UL athletics moving forward

[NewsCopy]

Walker says plan is in place to enhance athletics   UL athletic director David Walker is convinced that the Ragin' Cajun football program can be successful, and in the not-too-distant future. But he's equally convinced that success can be enhanced with the right marketing and the right funding, and he's planning steps to make sure his department does its part in those areas. Walker released a statement two days after the Cajuns completed a 3-9 season with a last-minute home loss to UL Monroe, affirming the school's commitment to head coach Rickey Bustle and his staff. "It was my idea," Walker said of the statement. "There was speculation out there over whether Rickey would return, and we wanted to send the message that the foundation they've laid will allow us to be successful on a continuing basis." "It means a lot to have their backing," said Bustle, whose current contract runs through Jan. 31, 2011. "We think we've brought a lot more expectation to this program, and I'm excited they feel like we're the ones that can get that done." The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[cajunfan96]

Is this a #@$#@ Joke! People are very aware of the program and the mismanagement of the athletic dept. Excellent start to your marketing campaign when Walker gives a vote of confidence to a losing coach. You cannot expect people to help you when you are not giving a true effort to help yourself

They should be reaching out to our loyal fans and the fans we have lost over the years of neglect.

[AstroCajun]

They should be reaching out to our loyal fans and the fans we have lost over the years of neglect.

Let's hear your plan, then.

[cajungirl23]

_ Is this a #@$#@ Joke! People are very aware of the program and the mismanagement of the athletic dept. Excellent start to your marketing campaign when Walker gives a vote of confidence to a losing coach. You cannot expect people to help you when you are not giving a true effort to help yourself

They should be reaching out to our loyal fans and the fans we have lost over the years of neglect. _

As disappointing of a season it has been, now is not the time to fire our coach and look to hire a new one. I hate the "give it time" excuse just as much as anyone else, but it works at this time. Possibly by the end of the day today, there will be a new president named for the University. Athletic funding has just now reached the point where it is starting to increase. There will be a new fundraising effort in place to raise private funds. I think we will be in a much better position in a year or two, if necessary, to replace a head football coach. We will be able to offer more in the way of salary, and just more money in general will be put into athletics. I am and always will be a Ragin Cajun supporter and know that there are good changes that will be coming to the Athletics Department.

[cajunfan96]

_ Let's hear your plan, then. _

This man(Walker) gets paid good money to come up with a plan. A great marketing plan/spin plan is probably above the heads of the current staff. We need to get this right before we lose another generation of potential fans.

[Cajun Express]

_ This man(Walker) gets paid good money to come up with a plan. A great marketing plan/spin plan is probably above the heads of the current staff. We need to get this right before we lose another generation of potential fans. _

We are retaining Coach Bustle this year. So he is our coach, now it the time to back him. Further negative comments are not helping. It would be stupid for David Walker, after making the decision to retain the coach to not back the coach. If he did that I would be insulted, not the other way around

As AD it is not his job to come up with marketing. It is his job to run things, and it is his job to find somebody, like Scott Farmer who we just got this year, to market things. Scott has many ideas that he has talked about to tailgaters and on KPEL radio. They sounded very much like things we can and need to do to me.

[cajunfan96]

I sure hope you are right. Alot of these people we need to bring back or turn into fans do not tailgate, listen to kpel, or visit this board. If we have a plan, then we need to tell someone. I will continue to buy my season tickets and contribute to the "Athletic foundation or board" . Godspeed Cajunfans!

[LaGrid]

_ Is this a #@$#@ Joke! People are very aware of the program and the mismanagement of the athletic dept. Excellent start to your marketing campaign when Walker gives a vote of confidence to a losing coach. You cannot expect people to help you when you are not giving a true effort to help yourself

They should be reaching out to our loyal fans and the fans we have lost over the years of neglect. _

We at a point in the year when if you not positive you negative. You negative.

[ImperialCajun]

I went to the Lady Fast Pitch fan appreciation day at U.L. this past Friday and G. Hebert spoke and if I understood correctly, Our Athletic budget for next school year will be twice what it is this year.
Secondly, Now that the man (Bustle) has returned our program to a point of stability, lets see if he can get them to the next level. If you look back on our History there really are not a lot of great teams and I think that is good thing to remember. I have been building a business for over 12 years and though my business is not an overnight success, I am almost to the next level ( a second business ). Sometimes it takes longer than we want and if you keep reshuffling the deck, then you are constantly starting over instead of increasing your odds for success. Please give the man a little more time.
Thirdly, I've read on here several times about ya'll knowing of people who would support the school if only they were asked. Please do not tell us, please call Gerald Hebert at the Alumni Office and let him take it from there. But, then you wouldn't be able to B$%@#!!!

[ImperialCajun]

Also, G. Hebert said that they are forming an athletic foundation and more news of this should be out soon.

[cajun tom]

_ Also, G. Hebert said that they are forming an athletic foundation and more news of this should be out soon. _

Until they get an athletic foundation form, and have about 20 million dollars in it,they are spinning their wheels.

[IHateLaState]

_ Is this a #@$#@ Joke! People are very aware of the program and the mismanagement of the athletic dept. Excellent start to your marketing campaign when Walker gives a vote of confidence to a losing coach. You cannot expect people to help you when you are not giving a true effort to help yourself

They should be reaching out to our loyal fans and the fans we have lost over the years of neglect. _

Dude, I was loud and out front about there needing to be a coaching change. i still wish they had. But they did not. I am a Cajun fan and for me that means supporting Coach Bustle now...

Let's see what happens

[Just1More]

We're past Bustle being in or out. He is in. That being the case, he has my full backing. Let's take that experienced, not-so-youthful-team-anymore, a few JUCOs thrown in the mix and kick some butt next year.

As for the new marketing campaign and funding... I will reserve judgement (and a check) when I hear how this is being done. They need to use the advice of a real college athletics marketing guru, leave their own opinions at the curb, and get this show on the road... like pronto.