Remembering Shreveport Icon Bob Griffin One Year After His Death

I've been thinking a lot about Bob Griffin lately. Mostly because during this year's NFL playoffs there were SO many regional and local players. Bob loved talking sports, especially when local 'kids' were involved. And I've missed talking sports and life with Bob.

Even as much as Griff has been on mind lately, it wasn't until a Facebook memory where I wrote a tribute to him popped up today that I realized it's been a year since he's been gone. Quite frankly, it feels like 5 years have passed since then. And not just because of COVID and everything else going on, but because we lost a man that always made every situation no matter how dark a little bit brighter.

When people would run down Shreveport or focus on all the negative aspects of our city, there was Bob to shine a little light on the great things were going on. It didn't matter what was going on in your life, Griff was there was a tale that just somehow made things feel better. Bob was a special human that you can't really describe with words. He had this presence where you couldn't help but feel good when you were around him.

I could talk about all the awards he won during his life, being named "Mister Shreveport", Bob & His Buddies or any number of accolades or accomplishments...but none of that compares to the kind of person he was. He was funny, generous and kind and was never too busy to talk or share a kind word/joke/story. Bob may have not been a saint (and he'd be the first to tell you that), but he was a hell of a man and someone we should all strive to be more like.

Bob was a buddy to all of us for 85 years. 85 years is a long time, but somehow, it just doesn't feel like it was long enough.