No one would have loved this issue more.
Mike Detillier, “The Football Guy,” was a fullback and linebacker at Central Lafourche High School who went on to become one of the most trusted voices in football. In 1983, he launched Mike Detillier’s NFL Draft Report, which grew into a must-read guide for coaches, scouts and diehard fans alike. He later became a regular on WWL Radio, working with a lineup of legends that included Buddy D, Hokie Gajan, Jim Henderson and Bobby Hebert. He also appeared on HTV’s Sports on the Bayou. Detillier died of cancer on Sept. 6.
“Mike was a good friend and was like a brother to me,” said Hebert, who worked alongside Detillier at WWL and on Sports on the Bayou for several years. “It’s heartbreaking. This really hurts.”
Martin Folse, owner and operator of HTV, remembered Detillier as “kind, generous, thoughtful and insightful.”
“He was thorough to the max. He was passionate, and he enjoyed what he did,” Folse said. “We are going to miss him tremendously, not just because of his talent, but because of his great storytelling and his ability to make people feel good.”
Over the years, Mike joined us for countless WWL broadcasts from our stores and contributed to our Rouses Magazine Super Bowl issue. But it was his knowledge of the game that truly set him apart. From high school and college football to the Saints and the NFL, Mike had an incredible ability to remember the players, the plays and the stories behind them — and he never tired of sharing them.
That’s why we’re dedicating this issue to his memory.
