by Malcolm Butler
Tag Rome remembers his Cedar Creek days fondly.
Almost five decades after finishing his highly-distinguished prep career at the Ruston private school, the Jonesboro, Louisiana, native tells stories like it was just yesterday.
Cedar Creek will enshrine Rome into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday in between the varsity girls and boys basketball games at The Brickhouse.
This will mark the seventh induction class since the school created the Cougar Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019, and Rome’s enshrinement will bring the total number of inductees to 16.
“Cedar Creek was the beginning for me,” said Rome, who enrolled in the school in eighth grade and who graduated as part of the Class of 1979. “My grandmother sent me there. That was my start, my real start in athletics and in competition. I got a great education there, and I owe a lot of people a lot of credit.”
Although Rome said he earned his work ethic from his grandparents, Marlene and Tony Rome, he gives credit to his coaches and teachers at the school.
“We were just hard-working blue collar people,” said Rome. “The thing that was so impressive to me when I went to Cedar Creek was just all the success around me. To see all the successful people and the successful families that were a part of Cedar Creek, it meant a lot. It was inspiring.”
During his time as a Cougar, Rome showed his versatility by lettering — and starring — in football, basketball, baseball and track and field. His accomplishments include all-district honors in all four sports, all-state recognition in football and track, and all-quad-state honors in track.
“I played everything,” said Rome. “I loved sports.”
Rome still ranks in the top 10 in school history in receiving yards, catching 66 passes for 893 yards during his Cougars career before signing with ULM (NLU at the time) where he had a stellar collegiate career on the gridiron.
He also held the Cedar Creek school record in the 100-meters for almost four decades.
Rome is quick to point out the quality of coaches that he was able to learn under during his time at Cedar Creek.
“I had great leadership around me,” said Rome. “Tommy Joe Eagles was my basketball coach. Jimmy ‘Chick’ Childress was my football coach. George Stone was my baseball coach. And Maxie Hayes — a renowned track guy — was my track coach.”
His collegiate career was marked by numerous honors, including two-time all-conference, two-time all-Louisiana, two-time All-American selections, and Academic All-Conference recognition in 1983. Rome was inducted into the ULM Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996 and then again in 2012 as a member of the school’s 1987 NCAA I-AA National Championship Team.
Rome played in the NFL for one year with the San Diego Chargers and the CFL for three years with the Edmonton and Calgary Stampeders.
However, as much fun as Rome had on the competitive playing surfaces, he said his favorite “sport” may have been Dottie Farrington’s music class, where he served on the Varsity Singers.
“Mrs. Dottie Farrington may have been the most impressive of all of them,” said Rome, who recalled a story of her marching out onto the football practice field one day.
“We were out at practice either my junior or senior year,” said Rome. “I remember my good friend Gary Sharp was with me. Dottie comes marching out onto the football field, and says, ‘Chick. Hey Chick. I need to ask you something. She said, ‘I need Rome and Sharp. We have the solo and ensemble festival tomorrow, and we need to get a little extra practice in. Is it okay if I take them?’
“I looked over at Sharp and said, ‘This ain’t going to turn out good.’ I really liked her. I liked the way she handled me. I was an ole boy from Jonesboro rolling up in there. She came to me immediately and said, ‘I need you to be in my choir.’ I just had so much respect for her.”
Rome served as an assistant coach at ULM (1987-1993) and also served on the Independence Bowl Selection Committee in 1997 and 1998. He coached at Calvary Baptist High School (2003-07).
Since 1994, Tag has been a dedicated State Farm Insurance agent and has qualified as an Ambassador Travel Qualifier and Chairman’s Circle member for more than 20 years. His commitment to service extends beyond his profession through leadership roles with the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the Red River Marine Institute, and the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Northwest Louisiana Chapter, where he received a Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to amateur football.
And through all of his life successes, he said his experiences at Cedar Creek were an integral part of it.
“All of those people and so many others inspired and motivated me to be the very best I could be,” said Rome, who enjoys life with his wife, Melissa, and their three children and four grandchildren. “This is such a great honor to be recognized like this, and I am grateful.”
