Well, we made it through another year. This past year had its challenges resulting in people saying it was one of the worst year’s ever. But, it all depends how you look at it. For me, 2020 as a whole was a good year. For one thing, I ate well.
The year began with me hanging out with Rick Neuheisel in the press box of the Superdome for LSU’s national championship against Clemson. Ok, we weren’t really hanging out. We just crossed paths in the buffet line while I was getting a hamburger and king cake at half time.
Over the next few weeks, I covered a couple of LSU basketball games at the PMAC and couple LSU baseball games at the Box. The basketball food was great, especially the chicken parmesan. The baseball food left a lot to be desired. I thought about crashing a suite to fix me a plate.
Later in the year, in March, I went cover the Fairview girls’ basketball team in the state championship in Lake Charles. I was expecting the food in the hospitality room to average based on previous experiences, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Little did I know that was be the last time I would eat at a sporting event because Covid cancelled everything a week or so later.
During the Covid break, I still ate well mainly because of two hurricanes. Before Laura hit, I went to the store and bought my usual hurricane snacks of oatmeal pies, Vienna sausages, spam, corned beef, and other essentials. All I did the next couple of days was eat. The Hurricane 15 was real because I think I gained 15 pounds. When Delta came, I was still full, so I laid off of the oatmeal pies.
When high school sports started back up, I went cover Oberlin’s scrimmage at Port Barre. On the way back, I stopped at Bourque’s to get my dad a jalepeno sausage bread. While there, I got me a couple corn dogs for the drive home. I was back in business.
Weeks later, I went to Elizabeth to cover the basketball games against Lacassine. I went to the concession stand expecting to buy some popcorn or nachos, but they had hot dogs. I bought me a couple and put the obligatory mustard and relish on top. I remarked at the time that I have the best job in the world because I get paid to hang out and eat hot dogs.
After Thanksgiving, I went to College Station for the LSU game against Texas A&M. In the press box, all they had to eat were sandwiches and bags of chips with cookies. It wasn’t that bad. Being that it was Thanksgiving weekend, I got a turkey sandwich before the game. I ended up eating a ham and salami sandwich at halftime. On the way back from the game, I stopped to eat the buffet at some fried chicken place. I think the girl who served me the bread pudding liked me because she gave me two slices.
Last Sunday, I went to Natchitoches to cover the Kinder game against Many in the state championship. My plan was to grab lunch at Mama’s before going to the game, but I left Ville Platte later than I wanted. I settled for some gas station meat pies. After the game, though, I fittingly went eat at Huddle House.
My year of gluttonous goodness ended this past Tuesday night when I stopped at the Dairy Queen in Crowley on my back from the Oberlin basketball games in Gueydan. I got me a meal deal that was a 1/3 pound cheeseburger, fries, a drink, and an ice cream sundae. I swapped out the sundae for a cone to make it easier to eat on the drive home. I ate the ice cream first.
With 2021 near, let’s hope for more of the good times and more grilled food options on the menu. But, until then, I still need to finish off some hurricane corned beef.
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Tony Marks
Editor