By Chief Caddo, NSU Icon
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- I want to come home.
Once a year, on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, my friends across Toledo Bend at Northwestern play those angry Texans, the Stephen F. Austin (shudder) Lumberjacks.
And I leave with the winning team.
I am proud and happy and relieved to say that 31 of my 46 years have been spent in Cane River Country, keeping an eye on my favorite people in purple, the Demons.
Owing to the fact that I’m wooden, you can understand my great reluctance at spending time around Lumberjacks.
I’ve always been treated fine while I’ve been visiting over here, but I can’t help my nerves. Truly, there’s no place like home. I miss my daily visits with Coach Black.
I was very excited to see one of my all-time favorite Demon players, Scott Stoker, get hired as the head coach for the 2002 season. The years I spent facing the front door in the NSU athletic fieldhouse, he used to walk in early every morning and never failed to nod hello to me.
Heck, some late nights, he’d come and sit at the bottom of the stairs and tell me what was happening, even ask my advice a few times.
Remember that fake punt in 2004? Did you really, really think that was completely Jamall Johnson’s idea? When Stoker ran past me coming out of the halftime locker room, I said, so only he could hear, “Coach, that fake punt would really gash them!” He almost stopped in his tracks. I don’t speak very often. Kind of like “the voice” in “Field of Dreams.” You have to be in just the right place, emotionally, to hear me.
We were down 16-0 when we ran the fake punt. We won 37-16. No wonder Stoker likes me.
We've had a bond for a while, going back to the 1988 “Battle for Chief Caddo.” That’s when SFA was ranked No. 1 in the country. The Demons came into the game as big underdogs even though they, like the ?Jacks (hope you don’t mind if I use that version, it just sounds better to me), came into the game undefeated in Southland Conference play.
Everybody was calling SFA “Stephen F. Awesome” and they had a great team. But those Demons were a bit better, following the lead of their spunky quarterback to a 20-17 victory.
It was a great game, but boy, that weather -- ooooof! Those thunderstorms and that rain, it was brutal. Understand, I can’t hold my own umbrella.
I’ve had to cope with bitter cold, sleet, fog and even once in a while, balmy temperatures as I stand behind the end zone.
But it’s nice to be the center of attention. I’m really enjoying it as I get older. I never get tired of being on ESPN GameDay, or SportsCenter, or my personal favorite, Fox Sports Net’s live telecasts of the games. Getting my picture with the NSU cheerleaders, dance line and band members in Sports Illustrated in 2002 was just unbelievable. The next year, there I was, featured in The Sporting News.
These days, I am just hoping not to show up pictured with Britney Spears on TMZ.com or in the New York Post. I don’t think the ?Jacks really are best suited for me.
It about broke me up when Stoker’s little daughter Zoe started crying last year when her daddy said I had to stay behind in Nac-a-nowhere.
Well, the SFA equipment guys have been by, sizing me up to see where they can pack me in the U-Haul for the trip back home. I’d better wrap this up before they get back. Don’t want to blow my “strong, silent” image.
I would wave goodbye, but I can’t uncross my arms!
GO DEMONS!
P.S. - please, tell Coach Knecht I said hello. We used to talk all the time.
