The Book 2008 Football

[Hammer58]

_ I don't believe I fell for any "hype" concerning this game.

Players and coaches on both sides expressed interest in bringing back the trophy for this game. And you might not believe it's a "rivalry" game, but ULM is the closest thing UL currently has to a "rival" on the schedule year-in, year-out, and vice-versa.

Again, just ask the players and coaches from both sides. Their words carry this story.

Sorry you guys don't agree. _

This wasn't even being discussed until the Gannet moanroe paper dredged it up. I don't doubt the players and coaches would respond that way when framed in the context of playing former team mates. I bet you would get the same response concernign LaTech. But from a UL fan's perspective it has not caught on as a rivalry regardless of how much the moanroe fans and admin as well as the conference office would like to push it. Its a one-sided quest. Ask Jay for his perspective on the subject. As he discussed on his show Friday, Troy is becoming one of our more heated rivals. We have a good, friendly rivalry with MT as well.

[Jeaux]

I fail to see the rivalry angle in this one. To me a rivalry is a mutual hatred between two school involving everyone; Coaches, players, student, fans and sometimes even faculty. Michigan-Ohio State, Texas-Oklahoma, Army-Navy Southern-Grambling; these are examples of real rivalry. It's a game where the records don't even matter.

A good question would be will I be talking about this game at the end of the year.

If the Cajuns win but tank the rest of the year - No

If the Cajuns loss but run the Table w/ Conf. Champ will this game stick out to me as a fan - No

That's why it doesn't feel like a rivalry to me. It all seems manufactured. That said, I hope the Cajuns beat the Hoax and start the conference out right.

[Frenchie35]

_ I was under the impression that this was his last year with the exception of 2 incentive years meaning if he was to have a winning season he'd get a 1 yr extension and if he won conference, he'd get a 2 yr extension _

You are right. He has to have a winning season. If not he can be released. A winning season gets him an incentive. A conference win gets an incentive. A bowl gets him and incentive. If the first don't happen than the conference and bowl is a pipe dream. He can get canned without any pay......so win baby, win......

[Parrott]

_ This wasn't even being discussed until the Gannet moanroe paper dredged it up. I don't doubt the players and coaches would respond that way when framed in the context of playing former team mates. I bet you would get the same response concernign LaTech. But from a UL fan's perspective it has not caught on as a rivalry regardless of how much the moanroe fans and admin as well as the conference office would like to push it. Its a one-sided quest. Ask Jay for his perspective on the subject. As he discussed on his show Friday, Troy is becoming one of our more heated rivals. We have a good, friendly rivalry with MT as well. _

Hammer, first off, I respect you and your opinion. In some cases we'll have to agree to disagree.

ULM and UL are both instate schools, share similar recruiting ground and are members of the same conference. Players and coaches from both sides know each other. The series goes back to 1951. It's a close series, 23-20 for ULM. There's some history that cannot be ignored.

But I agree that those facts alone do not make ULM the biggest, all-time rival for UL. But for now, ULM is the lone instate opponent on UL's schedule every year.

[Zeebart21]

_ I fail to see the rivalry angle in this one. To me a rivalry is a mutual hatred between two school involving everyone; Coaches, players, student, fans and sometimes even faculty. Michigan-Ohio State, Texas-Oklahoma, Army-Navy Southern-Grambling; these are examples of real rivalry. It's a game where the records don't even matter.

A good question would be will I be talking about this game at the end of the year.

If the Cajuns win but tank the rest of the year - No

If the Cajuns loss but run the Table w/ Conf. Champ will this game stick out to me as a fan - No

That's why it doesn't feel like a rivalry to me. It all seems manufactured. That said, I hope the Cajuns beat the Hoax and start the conference out right. _

A wise man once told me, "our biggest rival is the next team we play"

Next weekend our biggest rival resides in Denton, TX

Z

[Jeaux]

_ A wise man once told me, "our biggest rival is the next team we play"

Next weekend our biggest rival resides in Denton, TX

Z _

What trophy are they gonna find in the back AD's filing cabinet for that game? We must have left something behind the last time we were in Denton. A glove, a jockstrap. That's it. They can bronze a jockstrap and we can settle it on the field. Loser has to keep the ugly thing.

[CajunZ1]

ULM and UL are both instate schools, share similar recruiting ground and are members of the same conference. Players and coaches from both sides know each other. The series goes back to 1951. It's a close series, 23-20 for ULM. There's some history that cannot be ignored.

I agree. ULM is a rival. Some people don't like it because I guess they feel we're "better" than them. Results in football speak for themselves. Until we consistantly beat them, get into another conference, and stop playing them every year, ULM will be our biggest rival. Why can't we embrace this situation instead of pretending it doesn't exist?

[Just1More]

_ This wasn't even being discussed until the Gannet moanroe paper dredged it up. I don't doubt the players and coaches would respond that way when framed in the context of playing former team mates. I bet you would get the same response concernign LaTech. But from a UL fan's perspective it has not caught on as a rivalry regardless of how much the moanroe fans and admin as well as the conference office would like to push it. Its a one-sided quest. Ask Jay for his perspective on the subject. As he discussed on his show Friday, Troy is becoming one of our more heated rivals. We have a good, friendly rivalry with MT as well. _

You are right, but I can see Josh defending his vantage point. Unfortunately, a minor few in our coaching staff, a fairly large group of players, and some of our younger alumni have been led along the low path to ULM as a UL rival in the past decade. How would Josh see it any different?

As for the larger, both active and inactive UL fanbase, with 95% of the financial capability of making a difference for UL football... we do not considerate ULM a rival. That being the case, one vital leg of the rivalry formula is missing... and by definition... it ain't a rivalry.

I think I know what the definition of a rivalry is.... I just want to beat the crap out of EVERYONE we play... what is that called?

[cajun4life]

_ What you don't understand is that we don't have the athletic budget of a UNC who can go out and do this. Just a couple of years ago, our entire athletic budget was 7 million dollars. We had the next to lowest athletic budget in all of D-1 programs. Where do you expect these dollars to come from? We are in the process of instituting the RCAF but last I heard, it wasn't official yet. Dr. A had driven away many of the people who did want to donate private dollars because he didn't want to allow them to dictate where those dollars went. We would love to insititute a student fee that would help with funding but first, that must be passed through the state university system and must be voted on by the students. We are open to your wisdom on how we can raise dollars through the university system but until then, we are hamstring with a less than adequate budget.

A budget that does not allow us to pay coaches whatever we like. Do I wish we could offer a head coach 700k? Absolutely. Until we are allowed to do so, we have to be able to "afford" a coach and his assistants he brings in. _

What everyone on this board and in Acadiana fails to understand that it is not UL's fault for the bidget being so low. Doc A did do great damage to the program but what have the fans done and the boosters done to support this program? No successful program relies solely on university funds. Hell I would go as far as saying 75% of programs are funded by private donation which consist of over 90% of their total athl;etic budget. Its time for our boosteres and fans to put up or shut up. The excuses are running very thin. Its LSU and the states fault, its Doc A's fault, that's all bull____ now. Those excuses have been thrown around for 20+ years, it OUR OWN DAMN FAULT THAT WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION.

[Zeebart21]

_ I agree. ULM is a rival. Some people don't like it because I guess they feel we're "better" than them. Results in football speak for themselves. Until we consistantly beat them, get into another conference, and stop playing them every year, ULM will be our biggest rival. Why can't we embrace this situation instead of pretending it doesn't exist? _

My young friend...ye' of the family of contrary brothers....the most famous being the "glass half empty, Metry Cajun"......

ULM can be your biggest rival till the end of time.,,,this dont make it so for the rest of us.

Z