Cowboys and Choctaws will feast together on Tuesday, Sept. 24,when Mississippi College hosts the first Ultimate Wild Game Dinner.It will start at 7 p.m. in A.E. Wood Coliseum.

D.D. Lewis, former Dallas Cowboy and Mississippi StateUniversity football great, will be the guest speaker. The food willbe prepared by world famous wild game chef Billy Joe Cross.

All money raised will go to support MC athletics. Tickets arebeing solid individually for $100 and there’s an incentive forhusband and wife, or boy and girl friend at $150 per couple. Theymay be purchased through MC athletics administrative assistantMissa Turman at 601-925-3341.

Lewis was an All-American at MSU and SEC Defensive Player of theYear in 1967 following his senior season in Starkville. He also wasan All-SEC selection in 1966-67.

Following his successful college career, Lewis enjoyed a 14-yearNFL career, including 13 years with the Cowboys. During that timeLewis won two NFL Championships, appeared in five Super Bowls andnine NFC championship games. Lewis holds the NFL record with 27playoff games. He will be inducted into the Collegiate FootballHall of Fame this month.

Cross, a 1954 graduate of MC, has published numerous cookbooks.He will provide some the finest southern cooking.

MC’s athletic director, Mike Jones, always is looking for newmethods to raise funds for the athletic department. Fielding anykind of athletic team is extremely expensive.

Choctaw football has some local ties this year. Freshmanoffensive lineman Kern Hoff is working hard with his new team as isBogue Chitto wide receiver Cody Wallace and veteran safety DustinKing, a Brookhaven Academy product.

According to the MC Sports Information Department, 145 playersshowed up last Friday for the start of preseason practice. Aftersweat-soaked, twice-daily practice sessions, several have decidedto give up football and pursue other activities on the Clintoncampus.

The Jackson Touchdown Club announced today that the date for theMississippi Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies and AwardsBanquet has been changed to Friday, April 4, 2003, at the VicksburgConvention Center. The Class of 2003 includes Warner Alford ofMcComb, Bob Stevens of Hazlehurst, James Ray Carpenter ofHattiesburg, Sue Gunter of Walnut Grove, Mildred Netter Graves ofRosedale, Kent Hull of Greenwood, Jackie Slater of Jackson Stateand the late Bill Foster of Rodney.

The banquet/awards ceremony has been moved back approximatelyone month from May 2. For more information about the MSHOF Banquet,contact A.M. Zeidman, the 2002 banquet chairman, at his office,601-992-2617 or Ralph Sowell, current Jackson Touchdown Clubpresident, at 601982-9383.

For more information on the TD Club and its upcoming list ofspeakers, contact Glen Waddle, TD Club secretary, at 601-948-2344or 1-800-682-6423, extension 250.

Last year, Brookhaven product Ralph “Catfish” Smith was amongthe eight inductees. The Vicksburg Convention Center is a beautifullocation for the annual gathering. Last year, around 1,000 folkspacked the place to capacity.

Brookhaven native Jimmie “Mississippi Red” McDowell wasinstrumental in starting the Hall of Fame. McDowell, a sportswriterof great renown, was inducted about four years ago. Also inductedat that time was the late Harol Lofton who starred for BHS and theOle Miss Rebels in the early 1950s. Lance Alworth, another BHSproduct, was inducted about 10 years ago.

Just where did the summer go?

School is in session, the football season is nearly upon us andit’s still hotter than a burning stump outside, complete withhumidity. Oh well, pass the water jug and make sure to wear yoursunscreen to those afternoon college games. If you’re smart, alsowear a hat and sun glasses. Bring a canteen, too.

Don’t forget the West Nile Virus. Take your can of bug spray tothe night games and spray liberally. You might want to respray athalftime.

The Mississippi Private School Association kicks off its 2002football season tonight, with Canton Academy visiting Tri-County atFlora. In my opinion, that’s about three weeks too early.Obviously, school is starting too early. It would be better to goto school later in the spring and start the school year later, likeafter Labor Day.

On the local scene, two area MPSA members, Brookhaven Academyand Copiah Academy, kick off their campaigns Friday night. Due topopular demand, Professor Hoopla, B.S., is returning for anotherseason of fearless football prognosticating.

Brookhaven Academy at Simpson Academy: In a battle of theCougars, the Mendenhall-based Cats have too much depth. Simpson27-14.

Silliman Institute at Copiah Academy: The Gallman-based Colonelsare much improved but they are tackling a football factory in theTigers from Clinton, La. Silliman 28-16.