2012 New Orleans Bowl

[bjc6267]

I do agree that it MAY eventually get to that...and surely NOPE that it does. But his comments were made 3 or so years ago...and we are no where NEAR that. Things have gone 180 degrees from what he expected/predicted.

Things have definitely gone 180 degrees. When farmer started, he and the admin got rid of a stagnant bustle who had reached his ceiling, and brought on the best damn coach UL has ever had. RCAF is one of the fastest growing athletic fundraising groups in the entire nation. And under farmer's tenure, hudspeth has led UL from DEAD LAST in the Country to a two time bowl champion with a 13-1 home record (counting New Orleans as home). Not sure if you realize that, but its among the best home records in the entire nation. The plan will come, and the funds will follow. We have to keep the pressure on and keep moving forward to get better.

[CajunRed]

Things have definitely gone 180 degrees. When farmer started, he and the admin got rid of a stagnant bustle who had reached his ceiling, and brought on the best damn coach UL has ever had. RCAF is one of the fastest growing athletic fundraising groups in the entire nation. And under farmer's tenure, hudspeth has led UL from DEAD LAST in the Country to a two time bowl champion with a 13-1 home record (counting New Orleans as home). Not sure if you realize that, but its among the best home records in the entire nation. The plan will come, and the funds will follow. We have to keep the pressure on and keep moving forward to get better.

Agree with you, but understand that all of what you mentioned is a result of Hud's efforts and success...and not Farmer's. It's time for his and Dr. Savoie's efforts, vision, energy level...and SENSE OF URGENCY...to match that of the coach they hired.

[IberiaCajun]

1. BCS National Championship - in New Orleans

Most fans would travel to:

1) Houston
2) Mobile
3) Memphis - Liberty Bowl
4) Shreveport
5) Dallas

[Just1More]

Things have definitely gone 180 degrees. When farmer started, he and the admin got rid of a stagnant bustle who had reached his ceiling, and brought on the best damn coach UL has ever had. RCAF is one of the fastest growing athletic fundraising groups in the entire nation. And under farmer's tenure, hudspeth has led UL from DEAD LAST in the Country to a two time bowl champion with a 13-1 home record (counting New Orleans as home). Not sure if you realize that, but its among the best home records in the entire nation. The plan will come, and the funds will follow. We have to keep the pressure on and keep moving forward to get better.

Exactly as Red put it. Was Hud's hiring really a bold move? Really? It was one of the easiest calls in history. Was creating RCAF a bold move? Really? Was deciding to keep Hud with a raise a bold move? Really?

What has Scott and T-Joe done for UL since then? We would be in a major men's athletic void without our football success. Exactly how bold have T-Joe and Scott been lately? RCAF is extremely important to our future. Do you see them doing anything special with RCAF? It's a bank account. They think everyone, without any more than the football success, will overlook our history of doing absolutely nothing bold (doing what everyone else at the lowest levels do... is not being bold) and give money that these individuals control where and when that money gets spent. T-Joe, in order to gain the confidence of people with money, has to show unbridled faith in athletics exceptionalism. If he falters, even slightly, that he may not believe that exceptional athletics supports exceptional academic opportunities at UL, everyone will (and has) sniffed that out.

T-Joe has to return to the guy (now... under the pressure of entities that will tell him he's wrong) that said "it's time for UL athletics to take out a loan". He much enjoyed being applauded for that seemingly strong position as a leader separating himself from his predecessor in the eyes of a disconnected alumni and Acadiana community.

T-Joe, whether he feels it or not, is being watched like a hawk. He has 6 months to make the loan, stomp on the nay-sayers, or he will lose UL athletics. We are on the verge of having to join the likes of the bottom of the bottom. It is on his head and it is a very big deal. The tension got raised. That pent up tension among the core fans that invested in the initial RCAF system did not expect to be the only ones maintaining RCAF going forward. The university president is the key individual that must step into the scary zone and pronounce his plan for excellence. It takes money to go get more money. It starts with him.

And again, from my measuring stick, he and Scott have done virtually nothing bold. They've made no-brainer choices that a 5th grader could and would have chosen. The Master Plan needs to be released as a bold vision-mission-plan immediately. And T-Joe needs to put up the university as collateral for an athletic loan to get it done. It's bold. No doubt. But, when you have no other means to get to that level of prominence, and you can make the loan... you do it. "If you truly believe". If you never had the heart and the nuts to make those bold decisions... do not jack around with private people that have that heart and nuts. Private people with money do not invest in cowards.

[IberiaCajun]

1. BRIDGEPOINT EDUCATION HOLIDAY BOWL_55,507
2. MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL OF TEXAS_50,386
3. R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL_48,828
4. BELK BOWL¬_48,128
5. RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL_48,127
6. AdvoCare V100 INDEPENDENCE BOWL_41,853
7. SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL_35,442
8. MAACO BOWL LAS VEGAS_33,217
9. SHERATON HAWAII BOWL_30,024
10. FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL_29,243
11. GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL_24,610
12. LITTLE CAESARS BOWL_23,310
13. BEEF 'O' BRADY'S BOWL ST. PETERSBURG_21,759
14. MILITARY BOWL - PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN¬_17,835

Good job!
Let's keep this ranking updated. Only 21 more bowls to go!

[Hammer58]

Wiki says 53,000. So, you're telling me you were able to fill up 80% of the stadium... O ok. This is complete bull____ guys. I personally hope they did sell allotment so we can have some of the revenue share.

I think they are claiming 10K allotment sold. But their tickets were only $25 per. So they made $250k gross. We easily made 3 times that much.

[bustleup]

Nola or BCS. After seeing that crappy stadium in Shreveport again I'd never wanna go there. I know it's good to expand our bowl game spots but Nola is just so nice

[moorecajun]

Things have definitely gone 180 degrees. When farmer started, he and the admin got rid of a stagnant bustle who had reached his ceiling, and brought on the best damn coach UL has ever had. RCAF is one of the fastest growing athletic fundraising groups in the entire nation. And under farmer's tenure, hudspeth has led UL from DEAD LAST in the Country to a two time bowl champion with a 13-1 home record (counting New Orleans as home). Not sure if you realize that, but its among the best home records in the entire nation. The plan will come, and the funds will follow. We have to keep the pressure on and keep moving forward to get better.

I like your attitude!

[Cajun Monkee]

J1M, what specifically do you mean by a loan?

And what specifically would you spend the money on?

[CharlieK]

J1M, what specifically do you mean by a loan?

And what specifically would you spend the money on?

I'm guessing by a loan he means borrowed money, and specifically he would spend it on a major renovation of our football facilities and an all out effort to get us out of this crappy conference.

[CajunRed]

Just as we did for campus upgrades and renovations, it is time to borrow funds to move our athletic department forward. Note...some of those funds can be had from private donors who will come forward if approached effectively. The rest must be borrowed...to be then paid off on the back of our athletic progress and success.

[Cajun Monkee]

Does anybody know what the bonding capacity of UL is? My point is, the University has spent a lot of money on capital projects the last few years and I'm pretty sure this was all bOnd money. And i think The new practice facility was funded thru a loan by the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority.

I'm not trying to come across as argumentative. But does anybody have an idea of how the mechanism works to fund long term capital projects at the state level?

Im pretty sure state law limits a public entity's debt load. And if the University is at its limit, bonding may not be an option.

I don't disagree with the idea of bonding the money out. But you're gonna have to show a much more stable revenue source. I don't think the bond market is going to think "potential conference realignment" revenues will make for great sales.

But if there all local bankers who are willing to fund capital projects for athletics, why don't they come forward? Doesn't it seem to reason that if a bigger conference saw that a public/private endeavor would show an INCREDIBLE community commitment, they'd think UL was a viable addition.

[CharlieK]

Does anybody know what the bonding capacity of UL is? My point is, the University has spent a lot of money on capital projects the last few years and I'm pretty sure this was all bOnd money. And i think The new practice facility was funded thru a loan by the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority.

I'm not trying to come across as argumentative. But does anybody have an idea of how the mechanism works to fund long term capital projects at the state level?

Im pretty sure state law limits a public entity's debt load. And if the University is at its limit, bonding may not be an option.

I don't disagree with the idea of bonding the money out. But you're gonna have to show a much more stable revenue source. I don't think the bond market is going to think "potential conference realignment" revenues will make for great sales.

But if there all local bankers who are willing to fund capital projects for athletics, why don't they come forward? Doesn't it seem to reason that if a bigger conference saw that a public/private endeavor would show an INCREDIBLE community commitment, they'd think UL was a viable addition.

Are we at that limit, and does a limit exist or are you speculating?

If that's the case then the administration should say so. Then make a plan to get it done anyway. My god, I've never been around a situation with so many people focused on why something can't be done.

[Boomer]

I know that a public tax was presented and voted down by the people of Hattisburg for S Miss---Wish we could get a Lafayette funding source for UL----I am very worried about the economy---We have a Socialist in the WH and I think we are headed for a terrible recession and Jimmy Carter type inflation---WE need to establish these interest rates NOW and get the raw materials and the labor costs while they are affordable. Ironically these were the premises that T-Joe so eloquently used against the RED-NECK board members on the Campus dorms construction---Hell who knows---just some thoughts!!!

[Boomer]

A slight correction Hammer----they didn't make and we didn't make---we brought in from ticket sales---unfortunately with the new conference split we are screwed even with our commanding performance at the box office---As you pointed out there is no shame that will worry their pointing out that 41K were Monroe fans---now juxtapose the NO Bowl and you know the total to school fan ratio that we would have over them---Gets frustrating at times---Hope you and the crew are having a GREAT holiday season!!!