The Book: 2003 Football

[RaisingCajun08]

I can sent the original pictures to anyone who would like to have a copy. Just send me an email & let me know what pics you want sent to you.

The originals have a much higher pixel rating & should be better for printing.

[RaginRash]

By the looks of the last few pics [blurry, off center, heads chopped off] a good time was hard by all including the camera-person! LOL!

[RaisingCajun08]

Sorry the last couple of pictures were blury. I was a little excited when I was taking them & I guess I rushed things.

[RaginRash]

Just messing with ya. Great pics and thanks for sharing them! You rock!

[biged]

I have to totally agree with RaginCajun08, it was the best time I've ever had tailgating. Meeting and getting along with the MT fans was awsome. Let's give these guys the same great hospitality next year.

[CajunCharlie]

RC 08, thanks for the great photos. Couple of questions - (1) Was that the extent of their tailgating area? (2) The crowd looke slim. What was the attendance?

[CajunRebel]

The attendance was 4,000 and change. I feel sorry for those guys. They have a better team than that.

[NewsCopy]

Ragin’ Cajuns win 4-of-5 to spark optimism for ’04

The last time this many people got so excited about winning four games was when the Florida Marlins celebrated a World Series title on hallowed ground in Yankee Stadium earlier this fall.

Louisiana finished the 2003 season on a high note with last Saturday’s 57-51 quadruple overtime victory at Middle Tennessee, winning four of its last five for a 4-8 finish.

Usually four victories is not a lot to get excited about in college football, but the Ragin’ Cajuns haven’t posted that many wins since the 1996 squad finished 5-6 so it was time for some celebrations.

Not that too many people were on hand to watch. The crowd was announced at 4,311, but don’t you believe it. The MT dance team outnumbered fans in front of them in the south end zone during one of their numbers.

To quote A Chorus Line, “Dancin’ for my own enjoyment ... that ain’t it, kid, that ain’t it.”

It was rainy for most of the game. It was cool to chilly, depending upon how wet you were.

The Cajun fans on hand, a hearty bunch who had dropped in the Old Navy store on Saturday morning to find more warm clothing, did their part despite the conditions.

It seems like every time the Cajuns go to Mufreesboro, it’s like that. It certainly was last year. Perhaps the Cajuns and Blue Raiders need to play earlier in the year when it’s MT’s turn to host.

And, just for familiarity’s sake, the game reminded backers of the 2000 season finale in which MT escaped with a 41-38 home win over the Cajuns in two overtimes.

Not since a four-overtime, 48-42 home loss to North Alabama at Cajun Field in 1997 has a UL game gone that far into the evening. It was the longest game in Sun Belt Conference history.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[RaisingCajun08]

Nothing official but we estimated they had about 200 people tailgating. Right next to the Hillbilly Hilton there was about the same size group as what we had. Other than that there was only a handfull scattered around the area.

They are in trouble & its pretty sad. They are a great group of people. We found out from them that many of the local residents follow UT football. Just like many people from Acadiana rather travel to the Chemical Plant capital of the world on Saturdays.

[Cajunologist]

cool pics...........good job.

[Oldman]

thanks for the shots, i was hoping to see the last OT, i was unable to listen at that time. great win, again thanks. "GEAUX CAJUNS."

[ATXCajun]

Yeah, I bet sitting at the top of Neyland with a respirator and a telescope is big fun. Too bad the Coulee drains so quickly. We could pirogue to the Swamp just like Tennessee. Maybe Gerald can add a lock system to hold the water and a Coulee extension under Cajundome Blvd to the wish list. I guess the Pirogue Krewe would still need a pond to gather in.