2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 90
BY SENATOR LONG AND REPRESENTATI VES TERRY BROWN AND COX
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To commend Doug Ireland upon his retirement as the sports information director for
Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
WHEREAS, Doug Ireland's passion for sports journalism began when he was an
undergraduate at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) in 1981; he worked as
chief of the Shreveport Times Natchitoches Bureau coordinating news coverage of an eight
parish region along the Red River; and
WHEREAS, from 1982 through 1985, he was assistant sports information director
at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL), which is now the University of
Louisiana at Lafayette, working with a men's basketball program that made three straight
postseason tournament appearances; and
WHEREAS, he won numerous College Sports Information Directors of America
writing awards while at USL; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ireland was the sports editor of the Natchitoches Times from 1985
to 1986, and attended graduate school at Northeast Louisiana University before joining the
Alexandria Town Talk sports staff in 1987; and
WHEREAS, while at the Town Talk, he covered both NSU and LSU sports and won
fifteen writing awards from the Louisiana Sports Writers' Association; and
WHEREAS, he began his career as the sports information director for NSU in
January 1989; and
WHEREAS, in that position he coordinated publicity efforts for the fourteen
intercollegiate sports teams through local, regional, and national media outlets in print,
broadcast, television, and internet; and
WHEREAS, the 1992 NSU Demons Football Media Guide won "Best in the Nation"
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in the Football Championship Subdivision from the College Sports Information Directors
of America; and
WHEREAS, in 1997, Mr. Ireland was appointed by NSU President
Dr. Randall Webb to serve a two-year term on the inaugural University Planning Council;
and
WHEREAS, in 1999, he was awarded honorary membership in the Graduate N Club
at NSU by the university's group of athletic lettermen for his service to NSU and its athletic
program; and in 2003, he was awarded full membership; and
WHEREAS, since 2000, he has earned thirty-three Louisiana Sports Writers'
Association (LSWA) awards, including the 2017 LSWA Story of the Year, and a majority
of these awards came from his stories of NSU athletes, coaches, and support staff members;
and
WHEREAS, in 2001, the LSWA presented its prestigious Mac Russo Award to Mr.
Ireland for his contributions to the association; and
WHEREAS, in 2008, he was awarded the Northwest Louisiana' s National Football
Foundation "Distinguished American" award; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, he was honored by the Alexandria Town Talk by being named
the CENLA Sportsman of the Year; and
WHEREAS, since April 1990, he has served in a volunteer role as the chairman of
the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, his volunteer efforts with the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame has lead
to the development and construction of the $23 million Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and
Northwest Louisiana History Museum, which opened to international architectural acclaim
in June 2013; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ireland was chosen as the 2016 recipient of the Southland
Conference Louis Bonnette Sports Media Award.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
commend Doug Ireland for his numerous years of exemplary public service, congratulate
him upon his retirement from Northwestern State University of Louisiana, and express best
wishes to him in all of his future endeavors.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Doug Ireland.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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