July 2013: Phil Steele has UL playing Tulane in New Orleans Bowl

[CrazyCajun]

Lets actually get invited to another bowl first. Last year we were in talks with the independence but Nola bowl gave us a better deal financially. All these "better" rated bowls have conference tie ins. I don't see why people think we can "just go" to the Texas bowl...it is a big12... Big10 tie in until 2014. Unless its bcs or a conference falls short on their tie ins we are in a bowl with a sunbelt tie in. In that case, Nola will always be the best for us.

[Just1More]

Crazy, did I even slightly suggest that there was?

C'mon, braaaah! I love NO!

Braaah... the next trip to NO... I'm arranging a photo shoot of you and Hammer sitting out on Canal Blvd... toking on some stogies... sipping select libations... you with your sax axe... and Hammer guarding the street donations being dropped into your velvet lined sax case... complete with a sign that says, "Give this man your money or he will show you his hip surgery scars!". And then... as a show closer... I do a strip tease to you playing Careless Whisper on your sexophone... stripping down to my "Geaux Cajuns!" thong... while touristy onlookers scurry for front row position... slightly worried... devilishly intrigued... whether this grand specimen of over-aged delight... will pull the final string... and unrestrain... the crooked monkey.

... just another day in the Big Easy...

[I_Bleed_RED]

HUD would accept the NO bowl without hesitation as its been very good to us, but I believe HUD has his boys aiming a bit higher this year.

Well in order for us to even be invited this year, we have to win the conference championship. Which is something we haven't accomplished under Hud yet. So, in theory, making to the NO bowl would mean we did aim higher this year.

[CrazyCajun]

Well in order for us to even be invited this year, we have to win the conference championship. Which is something we haven't accomplished under Hud yet. So, in theory, making to the NO bowl would mean we did aim higher this year.

I don't know if it ever happened but Benson said something about that changing. I think the conference was discussing that as long as the champion has a bowl spot somewhere, the Nola bowl can take who they want.

[CajunFan89]

Unless its bcs or a conference falls short on their tie ins we are in a bowl with a sunbelt tie in. In that case, Nola will always be the best for us.

Agree 100 % with this statement

[CajunT]

Well, in my opinion, your opinion is a good one. I agree that nola has been wonderful to us, but going to the same bowl every year doesn't really take our program higher. Playing in different markets and bringing lots of Cajun fans is how we're going to change perception and make us more attractive to other conferences.

Bingo! The NO Bowl has been great to the UL program and will remain in play for the Cajuns as long as we remain in the Sun Belt. But at some point, UL must prove to the presidents and other conference commissioners that the fan base can travel further then 167 miles. Of course that would mean the Cajuns had a great season and were considered for other bowl games. Some Cajun fans need to look at the larger picture and stop getting confomfortable with the status-quo. Bowls are not just about rewarding the athletes and fans, but building your brand recognition.

[cajun4life]

I want to go to the Texas Bowl in Houston or the Game in Dallas. We would have a huge crowd in Houston as well as I think that would show enough to other conferences more so than the Nola Bowl.

[SlappyCajun]

I would think our attendance at a bowl game in Houston against anothe mid major would be half of what it is in New Orleans. Just my opinion though.

[Cajunjeb]

But, ideally you would not want to take a loss, or lessen the loss by having more in your athletic budget. So that when you move to a bigger and better conference with better bowl payouts, you have a budget that is prepared to handle the travel going to a bigger and better bowls.

I see the athletic budget as the only thing that hampers our ability to move to the next level up. We have the talent in our "major" athletic programs to compete (football, baseball, softball). The talent we recruit gets better when you either win consistently and improve year over year, or you move up in conferences. What we don't have is a CUSA or a Big 12 budget. Oh, and the university has to find a way to pay for all of the phases on the master plan.

[Hudsheen#Fired]

I would think our attendance at a bowl game in Houston against anothe mid major would be half of what it is in New Orleans. Just my opinion though.

Houston is just another 1 hour longer than New Orleans
Plus we would still be playing indoors