Everybody in Evangeline Parish has heard about the Tee Cotton Bowl and knows at least one aspect of the football game played between Sacred Heart and Ville Platte High.
Members of the Rotary Club of Ville Platte are among those who know a thing or two about the game but were able to catch a more in depth look at the contest as Co-Founder Tim Fontenot presented a very candid look at factors surrounding the city championship.
“Back in 1999,” Fontenot said, “my son, Jacob, was a junior at Sacred Heart, and we played Ville Platte High. Ville Platte won 39-13. We got in the car after the game, and he said that was the funnest game of the year and that he wished the Cotton Festival could do something because we play about the same time.”
The two began thinking, and the elder Fontenot had the idea of a trophy. “We thought about the Tee Cotton Bowl, the Little Cotton Bowl,” Fontenot said. “We found a big silver punch bowl, filled it with cotton, and dedicated it to Jerome Vidrine. We picked him because he never quit and loved football. He was never able to play football, but his fighting spirit is what we wanted.”
Fontenot continued, “We started it off with one Roman candle, and it was a great game that ended 24-21. Sacred Heart came from behind, and we won. The next year was 9-11 a couple of weeks before the game, so the kids lined up before the game and exchanged American flag decals to put on the back of their helmets.”
The next year in 2002, Fontenot and his son decided they wanted NFL Films to tell the story of the game. The two sent in a letter to the network along with some smoked meat, a Swamp Pop CD, and a T-shirt.
“We heard back from them two months later,” Fontenot said. “The guy called and said he got this letter and they were intrigued about it. He asked me if we really take off for Squirrel Day and can’t play the game. I said nobody would show up.”
“He said now they were really interested,” Fontenot continued. “They came down and were going to do a five minute piece, but it turned out to be a 15-minute piece. It’s been on network TV over 90 times. Pope John Paul II saw it and wrote us a letter. He blessed both teams and the town, and we’re the only game that has its own patron saint.”
Besides the pope, Fontenot explained the game has drawn the attention of the late Tony Robichaux, Tony Dungy, Nick Saban, Robert Craft, and Gayle Benson among others.
Fontenot began to get candid when he started to discuss why the game went away for four years. “Everything was going good, and we hit a roadblock,” he said. “We let prejudice and love of power, money, and greed take over. I’m going to take the blame for it. If you have to blame somebody for it, blame me because I was in charge.”
He continued, “We didn’t have the game for four years. The game was gone and dead. Nobody could have brought it back, but God brought it back.”
Fontenot then candidly shared what it means for the game to be back.
“People criticise Ville Platte,” he said.
“We have our problems, but our kids have a genuine affection for each other. Our kids get along. It’s not made up. They enjoy competing against each other. Competition doesn’t have to be bad. It makes you better.”
“Because one is better,” he continued, “the other has to be better. We have to help make each other better both on and off the field. Iron sharpens iron. In 16 years, we had nine personal fouls. One ref said he had to see it to believe it. We had a crew from New Orleans one year because they asked to come.”
As Fontenot went on to explain, the Tee Cotton Bowl can be described as a gift from God. “God can take our loaves and our fish and multiply it,” he said. “And, He did. It’s all a gift from God. If we take our gift from God and throw it in the corner like we did the first time and let it gather dust and rust, then we’re spitting in His face. If we take it and polish it and make it look the best we can with what we got, then God is going to take it and bless.”
Fontenot continued, “We should be thankful that God has blessed this town to where people can respect each other no matter what race, color, creed, or social-economic thing. Hopefully we’ll never have a situation like we had where we have to tell the kids we’re not going to have the Tee Cotton Bowl this year. We have it now, and we’re not going to give it up. If we promote this game, I really feel God will bless this town in every other way. He’ll help us in things far from the concept of the game because we took His gift and were grateful for it.”
Also during his program, Fontenot stated a film crew from Seattle came down to do a documentary on this year’s game. One member of the crew sent Fontenot a message on the day after the game which he shared with the Rotary Club.
The message went, “Where to begin? First and foremost, congratulations on a supremely successful week of the Tee Cotton Bowl events. Secondly, allow me to express my admiration for the efforts of building your beloved community in Ville Platte. It is undeniable. The Tee Cotton Bowl is a bold and fervent force for good. We are most honored to have a chance to participate in and document the Tee Cotton Bowl for prosperity.”
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TONY MARKS Editor