Is ULM a Rival?

[rhineaux]

Another big factor in a rivalry is that one party has to want something that the other party has. Other than them beating us over the past few years, there is really nothing that they have that we want. OSU and Michigan is huge because the winner often goes to the Rose Bowl, and the loser wants that. Other major rivalries are based on recruiting wars and such. we don't have that with them. They might show a rivalry towards us because of the better school and town, but we don't desire their position on either of those factors. and, in this case, there's no major recruiting wars because of the fact that so many major schools ravage these lands and because of that, our two schools aren't fighting for coveted recruits, not to mention also competing with Tech, USM, etc. I think that we might offer the same recruits sometimes, but often times,if a recruit goes to the other school, it won't break the other program.

[shof]

_ If you want to be Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Là, or Lafayette forever you want them to be your rival.

If you want to seize the UL identity, you don't want them to be your rival.

If we keep losing to them like we have 4 out of the last 5 meetings during the Bustle era, they become the rival whether you like it or not.

We have to beat them, dominate them, then move to a more advantageous conference situation without them if we want to max out the potential of UL. _

I agree with you that we may not WANT them to be our rival; but given the current situation (conference affiliation, proximity, etc) they are whether we like it or not.

[MakoMaker]

_ If all things were right in the world, our rivals should be La Tech, Southern Miss, Houston, & Tulane. _

Typically, rivals play heralded, epic, classic battles b/t the two with major implications on the line...Since ULM has taken lil bro behind the woodshed and dropped our pants since God knows when...I would say the answer to your question would be no.

[TuffGuy84]

Yes ULM is a rival.

A rival is a team that you love to beat and hate to lose to. I don't know about yall, but losing to ULM gets under my skin more than losing to any team. I also take some satisfaction in beating them. Thats a rival, its good for us and good for them, and I'd love to be the team to prevent them, FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 3 YEARS, to have their first non-losing season since joining 1A.

Tuffguy

[Cajun Express]

_ Simple question, yes or no.

Is ULM our rival right now?

Discuss. _

Don't you have to be competitive with your rival? If not then they are your rival and you are not theirs. Right now ULM is our rival but we are not theirs. I would think they would feel like they took a major step back should we upset them this Saturday!

[Just1More]

No team is your rival (moreso than others) until the collective sentiment of your fans, players and the community that claims you has that "rival feeling"... and vice versa. We are not (yet) rivals with ULM, in anything. It just has not happened. Unfortunately, I think we are heading down that path. We are losing touch with LaTech and Tulane, and some other programs that a rivalry was in process, in football in particular.

I think our SBC foes in football have not established a single rivalry for us. There is a slight start here and there, but there is no team that has us feeling a "rivalry" in football that stands out from the rest.

I kind of liken a rival to someone you hate so much, or absolutely love to beat so much, that you are thinking about them (as fans) many games ahead of playing them. Over the years of being in the SBC, I have yet to look at the schedule in search of a specific school's name, on a certain date, and my lip curl and low growl come out, as a I see their name on the schedule. Nope... that has not happened for us yet. And definitely not with ULM.

[RaginFan2]

_ Typically, rivals play heralded, epic, classic battles b/t the two with major implications on the line...Since ULM has taken lil bro behind the woodshed and dropped our pants since God knows when...I would say the answer to your question would be no. _

They may have beaten us more frequently lately, but that does NOT make them our "Big Bro". They are our junior in just about every category that matters. Just hasn't happened on the football field lately.

[DestinCajun]

I don't feel it. From what I've heard Monroe is big into the rivalry with us. It feels forced to me, like the athletic department said "here is your rivalry game, enjoy". _

Ditteaux.

[Just1More]

Turbine, do these polls allow members to vote as many times as they want? If you do not have a "one member, one vote" on these polls... aren't they pretty meaningless? There is no way a majority of UL fans think of ULM as a RIVAL. Or, I have had a whole lot more respect for the fans on this forum than I should have. The other issue is the non-fans input to a poll is disruptive and undetectable. They will always vote whichever way they believe can express their anti-fan sentiment.

I can cut someone who hasn't been around the program more than 10 years some slack. They have no idea what "should" be happening with this program. However, anyone who has a slight inkling as to the total disregard this university has had for football in the past decade, knows how much we have allowed the problems we are facing today.

You know why I'm so excited about playing ULM, the non-rival, this weekend? Because it's the next football game for the Cajuns.

[CajunCherokee]

Turbine, do these polls allow members to vote as many times as they want? If you do not have a "one member, one vote" on these polls... aren't they pretty meaningless? There is no way a majority of UL fans think of ULM as a RIVAL. Or, I have had a whole lot more respect for the fans on this forum than I should have. The other issue is the non-fans input to a poll is disruptive and undetectable. They will always vote whichever way they believe can express their anti-fan sentiment.

I can cut someone who hasn't been around the program more than 10 years some slack. They have no idea what "should" be happening with this program. However, anyone who has a slight inkling as to the total disregard this university has had for football in the past decade, knows how much we have allowed the problems we are facing today.

You know why I'm so excited about playing ULM, the non-rival, this weekend? Because it's the next football game for the Cajuns.

No, if you are logged in, you only get one vote.

By the way, I was one of the majority that voted Yes, as I couldn't really think of anyone else, perhaps Middle, that would fit that bill. The beauty of polls, is that everyone has a different opinion, and obviously it is different from yours. But why think that it is skewed because it is different than how you would see it?

[4LSU]

_There is no way a majority of UL fans think of ULM as a RIVAL.

That may well be true, but shouldn't they be. Last game of the season, another state team, a conference team, a game which has had some importance for you and the conference of late. It seems to me the Warhawk game has everything one needs to develop a heated rivalry game with fan appeal, but for one thing...Cajun fan interest/emotion or the lack of.

BTW, I didn't vote, but if I had it would be no.

[Just1More]

_ No, if you are logged in, you only get one vote.

By the way, I was one of the majority that voted Yes, as I couldn't really think of anyone else, perhaps Middle, that would fit that bill. The beauty of polls, is that everyone has a different opinion, and obviously it is different from yours. But why think that it is skewed because it is different than how you would see it? _

You told me all I need to know... vote each time you log in... that is what I thought... poll = useless information.

The majority of people who responded in writing made very compelling arguments as to why ULM/UL is not a rivalry. Those that gave arguments to the contrary gave arguments like yours... "well, I do not know who else to pick, so therefore it must be ULM". We have no current rival. We are in the formation, and I do not like what we are doing. That does not make me right... you are right on that point. I am, as you are, expressing my opinion. And sometimes, and please forgive me, I like my opinion. I live my life looking for better opinions and readily adapt to them when they are backed with intelligence.

A rivalry is created by a broad emotionally based attitude that has to be reciprocated by both school's fans. UL has had virtually no success in the past 10 years. Other state schools are riding their pinnacle and letting us know all about it. They average fan attendence no better than us. That tells me something about what we would do if our leadership got its act together.

I do see us getting "stuck" with forming a rivalry with ULM. I just cannot wait. What a magnificient achievement. UL can be at its bottom and still get a bigger crowd to show up for the opening season home game than any of the rest. Of course, we never sustain our momentum. WE ARE OUR OWN RIVAL.

We have much more to work with, but have yet to tap into it. The leadership has to kick azz and get going. Everyone else is tapping into their resources fairly intelligently (ie Tech) and they have nothing compared to what UL has to work with (except intelligence). ULM should not be keeping up with UL in football.

I would rather have no rival than "settle". But, that is my opinion, and I must be sliding into the minority year after year, just as the state planned and executed.