In high school I leaped (yes, I could leap then) for a pass in the end zone. Just as I caught the ball I was hit in my legs and flipped upside down and hit the ground on my head like being pile driven in a wrestling match. I don't remember it but I held on to the ball for the TD.
My freshman year at LSU I car pooled with some guys who played for Istrouma High in BR. One night we got together and watched some old game films of them. One of the games they had was against Warren Easton, the half back for Istrouma was a kid named Billy Cannon. During the game a DB took a cheap shot at Cannon, later in the game Cannon broke a long run, he was running down the sideline, no one was going to catch him, he saw the afore mentioned DB running toward him (no way could he catch Cannon), Billy turned toward the DB and just ran over him. I'm pretty sure that kid hasn't fully recovered yet.
I'm pretty sure.. If I remember correctly, when he left it was also the same time we lost a coach to Teurlings. I'm pretty sure it was his position coach.
As we're telling high school war stories, here's mine. We we're playing the No.1 team in the state at that time (Picayune, MS). We were No.3, so it was a huge game. I was playing outside LB and intercepted a pass. Nothing but green grass in front of me and the end zone. As I was never blessed with the gift of speed, I was caught from behind by someone diving at my knees, while at the same time I got hit by someone else that had the angle on me. So my knees went forward, while the rest of my body went backwards and I blew out my ACL. We went on to win the game and had an undefeated season, topped by the 6A championship and were ranked 15th in the nation by USA Today. (former FU QB Shane Matthews was our high school QB). And I missed it all. Such was the end of my football playing days.
All good bro. Thanks Pascagoula Panthers. South Panola was a beast, but their rise to power came along a little bit later.
I Went to Warren Easton in the early 60's and the football coaches still talked about that game. My brother Eddie played against Cannon as a DE, New Iberia High vs Istrouma 1955 I think. My brother knocked Cannon out of the game for 2 possessions. He recieved a scholarship offer the next week from LSU. He didnt take it tried out with the Baltimore Orioles for baseball as a pitcher.
