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

[zeppelincajun]

What's your point? I know Texas Tech and Minnesota played in that bowl last year. All I'm saying is that the Cajuns have the chance to draw an opponent like Texas Tech and get an impressive win and still be a part of a great crowd but not be responsible for bringing all 50K ourselves.

[CajunT]

This doesn't apply to you directly but is on topic . . .

Forgive me but to achieve "status-quo" requires more than two years in process.

I remember Bustle firing his top assistants because some fans were upset with status-quo after "1" year. His program never recovered.

Advocating dissatisfaction with the New Orleans Bowl will send a message that will only serve to hurt future attendance.

Turbine, I'm not advocating any such thing. I'm simply saying eventually UL will need to improve it's bowl resume if we expect to get any at large invitations in the future. In other words if the Cajuns are fortunate enough to win the conference and have a good enough record to get an at large invitation to the Houston Bowl to play a Big12 team, then you accept the invitation. The New Orleans Bowl committee understands what such an invitation would mean to the UL program; these are not people living in a glass bubble. The status-quo comment was in reference to the few Cajun fans that are perfectly happy with going back to New Orleans every year and don’t see the larger picture. Going back to the New Orleans Bowl every year is great for the fans, but is not in the best interest of the program’s brand long term. Eventually UL will have to prove it can travel well outside the state of Louisiana to attract other bowl opportunities and conferences.

[Zeebart21]

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.

Don't believe that's correct. Might have been changed to accommodate us. Bowls are about making money.

Z

[CajunNation]

Turbine, I'm not advocating any such thing. I'm simply saying eventually UL will need to improve it's bowl resume if we expect to get any at large invitations in the future. In other words if the Cajuns are fortunate enough to win the conference and have a good enough record to get an at large invitation to the Houston Bowl to play a Big12 team, then you accept the invitation. The New Orleans Bowl committee understands what such an invitation would mean to the UL program; these are not people living in a glass bubble. The status-quo comment was in reference to the few Cajun fans that are perfectly happy with going back to New Orleans every year and don't see the larger picture. Going back to the New Orleans Bowl every year is great for the fans, but is not in the best interest of the program's brand long term. Eventually UL will have to prove it can travel well outside the state of Louisiana to attract other bowl opportunities and conferences.

Right on.

I would take a Houston/Dallas/Shreveport Bowl game against a Big-12 or SEC school over another N.O. Bowl appearance.

[SlappyCajun]

Not saying I wouldn't rather playing a Big 12 or SEC opponent in a bowl game. But, IMO beating teams from those conferences in the regular season increases your brand far more than beating them in bowl games.

I don't recall one non-BCS bowl upset of a small school over a large school over the last couple of years. I'm sure they happened though.

[CajunT]

Not saying I wouldn't rather playing a Big 12 or SEC opponent in a bowl game. But, IMO beating teams from those conferences in the regular season increases your brand far more than beating them in bowl games.

I don't recall one non-BCS bowl upset of a small school over a large school over the last couple of years. I'm sure they happened though.

No doubt beating a BCS Team helps elevate your brand, but if you do not take advantage of opportunity it creates for you in a bowl game by traveling well and selling your ticket allotment, its temporary.

ULM is the perfect example of this scenario. They beat Arkansas and had a good season. They get an invitation to the Independence Bowl, sell their allotment but don't attend the game well and get spanked on national television by Ohio.
While the win over Arkansas gave them instant national recognition, but not traveling well to Shreveport, selling only your allotment and getting spanked by Ohio did nothing for their future bowl resume. They had the opportunity to travel 30,000 to Shreveport and didn't get it done. How does that look to other bowls in the region?


Having the opportunity to play a BCS program in a bowl is something that mid-majors dream about. But the larger picture is selling tickets and traveling well to that bowl, winning the game is just ice cream on the cake.

[CajunT]

Right on.

I would take a Houston/Dallas/Shreveport Bowl game against a Big-12 or SEC school over another N.O. Bowl appearance.

Nation, the only way I would take the Independence Bowl invitation over the NO Bowl would be for a BCS matchup. Otherwise, the place is a dump. Visited the stadium in June and I would take playing in the Super Dome in New Orleans all day long over that run down dump. The extra $500,000 payout isn't worth it if you are playing a team from the MAC or C-USA.

[Boomer]

Hey T--don't cut off the nose to spite the face----but I would want go to any venue in the world over those red neck ?????? that screwed us out of a bowl in years back----However I would take it and not go the Tech stuck on stupid route!!! Anyway agree with your NO choice!!!

[Just1More]

Nation, the only way I would take the Independence Bowl invitation over the NO Bowl would be for a BCS matchup. Otherwise, the place is a dump. Visited the stadium in June and I would take playing in the Super Dome in New Orleans all day long over that run down dump. The extra $500,000 payout isn't worth it if you are playing a team from the MAC or C-USA.

I know that we are basically priortizing bowls... and not necessarily slamming them... but the I Bowl could be a beautiful stadium and I'd want to pass on it (for the Cajuns). That place is like a freaking icebox that time of year. There is no comparison to the exceptional walking distance hotel, restaurant, bar, entertainment of New Orleans coupled with the Superdome. No matter the weather outside... the Dome is an excellent venue.

I can agree with everything you've said about the other bowls (maybe... maybe even Shreveport against a BCS opponent). We certainly will be served well to accept an invite to a more prestigious bowl. But, the NO Bowl... regardless of numerous repeats... is a hard venue to trump for the Cajuns... while we are branding in the region and building our financials.

There does come a day, however, that the cost of stepping into a prestigious national atmosphere and TV coverage will trump another NO Bowl appearance. I can't wait for that luxurious problem to come knocking. We used to stay home the night of the prom. Now we're contemplating which girl we'd pass on for another. Luxurious problems.

The only thing I seriously don't recommend is a LaTech "two birds in the bush are better than an ugly independent bird in the hand... that loves Tech too much not to wait on their last second flip flop... or else Tech thought"... kind of thing.

[CajunT]

I know that we are basically priortizing bowls... and not necessarily slamming them... but the I Bowl could be a beautiful stadium and I'd want to pass on it (for the Cajuns). That place is like a freaking icebox that time of year. There is no comparison to the exceptional walking distance hotel, restaurant, bar, entertainment of New Orleans coupled with the Superdome. No matter the weather outside... the Dome is an excellent venue.

I can agree with everything you've said about the other bowls (maybe... maybe even Shreveport against a BCS opponent). We certainly will be served well to accept an invite to a more prestigious bowl. But, the NO Bowl... regardless of numerous repeats... is a hard venue to trump for the Cajuns... while we are branding in the region and building our financials.

There does come a day, however, that the cost of stepping into a prestigious national atmosphere and TV coverage will trump another NO Bowl appearance. I can't wait for that luxurious problem to come knocking. We used to stay home the night of the prom. Now we're contemplating which girl we'd pass on for another. Luxurious problems.

The only thing I seriously don't recommend is a LaTech "two birds in the bush are better than an ugly independent bird in the hand... that loves Tech too much not to wait on their last second flip flop... or else Tech thought"... kind of thing.

We are in 100% agreement brother! If the Independence Bowl is our only opption, then I certainly wouldn't turn it down. But if we have a choice like last season between it and the NO Bowl, there really is only one destination for UL. My only amendment to that scenario would be if it would present the opportunity to play a BCS program and I don't mean a 6-6 Iowa State team.

[ULGrad@HOU]

Not saying I wouldn't rather playing a Big 12 or SEC opponent in a bowl game. But, IMO beating teams from those conferences in the regular season increases your brand far more than beating them in bowl games.

I don't recall one non-BCS bowl upset of a small school over a large school over the last couple of years. I'm sure they happened though.

Imagine the Cajuns getting the opportunity that Northern Illinois had last year. Being in a BCS Bowl going against Florida State. Winning a game like that would be epic and go down in the history books. There are only going to be one or two of those in a year, and NI let that one get away. It doesn't even have to be a BCS Bowl, it could be a match between two ranked teams, the Cajuns and a BCS conference opponent. UL has to be ready to jump at the chance to raise the program to a level that is seen on a national scale. I have no doubt, that Coach Hud will get UL to such a game, and maybe more than one if he chooses.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Pretty sure SBC champ plays in NOLA Bowl this year unless they get into that special bowl like NI last year.

I am thinking I want the crown and, the obligatory NOLA Bowl In 2013. The UL crap schedule will deny us that special bowl.