Barry Hirstius Tribute - Our Friend, Colleague, Mentor, and Champion for the Who Dat Nation

The Saints News Network writers and contributors give our tribute to Barry Hirstius. He was our friend, mentor, colleague, and brother.

Barry Hirstius and his voice filled the bylines of many an article for New Orleans Saints fans to read throughout the years.   You could not find a more passionate writer and champion for the New Orleans Saints and their fans than Barry Hirstius.   

The Saints News Network writers and contributors give our tribute to Barry Hirstius. He was our friend, mentor, colleague, and brother.

Mike Detillier

I knew Barry was not well physically, but it’s always a surprise to hear about someone passing away. I appreciate Scott Ploof for letting me know about Barry on Christmas afternoon.

Barry Hirstius with his friend Mike Detillier, and Glenn Guilbeau

I’ve known Barry for virtually 20 years. He was waiting for me at the reporter’s gate when the Saints were training at Nicholls State University in the early 2000s. He was not in the media and just hung around until I got there, and we chatted for a little while, and I introduced him to Hokie Gajan. 

He was so kind as to tell me that he aspired to be a journalist covering the Saints one day. He grew up watching and listening to Hap Glaudi on WWL TV and Radio, Buddy Diliberto on ABC television and Gridweek Magazine, and that his idol was Pete Finney from the Times-Picayune. He was so complimentary that I had also inspired him to do radio and writing, and I was certainly appreciative. It was so kind for him to say.

He asked me if there was any way I could introduce him to Buddy D... I told him Buddy rarely came to a summer practice, but we had a remote at Bubba’s II’s Restaurant on Wednesday, and Buddy would meet me at practice. So I told him I would make that happen. Sure enough, Diliberto shows up, and so did Peter Finney. So I spoke to the security guy. He let Barry in the area for the media and introduced him to Buddy and Pete. Then, the two Ol' Podna’s in sports started exchanging stories. I had heard them dozens of times already, and I could have told the stories as well as they could, and Barry was spellbound listening to them exchange old stories. When practice was over, Buddy and I started to walk to the car. Then-Saints general manager Randy Mueller walked over to talk to me, Buddy, and Finney, and I introduced him to Barry.

---

I told Barry I had to leave to do the radio show, but he could stay and interview a few players if he wanted. I never forgot he told me, “This is one of the greatest days of my life. I won’t forget it. Thank you so much for using some clout and getting me to talk to these guys, and they were like regular people.”

I told them, “Barry, they are regular people, and it’s no big deal.” Barry told me, “Mike, it’s a big deal to me.”

Barry was a good man in life. Kind to others, complimentary to others in the media, he was open to telling me about people he liked to read and listen to and others, maybe not as much, he would throw ideas about stories to me he had, he had concerns about others and was a good family man and always talked about his granddaughter with me. I appreciated his friendship greatly.

He was a Saints writer and didn’t hide it. That didn’t mean he couldn’t be critical, but he bled Black and Gold. Like me, he saw the lean years with this team and greatly appreciated the Sean Payton years.  

So we are at practice in the summer of 2019, and Bobby Hebert always showed up late to the practices and would come over and ask what had happened. As usual, I could see Barry hanging behind us, and finally, I told him to step up and meet Bobby. He was thrilled. Every day, he would hang around, and Barry came over to listen-in and would laugh the entire time when Hebert came to talk to me. And Bobby would go on and on and on...

He would always tell me, “I appreciate you letting me in on the conversations and I enjoyed listening to both of you guys tell stories on football, Coach Orgeron, living on the Bayou, and just life.”   

You never know what happens in other people’s lives and how your conduct and how you treat them in public could affect them, but he would always let me know he enjoyed those moments.

He was a good guy in life - point-blank, and he always wanted the Saints Nation to respect his writings and comments. I know somewhere, somehow- he will see the comments made about him, and it will make him smile. Rest well, my friend.

John Hendrix

I came to know Barry a long time ago when I was a part of FanSided's Who Dat Dish. As the Managing Editor at the time, he was a big draw to join the site to deliver repeated Saints columns to fans. Barry wasn't afraid to call it like he saw it, possibly coming off controversial to some. He joined the site in July 2014, and in just a quick season covering the team for just five months, Barry ventured off to run FanSided's Big Easy Believer.

Clockwise from the top: Barry Hirstius, John Hendrix, Gus Kattengell, D. Scott Alexander

Barry was my co-host for the Big Easy Blitz podcast show on Saints News Network for the 2015 season, which was one of the more interesting seasons for New Orleans. It was a great weekly two-hour show, and Barry would always be spot on with his takes, and not to mention be a wealth of knowledge as a lifelong Saints fans from nearly the franchise's inception.

Barry and I met each other years ago when went on The Sports Hangover, a local New Orleans ESPN Radio Show with Gus Kattengell and Scott Alexander. He was down from Indiana. We'd meet up a few other times, and I remember when he was granted credentials to cover Saints training camp. For Barry, that was the height of things. He was well-known around town and was the type of guy who was just glad to be there alongside some of the greats that covered the team.

There's few people left in the world with a big heart like Barry had. He worked hard and tirelessly at his craft, putting things together when no one else was and before everyone else. He loved to get columns out for the 'coffee crowd' to read. For over six years I knew Barry, and he will be forever missed.

Barry Hirstius Tribute Slideshow https://t.co/HkGpgKVSQw

— Kyle T. Mosley (@ktmoze) December 31, 2020

Carla Antoine

I met Barry through Kyle T. Mosley and The Saints News Network.  He definitely loved the Saints and it showed.  Even more...he loved writing about the Black & Gold. 

I was preparing to write my first Saints article.  Kyle suggested I spend time talking to Barry about my writing interests.  Not only did Barry take time to talk to me, but he shared thoughts, angles, ways to develop and write stories.  We were literally on the phone for 3 hours talking about the Saints (actually I was listening to Barry talk about the Saints). 

After the first hour, I apologized for taking so much of his time, but Barry ignored the apology and said, "okay, let's write".  I wrote my first article that day with Barry's help and it was published!  He was always there to help,  answer questions, brainstorm ideas, or just to lend a listening ear.  

I will always remember Barry...the man who inspired me to write stories about the Saints.  He was one who truly bled Black & Gold. 

Brendan Boylan

The truly amazing thing about New Orleans is and always will be its people. The "Man from Harahan" gave me my first opportunity as a writer back in 2016, with the Big Easy Believer, while I was just a 20-year old college student trying to get my foot in the door of the sports media world. I would quickly learn the passion he had for his hometown Saints and covering the team the very best he and the staff could.

Though Barry and I never had the chance to meet face to face, I will forever hold on to the memories of sharing the airwaves with him in my early days with Saints News Network and serving under him at the Big Easy Believer.

Barry embodied everything a New Orleans native should be... strong-willed, strong-minded, kind, a big heart, and a deeply rooted love for the boys in Black and Gold. His weekly "Bold Predictions" and his tell it to you straight demeanor will be missed by his loyal readers/listeners every day for years and years to come. 

However, for his Saints News Network family, we will miss a friend more than anything else. 

Bob Rose 

Barry gave me my 1st shot in journalism (Big Easy Believer). Without him, I highly doubt anyone would have even thought to ask me to do any writing. 

He always liked the posts I made in 1 of the Saints groups (I always tried to word the lengthy posts in the format of a newspaper article-at least in my head). We started to have direct interactions on his articles. Then eventually he began to message me directly to talk football then after awhile offered me a chance to write. I'd honestly never even considered it before lol. 

Since then, Barry was as supportive as a person could ever be and as outwardly proud of me as anyone ever has.  I've never been around anyone more proud of his region, and he was always willing to lend an encouraging word to anyone.  

You will be missed, my friend. Rest in Peace. 

Kyle T.  Mosley 

Kyle T. Mosley and Barry Hirstius

Barry Hirstius was my brother, friend, colleague, and champion for Saints Fans and the Who Dat Nation.  

One day D' Professor (Derek Stephens) and I were preparing for our Saints News Radio podcast, and I stumbled upon the Who Dat Confessional with Barry and Deuce Windham. I called into the show. Barry and I immediately became kindred spirits and shared similar views on the Saints. From that day until his last, we would call, text, or message one another via Twitter and Facebook. He always wanted to help me, and I always wanted to help him.  

He wanted to be a journalist like the late Pete Finney, his idol. When he got his opportunity to run The Big Easy Believer, he understood the commitment, devotion, trials, and tribulations he would encounter. In his heart, he was finally getting his shot at respectability. He knew it was worth the risk. He was great. As a matter of fact, Barry was the first to quote my colleagues and me at Saints News.

He worked tirelessly and was a prolific writer. It wasn't strange to see three or four articles to have the Barry Hirstius byline. Over time, with little sleep and support, it finally took its toll. And, unfortunately for Barry, it came at a cost.  

I never wavered in my support for my brother. He was dishearted by the lack of reciprocal support others failed to give after the years of encouragement he gave to them and their careers. I knew he needed to write again. I approached D'Professor, and Derek said, let's do it.  Get Barry!   

I called him back and offered Barry the opportunity to report freely on the Saints News Network platform. Well, if you knew Barry, that became a roller-coaster ride of fun and learning experiences. But, I would not have had it any other way.

I wish I could have done more for "My Man from Harahan." This was often my calling card to answer his calls or announce Barry on our Saints News Network's podcasts. 

My friends and family knew him well through the many "Barry" stories, ordeals, and phone calls. Mr. Hirstius made life interesting and enjoyable. His early morning phone calls of "can we talk for a minute" would usually turn it into 30 minutes or an hour or more of stories, thoughts, dreams, and plenty of laughter.  

Barry Hirstius with Kyle Anthony Mosley and Kyle T. Mosley at Saints Training Camp in 2018

When my son finally met Barry, they immediately gravitated to one another. One August day in 2018 at Saints Training Camp, Barry shared Saints stories and educated him on the team. After we dropped Barry off at his home, Kyle told me, "I really like Mr. Barry, he's fun. Dad, how does he write all of those articles every day?"  

With Barry, I always could be straight with him and he would be straight with me.  We had several calls with me saying "Barry, you can't...," and, he would respond, "Kyle, maaaan I messed up, didn't I?"  Then we would laugh!  You had no choice but to love him. Great times. 

He wrote about the Saints because Barry was extremely passionate about the team he loved so dearly, the New Orleans Saints. He loved his family, and especially his beautiful grandkids. He had a generous spirit. Even if agitated at times, he meant no harm; he was without malice.  

Barry did not realize the impact he made in the lives and careers of many.  Without a shadow of a doubt, he positively influenced my life.  I am pleased and at ease that I had the chance to express this to Barry before he departed this world.

I thanked the Lord for allowing me to gain another brother like Barry Hirstius. I know many in the Who Dat Nation share my sentiment. The Man from Harahan's body and voice may have left this world. Still, his written work and love for fellow journalists, associates, mentees, mentors, personalities, Saints fans, and New Orleans Saints players, coaches, and administrators will always be with us.   

Rest well, my brother.

Thank you to his wife, grandchildren, brother Steven Hirstius, and family for allowing us to share our hearts and soul about Barry Hirstius.

From the Hirstius Family

Our family is very appreciative of all the tributes and accolades that Barry has received over the last several days through social media. Thanks to the Saints News Network and all the other sites for their support and touching testimonials. Barry often told me that his one wish was to be remembered fondly for his writing, and over the last several days, it looks like that wish was fulfilled. 

Take comfort in knowing that his body and soul are at peace now and I'm sure he is smiling down on the "Who Dat Nation."