NFFHF banquet truly missed

The fourth Thursday in February has always been a favorite day of mine because of the Miss-Lou National Football Foundation Hall of Fame banquet.

From the Eola to Natchez Community Center to Joe Fortunato’s hotel on Canal to Hotel Vue and this year to the Father David O’Connor Family Life Center across from St. Mary’s Basilica, the banquet has always been first class.

But COVID forced organizers to cancel the banquet the past two years, but scholarships were still awarded through school banquets or other ways.

While COVID did a number of several businesses, organizations and events, the Miss-Lou NFFHF showed Tuesday night it’s still alive and kicking.

The debut of the Family Life Center served as a very quaint, casual and perfect fitting for the event.

Led by Freddie Sandel, Walt Brown, and an outstanding group of NFFHF members, the banquet was once again a class event.

Long-time Hall of Fame sportswriter Rick Cleveland was an outstanding guest speaker.

I’ve shared a few press boxes with Rick when he was at the Clarion-Ledger.

We were both in Lorman when Steve McNair set career records for the Football Championship Series with 14,496 passing yards, as well as the division record for total offensive yards with 16,823 career yards against Southern.

Rick gave a great history of Mississippi football. He even included some Louisiana history for the Lou part of Miss-Lou.

Cleveland pointed out that there were nine Mississippi natives playing in the Super Bowl this year — which was the most of any state.

He also talked about Hugh Green, which we later talked about the fact Green was recruited by Pittsburgh after the Panther coaches were scouting Rooster Jones of Pascagoula, but couldn’t get over this young man from North Natchez making all the tackles.

Cleveland pointed out that Green had actually signed a letter-of-intent with Mississippi State. Back in those days you could sign a scholarship with an SEC school, but then you could sign with someone else on national signing day.

Cleveland pointed out that Green would have joined Johnie Cooks, Tyrone Keys, Fred Collins and Mardye McDole as part of that recruiting class.

I would add former South Natchez football/baseball standout Dewayne Brown to that list. Brown played some quarterback at State.

Actually, that 1977 team that finished 5-6 on the field had to forfeit its games and games from 1975-77 because of using Larry Gillard, who was ruled as an ineligible player.

Gillard was declared ineligible for accepting a 20 percent disount at a clothing store. The NCAA said the discount was illegal because it was not available to a o all students. The store owner, however, told the subcommittee that all students got the discount and that the NCAA refused to let him testify to his during the ineligibility hearings.

Getting back to the banquet, Cleveland also expounded on one of the local chapters founders — Joe Fortunato — and how it’s a shame he is not in the NFL Hall of Fame.

He was certainly preaching to the choir there.

I was thrilled to see Ken and Sue Beesley honored with the Distinguished American Award.

So many great stories with those two through the years. 

But of course, it’s all about the student-athletes.

And take it from somebody first-hand who knows how helpful that money is attending college.

Jack Lewis of Cathedral won the top prize of $3,000.

Delta Charter’s Clay Roberson and ACCS’ Samuel Merritt split second place with $2,000 scholarships.

And Vidalia’s Courtlyn Brooks, Ferriday’s Chavo Thomas and Natchez High’s Landen Sewell were awarded $1,000 scholarships.

Six area junior high athletes were recognized — Brady Sullivan from ACCS, Cathedral’s Walker Probst, Delta Charter’s Jason  Meyers, Ferriday’s Robert Taylor, Natchez’s Kameron Morgan and Vidalia’s Caden Kossum. 

Probst is the first to be recognized two straight years as a junior high representative.

It was a great night and the speaker adds so much to the success of the banquet.

People do not realize how hard it is to get speakers. I’ve even tried to assist in getting someone a couple of times and there are all kinds of obstacles.

 A lot of coaches do not realize it is not a violation to speak at the event which has high school football seniors.

Past speakers include Jerry Stovall, Bill Arnsparger, Billy Brewer, Rocky Felker, Archie Manning, Jackie Sherrill, David Cutcliffe, Daryl Daye, Ed Orgeron when he was with Ole Miss, Houston Nutt, Dan Mullen, Hugh Freeze, Jay Hopson and Deuce MCallister.

That’s quite a lineup.

But coaches are pulled so many ways nowadays it’s tough to reel them in.

Remember when we would have three or four alumni meetings in the Miss-Lou a year?

We’ve had Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher, Mullen, Cutcliffe and Jeff Bower to name just a few.

But nowadays, colleges use a caravan to take coaches from all sports to the big cities for a big production.

It seems coaches’ jobs are more time consuming than ever, and when they can get a break, they better take it.

Which makes it tougher on the local NFFHF chapter.

And now it’s on to the Joe Fortunato-Allen Brown Celebrity Golf Classic on May 6 at Duncan Park.

This tournament is the top money-maker for the chapter.

And just like its banquet, the golf tournament is a classy event.

I would not expect anything else.

I encourage golfers and non-golfers to attend. I encourage even more for everyone to block off the fourth Thursday of next year for the 40th banquet. 

I can assure you that you will not regret it.