New Orleans Bowl

[Bigbuf]

Z, I told them I wanted the "Zeebart rate" and they told me they don't rent by the hour to male prostitutes. What's up with that?

I thought you wore thongs!

[Ragin' Realtor]

I just booked at the Hyatt for Friday and Sat night! Celebrate birthday on Fri night, bowl on sat, gonna be a great weekend!

[ULGrad@HOU]

I love you brother, but you are wrong this year. You keep talking about hypothetical "better opponents". We are not set up for a "better opponent" bowl invite. You keep acting like waiting gets you some smorgasbord of choices. That just isn't reality. We have an extremely narrow window of invites. And we have no say-so on opponents. Playing this waiting game is riddled with flaws. Making early bowl commitments massively increases the probability of our fans being able to travel. Setting aside the venue (and you can't name a venue that we're in the running for that's better than NO), this "better opponent" is nonsense. When you start considering bowls that are open to us, due to an unfulfilled commitment by X conference, it means they were picking from the last on that conference's list. That also means the other opponent in that bowl is usually the lowest qualifier in their conference.

You need to stop talking about the hypothetical better bowl opponent matchup. It doesn't work like that. And waiting until the last slots are filled, which is the only other possibility out there that "might" match us up with a so-called "better opponent" is nonsense. You've been given outstanding explanations of why you are incorrect, with certainty, this year.

And quit acting like you're only arguing with people in love with the NO Bowl. Leave that out of the argument. We are talking about the value to us, all the way around, versus the other realistic options. It isn't even in question this year. We have to have a super, out of this world regular season, that just can't be denied by "better bowls" with those nebulous "better opponents" you'd like to see. Quit saying, "but guys... it would be better for our program to play a better opponent, even if there's a cost.". We are past the "cost -fun, easy travel, New Orleans" argument. There are no better opponent bowls for us this year! You don't get to wait and pick when you are us, in the SBC!

I don't mind going against the tide here. I know what I'm saying is right. Maybe I'm not saying it in the right fashion or as eloquent as others like my friend J1M. But there is not doubt in my mind to elevate this UL program to a higher level of recognition, which is what I want (others I don't think so), we must play opponents that have an already established brand name and then beat them. We are not going to do that by beating Sun Belt teams, or CUSA teams. If, and I said it more than once....If there would be an opportunity to play a better opponent, then we MUST look at it and not just have blinders on, accepting a bowl bid as soon as it's given just so we get one, with the fear (yes that's what it is) of not getting to one. Where did I say we would have a smorgasbord of choices? It may be one. Maybe that's all we need. Do I have a specific one? No, we just don't know at this point, and that includes you.
J1M, I did not give any hypotheticals of bowls, I gave a hypothetical of next year's record being 7-0, and people jumping on the NO Bowl train too soon. Again, I said this also, maybe not this year, but I'm trying to generate the notion of considering more than the NO Bowl against a team that has no respect nationally (tulame is not a respectable team VObserver on a national scale, that is just ridiculous). Turbine, 9 is your number for building the brand? Do you really think we are going to win 9 NO Bowls in a row? Where does travel diversity come from? I said nothing about that. The NO Bowl is a great venue for our fans, I love it too. For those that think winning a bunch of NO Bowls is the trick that will get us to national recognition, you are dreaming. Have you even considered, what if we lose to tulame? I know, not probable, but it could happen. Then how does that look to recruits? So many think winning the game get's the recruits, what does losing do? It's more than that. It's about the whole program, not a recruit.
I'm just repeating myself at this point, so I won't continue press the point that there is more than just the NO Bowl (and yes, I am speaking to some that think it is all about going to New Orleans, just having a blast and not thinking about getting this program to a higher level). I won't respond to mis-quotes, I'm done for now on the subject.
Once more, REPEAT: might not be this year, but it's something to think about in the near future.

Geaux UL!

[CrazyCajun]

I don't mind going against the tide here. I know what I'm saying is right. Maybe I'm not saying it in the right fashion or as eloquent as others like my friend J1M. But there is not doubt in my mind to elevate this UL program to a higher level of recognition, which is what I want (others I don't think so), we must play opponents that have an already established brand name and then beat them. We are not going to do that by beating Sun Belt teams, or CUSA teams. If, and I said it more than once....If there would be an opportunity to play a better opponent, then we MUST look at it and not just have blinders on, accepting a bowl bid as soon as it's given just so we get one, with the fear (yes that's what it is) of not getting to one. Where did I say we would have a smorgasbord of choices? It may be one. Maybe that's all we need. Do I have a specific one? No, we just don't know at this point, and that includes you.
J1M, I did not give any hypotheticals of bowls, I gave a hypothetical of next year's record being 7-0, and people jumping on the NO Bowl train too soon. Again, I said this also, maybe not this year, but I'm trying to generate the notion of considering more than the NO Bowl against a team that has no respect nationally (tulame is not a respectable team VObserver on a national scale, that is just ridiculous). Turbine, 9 is your number for building the brand? Do you really think we are going to win 9 NO Bowls in a row? Where does travel diversity come from? I said nothing about that. The NO Bowl is a great venue for our fans, I love it too. For those that think winning a bunch of NO Bowls is the trick that will get us to national recognition, you are dreaming. Have you even considered, what if we lose to tulame? I know, not probable, but it could happen. Then how does that look to recruits? So many think winning the game get's the recruits, what does losing do? It's more than that. It's about the whole program, not a recruit.
I'm just repeating myself at this point, so I won't continue press the point that there is more than just the NO Bowl (and yes, I am speaking to some that think it is all about going to New Orleans, just having a blast and not thinking about getting this program to a higher level). I won't respond to mis-quotes, I'm done for now on the subject.
Once more, REPEAT: might not be this year, but it's something to think about in the near future.

Geaux UL!

We had 2 opportunities to beat better opponents this year... We didn't. We have 2 opportunities next year to beat better opponents... We will have to wait and see on that. Those opportunities are in our control. Waiting for some other bowl to hand us some other opportunity is not gonna happen at this point. You want the opportunity you are talking about? We need to take advantage of our opportunities given to us already, then we will be rewarded with the chance to do what you are seeking.

[GeauxCajuns]

We keep saying as soon as we get the invite we accept. I'm sure the school has been in contact with the bowl, and come to an agreement as when the best time to recieve the invitation. I don't think Nola bowl would just force the invitation on us once we get to 6 wins. I'm not saying its a hold out for better, but the (public) invitation may come later in the season, when everyone is getting geared up for bowls. JMO

Just don't think Nola bowl would hold us hostage

[CrazyCajun]

We keep saying as soon as we get the invite we accept. I'm sure the school has been in contact with the bowl, and come to an agreement as when the best time to recieve the invitation. I don't think Nola bowl would just force the invitation on us once we get to 6 wins. I'm not saying its a hold out for better, but the (public) invitation may come later in the season, when everyone is getting geared up for bowls. JMO

Just don't think Nola bowl would hold us hostage

I agree but what better time to accept than for the Troy game on espn? Also sounds like they will have a ground breaking ceremony for master plan. I think it would be smart to have the announcers talk about that for 3 hours, our past bowl success. I would hope the university and Nola bowl have talked about this as well.

[CajunRage]

We keep saying as soon as we get the invite we accept. I'm sure the school has been in contact with the bowl, and come to an agreement as when the best time to recieve the invitation. I don't think Nola bowl would just force the invitation on us once we get to 6 wins. I'm not saying its a hold out for better, but the (public) invitation may come later in the season, when everyone is getting geared up for bowls. JMO

Just don't think Nola bowl would hold us hostage

We need the invite to come early rather than later. We are still trying to capture the casual fan. NOLA bowl is on December 21st. The casual fan is not waiting to see if and where we go to a bowl in order to make their holiday plans. Get it out there and start promoting.

[TuffGuy84]

That was a BCS game. Both Boise and TCU busted that year.

I'm not referencing the BCS game because that's obvious. I'm talking about the 2008 Poinsettia Bowl. #11 and 10-2 TCU faced 12-0 and #9 ranked Boise in that bowl game. If I remember correctly, ESPN worked behind the scenes to get the teams together in that bowl game because I don't even believe those 2 conferences were contracted to meet in that game. With that said, on a smaller scale, they might want to push 2 contracted conference teams into a bowl game against each other to get a better match up for TV purposes. They would have to know they would need to sweeten the pot to make it work to make it worth it for us to miss out on New Orleans. If NIU isn't in that game, then I want no part of that bowl, and it's doubtful that ESPN would work to make it happen. This is why I say that it is a small percent chance, but not something for us to altogether ignore as a possibility.

[CrazyCajun]

I want zero part of godaddy... Day before national championship and nfl playoffs. Nobody will be watching that game. Give me the Saturday night of Nola bowl, it will be on at every Christmas party in America. On in every sports bar in America. Only game on and one of the first few bowls while bowl season is still of interest and everybody's bowl bracket is still a winner.

[Turbine]

We need the invite to come early rather than later. We are still trying to capture the casual fan. NOLA bowl is on December 21st. The casual fan is not waiting to see if and where we go to a bowl in order to make their holiday plans. Get it out there and start promoting.

Great point.