Sun Belt Media Day Central
NEW ORLEANS - Perhaps Fais-DoDo isn’t in your personal vocabulary. And two questions come to mind when you read the word for the first time – how do you pronounce it and what is it?
The Sun Belt Conference will be having its inaugural Fais-DoDo (FAY-DOE-DOE) as it kicks off the 2017 Football Media Day Sunday night. The party, being held at the Grand Oaks Mansion at Mardi Gras World, promises to be the most unique media day event ever - a truly one-of-a-kind event complete with zydeco music, Louisiana seafood, and Cajun dancing.
“We wanted to do something special for our media day party and when I heard this idea I knew that this was it,” said Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson. “The atmosphere promises to be like no other media day event in the country and will capture the rich culture and history of Louisiana.”
Defined by Meriam-Webster as “a country-dance or dancing party held in southern Louisiana” Fais-DoDo has its origins in a French children’s nursery rhyme meant to lull a baby to sleep. The lyrics to “Fais dodo, Colas mon p'tit frère” describe a sister trying to put her brother Colas (a shortened form of Nicolas) to sleep. How this nursery rhyme became synonymous with a raucous Cajun dance party is somewhat of a mystery.
Common folklore is that the term is used when lulling a little one to sleep before a night out dancing, when asked where they were going and what they would be doing, perhaps "fais do-do" was the perfect answer: an honest consolation to a sleepy child and a code word for the festivities about to ensue.
In the case of the Sun Belt Fais-DoDo, the festivities won’t be about putting children to sleep. Rather, members of the media, coaches, administrators and student-athletes will be treated to a party they have likely never seen – or heard of. The music and dancing will be provided by the
Nouveaux Cajun Xpress and the food by Mr. Mudbug.
And about that food…crab, shrimp, crawfish, muffulettas (a sandwich made of olive salad, mortadella, salami, mozzarella, ham, and provolone), jambalaya, jalapeno cornbread, an oyster bar serving both raw and charbroiled oysters, a whole roasted suckling pig, beignets, and bread pudding with whiskey sauce are all on the menu. It is safe to say no other conference is providing that kind of fare.
The Grand Oaks Mansion adds to the uniqueness of the party. It’s an awe-inspiring, indoor replica of an antebellum mansion that makes you believe that you’ve stepped back in time. Towering columns, magical footbridges, magnificent oak trees and a starlit sky all add to the spectacle.
It will be an experience guests will not forget and the beginning of an annual tradition that will be the talk of college football media days for years to come.
Media Day will pick up again the next day with Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson scheduled to give his state of the conference remarks at 8:30 a.m.