Fast Eddie's Take on Tulane-Temple

My long-time "friend," Fast Eddie, has found me again. After taking last week off, for reasons I am sure will be explained to me whether I desire it or not, Eddie finds a way to locate me. I would say he has me on that Find My Device app on his phone, but I think he only has a landline in his house. I wouldn't know, since I've never been there. Just a hunch.

As I am enjoying a nice coffee with my wife at The Bean Gallery, in walks in Fast Eddie, holding the door for the young couple walking out. I'm not quite sure if he holds the door for others to be polite or for an extra long look.

"Good morning, Douglas," Eddie rings out as he lets the door go. "Hello, Mrs. Douglas," he says to my wife. He's never found out my better half's name. Maybe that's a good thing.

"I was busy last week," Eddie says, almost as if he knew I was wondering where he was. "My daughter is playing her first official season of tackle football, and I'm helping coach the defensive line. They're coming along. Tell ya what: those wide bodies don't let anyone past them," he says, referring to his daughter as one of those being described as wide.

Without missing a beat, and hardly taking a breath, Fast Eddie switches to this weekend's Tulane-Temple game.

"Sumrall is right," Eddie spreads his hands in explaining. "Temple is scary. They're good on defense, don't turn the ball over on offense. This is not the same Owl team that got beat by 46-points last year by the Greenies."

He calls out to someone in line by the counter, as if they will order a coffee for him, but he is ignored. "Guess I'll have to do it myself," Eddie pouts.

"Money is being laid on Tulane," Eddie points out. "The spread has moved a bit in the Greenies' favor, but I'm not feeling it. Last year, Tulane collapsed at the end of the year, and with all the Sumrall rumors flying around, I get the feeling this team is gonna be distracted. I'd say take Temple and the nine-and-a-half points."

As "Mrs. Douglas" and I get up to head out, Fast Eddie says goodbye and shoves himself in line with the unidentified person he yelled to earlier, much to the chagrin of those behind him.

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