Jerry Wayne Odom Jr.

LSU vs. ASU

lsu football The only time I've ever been happier about an LSU game is when they won the national championship. The relief and exhiliration I felt when our team pulled off a thriller against an offensively unstobbable ASU football team hit home so hard I didn't know what to do with myself. About 30 minutes later I tried to lay down to get some rest for the poker tourney I was playing in the morning and I just couldn't stop thinking about that game. It was great and I thought to myself before crashing out "man I really need that, I couldn't take any more bad news". The next morning I wasn't too suprised to see I wasn't the only one.

All the people who came out to play poker at the Argosy casino talked about two things the whole time. The latest bad news, finger pointing, etc over the hurricane and how good they felt about the LSU game. The sentiment that I felt out of everyone was that they needed it like I did. That game is the first and only legitimately good thing to happen to us since Katrina changed our everyday lives. One gentleman from New Orleans was expressing that he'd lost his $500k home, his business gone, his insurance company was a pain but he was happy that the Tigers won. LSU's football team gave us something real to be happy about again. It was something not born out of negative consequences of the total disaster that transpired. Our boys went out there, got down, got up and then got ontop of ASU. They rose to the occasion and gave us a little more hope that things are really getting better around here. A gold light(with a hint of purple) at the end of the tunnel.

I'm thankful for all that our rescue teams have done for us. I'm thankful for all the police, fireman, soldiers, volunteers who I see doing what they're having to do in the apocalyptic shell of the Gulf Coast. This week many of us in Louisiana are just thankful for a hint of normalcy brought forth by the mighty Tigers of LSU.

To the people of Tempe and ASU I'd really like to say thanks. ASU gave so much to the state of Louisiana and LSU through this game that I don't think we'll ever be able to repay them. They gave a million plus dollars to hurricane relief and made our team and fans feel at home. Right now that feeling of home is priceless to many of us. Top that off with the Sun Devils team giving us a thrilling battle to the end and there is no possible way they could've given us more. ASU just got a new fan and I won't forget them when they come out to tailgate in 2006-2007.

So far this week has been pretty good.

- Jerry Odom
September 13, 2005