By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL/Designated Writers

Former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer passed away earlier this week at age 77 (Sneaky old … he always seemed to be 45 to me.) If you are looking for some great Buddy Roemer political insight from me, you’ve come to the wrong place. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you I’m a political idiot.

And proud of it.

But it wasn’t unusual that Roemer would show up at the Shreveport Journal newsroom way back in the day for various reasons. And I know he was a big sports fan. This is probably urban legend, but I always heard that he had one of the first VCRs in North Louisiana and had the 1978 Yankee-Red Sox playoff game on tape. (Kids, ask your parents – or grandparents – what a VCR is/was.)

However, I do have one Buddy Roemer story. It was probably 1982 or 1983 and the Journal booked me on a Royale flight from Shreveport to New Orleans to cover a Saints game. As I remember it, the plane seated a couple of dozen passengers and it was full on that Sunday morning.

Roemer, who was a U.S. Representative at the time, sat across the aisle from me as we took off. About the time we reached cruising altitude, we all discovered that the flight was going to have a stop-over in Alexandria. That was news to the passengers who were expecting a direct flight.

Buddy took a quick poll of the passengers as to who was getting off the plane in Alexandria. Answer — no one.

So he instantly went into negotiator mode with the pilot. (Those of you who flew Royale remember that the pilots weren’t exactly a par 5 away from the passengers).

“If no one is getting off the plane and the plane is full, then there is no reason to stop,” Roemer told the pilot. “Let’s just keep going to New Orleans.”

The pilot gave some kind of flimsy answer, but Roemer dug in. “Think about it,” he said. “There is no reason to stop. Everybody on board is going to the same place.”

Faced with slowing down to land, sitting on the runway for no reason, then getting back in line to take off could take an hour. Roemer’s solution made perfect sense.

I’d love to tell you it’s that kind of persuasive genius that laid the foundation for a successful gubernatorial bid less than five years later. Alas, the pilot vetoed the congressman and we landed in Alexandria.

But I will tell you it was the shortest layover I’ve ever been a part of.

And all the way on the second leg of the flight, there was one hacked off U.S. congressman sitting across from me.

By TEDDY ALLEN/Designated Writers

Designated Writer John James Marshall wrote this in late February after Sam Burns finished third in the Genesis Open:

“For a big part of that event, he not only looked like the best player at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, but it looked like he might the lap the field. He led by five strokes after 36 holes.

But it’s hard to win a golf tournament, especially if you haven’t won a PGA event before. Burns has won all kinds of tournaments at every level. And he’s had the lead at various points in PGA tournaments.  But couldn’t finish it off.

… Winning a golf tournament can often be found at the intersection of good luck, bad luck, talent and experience. Learning how to handle all four at the same time is often what it takes to lift the trophy.

The talent of Burns, who missed the playoff by one stroke and came in third, is undeniable. When Sam Burns wins a PGA tournament, it won’t be because there’s been a wreck on Turn 4 on the final lap.”

Aaaaaaand…JJ was right. Sam tapped in for bogey on 18 and still won by 3 Sunday at the Valspar Championship in Florida for his first career win in his 76^th PGA Tour start.

Que the smiles and tears of joy and relief from Team Burns.

Other people were smiling in other places. David Toms in Texas at The Woodlands, where he finished in a three-way tie for second Sunday in the Insperity Invitational (almost a Shreveport Sweep Sunday!); who knows how many times Burns has practiced at 265, Toms’ facility in Shreveport, or how many rounds they’ve played together. And Brad Pullin in Choudrant at Squire Creek, Burns’ coach for more than a decade—and if you’ve never seen those two in a practice session, well, it’s a sight to behold. (Brad is pretty much smiling all the time anyway but Sunday, I bet he set a record.)

In fact, all the gang at Squire Creek and at East Ridge Country Club in Shreveport, even at Origin Bank (one of his first sponsors) had to be all smiles Sunday when one of their own raised the trophy.

It was just a matter of time for the former best college golfer in the country while at LSU. And it turns out the time was right and worth waiting for.

Sunday Sam’s family was there with him. He’s crying. They’re crying. Smiling. Crying. It’s been a family affair for a while now. And on this Sunday, all that was left was to go sign his scorecard and make it official.

“Couldn’t write it up any better,” Burns said.

One down and … we’ll see now how many to go. He’ll get a shot at the PGA Championship, thanks to the automatic invite following Sunday’s win. And he’ll get an invite to the Masters in April.

Designated Writers has taken the year off from Augusta for obvious reasons. But since Sam’s going, we’ll try to go too and tag along. You never do know…

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