UPC to Host Free Crawfish Boil Today Tonight, before the University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun basketball team lights up the scoreboard, students will have the chance to consume tray after tray of crawfish.
The Ragin’ Cajuns play Western Kentucky in a nationally-televised game airing at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2. Starting at 5:30 p.m., there will be a crawfish boil in the breezeway between the Cajundome and the convention center. Students also can enjoy free jambalaya and soft drinks by showing their student IDs. Students who are 21 can receive complimentary beer.
While the Cajuns’ performance on the court will take center stage, the students will help fuel the action, according to Union Program Council representatives.
“Pretty much the whole game is geared toward students and getting them there,” UPC President William Kellner said. “It’s kind of a special ordeal, and we see it as a really big chance to bring national publicity to the school. ESPN should be out there that day filming the crawfish boil. You can get your face on TV, and Mom and Dad can see you at home.”
Kellner said the pre-game experience is planned for the students’ benefit because they get to enjoy great food and then great basketball.
UPC member Joshua Sibille said the televised game gives a huge opportunity to promote UL on a national level. He said the attention will partially focus on the students before and during the game, so it will cast an important image of the university.
“We really want to get involved with ESPN, who’s covering the game,” Sibille said. “It’s the only college basketball game at that time that’s on national TV, so we’re hoping to get a lot of coverage. We’re going to try to get the anchors covering it to come eat with us.”
According to Pat Strong, UPC vice president, he will make sure everybody gets their crawfish and has a good time. He said he hopes the event will encourage student participation in future events.
“It’s almost a challenge to get everybody out there,” Strong said. “We shouldn’t want (the students) out there, they should want to go. It’s their school, too. It’s their basketball team, so it’s almost like a responsibility to be out there. It’s not like we’re 8-12 right now. University of Louisiana students have already shown enthusiastic support for the Cajuns this season. At press time, the Cajuns’ home record was 20-0. This record puts the Cajuns at seventh in the nation for home wins. Tonight, the students have the chance to support their team on national television, hopefully raising the victory toll another notch.”
“We’re really hoping to get a lot of student turnout,” Sibille said. “After the crawfish boil, we’re going to push everybody into the Cajundome next door. We’ve got some new things we’re going to try for this game, and we’re going to go over some stuff with the cheerleaders.”
Because the students play a major role in the game, they will be given a special entrance for tonight’s game.
“The Cajundome doors will open at 7:30 (p.m.), and (we) will have an entrance for students to go straight in from the crawfish boil,” Kellner said. “You can just go right in. We have a little side hatch.”
Kellner said UPC is paying for most of the events.
“Food services will be providing the food, Quintess Catering is providing the beer and, of course, the Cajundome is letting us use their area."
Tim Landry
VERMILION
Student Crawfish Boil 2003
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