renee Stewart, who was my best friend’s mom and treated me like her own son.”

Jason Brotherton (older brother), Haughton – “I went to Haughton and my coaches were the most influential people to me at that time. But I also had an English and drama teacher named Kelli Shaw who was influential to me because it seemed like she never had a bad day. 

“She truly loved her job and always had a smile on her face. I eventually was able to work alongside her, call her a friend, and also see her become one of my daughter’s favorite teachers!”

There are many ways that we as outdoorsmen can enjoy the great outdoors. There’s fishing, a very popular hobby by many, and there’s camping which takes the outdoor experience to another level. Maybe your idea of being outdoors involves playing golf or maybe exercising. But for thousands of others, there’s hunting, which for many is the main reason they wake up every day!

Hunters, in most cases, are very hard-core outdoorsmen who have a serious passion for pursuing wild game from doves and squirrel to ducks and bucks. But why?

To understand a hunter, you need to be a hunter or live with one. This group has the same mind set and passion for the outdoors that LSU Tiger fans have for football — they’re crazy! Hunters put in a lot of time and effort to not only hunt, but to get ready for the hunt.

Just like a bass tournament angler, preparation is key to being successful and is a part of the grind that hunters must go through to increase their chances for success in the fall. For most hunters, all the preseason planning is just as much fun as the hunt itself…or is it?

Whether they are on a lease or hunting public land, hunters have a lot of work to do. They tend to have more flexibility on a private lease than they might on public hunting land. But most owners of leases, public and private, do not want hunters to put nails into trees since at some point, the landowner or timber company will probably be harvesting the timber. Most of the time, they’re okay with you cutting a few shooting lanes, bush hogging pipelines, or planting food plots on old logging roads.

For deer hunters, the next season begins only a few months after the last one ended. Deer hunters do not get much of a break as they start the process of preparing for next season by planting food plots, fixing feeders, and repairing deer stands. Most take their ATV or UTV vehicles in for service due to the abuse their machines have gone through.  

For duck hunters, the biggest job is building the blind. Some simply rebrush blinds they’ve used for years, while others may build new blinds in different locations.

Make no mistake, the amount of work to build a duck blind is no less than what a deer hunter must do. Duck hunters must go out and gather moss and cut brush so they can brush-in their blind. This takes time and lots of work to secure the brush to the blind. Of course, all this takes place when temperatures are usually in the 90’s, so sweating is a major part of both a duck and deer hunter’s world as they prepare for another season.   

Ladies who aren’t hunters, now you know why your husbands are gone so long during hunting season, and especially during the months leading up to the hunting season. Hunting requires hard work and long hours of preparation to guarantee success.

Don’t try and justify the cost of hunting because when it comes down to dollars spent versus pounds of meat put in the freezer. You’ll see it does not come out very well for the hunter. But it’s all worth it when that back strap comes straight off the grill and is sitting in front of you at dinner time. It just doesn’t get any better than that!

‘Til next time good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to invite me for supper when back strap is served!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

Everyone has a story to tell.

Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s Tony Taglavore takes to lunch a local person—someone well-known, influential, or successful—and asks, “What’s Your Story?”

There’s no denying John Montelepre’s success in the Shreveport-Bossier City restaurant business.

In 1979, he bought Leon’s on Kings Highway. For almost 30 years, Leon’s became an iconic, local favorite, known for its to-die-for BBQ sandwiches (Oh, that sauce!) and holiday turkeys and hams.

In 2009—after a six- year “retirement”, Montelepre—who very much wanted to work with his son—opened 2Johns Steak & Seafood, which remains Bossier’s only fine-dining restaurant.

In the 14 years since, 2Johns has won numerous awards. It’s been named one of the Top 100 Best Steakhouses in America. Most recently, Yelp named 2Johns Best Steakhouse in Louisiana.

And then there’s Wine Spectator’s prestigious Two-Glass award, which 2Johns has won two straight years.

Not bad for someone who never aspired to be in the restaurant business.

“I was going to be a professional golfer until I met my (future) wife,” John told me recently over lunch at—where else?—2Johns. I had chicken salad. John had a small bottle of Diet Coke.

“(Elizabeth) was a couple of years ahead of me in school. You can be married and be a golfer, but you travel 40 weeks out of the year. To me, that’s not a marriage, even if you can afford to take your wife with you.”

Making the PGA Tour wasn’t a pipe dream for Montelepre. He earned a full golf scholarship to Centenary College.

“I really think I could have made it as a professional golfer. I wasn’t going to be a great player, but I think I could have made a living out there.”

One of three children, John and his family moved from Metairie to Shreveport, just as John was entering his teen years. His father ran Continental Insurance in New Orleans and oversaw 500 people. To move north, he was offered twice his salary. In the 1960’s (and probably in 2023), that was an offer you didn’t turn down.

“(People) wanted my dad to run for Insurance Commissioner. My Dad was very, very smart. He didn’t want to get involved in politics.”

What Mr. Montelepre did want was for his son to join him in the insurance business.

“The summer prior to me graduating, I tried to sell insurance. I sold some policies, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea…When I told my Dad I wasn’t going to go with him, it kind of broke his heart.”

But Dad put the pieces back together, and invited his son to attend a meeting that would set young John on a career path he never imagined.

“Dad used to eat at Leon’s every day. One day out of the blue, he said, ‘What do you think about going into the restaurant business? I’ve got a meeting with Mr. Leon next week and I want you to sit in on it. He’s thinking about selling his store and opening a franchise.’”

Never mind John—who was playing golf and working as an assistant pro at East Ridge Country Club—knew nothing about running a restaurant.

But he did know dollar and cents. Leon’s was selling a lot of BBQ sandwiches. But it’s what they weren’t selling which John saw as the way to grow the business.

“At one point in November and December, I sold over 20,000 turkeys and hams. I had one account that bought 4,000.”

But nothing lasts forever. The surrounding neighborhood changed, as people and businesses moved to south Shreveport. To keep a good thing going, John needed to move as well.

“By the time I bought the property and built my restaurant, it was going to cost me $2 million. The problem was, I had a five-dollar sandwich. I couldn’t make the numbers work.”

But there were other numbers John could make work.

“I got into playing poker in ’94 at the Isle of Capri (a now-closed Bossier casino)…A friend of mine was up there one day, and said, ‘They’re playing a game of Hold’em up here. You need to come look at this game.’”

John did, liked what he saw, and began a mentorship with a man from Dallas whom John calls “The best player in the room.”

“I wanted to learn. I’ve always been one of these people who I’m either going to do something 110 percent, or I’m not going to do it.”

John’s “110 percent” provided him with a new career.

“I was a professional player. I was playing against the best players in the world. The thing that drove me—it wasn’t the money, initially. It was the competition. For some reason, I have always been super-competitive. If you beat me at something, I’m going to figure out how to beat you.”

John figured out how to beat enough people to make it profitable flying to Los Angeles two weeks a month for five years to play poker.

But while he eventually lost his enthusiasm for the game, the father of two children never lost his desire to work with his son.

“John and I are close, and I wanted to do something with him. He had an interest in the food business. I had an interest in the food business. I had always wanted to do this (fine dining) venue. We had an opportunity to do it, so we went for it.”

Montelepre is equally proud of his daughter, Morgan. She is an Episcopal priest in south Louisiana, who oversees 46 churches.

After three years in the kitchen, “Little John” is in his 11^th year as 2Johns’ General Manager. Dad—known by most as “The Big Guy” or “Big John”—is with his son every night. He strolls through the restaurant “touching the tables”—saying hello and making sure everything is just right.

“Everybody likes to be recognized. I like to be recognized. It’s human nature. That’s what I try to do here. I try to make everybody real comfortable coming to my restaurant.”

Not quite four years ago, however, it was John who wasn’t feeling comfortable. He weighed 335 pounds and was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic. One pill a day turned into two.

“When I went to see my doctor, he said, ‘If you can lose 20 pounds the first year, we can work together. Well, I lost 20 pounds in a month and got off that medicine. He said, ‘John, I’ve never had anybody do that.’”

John began working with a nutritionist, and a local fitness trainer. He slimmed down to 265 pounds.

“I haven’t taken medicine in three years.”

Now in his 60’s, John loves what he does—“I still got gas”—and doesn’t see a reason to do something different. After all, why fix what ain’t broke.

“(2Johns) has surpassed my vision. I never dreamed I could do this in Bossier City. I never even fathomed it.”

John credits his work ethic—something he is proud to have taught his children—for his past and current success. But looking relaxed in a brown plaid sports coat and white open-collar dress shirt, John freely acknowledges it has taken more than work.

“I’ve got a great relationship with God.” John’s eyes tear up and his bottom lip begins to quiver.

“I’ve always just gone to work and did the best I could. I don’t sweat the small stuff. I let God worry about the small stuff and the big stuff. I pray every day. I just work. He’s been very good to me.”

As we wrapped up our lunch, I asked John my final question. As always, what is it about your story that can be an inspiration to others?”

“Hard work never hurt anybody. Do the best you can and give 110%. Try and find something you love doing and see if you can make any money doing it!”

Do you know someone who has a story to tell? Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com.

Last week Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation joined neighborhood residents, Parish staff and members of the Caddo Parish Commission for a grand re-opening of Robert G. Lawton, Jr. Playground in west Caddo Parish.

Following multiple citizen complaints from around the state, Troopers wish to make the public aware of a current phone scam. Scammers are fraudulently using the authority of Louisiana State Police in an effort to obtain information and money from victims.

These impersonators are reportedly contacting the phones of potential victims by using a call that gives the appearance of originating from a phone number belonging to Louisiana State Police. The complainants have stated that the caller is pretending to be law enforcement and attempts to gain personal information and (or) money from the victim over the phone.

Troopers stress that citizens should never give unsolicited callers any personal information, and the Louisiana State Police would never ask for any type of personal identifying information, payment or monetary donation over the phone.

Citizens wishing to report suspected fraudulent calls can contact the Louisiana State Analytical and Fusion Center (LA-SAFE) at 225-925-4192. The Louisiana State Police online reporting system is also available to the public through a convenient and secure reporting form that is submitted to the appropriate investigators. Citizens can access the form online at dpsweb.dps.louisiana.gov/suspicious.nsf/WebForm?OpenForm and report the activity.

JOURNAL SPORTS

Districts 1-5A, 1-4A and 1-1A kick off league games this week with last year’s two top teams in 1-5A, Airline and Benton, starting off against each other Thursday night. 

The Vikings (3-0) host the Tigers (1-2) a year after they finished 7-0 and 6-1 respectively in 1-5A. 

The biggest rivalry in the city will take place Thursday when Byrd (0-3) and Captain Shreve (2-1) meet at Independence Stadium in another 1-5A game. They are the two largest schools locally.

Friday’s 1-5A games will have Bossier parish rivals Haughton (2-1) and Parkway (3-0) tangling in Bossier City in the “Brotherton Bowl,” with brothers Jason (Haughton) and Coy (Parkway) as the head coaches, along with Southwood (0-3) going to Natchitoches Central (1-2).

Traditional District 1-4A heavyweights Northwood (0-3) and Huntington (2-1) meet at Independence Stadium to highlight the district schedule.

Here is the local schedule this week.

Thursday’s games

District 1-5A 

Captain Shreve (2-1) vs. Byrd (0-3), Independence Stadium 

Benton (1-2) at Airline (3-0)

Friday’s games

District 1-5A 

Haughton (2-1) at Parkway (3-0), Preston Crownover Stadium

Southwood (0-3) at Natchitoches Central (1-2), Turpin Stadium  

District 1-4A 

Northwood (0-3) vs. Huntington (2-1), Independence Stadium 

Bossier (1-2) at Evangel (1-2), Rodney Duron Stadium 

Minden (0-3) at North DeSoto (2-1) 

Woodlawn (2-1) at BTW (2-1), Leonard C. Barnes Stadium 

District 1-1A 

Magnolia Charter (0-3) at Homer (2-1) 

Plain Dealing (0-3) at Ringgold (2-1)  

NON-DISTRICT 

Green Oaks (1-2) at Peabody (2-1) 

Wossman (3-0) at Calvary (3-0), Jerry Barker Stadium 

Red River (0-3) at Loyola (0-3), Messmer Stadium

North Caddo (1-2) at Neville (3-0), Bill Ruple Stadium 

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – The mantra for head coaches in all sports on any level should be “You never know until you know.”

Translated: Unexpected things occur, such as changing plans or tweaking personnel which results in positive discoveries.

“I haven’t had many teams that just add water and just go,” said LSU’s Brian Kelly after three games of his 33rd season as a college head football coach. “They all require a little bit of changing the formula as the season goes along to get the right mix. We were able to do that (last season). I think we’re finding the formula for this team.”

For instance, the 12th-ranked Tigers (2-1 overall, 1-0 SEC West), who host Arkansas (2-1, 0-0 SEC West) at 6 p.m. Saturday, have discovered a few things in victories the past two weekends over Grambling and Mississippi State after losing the season-opener to Florida State.

The first adjustment was obvious. Kill the Harold Perkins Jr. inside linebacker experiment and move him back outside into open spaces where he can give offensive coordinators nightmares.

Perkins was in full whirling dervish mode in last Saturday’s 41-14 victory at Mississippi State. The final stats showed he had 4 tackles (2 solo) with two tackles for loss, a quarterback sack and a pass breakup.

On consecutive plays in the second quarter, he broke up a first-down Will Rogers pass in the corner of the end zone and then sacked him for a 3-yard loss on second down.

“Early on (vs. FSU), he was playing inside, he was thinking a lot, he was slowing down,” Kelly said.

“He’s got to play with energy. He’s got to play with emotion. That’s how he plays the game the best. He brought that competitive edge. That’s going to put him in a position to get to the quarterback and set the edge and run people down.”

There was also the one-game NCAA suspension meted out to LSU starting defensive tackle Maason Smith for the FSU opener. It forced Kelly to start sophomore Jacobian Guillory with Virginia senior tackle Jordan Jefferson as the backup. Both performed admirably.

So, when the Tigers were missing three injured starters against Mississippi State – inside linebacker Omar Speights, outside “jack” linebacker Ovie Oghoufo and safety Greg Brooks – Kelly didn’t hesitate to start three players in their first year in LSU’s program.

True freshman Whit Weeks, who replaced Speights, had a team-high 8 tackles and a QB hurry. Junior Oregon transfer Bradyn Swinson, filling in for Oghoufo, had 3 tackles, a pass breakup and a QB hurry. In Brooks’ absence, Marshall University graduate student safety Andre Sam had 4 tackles and a pass breakup. True freshman safety Ryan Yaites came off the bench and had 2 tackles.

“What it shows more than anything else,” Kelly said, “and Coach (defensive coordinator Matt) House and I were talking about it, is that we have more than 11 and we need to play them.

“You’ll see now that we can play a lot more at the linebacker position and at the safety position.”

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

Arkansas (2-1 overall, 0-0 SEC West) at No. 12 LSU (2-1, 1-0 SEC West), Tiger Stadium, Saturday, 6 p.m. (ESPN) 

Last game for the Razorbacks: Lost 38-31 to BYU last Saturday in Fayetteville. Arkansas outgained the Cougars 424-281, had 21 first downs to BYU’s 17 and possessed the ball for 10 more minutes than BYU,  but the Cougars were a perfect 4 for 4 in red zone scoring and scored 38 points on 57 plays. BYU’s front recorded four sacks, four QB hits, and two forced fumbles. The killer for the Hogs was being whistled for 14 penalties for 125 yards. 

Last meeting: In a battle of defenses, LSU won 13-10 last November in Fayetteville. LSU freshman linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. finished with two forced fumbles, four sacks and eight tackles. Arkansas, playing without injured starting QB KJ Jefferson, gained just 249 yards. 

Arkansas head coach: Sam Pittman is 21-18 overall and in four seasons at Arkansas. 

THIS AND THAT:

 Early betting line: LSU by 17 

Number of Louisiana natives on Arkansas roster: 1  

Number of Arkansas natives on LSU roster: 0 

Number of transfers on Arkansas roster from 4-year schools: 26 players from 22 schools including 14 players from 9 Power 5 Conference schools

ARKANSAS PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB K.J. Jefferson 55 of 71 for 629 passing yards, 6 touchdowns, 1 interception, 80 rushing yards and 1 TDs on 31 carries, RB AJ Green 190 rushing yards and 2 TDs on 28 carries, WR Andrew Armstrong (18 catches for 197 yards, 3 TDs), LB Jaheim Thomas 29 tackles, 3½ TFL, 1½ sacks, DB Jayden Johnson 15 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, PK Cam Little 1 of 2 FG, 16 of 16 extra points, P Max Fletcher 14 for 44.1 ypp, 7 FC, 4 inside the 20, 5 +50 yards, KO Cam Little 16 for 63.9 ypk, 12 touchbacks, PR Isaiah Sategna 6 for 154 yards, 1 TD, KR Isaiah Sategna 6 for 112 yards. 

PIG POP QUIZ

1. What Arkansas star finished second twice in the Heisman Trophy voting?

         A. “Touchdown” Tom Murphy

         B. “Rapid” Robert Holt

         C. “Walloping” Wally Hall

         D. Darren McFadden

2. Arkansas’ 2002 last-second win over LSU in Little Rock is known as:

         A. Houston’s Nutty Buddy Classic

         B. The Miracle on Markham

         C. Little Rock Luck

         D. Oinker Go Deep

3. What record does the LSU-Arkansas 1947 Cotton Bowl hold?

         A. Most snow ever in Cotton Bowl Stadium

         B. Most fumbles in a Cotton Bowl game

         C. Most coffee sold during a Cotton Bowl game

         D. The only scoreless tie in the history of all bowls

ANSWERS

1. C,  2. B, 3. D.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

JOURNAL SPORTS 

Calvary Baptist in Class 2A along with all four other schools ranked No. 1  last week in their respective classifications remained in the top spots of the LSWA prep football polls released Monday. 

Airline (3-0) moved to the edge of the Class 5A top 10, leading the teams receiving votes after its 48-14 defeat of Northwood. Last week’s No. 7, St. Augustine, lost Friday but did not drop out of the top 10. The Vikings open defense of their 1-5A title at home against Benton this Friday.

The Cavaliers’ second consecutive defeat of a 1-5A team, a 42-21 win over Byrd, allowed them to stay ahead of St. Charles, who managed to take two of the Cavs’ first place votes. The Comets defeated Class 4A No. 7 Teurlings Catholic 48-20, dropping Teurlings two spots in this week’s poll to No. 9. 

Evangel (1-2) dropped out of the No. 10 spot in the 4A poll after its 34-12 loss to No. 4 Westgate. The Eagles are still receiving votes heading into their 1-4A opener against Bossier at Rodney Duron Stadium.  

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development reminds motorists that Phase 1 of the I-20 major rehabilitation project in Bossier City is kicking off on Monday, September 18, 2023, and DOTD urges you to plan your commute accordingly.

I-20 eastbound and westbound from Hamilton Road to Industrial Drive will be reduced to one lane as construction on the long-awaited project gets underway. Phase 1, which allows the outside shoulder to be rebuilt to handle traffic, will be in place for approximately 2 months.

Phase 2 includes removing and replacing the existing inside lane and shoulder, lasting approximately 10 months. Traffic will be shifted to the outside lane.

Phase 3 consists of shifting traffic to the newly built inside lanes, and reconstructing the outside lane and roadway shoulder. This phase also includes rehabilitating the Barksdale Blvd., Old Minden Road, Airline Drive, and Industrial Drive on and off-ramps, and will last about one year.

The $117.6 million project will completely reconstruct the interstate from Hamilton Road to Industrial Drive, removing the existing pavement and roadway base, and replacing it with new pavement.

Other improvement work includes smaller sections of full-depth concrete pavement repairs from Pines Road to Market Street in Shreveport and from Industrial Drive to I-220 in Bossier City. This work will be conducted only at night.

The primary detour route for the project is I-220, and drivers are urged to utilize this route in order to avoid the construction zone.

A queue warning system has been implemented for this project, which will provide information to drivers in real time through the use of radar sensors and message boards strategically placed along I-20, I-220, I-49 and LA 3132.

The entire project is anticipated to be complete in late 2025, with progress dependent on weather conditions and other factors that can impact construction timelines.

Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always hungry reporter visits a different restaurant and tells you about the experience.

By: ANON E. MUSS, Journal Restaurant Reviewer

 One of us wanted steak.

One of us wanted seafood.

So, a recent Saturday night seemed like the right time to try a restaurant which—according to its name—serves both.

Anthony’s Steak and Seafood (7504 Mansfield Road in Shreveport) is a place I’ve heard good things about but never visited. I’m told the restaurant — established in 1992 — is in what used to be a Pizza Inn. Someone with a better memory than me says the pizza place was popular, as it was next to the long-since closed Joy’s Cinema City Six theatre.

Anthony’s is a little hard to see from the street. So hard, in fact, that my friend saw it before I did.

It’s in a nice, non-descript building which looks more like a house. The sign out front is small, so when your GPS says “You’ve arrived at your destination,” slow down and look around. It’s there.

Walking in, we were greeted by a pleasant lady with an inviting smile. It’s always nice to feel like your business is appreciated, instead of waiting several minutes for a hostess to acknowledge your presence.

We were escorted to the dining room, and soon found ourselves in the 1970’s. The atmosphere immediately reminded me of smoke-filled restaurants you see in old movies. Thankfully there wasn’t any smoke. But there was green opaque plastic between booths—with skinny wood columns—dividing the back of diner’s heads. There were mauve-colored tablecloths (think of your grandma’s kitchen table) underneath glass. On this night, very pleasing recorded Jazz music was playing throughout the restaurant. We were told the type of music changes each evening.

I kept expecting to see the Rat Pack — Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford (young readers, google them) — enjoying steak and drinks over hearty laughter.

We loved the atmosphere.

We were seated — no waiting — at 6:50. Our server, Barbara, was at our table within a minute or two to welcome us and take our drink order. We would later find out Barbara — who was very nice and wore a big smile — is Chef Anthony’s sister and has worked at the restaurant some 30 years. In fact, most everyone who works there is related to the chef. There are nieces, nephews, and a grandson, whom I met in the restroom he was cleaning, and has a wonderful attitude about life (“I want to be my own man.”)

We began our meal with an appetizer of Fried Alligator Bites ($12.99). It’s not every day you have the chance to eat alligator, so why not?

Some 15 minutes later and with my stomach growling, our appetizer arrived. Barbara gave us an understandable explanation for what seemed like a long wait. “Everything is cooked to order.” It’s hard to argue with that, and the alligator bites were well worth the wait. There were five on a plate — three small ones and two bigger ones. They were served hot and had a really good taste. The batter was just right: not too thin to fall into tiny pieces, and not too thick to where it was all we tasted.

I was surprised the alligator bites didn’t come with a dipping sauce and was going to request one. But before I could, Barbara came to our table and asked if we would like something in which to dip our appetizer. She recommended a remoulade sauce, and her recommendation was spot-on. It was tangy, had a bit of a kick, and was the perfect complement to the alligator bites.

There was an issue when it came to my friend ordering a glass of wine. Two of her choices from the wine list were not available. Another choice (Barbara kindly offered to bring a sample) proved too sweet. Eventually, my friend found a wine ($10) she liked. Easing the frustration was that a nice lady came over and apologized for the confusion, saying the restaurant was in the process of updating its wine list, and some wines on the list were not available.

All entrée’s come with a salad, and your choice of either a baked potato, Au Gratin potatoes, or french fries.

The salad was plentiful, but nothing special. In fact, it looked and tasted like a bag salad. But my friend found something that made an ordinary salad extraordinary. She ordered a vinaigrette dressing. But this was not your typical vinaigrette dressing. It was made by Chef Anthony. The dressing was tomato-based, and my friend compared its taste to that of spaghetti sauce.

She absolutely loved it. So much, that she dipped into it just about every piece of food she had.

About 45 minutes after we were seated, our entrées were served. They both had a very nice presentation and were as ordered. I had a combination of Catfish, Shrimp, and Frog-Legs ($37.99), which came with one nice-sized fillet, three healthy shrimp, and three nice-sized frog legs. The batter, just like on the alligator bites, was perfect. The fish, shrimp, and frog legs tasted great—without the “seafood” taste.

I chose a baked potato. For you older folks, remember the baked potato Bonanza served back in the day? This one had that taste, and it was delicious. A compromise between a hard and soft potato, with almost a grilled taste.

My friend went with an eight-ounce Petite Ribeye ($27.99). She likes her steak with a touch of pink inside. Sure enough, that’s exactly how it was cooked. My friend said it was tender, juicy, and well-seasoned. She did not have any complaints.

My friend selected the Au Gratin potatoes. She said the texture and cheese were good. Some Au Gratin potatoes are soupy — these weren’t.

Also with our meal, we were served an inviting loaf of bread, complete with a drizzle of melted butter on top. Neither my friend nor I are bread-eaters, but with you — the reader — in mind, we each had a bite. The bread was delicious, and when asked, Barbara told us it was homemade.

Desserts are not on the menu, so be sure and ask what’s available. We did and were given choices of Cheesecake with a strawberry drizzle, Key Lime Pie, Crème Brulee’, and a chocolate cake. We both like Key Lime Pie, but it seems hard to find in these parts. So, we took advantage of the opportunity.

We both liked it, but my friend liked it more than me. I didn’t experience the “key lime” taste. To me, the filling tasted more like custard. She tasted the key lime but didn’t care for the crust. There was a nice amount of whipped cream on top, but not so much that it overtook the pie.

Pleasantly full, we received our check. The total (excluding tax and tip) was $85.96. I thought that was a bit pricey, but I’m not a good judge of what something should cost. I think everything—especially food—is expensive.

One thing that wasn’t on the receipt — but is common at a lot of restaurants — was a tip-percentage breakdown. It’s helpful not to have to use your phone calculator to determine what is 15, 18 or 20 percent of the subtotal.

One hour and 40 minutes after we arrived, we left — very satisfied with the food and atmosphere. Most of all, however, we enjoyed the fact Anthony’s is a family business. Everyone seemed to care about our experience and genuinely appreciate our business. That goes a long way, especially if the food is just so-so.

In this case, however, the food was much better than so-so. Mix everything together, and Anthony’s Steak and Seafood gets four forks. I would return and would go out of my way to do so.

Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to review? Email: SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com

1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so

By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

(Editor’s note – Local legend Doug Robinson, a coach at several local high schools and also a key figure for sports at LSUS, passed away in his sleep Friday night at age 79. A couple of months ago, he was a pallbearer for his longtime friend Lee Hedges. Robinson was the subject of this June 28, 2022 ‘Coaches Corner’ SBJ feature. He’s still the right answer.)

If you ever need to win a bet on local sports trivia, put this one in your back pocket: Who was the last Shreveport-Bossier baseball team to win a state championship in the highest classification?

Most likely, you’ll get plenty of wrong guesses, because the last high school to win a state title in the highest class isn’t even a high school any more. It’s the 1970 Fair Park Indians, coached by a man who always considered himself as a football guy, even though he has played a significant role on more than one occasion in local baseball.

Doug Robinson, 78, has fond memories of coaching the Indians to that state title. But that’s no surprise because it seems like Robinson has nothing on fond memories of every coaching stop he has made.

“There were some great, great moments in just about everywhere I went,” he says. “I don’t know how these coaches win all these state championships because it’s so hard just to win one. I was young and probably didn’t understand. I guess I thought it was easy.”

He was only 26 when he led the Indians to the state championship, just a few years removed from his first coaching job at Bunkie. But he was a Fair Park graduate and he wanted to get back to his alma mater as soon as he could. That opportunity came soon.

“I had actually gone down to the coaching clinic with Woodlawn,” he remembers, “and came back with Fair Park.”

After winning the state championship in Class AAA (at the time, the highest class) with a 7-5 victory over Jesuit (New Orleans), Doug Robinson would only coach one more year of high school baseball in his lengthy career. And not at Fair Park.

Following the 1970 season, Robinson found himself in what almost all coaches at that time now call “the changeover” as schools were desegregated. He was assigned to Green Oaks – finding out just a few days before the school year started — and he spent the next few decades going from one opportunity to the next.

He left to become at graduate assistant at Northwestern State but legendary coach James Farrar, who had been at Fair Park in the 1960s, brought him back to help start a baseball program at Southfield, a Class A school that, like Fair Park, no longer exists as a high school.

Robinson coached football and only one season of baseball at Southfield before moving to Woodlawn, first as an assistant for some deep playoff runs by the Knights and then as head football coach from 1981-83. But his sons were at Captain Shreve “and I didn’t want to coach against them,” so he became an assistant for the Gators.

But that’s not all he did during that time.

While serving as an assistant for the Gators, Robinson also started the baseball program at LSUS and coached the Pilots from 1990-95. That fall, he returned to being a head football coach, this time at Southwood, where he would stay for five seasons.

When LSUS wanted to expand its athletic program, Robinson got the call. He instituted basketball and soccer teams for both men and women. He stayed as the school’s AD for 10 years and was inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.

Still, he says it wasn’t easy to stop being a coach. “It was horrible, but I realized I had the opportunity to make something big at LSUS,” he says. “I always thought that was a gold mine sitting out there. There are so many players in the area that get overlooked. It was a struggle at first; there wasn’t much money.”

What he remembers the most are the players and coaches that he worked with. And just like a life-long coach, he can still rattle off specific plays and scores from game after game, from decades long gone by.

Also just like a veteran coach, he is quick to offer advice for any coach.

“The number one thing is to work as hard as you can and be fair to those kids,” he says. “I was always going to play the best players I got. But the bottom line is you got to work because there’s someone out there looking to take your place.” 

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com 

JOURNAL SPORTS

Changes in this week’s Shreveport Bossier Journal poll are plentiful and start at the top where Calvary Baptist has moved into a first-place tie with Airline, both receiving three first-place votes and 57 total points.

The Cavaliers, lurking in the No. 2 spot after a win over District 1-5A Captain Shreve in Week 2, defeated another 1-5A school in Byrd 42-21 last Thursday night.

The Vikings, who have held the top spot the first three polls, flew by Northwood 48-14 Friday to at least hold on to a tie at the top. They have a chance to break into the LSWA’s Class 5A Top 10 poll coming out today as two teams above them in the standings lost over the weekend.

Parkway, with its second consecutive shutout of the season over Bossier 51-0, moved up a spot to third in the Journal Top 10.

Captain Shreve moved up four spots to No. 4 after its 34-20 defeat of visiting Union Parish, who was the No. 6 team in the LSWA Class 3A poll.  Airline needed an 85-yard Tre’ Jackson kickoff return on a reverse in the final two minutes to win at Union Parish a week earlier.

Dropping in the poll after losses to teams ranked in LSWA polls were Evangel, Haughton, Huntington and Benton.

Evangel slipped a couple spots to No. 5 after a closer-than-it-looks 34-12 defeat at the hands of 4A No. 5 Westgate.

Both Haughton and Benton fell to 2A ranked teams. The Bucs dropped a 45-42 double overtime loss to No. 7 Many, missing a pair of 22-yard field goals in OT,  and the Tigers lost to No. 3 Newman 37-27. Huntington’s 50-20 stumble at 4A No. 4 Neville dropped them to No. 7 in the SBJ poll.

Woodlawn and Booker T. Washington both moved into the poll for the first time after posting consecutive wins to move to 2-1 on the season. The Knights are tied with Benton at No. 8 after their 38-28 win at Red River. BTW is the No. 10 team after a 12-6 win Saturday night over Green Oaks in the annual Soul Bowl.