By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports
There was a major endorsement announced Thursday, and it had nothing to do with the upcoming presidential election.
What it did have to do with was Shreveport’s successful hockey franchise giving its public support to the city’s newest minor league team.
“When I met these guys, it was a matter of minutes before I realized we were on the exact same page,” Shreveport Mudbugs general manager Scott Muscutt said, of his first discussion with the two principal owners of the Shreveport Rouxgaroux indoor football team. “We want to do something that makes Shreveport a better place to live. We want to do something that makes Shreveport a better place to play. We share a lot of the same philosophies.”
The Rouxgaroux, who will share Hirsch Coliseum with the Mudbugs, hope to benefit from the ‘Bugs knowing what works in this market, and what doesn’t.
“I believe that consistency creates trust,” Muscutt said. “We’ve had consistency with Shreveport supporting things we do in this building. I believe we can trust them that they will support this. I think it’s going to be a high-energy product like hockey, and I’m thrilled that they are here.”
The Rouxgaroux, a member of the (as of now) 10-team National Arena League (NAL), will kick off their first season next March. The four-month campaign will include 10 regular season games (five at home) on a 50-yard field. There’s the possibility the Rouxgaroux will play two pre-season games. Season tickets for Hirsch’s best seats are $165.
“It’s high-quality professional football,” said NAL commissioner Todd Walkenhorst.
The Rouxgaroux announced that Pat Pimmel will be the head coach. Pimmel has extensive coaching experience, and last year was head coach of the Arena Football League’s Philadelphia Soul, until stepping down the day before the first game. The Rouxgaroux also announced that former Evangel Eagle Eric Thomas has signed to join the team.
“Some of them are still playing because they can,” Walkenhorst said of the NAL’s players. “Some of them are still looking for their dreams. We don’t have a bunch of guys who are a step away from the NFL. That’s not the case. We’ve had guys who have gone up to Canada, or some of the other leagues.”
Each team will have a salary cap of approximately $6,500 a week to spread throughout a 21-player active roster. If each Rouxgaroux player is paid the same (which they won’t), each player would make just over $300 a game.
“You would be surprised at the talent that will come in and play at that level because they want to chase that dream,” Walkenhorst said.
The Rouxgaroux’s two principal owners are Richard Rodgers and Keith Russ. Rodgers told the Journal he plans to move to Shreveport from Dallas next month, has a marketing degree, and played football for the University of Arkansas. Russ, who lives in Ft. Worth, Texas, said he was a freshman on the Southern Mississippi football team when future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre played. Russ said he has had part ownership in other indoor football franchises, and did two tours of duty in Iraq as a member of the military.
The third owner – and only local owner – is Keith Carter. A Northwood High School graduate, Carter is the owner of Always Best Care, which provides services to senior citizens.
“I saw this as an opportunity to get some of my patients and clients to come and enjoy something that we can give back to Shreveport,” Carter said. “That started a conversation of what it looks like locally. After seeing all the successes in Shreveport and Bossier, I wanted to be involved.”
But why will the Rouxgaroux be successful, when so many other minor league franchises – including past indoor football teams – haven’t had the Mudbugs’ success?
“I believe the key is the community, and the opportunity,” Carter said. “Instead of saying, ‘That’s not going to work in Shreveport,’ let’s say, ‘It’s going to work in Shreveport.’”
The Rouxgaroux plan to have cheerleaders, a dance line, and a hype guy, as well as a Name the Mascot contest. The principal owners did not ask for the public’s input in the team’s nickname, colors, and logo design. However, Carter did offer an explanation for the team’s name.
“A Rouxgaroux is a mythical Louisiana culture creature. Half man, half werewolf, that feeds on cows. The Shreveport Rouxgaroux loves to eat beef, so our number one goal this year is to eat all the beef in Shreveport. Especially the Omaha Beef.”
The Omaha Beef is the NAL’s defending champion. According to Walkenhorst, the Nebraska franchise has not lost a game in two years and is the longest running indoor football team in the country (going into season 26.) Walkenhorst said another NAL team, the Sioux City Bandits, is just behind, approaching its 25th season.
“We have some very good franchises which have longevity,” Walkenhorst said. “That’s not accidental.”
Carter said there are various ways to spell Rouxgaroux, but for a team in this state, there is only one way.
“Those of us from Louisiana, and of our culture, know that every good Louisiana dish starts with a roux. So, every good sports dynasty starts in Shreveport, and the Rouxgaroux will be here for your football dynasty.”
The Rouxgaroux will have open tryouts September 22.
Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com