That's always a conversation around the Demon football team, especially for road games, and none more so this season than this week for the visit to Thibodaux and Nicholls State.
There weren't a lot of ticket demands among the players for road games at Texas Tech and up in Boston, but this one is different.
"I need 50 tickets," was the answer by Albert Smith, who lives five minutes outside of Thibodaux, and Tyler Cheramie, who is from the deep bayou country in Galliano, about 45 minutes south. Ray Martin, from Lafayette, and C.L. Grogan, from Franklin, are looking for 2-3 dozen apiece. So are Blake Delcambre and Josh Daniels from New Iberia, and even true freshman snapper Bradley Russo of Thibodaux.
Smith said he had teachers from Central Lafourche High calling him hoping for the hookup.
There are more Demons in ticket demand than I mentioned above. Problem is, there are a limited number of complimentary player tickets available and rules to follow. Fact is, it's a tough call for the players to figure out who they can help and who they can't with the limits they have.
A former NFL player and his wife told me recently about how they handled Super Bowl tickets for family and friends. They didn't. Actually, they took care of the immediate family, and then simply apologized to everybody else because it was going to overwhelm them. Still, they got calls at the hotel on the night before the game.
I am sure that until the cell phones are turned off this weekend, plenty of Demon players will hear from family, friends and others hoping for help on tickets. What those folks need to know is this - the deadline is Wednesday afternoon each week to get ticket requests submitted!
Doug Ireland, SID
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Monday, October 01, 2007
Meat pie mania
First, apologies for a quiet blog over the weekend. Technology got the best of us, but like the Demon football team, it's a whole new ballgame this week and we are rarin' to go!
A few quick notes from the weekend trip:
There's a meat pie mania sweeping Lubbock, thanks to a radio interview coach Scott Stoker did Thursday morning with a Lubbock radio station. Stoker -- whose interview got rave reviews from the hosts, who said they wished Big XII coaches were as easy to talk with and as insightful -- was asked at the end of the interview about meat pies, and his description got a big reaction.
Listeners called the show hosts wanting more info, and my counterpart at Texas Tech, Chris Cook, had me bring over some meat pies. Of course, I bought Natchitoches Meat Pies, made by the company operated by NSU Athletic Association president Donald Horton and his wife, Pat ....
...Texas Tech fans also enjoyed listening to the Demon Sports Network online webcast of the game, according to a fan message board. There was a long string of comments, nearly all complimenting our broadcast crew for its professionalism, lack of bias and description of the game. It's one thing for an opponent's broadcast crew to get good reviews from the other side; it's remarkable considering the blowout nature of that game, which is a tough call for any broadcaster to keep things lively and yet relevant. Well done, Patrick, E.P., and Britt! ....
...The Demon Sports Network team was one short this weekend but with the best possible excuse. Davey Antilley, whose volunteer role as engineer and stat man is vital each week, got married Saturday to the charming Janna Kay Batson. Davey said that if she had wanted to get married in Kisatchie Forest at midnight Monday, he would have done it, but a Sept. 29 wedding worked best for everybody (except Patrick and E.P., who had to set up in his absence). Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Antilley, who are returning from their honeymoon in time for Davey to head to the Nicholls game on Saturday! ....
...Former Demon SID Tom Wancho and his wife Tracy were at the TTU game. Tracy is a Tech grad and was there for the alumni band performance (she was a twirler back in the day). Tom, who was at NSU from 1983-89, is doing great. They live in Austin. Tom had a kidney transplant three years ago and is leading as normal a life as a zany Tom Wancho could. No doubt he and NSU AD (and former intern colleagues) Greg Burke are pumped about the Cleveland Browns victory yesterday.
The Wanchos arrived in Lubbock Thursday afternoon. Tom heard the local radio sports talk show hosts raving about Coach Stoker's interview and how impressive he was, and said it really reflected well on NSU....
...Great also to see former Demon offensive lineman Brian Whaley, who lives in West Texas. He joined Greg Burke in the swanky visiting athletic director's box, along with www.goDemons.com daddy Don Harrison, the Montgomery native who is a great supporter of Northwestern....
...Fun visiting with Ben Barkley, who is the only Texas newspaper man who has action pictures of Sam Goodwin and Scott Stoker on his office wall. Ben was editor of the Leesville Daily Leader for several years and is now publisher of the Sweetwater Reporter, two hours south of Lubbock. Ben and his sports editor and another friend made the trip and will return when the Demons do on Dec. 29 for basketball....
...The Texas Tech sports information staff hosted the NSU media crew Friday night at The 50 Yard Line steakhouse. The hospitality was superior and if you are ever in Lubbock, The 50 Yard Line is No. 1 on your list of fine and fun dining, in my book....
...If you're wondering, the Demon team buses arrived home at 8:30 Sunday morning....
...Follow from the previous road trip: the Demons practiced on Friday before the Northeastern game at Harvard Stadium, the oldest college football stadium in the country. There were jokes about coach Stoker getting into Harvard, and coach Johnny Nagle having played in the stadium dedication game. BTW, NSU started the 2006 season at Memorial Stadium on the Kansas campus. That's the oldest stadium west of the Mississippi.
Doug Ireland, SID
A few quick notes from the weekend trip:
There's a meat pie mania sweeping Lubbock, thanks to a radio interview coach Scott Stoker did Thursday morning with a Lubbock radio station. Stoker -- whose interview got rave reviews from the hosts, who said they wished Big XII coaches were as easy to talk with and as insightful -- was asked at the end of the interview about meat pies, and his description got a big reaction.
Listeners called the show hosts wanting more info, and my counterpart at Texas Tech, Chris Cook, had me bring over some meat pies. Of course, I bought Natchitoches Meat Pies, made by the company operated by NSU Athletic Association president Donald Horton and his wife, Pat ....
...Texas Tech fans also enjoyed listening to the Demon Sports Network online webcast of the game, according to a fan message board. There was a long string of comments, nearly all complimenting our broadcast crew for its professionalism, lack of bias and description of the game. It's one thing for an opponent's broadcast crew to get good reviews from the other side; it's remarkable considering the blowout nature of that game, which is a tough call for any broadcaster to keep things lively and yet relevant. Well done, Patrick, E.P., and Britt! ....
...The Demon Sports Network team was one short this weekend but with the best possible excuse. Davey Antilley, whose volunteer role as engineer and stat man is vital each week, got married Saturday to the charming Janna Kay Batson. Davey said that if she had wanted to get married in Kisatchie Forest at midnight Monday, he would have done it, but a Sept. 29 wedding worked best for everybody (except Patrick and E.P., who had to set up in his absence). Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Antilley, who are returning from their honeymoon in time for Davey to head to the Nicholls game on Saturday! ....
...Former Demon SID Tom Wancho and his wife Tracy were at the TTU game. Tracy is a Tech grad and was there for the alumni band performance (she was a twirler back in the day). Tom, who was at NSU from 1983-89, is doing great. They live in Austin. Tom had a kidney transplant three years ago and is leading as normal a life as a zany Tom Wancho could. No doubt he and NSU AD (and former intern colleagues) Greg Burke are pumped about the Cleveland Browns victory yesterday.
The Wanchos arrived in Lubbock Thursday afternoon. Tom heard the local radio sports talk show hosts raving about Coach Stoker's interview and how impressive he was, and said it really reflected well on NSU....
...Great also to see former Demon offensive lineman Brian Whaley, who lives in West Texas. He joined Greg Burke in the swanky visiting athletic director's box, along with www.goDemons.com daddy Don Harrison, the Montgomery native who is a great supporter of Northwestern....
...Fun visiting with Ben Barkley, who is the only Texas newspaper man who has action pictures of Sam Goodwin and Scott Stoker on his office wall. Ben was editor of the Leesville Daily Leader for several years and is now publisher of the Sweetwater Reporter, two hours south of Lubbock. Ben and his sports editor and another friend made the trip and will return when the Demons do on Dec. 29 for basketball....
...The Texas Tech sports information staff hosted the NSU media crew Friday night at The 50 Yard Line steakhouse. The hospitality was superior and if you are ever in Lubbock, The 50 Yard Line is No. 1 on your list of fine and fun dining, in my book....
...If you're wondering, the Demon team buses arrived home at 8:30 Sunday morning....
...Follow from the previous road trip: the Demons practiced on Friday before the Northeastern game at Harvard Stadium, the oldest college football stadium in the country. There were jokes about coach Stoker getting into Harvard, and coach Johnny Nagle having played in the stadium dedication game. BTW, NSU started the 2006 season at Memorial Stadium on the Kansas campus. That's the oldest stadium west of the Mississippi.
Doug Ireland, SID
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
NSU volleyball on TV
Yep... that's right. You are corrected. For the first time in school history, a NSU Lady Demon volleyball match will be broadcast on television.
Thanks to Tommy Hazelwood and KNTS Channel 17, NSU's match against McNeese State on Thursday will be taped delayed for replay for most of the day on Saturday and Sunday.
This just goes to show the advances NSU has over the other Southland Conference schools.
Sure, SFA has won three straight league titles and 52 consecutive matches. They also played in the NCAA Tournament last year. UTA has been to the NCAA Final Four. Texas State and UTSA are regular powers in the league while McNeese and Lamar hold their own.
But has any of them every been on TV? Don't think so.
This type of exposure is a positive in so many ways. Head coach Brittany Uffelman, in just her second year as head coach, has already done tremendous things with a program that continues to head into the right direction.
Now televised volleyball matches!
Kudos to Channel 17, NSU director of athletics Greg Burke, Coach Uffelman, and area businesses for their support to achieve a "first time it happened" for NSU and the Southland Conference.
Thanks to Tommy Hazelwood and KNTS Channel 17, NSU's match against McNeese State on Thursday will be taped delayed for replay for most of the day on Saturday and Sunday.
This just goes to show the advances NSU has over the other Southland Conference schools.
Sure, SFA has won three straight league titles and 52 consecutive matches. They also played in the NCAA Tournament last year. UTA has been to the NCAA Final Four. Texas State and UTSA are regular powers in the league while McNeese and Lamar hold their own.
But has any of them every been on TV? Don't think so.
This type of exposure is a positive in so many ways. Head coach Brittany Uffelman, in just her second year as head coach, has already done tremendous things with a program that continues to head into the right direction.
Now televised volleyball matches!
Kudos to Channel 17, NSU director of athletics Greg Burke, Coach Uffelman, and area businesses for their support to achieve a "first time it happened" for NSU and the Southland Conference.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Why we're in business
Tonight was the annual Academic Awards Banquet hosted by Kent Gresham at The Landing Restaurant downtown on Front Street. All student-athletes who made the Dean's List, with a 3.0 semester grade point average, during the last two semesters are invited to dinner along with donors of endowed scholarships.
About 10 dozen scholar-athletes were able to enjoy the evening. Some were, you might guess, unable to attend because they were in night classes.
Every one of our student-athletes is a success story. Each of them has enormous potential for their future. Undoubtedly, those who reach the academic threshold that these honorees have attained are shining examples of people who are maximizing their abilities and opportunities.
You don't have to be an honor student to succeed, but if you are an academic star, the forecast for success is heightened. It was fun visiting and looking around the dining room because this diverse group had one feature in common. I call it "bright eyes." These are engaging young people with a purpose, who are focused and excited. College is not easy. Some of those honored tonight make it look that way. Others scratched and clawed, figuratively speaking, to earn their way onto the Dean's List.
I kidded them and said that every year after the dinner, I call my mother and tell her that I got invited to the academic banquet again. But by the standard that Bear Bryant used as his foundation for success -- "surround yourself with good people" -- we were all winners tonight at The Landing.
Doug Ireland, SID
About 10 dozen scholar-athletes were able to enjoy the evening. Some were, you might guess, unable to attend because they were in night classes.
Every one of our student-athletes is a success story. Each of them has enormous potential for their future. Undoubtedly, those who reach the academic threshold that these honorees have attained are shining examples of people who are maximizing their abilities and opportunities.
You don't have to be an honor student to succeed, but if you are an academic star, the forecast for success is heightened. It was fun visiting and looking around the dining room because this diverse group had one feature in common. I call it "bright eyes." These are engaging young people with a purpose, who are focused and excited. College is not easy. Some of those honored tonight make it look that way. Others scratched and clawed, figuratively speaking, to earn their way onto the Dean's List.
I kidded them and said that every year after the dinner, I call my mother and tell her that I got invited to the academic banquet again. But by the standard that Bear Bryant used as his foundation for success -- "surround yourself with good people" -- we were all winners tonight at The Landing.
Doug Ireland, SID
Monday, September 24, 2007
Nall back in Bills uniform
As soon as Buffalo Bills starting QB J.P. Losman went out of the game in the first quarter Sunday against New England with a sprained knee, conventional wisdom said the Bills would not waste time contacting former Demon Craig Nall.
A day later and the deal is done. Craig is back in a Bills uniform, as the backup QB to rookie Trent Edwards, one snap away from being the Bills QB. Losman may be back in a couple of weeks, but Nall has a one-year contract, and that's happy news.
Nall has worked out for a few teams since the Bills released him in a mildly surprising decision at the end of preseason camp. Houston told him he was their first call if they needed to make one. The Bills beat them to the phone. He knows the Buffalo offense, and was still living in the Buffalo area, so team officials did not consider any other candidates to fill the void.
He was the Packers' fifth-round choice in 2002. In his four seasons in Green Bay, he appeared in six games, completing 23 of 33 passes for 314 yards, with four touchdown passes, no interceptions and a passer rating of 139.4. He also starred in a season in NFLEurope and was routinely sharp in preseason action in both Green Bay and Buffalo.
He didn't get any sustained shot at LSU in a crowded QB derby with Josh Booty and Rohan Davey. Neither of those guys is still playing pro ball or was last year. Craig came to NSU for his senior season, showed his stuff and has been in the NFL ever since.
I can't help but wonder if his pro career could follow a similar script. Once presented the opportunity, I think Craig will sparkle, if not in Buffalo, someplace soon.
Doug Ireland, SID
A day later and the deal is done. Craig is back in a Bills uniform, as the backup QB to rookie Trent Edwards, one snap away from being the Bills QB. Losman may be back in a couple of weeks, but Nall has a one-year contract, and that's happy news.
Nall has worked out for a few teams since the Bills released him in a mildly surprising decision at the end of preseason camp. Houston told him he was their first call if they needed to make one. The Bills beat them to the phone. He knows the Buffalo offense, and was still living in the Buffalo area, so team officials did not consider any other candidates to fill the void.
He was the Packers' fifth-round choice in 2002. In his four seasons in Green Bay, he appeared in six games, completing 23 of 33 passes for 314 yards, with four touchdown passes, no interceptions and a passer rating of 139.4. He also starred in a season in NFLEurope and was routinely sharp in preseason action in both Green Bay and Buffalo.
He didn't get any sustained shot at LSU in a crowded QB derby with Josh Booty and Rohan Davey. Neither of those guys is still playing pro ball or was last year. Craig came to NSU for his senior season, showed his stuff and has been in the NFL ever since.
I can't help but wonder if his pro career could follow a similar script. Once presented the opportunity, I think Craig will sparkle, if not in Buffalo, someplace soon.
Doug Ireland, SID
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