The June 3 Port Arthur News Homecoming Roast of Wade Phillips has added another blockbuster NFL name with the addition of hometown favorite Jimmy Johnson as the sixth and final roaster.
Johnson, the 1988 roast honoree after winning the collegiate national championship at the University of Miami, and the 1993 roastee following the Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl XXVII championship, joins the Texans JJ Watt and the Broncos DeMarcus Ware as event headliners.
“A big event just got bigger,” said roast chairman Bob West. “We were already getting national attention on this and Jimmy being involved will add to that. A lineup like this would be a major deal in Denver or Houston or wherever. I am thrilled we can pull it off in Port Arthur.
“Although tables in the main room of the Parker Center are sold out, we still have
space available upstairs in the banquet room. I hope people who were disappointed when they could not get a table take advantage of that option. I honestly believe this is going to be one of the biggest entertainment events in Southeast Texas history.”
Johnson, a 1961 graduate of Port Arthur’s Thomas Jefferson High School, played on a national championship team at Arkansas, coached Miami to a national championship, then led the Cowboys to back-to-back Super Bowl titles.
A TJ classmate of legendary singer Janis Joplin, he’s a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the University of Miami Hall of Fame and has twice been a nominee for the NFL Hall of Fame. Since 2002, he’s been an integral part of the ever popular Fox NFL Sunday pregame show.
A defensive lineman at TJ, Johnson missed by three years of playing high school football against Phillips, who was a quarterback/linebacker under his dad, Bum Phillips, at Port Neches-Groves in 1963 and 1964. JJ is effusive in his praise of the job Wade did in Denver last season.
“Watching the NFL all year long, my pick for the Super Bow winner, like most others, was Carolina,” Johnson said. “After watching Denver win with a QB not at his best, I said the STAR of this upset was Wade Phillips.
“This is not taking anything away from the head coach, or the players, but the key to Denver winning the Super Bowl was the plan and preparation devised by Wade.”
In addition to Johnson, Watt and Ware, roasters will be Phillips’ son Wesley, the tight ends coach of the Redskins, Houston Chronicle NFL writer John McClain and former Houston Oilers center Carl Mauck. Master of ceremonies is long-time Houston talk show personality Barry Warner.
With the main room of the Parker Center sold out, tables of eight are available in the upstairs banquet room for $800. Single tickets are $100.
Those seated in the banquet room will be served the same meal, with wine, and be able to watch the roast on closed circuit video screens.
There are 24 tables remaining in the banquet room. To reserve seating, call Sam Monroe at (409) 984-6262.