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

[moorecajun]

Coach Johnson has proven to be a good recruiter, but he has not had enough time to sign more of the type of athletes he wants into his program. When I look at their Schedule for 2013 I don't see more then 4 or 5 wins with a very young group of athletes.

Jackson State - Home
South Alabama - Home
Louisiana Tech- Away
Syracuse- Away
ULM- Away
UNT - Home
ECU- Home
Tulsa- Home
FAU- Away
UTSA- Away
UTEP- Home
Rice- Away

I see five wins at best if you think they will be good enough to beat UNT and FAU.

Wow, the "Green Wave" against the "Mean Green" ... go ahead and color me green with envy!

[CajunFan89]

I am willing to bet that one of the bowl games in Dallas or Houston, if they were to offer, would probably top the list with NOLA following. NOLA has been great the past few years, but making everyone think that you are a home-body by continuously going to NOLA when there are other viable options out there is very narrow-minded in my opinion however little that may be worth. Going to a bowl in a place like Houston or Dallas would not only build good will with all the available bowls, showing we are willing to leave our "comfort zone", but these are also places with relatively high numbers of Cajun alumni. Travel is equally easy as you can fly into one of the major airports, just like NOLA, and the payout is on par or better than that of NOLA even if the attendance is slightly lower than what we have been bringing to the NOLA Bowl. Like I said, just my opinion so take it for what it's worth.

[Boomer]

Wow, the "Green Wave" against the "Mean Green" ... go ahead and color me green with envy!

I think you guys don't realize the players that the WAVE has brought in the last 2 years---Athletes that are better than ours in the secondary all Freshmen that played last year---They hurt at Def line and LBers but have some really good players there with no depth---on offense they have really good RBs and maybe a hell of a JUCO and Frosh QB---Probably no depth in OL---don't know about the punter but the best place kicker in college history maybe!!! They will beat JSU, S Bama, N Tex, FAU, UTSA, UTEP and maybe RICE!!! Tulane lost to Rice by 2 points and ECU by 5 points last year----always respect your foes guys!!!

[njustice]

I am willing to bet that one of the bowl games in Dallas or Houston, if they were to offer, would probably top the list with NOLA following. NOLA has been great the past few years, but making everyone think that you are a home-body by continuously going to NOLA when there are other viable options out there is very narrow-minded in my opinion however little that may be worth. Going to a bowl in a place like Houston or Dallas would not only build good will with all the available bowls, showing we are willing to leave our "comfort zone", but these are also places with relatively high numbers of Cajun alumni. Travel is equally easy as you can fly into one of the major airports, just like NOLA, and the payout is on par or better than that of NOLA even if the attendance is slightly lower than what we have been bringing to the NOLA Bowl. Like I said, just my opinion so take it for what it's worth.

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.

[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.