Tee Cotton Bowl: More than just a game

By: TONY MARKS
Editor

The Tee Cotton Bowl has always been played for a higher purpose. By doing so, it has earned the attention of Steve Sabol, Tony Dungy, and countless other prominent figures in football. The game also earned the blessing from Pope John Paul II.
This year, though, the game is being played in honor of one of its founders, Tim Fontenot, who is recovering from a stroke.
This year’s game is entrusted to the willing and capable hands of long time Tee Cotton Bowl volunteer Jesse Muse and sidekick Jessica Fontenot.
“Everything that we do this year, we’re doing for Dr. Tim as the driving force for the Tee Cotton Bowl,” Muse said. “He has always done this game for a player, a school, or in memory of someone. This year, it’s all about him. He needs this right now. This is his driving force right now for his recovery. This game means more this year that it ever has. He may not be there, but he will be listening.”
Fontenot said, “We just want to make sure this game goes on. Just because (Dr. Tim) can’t do it this year, we just want to pick up the slack. It’s never going to be as good as a Dr. Tim Tee Cotton Bowl, but we’re giving it 110%, and we’re going to do our very best to honor him.”
“We fully expect him to be back full strength and with us next year to help us out,” she continued. “We just want to keep this going in his honor.”
The Tee Cotton Bowl events begin tonight at 7 p.m. with the annual banquet and continue all day tomorrow with a live Passe Partout broadcast from Soileau-Landry Field, pep rallies, horse and buggy rides, snowball stand, tailgating, and the Haka.
“Maybe you don’t like football,” Muse concluded. “Maybe you don’t like Ville Platte High or Sacred Heart, but you ain’t got anything else to do. Come out there and show your love and your care for a man who started this game not for his praise or for his gratitude but for that of others. Come out there just to show him the support that he really needs right now.