by: Vincent Cacioppo // GeauxPreps.com Editor in Chief

Ed Daniels, a legendary figure in New Orleans sports coverage, has passed away, leaving a lasting mark on the Louisiana high school sports community. With a career spanning more than 40 years, Daniels became a familiar face to countless Louisiana high school sports fans. His career began at WDSU-TV, but he really made his mark at WGNO-TV, where he served as the station’s first and only sports director for 33 years.

While many athletic departments focused on professional and collegiate sports, Daniels was a tireless advocate for high school sports in Louisiana. He was the driving force behind the popular “Friday Night Football” program, which brought the excitement of high school sports into viewers’ living rooms. The show’s success led to the creation of two additional programs: “Friday Night Sports,” which covered winter events, and “Friday Night Fastball,” which highlighted baseball, softball and other spring sports.

Daniel’s involvement in high school sports extended beyond television. In 2011, he and others created the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic basketball tournament. What began as a 16-team boys tournament has grown into a premier event with five different divisions for boys and girls. That success inspired similar events in baseball and 7-on-7 football, and a new volleyball event is set to debut this fall.

Daniels’ contributions to high school sports were recognized by his alma mater, Archbishop Rummel High School, which inducted him into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013. De La Salle High School also honored him with a place in its Athletic Hall of Fame.

LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine praised Daniels as a pioneer in recognizing and promoting high school sports, noting that his Friday Night Football program was one of the most watched programs in Louisiana. Bonine added, “Ed was a professional… a true reporter who loved his job covering not only high school, but college and professional sports in our great state. He will be missed, but his legendary career will never be forgotten.”

Ed was as authentic as one can be. I am incredibly grateful to have known him. He was always professional and extremely polite, but most of all he was a kind and compassionate soul who touched the lives of everyone he met.

There is a quote by Nick Saban that has always stuck with me: “People will not remember what you say, but how you made them feel.”

Ed Daniels embodied that feeling and left a legacy not only through his words on television, but also through the way he made everyone around him feel truly valued.

Ed Daniels’ legacy as a champion of high school sports will live on even as the community mourns his loss.