My cousin from Tennessee visited Texas last week to attend a concert at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Sander said both — touring the stadium and seeing this particular artist in concert — checked off “bucket list” items for him.

He had a long list, and no surprise here since we are related, but several of the things he wanted to see or do in Texas involved large amounts of food.

Sander is a diehard fan of the Dallas Cowboys, so he also booked a tour at the team’s practice facilities in Frisco. I suggested a trip to Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth to complete the trip, and he took me up on the suggestion.

He called it “Redneck Heaven,” and he meant that in a good way.

His schedule didn’t allow time to visit East Texas, but he promised to remedy that in the near future. With that in mind, I came up with a bucket list of items for him to check off when he does get the chance to sample the part of the state I’ve called home for the past 38 years.

Friday Night Lights

Any high school stadium on any Friday evening would do, but hoping he times his visit for the week when the Longview Lobos and Marshall Mavericks tangle.

The two rivals have met 112 times over the years, and a few years back Dave Campbell’s Texas Football listed the rivalry at No. 12 on a list of “50 Things We Love About Texas Football” in its 50th anniversary magazine. In 2007, Maxim Magazine had the game at No. 14 when it compiled a list of the best sports rivalries of all-time.

Rangers vs. Apaches

If the schedule falls right, make it a big weekend and go see the Kilgore College Rangers take on the Tyler Junior College Apaches on a crisp Saturday in the fall.

KC and Tyler have been playing each other since 1947, usually meeting twice a year because once just isn’t enough.

Speaking of Kilgore vs. Tyler …

Rangerettes vs. Apache Belles

Take the intensity on the field between the two football teams and double it at halftime when the Kilgore College Rangerettes and TJC Apache Belles go at it.

I’ve been in the press box for at least 40 of the Kilgore/Tyler battles over the years. It’s what I get paid to do, but I always come away feeling like I should have paid someone after watching the Rangerettes and Apache Belles perform.

Cool Stadiums

Again, depending on the time of year, I will suggest watching a sporting event at any of the historical venues in East Texas.

Driller Park in Kilgore or Mike Carter Field in Tyler for baseball, the Tomato Bowl in Jacksonville for football and Coach Ken Loyd Court at Edmund Aycock Gymnasium in Avinger for basketball top my list.

Events

Can’t go wrong with Wonderland of Lights in Marshall, the Yamboree in Gilmer, the Great Texas Balloon Race in Longview, the Rose Festival in Tyler, the Syrup Festival in Henderson, Christmas Under the Stars in Kilgore or the Gladewater Roundup Rodeo.

Food

As I mentioned earlier, Sander’s bucket list included numerous food stops, and he had good reports on all, but when I told him about the grub in East Texas, it basically guaranteed he will return soon and bring his appetite with him.

For barbecue, we’ll do Stanley’s in Tyler, Bodacious in Longview or Joseph’s Riverport Barbecue in Jefferson. For burgers, it’s any location for Jucy’s, the Back Porch in Kilgore or a Bubba Burger at Fugler’s in Marshall.

We’ll flip a coin on Tex-Mex, Cajun and Italian. Can’t go wrong with any location in East Texas.

For dessert, we’ll do a Blizzard from any Dairy Queen, cookies from Collin Street Bakery in Lindale or the Butcher Shop in Longview or buttermilk pie from Bel’s Diner in Longview.

These are just my choices, of course. I would love to hear your suggestions — especially if they involve food.

Always willing to try something new, and I’m pretty sure I know someone in Tennessee who would love to join me.