Fambrough: Looks like Louisiana back in Bayou Bowl

• By ROBIN FAMBROUGH
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Oct 24, 2009

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It’s impossible to count the number of trick plays and huge comebacks staged by high school football teams across the state.

The award for biggest reversal of field may ultimately go to the Texas-based organizers of the Bayou Bowl all-star game.

Weeks removed from saying the Louisiana vs. Texas game was over, it looks like the game in Baytown, Texas, will go on for at least another year.

“Their biggest issue the last few years is that the game has been losing money,” Louisiana High School Athletic Association Assistant Commissioner B.J. Guzzardo said. “Their plan was to go with a North-South Texas game with a team from Dallas playing the team from Houston.

“Apparently, that plan is off and they’ve informed us they want to continue with the game like it was. So the plan is to do it this year. But we’re still waiting to get a contract from them.”

The annual all-star game that features a Louisiana team and Houston-based Texas team has struggled to find a niche financially. When the 2009 game won by Texas 17-14 was over Louisiana organizers like Guzzardo and the Louisiana Football Coaches Association were told the Baytown group was planning to go with an all- Texas game in June 2010.

Louisiana organizers started thinking about other options, like a game against another state or a return to an All-Louisiana game.

Arkansas was mentioned as another state rival and the notion of a June game featuring somebody other than Texas were put in play. Then came the great reverse, when Texas organizers informed Louisiana that plans for the Louisiana-Texas game would continue.

As Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

Other LHSAA stuff

The LHSAA recently announced it’s no longer teaching Coaches Education and Certification Classes. The CECP class/test must now be taken online.

Also, the LHSAA has posted a notice on its Web site reminding student-athletes and coaches about the importance of flu shots.

The LHSAA also teamed with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals for public service announcements at football games about flu shots and hygiene steps that cut down the risk of contracting the H1N1 virus.