As a University, I want your opinion....

[Zeebart21]

Lol. Finishing up some work and then heading home to watch the game. Cajuns better win dam it ...

Hope so!

Thanks,

Z.

[Cowboy Up]

_
It is her mission in life to be sure that every notice, piece of apparel, and any objects we have are tagged with lafayette. _

Well, while I am not a fan of the "pepper" because I personally feel UL deserves a more noble mascot, Ms. J. Dronet may not have much of a choice in "tatooing" everything that represents UL followed with the name Lafayette.

Because the official "registered" name of UL has the moniker Lafayette attached to it, it is protected by copyright laws. Those "laws" are policed and protected by the College Licensing board. It is designed such that everytime someone purchases or uses anything representing the university that the "official" logo and name on it allows money to flow back to the university.

Like it or not, it is also designed to protect your name, logos, and licensing from anyone that chooses to infringe on it. McNeese was threatened with legal action a few years back by the University of Wyoming for an infringement on THEIR bucking horse logo. That is why today McNeese's official logo is the "Horse and Rider" in the up position with the superimposed "M". We make money every time it's sold and the logo is protected.

[anhil8tor]

My 3 year old loves the pepper. He identifies it with Ragin Cajuns automatically.

[Just1More]

_ My 3 year old loves the pepper. He identifies it with Ragin Cajuns automatically. _

No offense, but a red roach could be out there and your 3 year old would love that too. I could take or leave the pepper. I just don't like it as a "mascot".

As for the "Lafayette" thing... it is the "Louisiana-Lafayette" selected naming that has people aggravated. That is no more official than any other slang name chosen. It didn't surprise me that many would take the shortcut and just say "Lafayette". It is ironic that many outsiders do not argue that this is the most inappropriate of the slang names. There is a University called "Lafayette". You do not hear outsiders crying out about this absolute intrusion on a name. It is all about keeping it regional and/or condescending... not about the actual name.

By the way... there are many ways to have official apparel and drive at the primary naming preference. That preference IMVHO should be "Louisiana Ragin Cajuns".

[AboveAverage]

_ No offense, but a red roach could be out there and your 3 year old would love that too. I could take or leave the pepper. I just don't like it as a "mascot".

That is strong but we get the point. Kids love it the way they love tubbies barney and whatever else is on. None of those carry into normal adulthood.

[CajunShocker]

Personally, to me it does not matter what they call us, UL, ULL, UL Lafayette, etc. I refer to us as the Ragin Cajuns, which is one of the most original nicknames in college sports. As long as we put butts in the seats and win on the field, they can call us whatever they want. And then we can say we kicked your _____.

[rhineaux]

_ None of those carry into normal adulthood. _

I was about to say the same thing, then I read your statement. Kids don't pay tuition. and, if and when they grow up as Cajun fans, it doesn't help that wally world's finest shoppers have that one more thing to degrade.

this is one of the most important topics to me in relating to this school. More than if we have Lafayette after the name, or more than the fact that there are more state fans in Lafayette parish, even though most of them would despise state if ever to set foot on their campus or in one of their bars. the fact is that this isn't a state school. this shouldn't be something generic, and we shouldn't run a pepper out there (as a mascot or as a logo) because it's cartoonish and it isn't truly what this area is about.

Firstly, we have great colors, vermilion and white (and a great black trim), we have the most popular/unique nickname in college/all sports, the school is located in a large town/small city optimal for becoming a true college town, and we struggle to get what we have. You know, some of those state fans are semi-right when they say we _____ that we haven't been given a fair shake. maybe we haven't, but we surely have never done anything to help ourselves out either. Or, at least we haven't recently. To me, some of the recent marketing type things we've done come off as seeming minor league. I remember a few years ago, I bought a hat at lids in the mall. It was black, and fitted, and had that yellow and red pepper on the front. I was wearing it and one of my buddies (who WAS only pro-lsu, but is now coming around) asked if I got a new job at Chili's. if we want to be Major League, then we should stop being cute, and waiting for some of our teams to be good consistently for fans to come out, and we should go out there with a classy look, a classy message, and make them want us.

Secondly, we live in an area of very passionate people. Some may _____ about how bad some of our fans were at the regional, but seriously, have you ever seen a Cajun back down from anyone???? not me, but i have seen a lot of Texans sit on their asses and not do anything for an entire football game. And, the fact that this school hasn't been able to capitolize on that passion, and has allowed other schools to do it, sucks. The whole parish should be dripping with red days before a home football game, and on weekend basketball games, there should be 8000+ people in there no matter if school is in session or not.

Thirdly, students...I always did my best to put forth the name and the brand to other students who werent' down. but i am only one guy. And the students who are always gonna be at football games, and at basketball games, are only a fraction, and they aren't the ones who need to be marketed to. if it weren't for the fact that I cared, and that I always sought out a schedule; then as a student, I would have never known that there was a basketball game. there should be pep rally's every friday night at the stadium before football games. Roll in the beer trailers and sell the hell out of it...do it in the Tigue if you have to...get some music out there to play...Get the coach and some players up there to speak and amp people up...make them feel involved. Students will show up, and when people see something going on, they'll go check it out, and those setting up for tailgating will walk over. My point is that while football is a popular sport in this area, those people (students or otherwise) who aren't Cajun lovers will stay home and watch all the great games on TV. We have to give them more than a football game, or more than a basketball game, and we have to do it loud and make sure everyone knows.

Its more than having a winner and waiting for them to come with money, we have to give them a reason to come. having a pepper as a mascot or logo, not pushing your name and brand, and most of the people in town not knowing why there are people parking at the CajunDome on a Thursday night won't bring them as fast as we want them brought.

[gorcajun]

If you want marketing, our alumni assn sent this out recently






Dear UL Alumni Members:





A Special Group Discount Offer for all UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE ALUMNI MEMBERS!



Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey present Circus of Dreams playing the CAJUNDOME – June 7-10, 2007



Check all realities at the door, because you are about to embark on a

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® journey filled with imagination, as dreams come true in a CIRCUS-SIZED SPECTACLE!

Packed full of surprises, Ringling Bros.® breaks circus tradition with high-speed action, cutting-edge technology and an interactive adventure that is sure to keep audiences and circus fans talking for generations!





Special Super Group Discounted Performances:



Friday, June 8

7:00PM



Saturday, June 9

1:00PM

5:00PM



Sunday, June 10

2:00PM



*YOU MAY PURCHASE VIP NON-DISCOUNTED SEATING WITH THIS OFFER! GROUP DISCOUNT IS NOT VALID ON CIRCUS CELEBRITY, FRONT ROW OR VIP SEATING.



Go to www.cajundome.com or www.Ringling.com for more show info.



CLICK HERE - Ticketmaster Purchase page: http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/221703 charge by phone at 337-262-8686 or go to the CAJUNDOME Box Office with your password.



YOUR PASSWORD CAN BE FOUND IN THE ATTACHMENT!



PASSWORDS ARE NO LONGER CASE SENSITIVE; enter your super group password in “ALL CAPS” or “lower case” online.



Thank you!


JUST WONDERING WHO WON THE HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE.

[TuffGuy84]

Agreed. Here is another thought...Average baseball attendance this year was about 2400. LEts get 600 or even 1000 of those 20,000 students on campus to the ballgame to put us over the 3000 mark. Lets add $50 to the fees for these 20k students and give it to athletics....that is 2 million a year. $50 is less than a tank of gas these days. Need to start increasing revenue on campus for athletics somehow someway. Projects for new buildings and things of such are continuously being done on campus. I can tell u this.. I grad from USL in 99. I went through campus not long ago and was very impressed with all the improvements. I dont ride through campus very often but it does not even look like the same campus I was on. However, with the exception of the indoor complex, the athletic complex is the same. I do frequent the athletic complex alot more often than the regular campus. We need change to continue growth within the athletic complaex. The indoor practice facility is a great thing but it cant be the only thing. New ideas, new facilties and facelifts are needed not only to keep up with the rest of D I institutions, but to seperate us in recruiting. How can we continue to ask our coaches to go out recruit against other schools with second rate facilities?

I'll tell you why I dont think students come out in force like they do for baskeball and football, and its because theres not a designated section for them. We need a baseball version of the "red zone", somewhere where a student can go and just be loud dumb and fun. I think if we sectioned off the last section of either the 3rd base or 1rst base bleachers we would get this effect, eventually to the point that it would be a pretty cool place to be.

Tuffguy

[anhil8tor]

Say what you will, but kids are the future. My kid knows what the UL pepper looks like. He has no idea what a purple and gold tiger is. We can blame marketing for attendance this year but unless we make it a point to have our children attend games with us, they may never start.

[Just1More]

_ Say what you will, but kids are the future. My kid knows what the UL pepper looks like. He has no idea what a purple and gold tiger is. We can blame marketing for attendance this year but unless we make it a point to have our children attend games with us, they may never start. _

Everyone is the future, including children. I am all in favor of a having a disney-like cartoon character at the game to entertain the children. I am not in favor of the official school mascot being a pepper. Is it a deal breaker? No. I would "like" to have the best of both worlds... a red bull alligator as an official mascot... and a big red fuzzy one running around entertaining the children.

And yes, "Marketing" is the biggest issue with attendence. Marketing encompasses a whole lot of things, including the selection and complete utiliziation of a mascot (even a big red fuzzy one for the children).

Cheers and see you and your 3 year old Ragin Cajun at the games!

[Zeebart21]

If you want marketing, our alumni assn sent this out recently






Dear UL Alumni Members:





A Special Group Discount Offer for all UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE ALUMNI MEMBERS!



Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey present Circus of Dreams playing the CAJUNDOME – June 7-10, 2007



Check all realities at the door, because you are about to embark on a

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® journey filled with imagination, as dreams come true in a CIRCUS-SIZED SPECTACLE!

Packed full of surprises, Ringling Bros.® breaks circus tradition with high-speed action, cutting-edge technology and an interactive adventure that is sure to keep audiences and circus fans talking for generations!





Special Super Group Discounted Performances:



Friday, June 8

7:00PM



Saturday, June 9

1:00PM

5:00PM



Sunday, June 10

2:00PM



*YOU MAY PURCHASE VIP NON-DISCOUNTED SEATING WITH THIS OFFER! GROUP DISCOUNT IS NOT VALID ON CIRCUS CELEBRITY, FRONT ROW OR VIP SEATING.



Go to www.cajundome.com or www.Ringling.com for more show info.



CLICK HERE - Ticketmaster Purchase page: http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/221703 charge by phone at 337-262-8686 or go to the CAJUNDOME Box Office with your password.



YOUR PASSWORD CAN BE FOUND IN THE ATTACHMENT!



PASSWORDS ARE NO LONGER CASE SENSITIVE; enter your super group password in “ALL CAPS” or “lower case” online.



Thank you!


JUST WONDERING WHO WON THE HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE.

They didnt want to confuse themselves and mail some of them to Monroe.

Z.