JOURNAL SPORTS

Calvary Baptist’s softball team started its journey toward a fourth straight state title Tuesday in predictable fashion, blowing out 16th seeded Fisher in a regional round Select Division III contest for the Lady Cavaliers’ 34th win in 35 tries tis spring.

Benton, seeded second in Non-Select Division I, fought off an upset bid by No. 15 Destrehan and prevailed to move into the state quarterfinals.

Airline, the sixth seed, was not as fortunate as the Lady Vikings lost at home to lower-seeded West Ouachita. Plain Dealing bowed out at the hands of No. 1-ranked LaSalle in the regional round in Non-Select Division IV.

Captain Shreve wraps up the local action in the regional round today at Mt. Carmel.

Baseball action gets underway later in the week in best-of-three series.

SOFTBALL

Tuesday’s regional round scores

Non-Select Division I

Benton 4, Destrehan 2

West Ouachita 9, Airline 2

Select Division III

Calvary 16, Fisher 1

Non-Select Division IV

LaSalle 15, Plain Dealing 0 (run-rule, 3 innings)

Today’s game

Select Division I

Captain Shreve (11) at Mt. Carmel (6), 5:00

BASEBALL

Upcoming games (best of three series)

Select Division I

Ponchatoula (seeded 11th) at Captain Shreve (6), Friday 6:00, Saturday noon/3 (if necessary)

Non-Select Division I

Slidell (19) at Northwood (3), Friday 6:00, Saturday noon/3 (if necessary)

Sulphur (20) at Haughton (4), Friday, 6:00, Saturday noon/3 (if necessary)

Ruston (12) at Benton (5), Friday, 7:00, Saturday 1/4 (if necessary)

Select Division II

Haynes Academy (14) at Loyola (3), Friday 5:00/7:00, Saturday 11 a.m. (if necessary)

Select Division III

Lafayette Christian (10) at Calvary (7), Thursday 6:00, Friday 4/6 (if necessary)

The other day, I found myself at Lowe’s in Bossier City—a trip born out of necessity. I needed a widget for my thingamabob. The parking lot was packed, and I squeezed my truck into a tight spot. As I made my way toward the entrance, something caught my eye: a man on a Harley rolled up and parked his bike between rows of ferns and porch-hanging potted plants. It was an unusual sight, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Lowe’s, on a weekday, is primarily a sea of trucks—around 85% of the vehicles, I’d say. The remaining 15%? Cars parked near the garden center, their drivers on missions to buy potted plants for their porches. But a Harley? That was new. Sure, it’s a valid mode of transportation, but Lowe’s is a place for buying, not just browsing, and most of what you buy there needs a truck to haul away. I couldn’t help but wonder: How does one transport 2x4s on the back of a motorcycle? Fold sheetrock to fit into saddle bags? Maybe he was on a simpler errand—collecting paint swatches or flooring samples to tuck into his leather jacket.

Harley riders surely shop at Lowe’s, but in all my years, I’d never seen one parked out front. He was the real deal, too. We entered together, and his look screamed “biker dude”—head-to-toe leather, long hair, a beard, and a bandana under his helmet. I couldn’t resist speculating about his purpose: Was he signing a contract for a remodeling project? Parting with some hard-earned cash? I should’ve stuck around to see what he bought. This unexpected encounter sparked the idea for an article—something light, maybe even nonsensical.

Speaking of nonsensical, Sunday is shaping up to be that kind of day for ministers in the pulpit. Last week, we pulled out all the stops for Easter—Cantatas, extra services on Friday, sunrise sermons, and packed pews. Easter is a big deal, attracting what we fondly call the “C and E crowd”—those who show up for Christmas and Easter. I’m grateful for their presence twice a year! Lately, there’s talk of a third letter—“M”—for Mother’s Day, which seems to bring some of them back.

But this Sunday? It’s what we call “Low Sunday.” Attendance on the Sundays following Easter and Christmas tends to dip dramatically. The Easter crowd resumes their usual schedule, and many regulars take the day off. It’s a puzzling phenomenon I’ve observed over the years. If we’re doing our jobs—proclaiming the good news that “He is risen”—shouldn’t that message inspire people to return the next Sunday to hear how the story unfolds?

Perhaps our preaching needs to better translate the miracle of the empty tomb into hearts filled with Jesus. This Sunday, I’ll look out and see lots of empty spaces, I’ll be wondering: Where did all the Easter people go? 

Maybe, just maybe, they rode their Harleys to Lowe’s.

April 23 is known as World Book and Copyright Day, a UNESCO observance celebrating reading, authorship, and the power of the written word. Fittingly, it’s also the day the literary world remembers the passing of William Shakespeare—arguably the most influential writer in the English language—who died on April 23, 1616.

More than four centuries later, Shakespeare’s legacy remains deeply embedded in global culture, language, and education. From classroom recitations to modern film adaptations, the Bard’s work continues to inspire, entertain, and provoke thought across generations.

Shakespeare’s death on April 23, 1616, is poetic in more ways than one. Not only is it the date traditionally recognized as his birthday (April 23, 1564), but it also closely aligns with the death of Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, who died a day earlier. Though discrepancies in calendars and dating systems make the alignment imperfect, the symbolic significance has endured. In 1995, UNESCO declared April 23 as World Book Day in part to honor both literary giants.

This dual commemoration turns April 23 into a day not only of literary reverence but also of reflection on storytelling’s power to bridge centuries, cultures, and ideologies.

William Shakespeare’s impact on the English language is virtually unparalleled. He introduced hundreds of new words and phrases into common usage—terms like “eyeball,” “bedazzled,” “swagger,” and expressions such as “break the ice,” “wild-goose chase,” and “heart of gold.”

Beyond vocabulary, Shakespeare’s explorations of love, power, revenge, jealousy, and mortality resonate as deeply today as they did in Elizabethan England. His plays have been translated into more than 100 languages and are performed more often than those of any other playwright in history.

Despite the archaic phrasing and iambic pentameter that can initially intimidate students, educators continue to make the case for Shakespeare’s relevance. His works are taught not just for their poetic beauty but for their complex characters, psychological insight, and the universal themes that define the human experience.

In Stratford-upon-Avon, England—Shakespeare’s birthplace—April 23 is typically marked by parades, theatrical performances, and wreath-laying ceremonies at his grave. Thousands of visitors flock to the town each year to walk in the Bard’s footsteps, tour his childhood home, and attend events at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

This year, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is hosting a weeklong series of lectures, virtual readings, and live performances to mark the occasion. Meanwhile, libraries and schools around the world are using the date to highlight the importance of literature, promote reading programs, and encourage youth literacy.

In Spain, events honoring Cervantes are also underway, especially in Madrid and Alcalá de Henares, where literary walking tours and public readings of Don Quixote draw crowds. This shared observance between Shakespeare and Cervantes speaks to the timeless, borderless nature of great literature.

April 23 also highlights the modern implications of creative work. World Book and Copyright Day isn’t just about celebrating authors—it’s also a reminder of the legal and economic structures that support them.
As digital publishing continues to reshape the literary landscape, debates about copyright protection, piracy, and fair compensation have taken center stage. The rapid rise of AI-generated content, in particular, has ignited concern among authors, publishers, and artists about the need to safeguard intellectual property.

UNESCO’s 2024 campaign places renewed emphasis on protecting the rights of content creators, especially in developing nations where access to books and publishing infrastructure remains limited. The theme this year, “Read, Preserve, Create,” ties together heritage and innovation.

Far from being relics of the past, Shakespeare’s works have found new life online. From TikTok adaptations of Romeo and Juliet to podcast reimaginings of Hamlet, Gen Z audiences are putting their own spin on the classics. Entire social media accounts are devoted to “modernizing” Shakespearean insults and soliloquies, giving the 400-year-old texts a sharp, humorous twist.

Streaming services have also helped reintroduce Shakespeare to broader audiences. Modern retellings like 10 Things I Hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew), and The Lion King (Hamlet) continue to draw new fans who may not even realize they’re enjoying Shakespearean plots.

The enduring popularity of the Bard’s work speaks to its adaptability—and its ability to be reshaped without losing its soul.

While April 23 honors some of the greatest names in literature, it is ultimately a day meant for readers. Libraries, bookstores, and literacy organizations around the world are encouraging people to pick up a book, attend a literary event, or donate reading materials to underserved communities.

Book-sharing events, read-a-thons, and poetry slams are popping up in cities and towns large and small. Many schools are distributing free books or hosting creative writing contests to inspire young authors.

In an age of streaming videos, short-form content, and algorithm-driven entertainment, World Book Day is a gentle nudge to slow down and reconnect with the written word.

Our BOM team had a great time at the Bossier School’s i3 Art Expo. Pictured left to right; BOM’s Sam Marvin, Melinda Williams, and Catie Collins.

Sarah Williams
February 12, 1924 – April 19, 2025
Service: Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 11:30am at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Shreveport. 

Rhonda Kay Wright
November 9, 1959 – April 19, 2025
Service: Saturday, April 26, 2025, 10am at Rose-Neath Funeral Home Southside, Shreveport.  

Diane Collins
September 10, 1938 – April 12, 2025
Service: Thursday, April 24, 2025, 10am at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Shreveport. 

Jerry Kircus
August 19, 1941 – April 4, 2025
Service: Saturday, May 24, 2025, 12pm at Aulds Funeral Home, Shreveport. 

Lisa Matthews
August 18, 1961 – April 2, 2025
Service: Saturday, April 26, 2025, 11am at Broadmoor United Methodist Church, Shreveport.

The Shreveport-Bossier Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $95. Contact your funeral provider or SBJNewsLa@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to SBJNewsLa@gmail.com)

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

(Editor’s Note: This series usually details someone’s life story. However, this week’s installment focuses on a six-month period of one person’s life.)

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services

It was supposed to be an hour-long day surgery.

But getting out that pesky gallbladder took three hours.

The patient was in more pain than expected, so he stayed a couple of days in the hospital. On a Sunday morning, he went home. Surely he would be back to his old self in no time.

“I do not remember much of anything, but I do remember I got home and laid on the couch and started sweating. I think I took a nap for an hour.”

He had been encouraged by the surgeon to move around.

“I stood up, took three of four steps to the back of the recliner, and just put my head on the recliner and said, ‘I can’t walk.’”

The next thing he remembers was three weeks later, waking up in the hospital with a ventilator tube in his mouth. That’s right. There is a 21-day period of time where he doesn’t remember anything.

“I was out.”

55-year-old Brad Peace, who by his own admission probably shouldn’t be alive, told me that story – and his story – during lunch at a place he chose, Windrush Grill. Brad and his wife, Karen, shared a chicken sandwich. I did not share my bowl of Chicken & Andouille Sausage gumbo.

“I question a lot. Why? Why did they send me home? I don’t know why. I may never know why.”

Brad’s six-month “nightmare” began with “bad” abdominal pain, and what he thought was reflux. After a week, Brad went to the doctor, who gave him medicine, and instructions to call the next morning if he wasn’t better.

Brad called.

“(The doctor) said, ‘Get to the emergency room. Go. Go now.’”

Brad did, and that’s’ where he found out his gallbladder “was a mess.” It was too infected to be removed. Brad stayed in the hospital four days, where doctors put in a tube which remained for seven weeks.

“It came right out of my belly. The infection would drain into a bag. I had to wear shorts most of the time. I had cargo shorts, so I stuck that bag down into my pocket. It was disgusting.”

Finally, the infection subsided enough for surgery. But Brad now knows “the infection got into my bloodstream. It spread and shut down everything except my heart and my brain. Everything else. My lungs. My kidneys.”

Septic shock.

Some 24 hours after what was supposed to be routine surgery, Brad was close to dying.

“The doctors were telling me he was very critically ill,” Karen said. ‘There’s a chance he won’t make it. We’re going to do everything we can.’”

That night, Karen stood by her husband’s bed and played his favorite music. Blues wasn’t just the genre. It was the atmosphere in the room.

“That day was horrible.”

But as bad as that day was, the following day was good.

“The next morning when I got there, I walked in and the nurse said, ‘I didn’t think he was going to be here when I got here this morning. He’s making a turn for the better.’”

Sure enough, Brad was rounding the corner. But he faced a long, winding road to recovery.

“I could not walk. I couldn’t lift my arms. I couldn’t turn my head. I couldn’t do anything.

That included eating.

“I was a big boy, and I lost 70 pounds. For a good month and a half, I didn’t eat. I couldn’t eat. It made me ill to even look at food, because they were pumping so many antibiotics through my system.”

To make matters worse, Brad developed a Stage 4, baseball-size pressure sore on his tailbone.

“They couldn’t turn or flip me, because every time they did that, the machines started going off.”

“Your blood pressure would drop and your heart rate would go through the roof,” Karen remembered.

After right at a month in the hospital, Brad was well enough to be transferred to a rehabilitation hospital. But his recovery took a detour.

“My stomach started bloating. It got hard and extended. I developed an infection on the wall of my intestine. They drained three liters of fluid off me. They sent me back to the hospital for another week.”

And the hospital sent Brad back to rehab with another drain. He stayed three weeks.

“I did physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy. I did it all. I had to learn how to do everything.”

But there were some things Brad was just too weak to do, at least by himself.

“That is one of the worst feelings, when you can’t do anything. You can’t shower. You can’t go to the bathroom for yourself. You have somebody else that has to help do that for you.”

Finally, it was time for Brad to go home. It’s a good thing he had Karen to take him.

“I had forgotten what I drove. I had forgotten what the house looked like. I didn’t know where I lived. I didn’t know anything. It was crazy.”

Brad is slowly getting better. But don’t confuse that with the new Brad being the old Brad.

“I’m pretty angry most of the time – at everything. All I can say is I’m pretty mad. I stay mad. I’m not like that. I’ve never been one who says pissed off all the time, but I am.”

The pressure sore has healed, but still hurts, “along with everything else. All my joints. My muscles. My back. My knees. My ankles.” That has a lot to do with Brad’s anger.

“I go to different doctors probably seven or eight times a month. It’s not over.”

But when push comes to shove, Brad looks at the glass as half full.

“The alternative would be a lot worse. I could be dead.”

Feeling guilt for complaining when I stub my toe, I decided it was time to ask my final question. What is it about his half-a-year story (including two months of home health and two months of outpatient therapy) that might be helpful to others? Brad isn’t the philosophical type, so he deferred to Karen.

“Let’s don’t talk about what we want to do some time,” Karen said. “Let’s do it. We want to go to the beach? Let’s go to the beach. We missed out on that last year. He loves to play golf. Make a tee time. Go play golf with your buddies. Don’t say, ‘Hey, next week’ or ‘We’ve always wanted to.’ Let’s just do it.”

Miraculously, now, Brad is able to just do it.

Do you know someone with a story? Email SBJTonyT@gmail.com.

The Journal’s weekly “What’s Your Story?” series is sponsored by Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers.

Shreveport Fire Department received a report of a house fire in the 700 block of Neal Drive on Sunday, April 20, at 8:49am.

Engine 2 arrived on scene within 4 minutes and reported smoke coming from the roofline of the single-story home. It took the efforts of 7 units, comprised of 22 firefighters, to bring the incident under control at 9:10 a.m. The occupants were alerted to the fire by a properly functioning smoke alarm and able to escape unharmed.

The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation by Shreveport Fire Arson Investigators. Smoke alarms save lives. For information about smoke alarms and fire safety please contact the Shreveport Fire Prevention Bureau at 318-673-6740 or visit the website at www.shreveportfire.org.

Ready for the NFL Draft? Or ready for the NFL Draft hype to end?

“Both” is an acceptable answer. Chalk me up to B, just fast forward to the last pick.

(BTW, here’s some draft trivia for you: name the community that has produced both the first and last NFL Draft pick? You’re living here. Of course, Terry Bradshaw to Pittsburgh in 1970 as No. 1, and Bossier City’s Mike Almond in 1979, No. 330, “Mr. Irrelevant,” to Bradshaw’s Steelers. Tough to make a roster with Swann and Stallworth as the starting wideouts, but Mike almost did.)

We’ll be treated to a 2026 Draft board mere hours after this year’s version in the thawing tundra ends, returning Green Bay to the relatively quiet city (other than on several fall and winter weekends) of 107,000 or so Cheeseheads.

Green Bay was known as – I kid you not – the “Toilet Paper Capital of the World” a century ago as home of several manufacturers of the tissue. A 1930 innovation altered the world order – the first “splinter free toilet paper” was produced.  Historians say the paper industry helped Green Bay avoid the worst effects of the Great Depression. I suggest the production of splinter free toilet paper helped the world avoid the worst effects of life before 1930.

Green Bay was, and is, home to you guessed it, packing companies. Bugs Bunny introduced us all to the Acme brand. Green Bay was home to the Acme Packing Company and today has some of the country’s major meatpackers, and hence, the Green Bay Packers.

At 232 feet tall, Lambeau Field, built in 1957, is the tallest building in Green Bay, which is in fact located on Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River, in what is called a “sub bay.” Some would say that’s what Timothee Chalamet calls his next girlfriend.

Have you ever heard of anyone actually from Green Bay? Yes, you have.

Actor Tony Shalhoub, star in Wings and Monk, is a native son. Red Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning sportswriter, was raised in the Bay. If you enjoyed Man of Steel, Dawn of the Dead, 300, Watchmen and Justice League, or at least know that millions of others did, give thanks to the educational system in Green Bay that helped produce director Zach Snyder.

Green Bay has an NFL team. Shreveport, close to double its size (187,593 was the 2020 census figure), has its latest iteration of an indoor football team, the badly-named Rouxgaroux.

Never mind that nobody has reported or even heard of a sighting of this maybe mythical beast in the 318 area code. Never mind that there’s a well-established summer wooden bat league baseball team in Baton Rouge called the Rougarou (spelled correctly, BTW, because the rougarou is native to SOUTH Louisiana). Admittedly, the mascot had branding potential even if it is as geographically misplaced as Jazz in Salt Lake City (that one somehow stuck).

Know what REALLY has branding potential, and has plenty of local and regional lore? The Shreveport Sasquatch. The Bossier Bigfoot. Or, as a fan of the hyphen utilization in our local identity, the see-the-merch figuratively fly off the shelves (and out of the online store) Shreveport-Bossier Bigfoot.

I wish the local indoor team good fortune and success and suggest ownership take a glance back at another mislabeled local pro team, the Shreveport Swamp Dragons, a brand coupled with management that permanently exterminated over a century of local professional baseball.

Give the new football team credit for role-modeling the Shreveport Mudbugs hockey franchise, which has made all the right moves and shown the necessary adaptability to endear themselves to local fans for nearly 30 years now. Who’s to say it won’t work again? We do love the football ‘round here.

Even the Green Bay Packers had modest beginnings.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

Five local softball teams play regional round LHSAA playoff contests today, with four-time defending state champion Calvary, Airline and Benton all at home.

Captain Shreve and Plain Dealing travel to face higher-seeded opponents.

Monday, Evangel couldn’t overcome No. 1 Pineville in a Select Division I contest.

Baseball action gets underway later in the week in best-of-three series. Loyola’s home series was set Monday to start with a Friday evening doubleheader against Haynes Academy.

SOFTBALL

Monday’s regional round score

Select Division I

Pineville 8, Evangel Christian 0

Today’s games

Select Division I

Captain Shreve (11) at Mt. Carmel (6), 5:00

Non-Select Division I

Destrehan (15) at Benton (2), 4:00

West Ouachita (11) at Airline (6), 6:00

Select Division III

Fisher (16) at Calvary (1), 3:00

Non-Select Division IV

Plain Dealing (17) at LaSalle (1), 4:30

BASEBALL

Upcoming games (best of three series)

Select Division I

Ponchatoula (seeded 11^th) at Captain Shreve (6), Friday 6:00, Saturday noon/3 (if necessary)

Non-Select Division I

Slidell (19) at Northwood (3), Friday 6:00, Saturday noon/3 (if necessary)

Sulphur (20) at Haughton (4), Friday, 6:00, Saturday noon/3 (if necessary)

Ruston (12) at Benton (5), Friday, 7:00, Saturday 1/4 (if necessary)

Select Division II

Haynes Academy (14) at Loyola (3),  Friday 5:00/7:00, Saturday 11 a.m. (if necessary)

Select Division III

Lafayette Christian (10) at Calvary (7), Thursday 6:00, Friday 4/6 (if necessary)

September 16, 1978, was a big day for me and ESPN college football icon Lee Corso.

That’s the day my future wife Paige got a glimpse of our lives. It was also Corso’s only trip to LSU’s Tiger Stadium as a head coach, as the Tigers opened their season with a Saturday night matchup vs. Indiana.

As an LSU senior, I had a freelance assignment with the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate to write an Indiana sidebar. After the game, I had my second date with Paige.

I had just returned to the press box from the IU dressing room to begin writing when Paige arrived sweaty, breathless, and puzzled.

“I had to climb a wall and then talk my way past a security guard with the help of a couple of your friends who knew you,” she said. “Are you ready to leave?”

“I’m just starting my story,” I said. “I’ll be done in 30 minutes.”

Well, it was 45 minutes. Our date was reduced to stopping for a midnight snack of chili cheese onion dogs at Der Wienerschnitzel (which is incredibly still in business on Highland Road).

Just as amazing, we got engaged after six weeks, even though she knew my career would result in a lifetime of disruption and an absence of time management.

A few years ago, I told Corso this story. He then relayed something I never knew about that LSU-IU game.

“My players weren’t used to playing night games,” Corso said. “I felt like I had to change their time clocks.

“So, we flew into New Orleans late Friday afternoon, and I took the entire team to the Superdome to watch the Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks fight for the heavyweight world championship.

“After the fight, we bused to our hotel in Baton Rouge and checked in early Saturday morning. We slept in late the next day. When we finally got out of bed, we were fresh, awake, and ready to play the game.

“We had LSU beat for a second straight year. But they had a big defensive end (John Adams) who made a great play late for the winning TD.

“We lost 24-17. But listening to your story, at least somebody won that night.”

We both roared with laughter.

For 38 years, this has always been Corso’s incredible gift as the unlikely, unscripted, and unapologetic star of ESPN’s College GameDay show. He can tell a story and make you laugh and think simultaneously.

Despite suffering a stroke in mid-May 2009, it has always been Corso’s decision when to retire. Though the stroke took its toll on Corso’s cognitive function, he soldiered on through 16 more seasons as he nears his 90^th birthday.

That will happen on August 7. Twenty-three days later, on August 30, as the 2025 college football season starts in earnest, Corso will make his last Game Day appearance and retire.

And college football will lose one of its greatest all-time characters.

Corso’s college head coaching career record of 73-85-6 and six winning seasons was the result of attempting to raise destitute programs. He was a head coach for 15 years at Louisville (4 years from 1969-72), Indiana (10 years from 1973-82), and Northern Illinois (1984) before leaving after one season to coach the Orlando Renegades of the USFL in 1985, before the league folded the next year.

“I promised my wife when we married (in 1957) that I’d take her to Florida,” Corso said of his decision to coach Orlando, where his team finished 5-13 after starting the year 0-6.

“The worst thing about losing the first six games is that I never once covered the (point) spread. You talk about getting killed by fans and gamblers. There’s a direct correlation between the hate mail you receive and the guy on the corner’s ability to win or lose money.”

He never had a losing season at Louisville. It’s where U of L linebacker and future ESPN NFL analyst Tom Jackson learned about Corso’s indomitable spirit.

“Nobody ever had more fun coaching than Lee Corso,” Jackson said.

Corso was willing to do anything to sell tickets and win games.

At Louisville, he once rode an elephant in a circus to promote season ticket sales.

“I ride for an hour, pull two groin muscles, and still have scars on my hands because elephant hair is as sharp as needles,” Corso said. “I get off the elephant, it turns its trunk at me and spits. Then a guy comes up to me and says, `Congratulations, Coach, you’ve sold four season tickets.’ ”

In his first season guiding Louisville, a few days after the Cardinals lost 63-19 to Memphis, Corso had to motivate his team for a Thanksgiving Day game at Tulsa.

He put a turkey on a leash to lead his team onto the field before kickoff, and had the turkey accompany Louisville captains to midfield for the pregame coin toss.

“I told our players I made a bet with the Tulsa coaches that if Tulsa won the game, Tulsa could eat the turkey,” Corso said.

In reality, Corso didn’t make the bet. But he was trying to motivate his players.

It worked.

“Tulsa is driving on us late in the game,” Corso said, “so I call a timeout. I’m pleading with our defense that the turkey’s life is at stake. They go back out there, get the stop, and we win. Me and the turkey got carried off the field.”

The Indiana job was even more of a challenge since the Hoosiers were in the Big 10 against traditional powerhouses like Ohio State and Michigan.

In his first game as Indiana’s head coach at home vs. Illinois, Corso decided to have his team enter the stadium on a double-decker English-style bus.

“It was going to be the greatest pregame entrance ever,” Corso recalled.

Until the bus transporting the IU team from its nearby practice field, where it had been warming up, got stuck in a game-day traffic jam.

Finally, one minute before kickoff, the bus with its horn blaring flew down a hill to the north end zone. It screeched to a stop on the field as the players scurried out like fire ants.

“I’ve got Illinois so dazed that we stop them after the kickoff, we go in and score for a 7-zip lead,” Corso said. “I’m thinking the entrance is one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. Then reality set in and we lost 28-14.”

When ESPN created its GameDay show in 1986 which first operated in-studio, it was looking for an analyst to pair with host Tim Brando and media funny guy/football historian Beano Cook.

Brando said Corso’s ability to speak in concise sound bites packed with coaching knowledge and humor won him the job.

“Lee could get in a couple of quips in a couple of sentences,” said Brando, a Shreveport native and resident  whose broadcasting career is still going strong since the late 1970s. “He hits you right between the eyes and makes you laugh. He can say something about what happened in this or that game that would remind him of something that happened to him, and you laugh.”

ESPN finally took GameDay permanently to campus sites in 1995. Corso officially became the show’s rock star on Oct. 5, 1996, when he decided to wear Ohio State’s Brutus the Buckeye mascot head when making a game prediction for the Buckeyes and Penn State in Columbus at the end of the telecast.

“The fans went crazy and the guys in our production stuff went crazy, so I knew I had something,” Corso said. “I’m famous for a guy that puts something on his head to make a living.”

His headgear pick has been a staple as the show closer. Even viewers who switch channels flip back to catch Corso’s headgear pick at the end.

Viewers and fans never saw the serious, professional side of Corso, who rarely went out on Friday night game site dinners with co-hosts Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit.

He was too busy putting the final touches on his research for Saturday’s show, but considered it more of a labor of love than a job.

“What I do is really like stealing,” Corso once told me. “I travel first class, I see the best game of the week. I can’t believe my life has taken such a twist. It has been unbelievable. You can’t be as old as I am and do something you love and get paid for it. It’s amazing.”

And now, with Corso’s pending departure and leaving the show in the hands of such loudmouth jackals as former NFL punter Pat McAfee, College GameDay will be considerably less amazing.

A sad day, indeed.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Shreveport Fire Department responded to a 911 call with for an apartment complex fire at 1900 block of Centenary Blvd. on Saturday, April 19, at 1:41am.

Engine 5 arrived first on scene at 1:46 a.m. and reported smoke and flames visible coming from the second floor unit in the rear of the 2-story brick structure. The incident was brought under control at 2:06 a.m. with 12 fire units, 36 firefighters responding to the incident.

Fortunately, no injuries to any citizens or firefighters have been reported at this time. This apartment complex is vacant, and no utilities are present. The public is encouraged to report any suspicious activity to the proper authorities.

The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation by Shreveport Fire Arson Investigators.

Shreveport Fire Department received reports of a house fire in the 6100 block of Fern Avenue on Sunday April 20, 7:53pm. The 911 caller stated lightning struck the home and caught the attic on fire.

Engine 3 arrived first on scene within 4 minutes and reported smoke coming from the 2-story structure. Crews were able to make entry into the home and extinguish the blaze while facing severe weather. It took the efforts of 12 fire units and 36 firefighters responding to bring the incident under control.

The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation by Shreveport Fire Arson Investigators.

As a teenager, John “Duff” Lowe was a budding pianist. In February 1958, a friend of his from school knew of Duff’s playing ability and asked him to join his band. With little consideration, 15-year-old Duff agreed. Being in the band was tough on Duff. On Sunday afternoons, the band would rehearse for Saturday night gigs which were anything but frequent, and his bandmates lived on the other side of the city. Just to get to rehearsals, Duff, too young to drive himself, had to take two buses. Like the rehearsals, their sporadic bookings were usually across town as well. With his school schedule, Duff was unable to meet up with the band during the week.

On Saturday afternoon, July 12, 1958, five months after joining the band, Duff and his bandmates went to a shop owned by Percy Phillips. Percy sold a variety of consumer goods including electrical appliances, batteries, and bicycles from the front of the shop. In the back of his shop was a soundproof room where Percy had a small and simple recording studio. Bands paid a small fee to make a recording, and each song was recorded in a single take directly onto an acetate disc. On that hot July day, Duff and his bandmates went to Percy Phillips’s back-room studio and recorded two songs: “That’ll Be the Day,” a cover version of Buddy Holley’s 1956 hit song, and an original slow-paced doo-wop song called “In Spite of All the Danger.” Duff and his bandmates were proud of the record, but they could not afford to make duplicates. To solve the dilemma of who would keep the record, they decided that each band member would get to keep the record for a week, then he would pass it to another member. Duff was the last member in the rotation.

The band was, as the expression says, going nowhere fast. Duff tired of the long treks to and from rehearsals. He was also missing out on the camaraderie that the other band members were experiencing during the week. Two years after joining the band, Ricky Tomlinson, leader of another band called “Hobo Rick & the City Slickers,” heard about Duff’s abilities. With the lure of fame and fortune, and more importantly, less bus trips, Ricky convinced Duff to abandon his current band and to join his band. Have you ever heard of “Hobo Rick & the City Slickers?” They failed to become household names and only lasted a short time.

Duff became a successful stockbroker. In 1981, Duff was looking in his sock drawer when he found the old 10-inch acetate record that he and his original band had recorded at Percy Phillips’ studio 23 years earlier. We can only speculate as to Duff’s reaction to finding the recording which everyone thought was lost forever. Duff eventually sold the record to one of his former bandmates, Paul, and it is said to be the most valuable record in the world. That 10-inch acetate disc, recorded with Duff as a member of the Quarrymen, was the first recording of the band that became the Beatles.

Sources:

1. “John Duff Lowe – Piano,” The Original Quarrymen, accessed April 20, 2025, http://www.originalquarrymen.co.uk/html/duff.html.

2. “The Percy Phillips Studio Collection,” International Beatle Week, accessed April 20, 2025, https://www.internationalbeatleweek.com/special-events-percy-phillips/.

3. “The Quarrymen – That’ll Be The Day,” Youtube, accessed April 20, 2025, https://youtu.be/R4_LMMKq8Hw?si=_xdGsglSsFxWO_yf.

4. “In Spite of All the Danger – The Quarrymen,” Youtube.com, accessed April 20, 2025, https://youtu.be/RuuOAA9ekbg?si=qWnhgZc9v5EqIisZ.

5. The Daily Telegraph, August 18, 1981, p.8.

6. The Westmorland Gazette, September 7, 2017, p.M73.

April 22 marks the 54th annual celebration of Earth Day, a global environmental awareness event that began in 1970. What started as a U.S.-based movement has grown into a worldwide day of advocacy and action, now engaging over a billion people in more than 190 countries each year. Earth Day continues to serve as a reminder of the urgent need to protect the planet, while also showcasing the progress and challenges of environmental stewardship.

Earth Day was born in the aftermath of a devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, in 1969. The ecological damage shocked the public and galvanized support for stronger environmental protections. Amid a climate of political activism and widespread calls for change, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed a national teach-in on environmental issues. Organized with the help of activist Denis Hayes, the first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, drawing 20 million Americans into parks, streets, and auditoriums to advocate for a cleaner, more sustainable world.

That momentum helped lead to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency later that year, as well as the passage of key environmental legislation like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act.

Since 1990, Earth Day has expanded to include international participation. The event has grown far beyond its original scope, encompassing a wide range of issues from climate change and renewable energy to conservation and pollution reduction. Each year brings a new global theme, and in 2024, the focus is on reducing plastic pollution under the campaign “Planet vs. Plastics.” The goal is to significantly cut plastic production and consumption by 2040 to mitigate the harmful effects on ecosystems and human health.

Plastic production has increased exponentially since the 1950s, with more than 430 million tons produced annually today. Much of it becomes waste, and only a small fraction is ever recycled. This plastic waste often ends up polluting oceans, land, and even the air. Microplastics have now been found in food, water, and the human bloodstream, raising concerns about long-term health effects.

Earth Day 2024 is being observed through a wide variety of initiatives, including climate marches, cleanup events, educational seminars, and sustainability pledges. In many schools, students are participating in environmentally focused service projects like planting trees and cleaning up public spaces. These local efforts contribute to a broader movement, helping raise awareness and foster a sense of global responsibility.

In cities and towns across the United States, including in places like Natchitoches, Louisiana, Earth Day has become a fixture of community life. Students, civic organizations, and local governments use the day to highlight ongoing sustainability programs and launch new efforts aimed at reducing environmental impact.

At the national level, government leaders have used Earth Day to underscore commitments to addressing climate change and investing in renewable energy. Policy statements and environmental reports released around this time often help reinforce the importance of maintaining environmental protections and continuing progress toward emission reduction goals.

Earth Day also brings increased attention to corporate environmental initiatives. Many companies use the occasion to announce sustainability goals, such as reducing plastic use, investing in clean energy, or improving supply chain transparency. While these initiatives can be a positive step, critics often warn that some corporations use Earth Day as a public relations tool, with limited follow-through or transparency about their actual progress.

Environmental watchdogs and nonprofit groups continue to monitor corporate sustainability claims, urging companies to go beyond symbolic gestures and make tangible, data-backed changes.

In recent years, Earth Day has seen growing involvement from younger generations. With climate change increasingly affecting their futures, young people have become vocal advocates for policy change, environmental education, and sustainable living. Social media has helped amplify youth activism, turning platforms like TikTok and Instagram into hubs for green living tips, eco-conscious product recommendations, and calls for climate action.

Students have organized school-wide Earth Day events, started campus sustainability clubs, and launched local initiatives to reduce waste and promote green habits. Their engagement reflects a broader shift in public awareness and urgency around environmental issues.

As the global community faces mounting challenges—from extreme weather to biodiversity loss—Earth Day continues to evolve as both a symbolic and practical platform for action. It encourages individuals to make small but meaningful changes, from conserving water and energy to reducing plastic use and supporting local agriculture.

It also serves as an annual checkpoint, prompting reflection on the state of the planet and the work that remains. Though environmental progress has been made in recent decades, Earth Day reminds people everywhere that maintaining a livable planet requires continuous effort and cooperation at every level—local, national, and global.

With renewed focus on reducing plastic consumption, restoring ecosystems, and embracing clean technologies, Earth Day 2024 underscores the importance of sustained environmental action. As the day concludes, it carries with it the message that while the task is great, so too is the collective power of people committed to positive change.

Sarah Williams
February 12, 1924 – April 19, 2025
Service: Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 11:30am at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Shreveport. 

Agnes A. Conley
May 22, 1924 – April 16, 2025
Service: Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 11am at Centuries Memorial Funeral Park, Shreveport.

Billy Wayne Montgomery
July 7, 1937 – April 14, 2025
Services: Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 10am at Central Assembly of God, Haughton. 

Diane Collins
September 10, 1938 – April 12, 2025
Service: Thursday, April 24, 2025, 10am at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Shreveport. 

Jerry Kircus
August 19, 1941 – April 4, 2025
Service: Saturday, May 24, 2025, 12pm at Aulds Funeral Home, Shreveport. 

Lisa Matthews
August 18, 1961 – April 2, 2025
Service: Saturday, April 26, 2025, 11am at Broadmoor United Methodist Church, Shreveport.

Mack Gene “Maxine” Patterson
April 30, 1942 – April 2, 2025
Service: Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 11am at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home, Shreveport.

The Shreveport-Bossier Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $95. Contact your funeral provider or SBJNewsLa@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to SBJNewsLa@gmail.com)

In an extraordinary commitment to public education and show of support for its teachers and employees, the Bossier Parish School Board approved the largest permanent pay raise in its history without passage of a bond on April 17, making Bossier Schools one of the most highly paid systems among its neighboring districts and in the state.

When the 2025-26 school year begins, a $2,500 pay increase will bring starting teacher pay to $52,634 in Bossier Parish, setting the existing multipliers and factors into motion when calculating the salary scale for all educators and certified personnel. Furthermore, the board-driven raise calls for all support personnel pay scales to receive a 4.75% increase.

At an estimated expense of $10.6 million annually, a cost that is reflective of retirement costs and step increases, the money will come from restructuring property millages in the prior year, increases in sales tax revenue and slight reductions in the retirement rate for both the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) and Teacher’s Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL).

“This is a monumental milestone that demonstrates the importance our board places on those teaching and positioning our children for success,” said BPSB President Craton Cochran. “By passing a permanent pay raise that employees can factor into their monthly budget and count on during retirement, it is our hope to not only have a positive impact on their financial future, but also attract the best that want to work in Bossier Parish.”

“We cannot express our gratitude enough to the board for validating the teaching profession and elevating our educators to a place few could have imagined, especially given the recent outcome of the statewide election and legislative process,” said Bossier Schools Superintendent Jason Rowland. “But what could have been perceived as a negative was turned into a positive by the Bossier Parish School Board. Leadership sometimes means stepping up, not stepping aside, and that is exactly what our board did. It is exciting that Bossier Schools can do right by our employees by hitting this solo homerun to ‘Win the Day.’”

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NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the College of Nursing and the 55thanniversary of the School of Allied Health with receptions in Shreveport and Alexandria in May.

A reception for alumni, healthcare and community partners and friends will take place from 5:30-7:30pm Thursday, May 1 at the Shreveport campus, 1800 Line Avenue.

A similar event will take place from 5:30-7:30pm Thursday, May 8 at the Cenla campus, 1410 Neel Kearby Blvd., Alexandria.

NSU’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health (CONSAH) is the largest producer of registered nurses, nurse practitioners and radiologic technologists in Louisiana with 100 percent job placement across multiple programs. CONSAH currently enrolls more than 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students with instructional sites in Alexandria, Leesville, Natchitoches and Shreveport.

Northwestern State’s nursing program was developed in the 1940s when the Shreveport healthcare community realized the need for a collegiate-based nursing program. Five hospitals agreed to phase out their diploma programs opening the door for Northwestern State to create the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Seventy-seven students enrolled in the first cohort in the fall of 1949 and enrollment quickly grew. In 1972, the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree and the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees were created with the MSN earning accreditation in 1979. Current NCLEX pass rates for BNS an ASN students is near 100 percent.

Noteworthy milestones for the College of Nursing include development of the online RN to BSN program, the paramedic/military medic to RN program, Nurse Practitioner program and the Doctor of Nursing Practice. The Nurse Anesthesia program and the baccalaureate program in sonography are the only such programs north of I-10.

As nursing degree offerings expanded, NSU implemented the Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology, now the Radiologic Sciences degree program, in 1968. As that program’s degree offerings increased, the School of Allied Health (SAH) was created and joined the College of Nursing in 1994. The School of Allied Health offers a Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences degree (MSRS), the only MSRS program in Louisiana and one of only a handful in the nation. SAH also houses the Bachelor of Applied Science in Allied Health, the first applied science degree in Louisiana, post-baccalaureate certificate programs in cardiovascular intervention and MRI and last year received approval for a Master of Science in Allied Health

The need for nurses and allied health professionals is at an all-time high. CONSAH has pursued grants to expand nursing and allied health pathways and prioritizes external partnership and funding sources. In 2022, NSU was awarded a significant grant to expand the programs that make it easier for paramedics, military medics and people with undergraduate science degrees to transition into nursing jobs and address the shrinking healthcare workforce in northwest and central Louisiana. NSU is partnering with nearly a dozen other healthcare organizations in the region to add more than 1,000 nurses to the workforce by 2032. Grants have also funded faculty positions, LPN to RN cohorts, Nurse Anesthesia Traineeships in rural and medically underserved areas and a new concentration in the Associate of Science in Nursing titled Allied Health to Associate of Science in Nursing (AH to ASN).

“CONSAH faculty are interprofessional collaborators committed to developing graduates who are resilient critical thinkers, compassionate and empathetic caregivers and healthcare professionals who demonstrate flexibility in handling challenges,” said Dr. Aimee Badeaux, interim dean of the College of Nursing and School of Allied Health. “Faculty constantly strive to promote student success as well as their own academic pursuits, research, grant exploration and professional development.”

Information on degree programs offered through NSU’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health is available at https://www.nsula.edu/nursing/.

For more information on the May 1 anniversary celebration in Shreveport, contact Renee Downey at downeyr@nsula.edu. For more information on the May 8 anniversary celebration in Alexandria, contact Alicia Book at booka@nsula.edu.