LSU Tiger notables, locals tee up for the good of the university

There are signs at holes six and seven warning “Alligator in Pond.”

But last Friday, there were plenty of Tigers prowling the grounds of Ellendale Country Club.

Thirty-nine former LSU football players gathered for the 21st annual LSU Celebrity Golf Tournament, sponsored by the Bayou Bengal’s’ Booster Club of Houma.

The club is a local chapter of the Tiger Athletic Foundation, a private corporation that does fundraising for LSU athletics.

Greats included pro football Hall of Famer Jim Taylor (1954-57), former Saints running back Dalton Hillard (1982-84) and Eddie Fuller (1986-90), who caught the winning touchdown in the “Earthquake Game.”

“When they first started, it was tougher to get a lot of folks to show up,” said Rick Perry, executive director of operations for TAF. “But now, so many guys know about it, this is an event they look forward to. We get calls, ‘When’s the golf tournament going to be in Houma?'”

“I do about 50 to 60 charity tournaments a year, but I always make sure not to miss this one,” said Taylor. “I’ve been here since the beginning. I’ll do whatever I can for the LSU program.”

The event generated between $30,000 and $35,000 for the booster club, according to Eddie Pullaro, club president and chairman of the golf tournament since its inception.

The tournament has raised nearly $900,000 in its history.

Proceeds provide academic scholarships for local students at LSU and supplement the TAF fundraising.

“Every year, we choose one graduating senior from the local high schools and they get a four-year scholarship with all expenses paid,” said Pullaro. “The TAF also gives grants to professors and students, but the main goal is athletics.”

About 200 golfers paid $850 per four-person team to play with a Purple and Gold legend. Plus there was a raffle and auction for items such as a football signed by players at the tournament and LSU football-related artwork.

The tournament is divided into morning and afternoon flights. Between flights, the scene turned into a massive tailgating party on the links.

Houma native Jackie Clement of Jackie’s Jambalaya Inc., and a 20-year booster club member, and his team of grillers provided the food.

“We’ve got 175 pounds of chicken, barbecued Cajun and Italian sausages, 45 pounds of rice for the pork jambalaya, 150 pounds beef shish kabob, and 350 barbecued chicken breasts,” Clement said. “We started out years ago with one little barbecue pit and no tent, and look at us now.”

For an LSU fan, this may be as close to Purple and Gold heaven-on-earth as it gets.

The event featured men who played in the 1950s (including Lynn LeBlanc and Merle Schexnaildre from the ’58 championship team) to guys who graduated just a few years ago.

Former Bayou Bengals were as excited to see each other as their fans.

“It’s always great to have an opportunity to come back and have that camaraderie and intermingle with the other guys because most of us are from different eras, but we have that one common bond – putting on the purple and gold,” said Fuller.

This was the third appearance for the 39-year-old Fuller at Ellendale. Even though he played three years for the Buffalo Bills (1991-93), he will be forever known for the fourth down touchdown pass he caught against Auburn, Oct. 8, 1988.

The Tiger Stadium crowd reaction to the score registered as an earthquake on the seismograph located in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex about 1,000 feet away.

“Earthquake, we’re not worthy!” chanted Garland Jean-Batitse (running back 1983-86), mocking “Wayne’s World.”

How often is Fuller reminded of that game?

“Man, that’s everyday,” he replied. “I’m a medical device salesman (selling stents for heart surgery) and I talk to a lot of doctors who were in medical school at that time. I can’t even do my pitch because all they want to talk about was how they were at the ‘Earthquake Game.'”

Dalton Hillard made his annual outing. “I haven’t been playing much golf; I’ve been working too much, he said. “My goal is to play a whole lot more golf in 2008.”

The former Tiger and Saints (1986-93) running back played with customers of his new business he started in Houma, Southland Energy Services.

The company, a partnership with Jim Harper, supplies welders and fitters for fabrication and shipyards across the region. He has around 400-500 men working here and in Texas.

“I still just trying to learn my way around, but I like Houma,” he said. “So, I’m here three to four days a week.”

The 44-year-old tries to remain low-key, but appreciates the fan support he still receives.

“A lot of people know my name, but my face is not recognizable,” he said. “Which I like; I like not being noticed. But the recognition I get because of what I accomplished, it’s a good feeling.”

All the former players recognize, that with two BCS national titles in the past five years, the football program is the best it’s ever been.

“I was there (LSU campus) last month and met some of the guys like [Jacob] Hester and Matt [Flynn]; great group of young men,” said Taylor, 72, a former fullback for the Green Bay Packers (1958-67) and Saints (’68).

“They continue to attract the top-notch talent in the country,” said Fuller. “With our facilities and educational environment, hopefully, we will have continued success.”

“The program right now has a lot of talent,” echoed Hillard. “I think coach Miles has a great opportunity to build on his success for the next four or five years.”

One of the main reasons for that success is the money raised by TAF and its 14 chapters to improve athletic facilities and supplement athletic department operations.

“Everything we do is for athletics, but there is an academic component to it as well,” Pullaro insisted.

Despite generating $25 to $30 million annually, there is a heavy price tag for the all the TAF spending.

“When I was head of the foundation (1999-2000), we were debt-free. Today, we are close to $150 million in debt,” said Pullaro.

For “Tiger Nation,” events like the celebrity tournament, and winning national titles is worth it.

Rick Perry, who has been with TAF for 21 years, explained, “Everybody has great fans, but I don’t think there is a more avid group of fans who love their institution more than LSU fans.”

Steve Guillot (at right), an LSU supporter, sank a 55-foot putt on the first hole at Ellendale Country Club as an unidentified golfer looks on. * Photo by KEYON JEFF