10
MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2014
S
ports, like food, connects us.What team
you cheer for, like what you eat, says
where you come from.
Olivia and Archie Manning are both from
small towns in Mississippi. They met their
freshman year at Ole Miss, and married
their senior year, in January. Archie was
drafted to the Saints the same year.
Olivia’s maiden name is Williams, as
in William Brothers General Store in
Philadelphia, Mississippi. The store was
founded by her grandfather and great
uncle more than 100 years ago. Cooper,
Peyton and Eli used to bag groceries at
the store when they came to town for the
Neshowba County Fair,
“Mississippi’s Giant
Houseparty,”
every summer.
I’m familiar with the store; it’s one of those
great general stores that sells everything
from bacon to boots.
Like Rouses, it’s still family owned and
operated; Olivia’s brother runs it now.
Q:
You’ve held the Manning Passing
Academy here in Thibodaux for nearly a
decade now. We love having you, Cooper,
Peyton and Eli and your crew down here
every summer. What do you like about
Thibodaux?
Archie:
The hospitality is unbelievable; the
entire community welcomes our campers
and their families with open arms.
Q:
Archie, you’ve been a player, the parent
of a player, and in the press box. You seem
to know football from every angle. What’s
harder, playing or watching one of your
sons play?
Archie:
Definitely watching my sons play
football. My nervousness never goes away.
Q:
You’ve spent enough summers in
Thibodaux to know how much we like
to eat. Around here, we tend to serve our
cornbread baked, either sweet or savory, but
in Mississippi, where you’re from, they’re
just as likely to serve it fried. Tell me, what’s
the secret to great hushpuppies?
Archie:
Make ‘em crispy so the crumbles
fall off. I eat the hushpuppies,
and those little crumbles, too.
Q:
Who cooks at home, you or
Olivia?
Archie:
: Olivia cooks, I eat.
Q:
Are you a nervous eater?
What do you eat when you
watch the boys play?
Archie:
I can go an entire game
without eating, but I do like my
popcorn.
Q:
I remember you saying that
you love fried chicken and po-
boys. Which is it? Roast beef or
shrimp?
Archie:
Shrimp.
Manning the Grill for the Game
by
Rob, Rouses Advertising +
photo credit
Parker Waters
Q:
And for gumbo? Cajun or Creole?
Archie:
Cajun.
Q:
One last question about food. We host
the World Championship Crawfish Eating
Contest every year. What’s your technique
for peeling crawfish?
Archie:
For a Mississippian, I’m really
good at it. I go fast, I break the heads, and
cleanly pinch the tails.
Q:
Finally, it’s the most exciting time of year
for football. What makes a good sports bar?
Archie:
Good décor, good food, great
service and lots of TVs.
Sounds like Mannings to me. Thanks Arch.
Archie Manning at Nicholls State University,Thibodaux.
