By the Designated Writers

TEDDY ALLEN: Broadmoor’s subdivision in Shreveport in particular and America in general lost a gentle and easy-going, wise soul Sunday night in Bobby Aillet, just past 90 in years, just past 630 in Louisiana Tech Bulldog years. The school’s football stadium is named after his dad, he and his wife Dorothy had eight children who attended Tech, and he loved the school like birds love the sky. He felt comfortable there. There’s so much to tell … and we want to. But for now, see below for a podcast from December 2018, just to hear his voice. Coffee at his kitchen table. A little about his dad’s mesmerizing life and career, a bit about his officiating career of more than a quarter century, and all that is good. But the atmosphere is what comes through: his kitchen, in this house he lived in for nearly 70 years, the pictures on the icebox, the Christmas plywood cutouts in his yard representing all the layers of Aillets he and Dorothy blessed us with. To hear his voice is a joy…

JOHN JAMES MARSHALL: When I was growing up, I couldn’t understand how that man I used to see in my neighborhood was the same guy I saw on TV refereeing college football games in the SEC. And then I found out that he was the son of the guy who the Louisiana Tech football stadium was named after … mind blown. The Aillets lived one street over from me and whenever I would walk/ride my bike to school or church, I’d always pass by their house. I knew Mr. Aillet in many ways, but he was such a joy to run into no matter where it was — at church, at a game or just out for a walk. Always had a wave or a handshake. When we started SportsTalk on the radio, he was one of the first guests we had. It was only an hour show but I could have listened to him for hours. So many stories to tell and they never got old. Even in his 90s, I’d see Mr. Aillet quite a bit, whether it was at the grocery store or grabbing a bite to eat. He always had time to talk and I always had time to listen. Everybody who even knew him will tell you the same thing — what a nice man. He lived a great, great life. He was dedicated to his family, his job, his school, his church and to everything and everybody he came in contact with. The neighborhood won’t seem the same without him.

First ran in Sunday March 21, 2021 editions of Gannett Newspapers…

Let’s sweep up and see what’s left in the icebox …

It came as no surprise mid-afternoon Wednesday when a bunch of us were whisked into the basement of the office building because of the tornado sirens going off. A few shoulder shrugs and we were off and moving; if you’ve seen a dozen or so natural and unnatural disasters in the past year, you’ve seen ’em all, right? What’s one more? But when I’m told to whisk, whisk I do. I’m a worker bee.

The surprise came 20 minutes later when we were told it was safe to go back to work. The storm had dodged us.

It’s about time. Only three weeks ago, we went to sleep in north Louisiana and woke up to ice and snow. Like waking up in a black-and-white Humphrey Bogart movie. You can backtrack from there and figure that, within the past year, we now have enough experience to name and rate The Worst Disasters.

On the bright side these past 52 weeks, we’ve dodged a mud slide, tsunamis, an earthquake, an avalanche, and a cyclone, which I think is a tornado with an attitude like a tsunami is a tidal wave with an attitude.

Still, the Egyptians back in the day had it worse. The flies. The frogs. The locusts. The River of Blood. If we’re playing Pick Your Plague, maybe we’ve gotten off easy…

Convenience stores and other places don’t want you loitering. “No Loitering,” the sign says. Like that’s something you want to work into your day, going somewhere and hanging out by a dumpster. This is a problem with people? They should put up a sign that reads, “No Hitting Yourself In The Head With A Ball Peen Hammer.” We really have to make these sorts of requests of people? But I figured something out this week. If you go to a store and actually buy something, you are allotted a certain amount of loiter time. You are in fact “hanging around.” If you DON’T buy anything and hang around, THAT’S loitering…

I don’t get turkey legs. You never see them on the menu at a restaurant. But if a state fair breaks out, all of a sudden people have to have a turkey leg. Unless you’re a knight and it’s dinnertime at the Round Table, where else are these things eaten? I’d have never made it as a medieval lunch guest…

Baseball is a funny game. The second Sunday of March 2020, Louisiana Tech pitcher Jarret Whorff started a game at Wichita State, faced 10 batters, gave us six hits and seven runs, six earned, and left the game with no one out in the second inning trailing 8-0. Tech would battle back but lose, 10-9. Then last weekend, the second Sunday of March 2021, Whorff, a senior righthander, struck out 10 Razorbacks and pitched a two-hit shutout as the Bulldogs beat Arkansas, 2-0, Tech’s first win over a No. 1-ranked team in program history. From the thriving metropolis of Winnsboro, Texas, population 3,500, give or take a dog or cow, the low-idling Whorff won every Pitcher of the Week award the college game has to offer this week. The point: if things aren’t going your way, keep battling. Continue the mission. You never know…

(Ed.’s Note: On Sunday, March 21, Whorff pitched six innings, gave up four earned runs, and struck out four in a no-decision at Tulane. The No. 21-ranked Bulldogs came from behind to win 8-6, have won eight straight and eight of their last 10, and open C-USA play at Southern Miss with four games this weekend.) 

Also there’s an old book by Joe Garagiola, the late big leaguer and broadcaster, titled Baseball is a Funny Game. Not ha-ha funny, though all of ball is that. But just funny as in head-scratching. At the ballpark, you’re always liable to see something you’ve never seen before. Somebody could write a book called Life is a Funny Game. Same thing… Speaking of college baseball, ULM knocked off two Top 20 teams last week, No. 14 Oklahoma State 13-6 and No. 4 Ole Miss 8-3…Tech beat the Warhawks in Ruston 9-7 Tuesday to sweep the two-game home-and-home season series…

Bad Dad Joke of the Week, from my Dad Joke Desk Calendar I got for Christmas that I’m driving everybody, including me, crazy with. What do you call a dog who can do magic tricks? A Labracadabrador. See? It’s almost like a joke. Almost.

-30-