The Book 2008 Football

[cajun4life]

_ I'd also like to add that your team would get more respect had you been kicking ass since '03. The fact is that nothing has changed. You still only won 3 games while playing in the worst conference in America. _

What does that say for CUSA who has lost the head to head match-ups against the Belt the past two seasons. I know you guys have not lost to a Belt team in 10 tries or so but that's not the point. You guys (CUSA) are so hung up on the reputation of a cenference that was built on teams that are now in the Big East. Get real, USM is a good team no doubt, will we win? Probably not, but can we win? I am 100% sure that we can win, but it will be a matter of exicution.

Now when we do win, I guess we will just have to find another school to play because you guys will take your ball and go home, just like Houston did in '06.

[rhineaux]

_ You don't seem to understand. We're not just looking at 1 game. We've played each other 50 times. USM has won 77% of those games, and more times than not it was a complete blowout.

Not only that, but your team has no way to prepare for ours. You have game tape to see what we're going to do, so it's going to be a guessing game. Since your team is pretty young, it's going to be difficult for them to adapt in real time. I can almost guarantee that we're going to come out and completely baffle your players and coaches in the first half. It will be interesting to see if you can adapt and recover in the 2nd half. _

Not that I really want to enter myself into this converstation...It's like the Democrats and Republicans, we're all nice guys and we'd all probably get along most of the time, but when it comes time to talk about our respective interests, one will never convince the other to buy into the opposing thoughts. That being said, while there has been some tension this week, I hope that all of you Eagles keep stopping in from here on out and saying hello every once in a while. Its always nice to get a perspective from another school in a totally different situation.

I think you and Zeph both have good arguments. Sure, USM has owned UL in Football in the past years, and while that should give you some confidence, I think it's important to realize that neither team is the same as any team that played before. But, GoEagles, I must say that with all of this talk about history, I kinda feel like I need to give you a hard time about the above statements. If a lot of your confidence is stemming from history, then the above statements don't really mean anything. Your coach, his system, etc., has absolutely no history. As far as I know, there is no real evidence to say how well this new coaching staff will perform, nor how well the current players will fit into the system. You obviously know more about the makeup of your roster than I do, so perhaps I'm wrong. But I think that it's important to remember that while your coach currently has far fewer losses than ours as a D-1 Head Coach, he also has far fewer wins.

[DestinCajun]

My pleasure, Jerry.

I don't think it was the answer he was expecting. _

Seinfeld?

I lost the thread where you asked me "what if" I awoke one morning and UL was a BCS program and I just couldn't leave that question hanging out there. You see, there's always the possibility I could plant a magic bean, climb the stalk and take the giant's gold. Too, I might catch a leprechaun and take his gold or find even track down the end of a rainbow and get that pot of gold. I could even wake up one moring clutching a winning lottery ticket. Stuff does happen.

The basic problem with the BCS is that it is unAmerican. It's an economic caste system designed to exclude some and allow others to hoard all the gold. Americans use to fight those things.

No, I'm like Fun and his fair weather fans, I don't want to see us in the BCS. I'd prefer the whole system be reformed somehow to make it into what it should be. Of course, you would then have to pinch me and wake me out of that dream becasue that's what it would be.

[billbeck451]

I just spoke to a very helpful person at the USM ticket office, and they have nearly 10,000 tickets available for Saturday and was told that it should be no problem to get tickets Sat. morning.

He did say that before 2 tickets would be available at the ticket office on 4th st and after 2 at the gates at the stadium

now I'm ready for some good friends, good food, good drinks, a leakproof flask and some football

[cajun4ever]

Just got 4. Nothing left in section Q or P but got 1st row PP right above the rest of the Cajun fans for $20 each.

[cajun4ever]

Me and 2 other former players and Como of The Ice House are going!

[ulforlife]

I got 5 people in my car going see a big win this weekend!

[billbeck451]

3rd row PP - looks like they are putting most of our fans there now.

[GoEagles]

You classified our conference as "the worst in America." Don't change the subject, answer the question.

It's not my opinion. It's a fact.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbc08.htm

[GoEagles]

My pleasure, Jerry.

I don't think it was the answer he was expecting.

Sure it was. I knew our schedule was stronger.

[GoEagles]

What does that say for CUSA who has lost the head to head match-ups against the Belt the past two seasons. I know you guys have not lost to a Belt team in 10 tries or so but that's not the point. You guys (CUSA) are so hung up on the reputation of a cenference that was built on teams that are now in the Big East. Get real, USM is a good team no doubt, will we win? Probably not, but can we win? I am 100% sure that we can win, but it will be a matter of exicution.

Now when we do win, I guess we will just have to find another school to play because you guys will take your ball and go home, just like Houston did in '06.

It says that some of your better teams beat some of the lower CUSA teams. If CUSA did this, would you then proclaim CUSA to be better than the SEC?

USM 21, Ole Miss 20
UCF 35, Vandy 14
Tulane 14, MSU 10
Florida 48, Rice 21

I don't think you would, but that's exactly what you're trying to do. You can claim that your conference is better because you won a few random matchups.

And as the owner of 1/3 of all CUSA football championships that have been awarded, including 2 of the first 3, Southern Miss is the program that built CUSA. And as far as I know, we've yet to join the BE.

[cajun4ever]

Then section PP will have a couple of people who enjoy friends, food, football, and leakproof flasks. Sure is a lot of F's. I guess we can throw some females to look at in there too, it's a guys trip.

[GoEagles]

HAD one of the worst in 2007. Yep. Can't deny that.

But past performance is not indicative of future results, or at least thats what every financial prospectus and broker will tell you (as they are robbing you blind).

How's you run defense? I believe it will be Mr. Fenroy who will be keeping your offense on the sidelines. But that's just me.

I think that our defense is more than capable.

[Gossennator]

_ If we don't make a bowl game this year everyone will be calling for bustle to go. If we have to keep him around because of the contract there will be no more fan support. Hopefully we make a bowl and everything will be ok for Bustle and UL Football. _

I agree,
I hope Bustle can turn this program around...we need fan support..we would get so much more support if we got a bowl game.

[cajun4life]

_ It says that some of your better teams beat some of the lower CUSA teams. If CUSA did this, would you then proclaim CUSA to be better than the SEC?

USM 21, Ole Miss 20
UCF 35, Vandy 14
Tulane 14, MSU 10
Florida 48, Rice 21

I don't think you would, but that's exactly what you're trying to do. You can claim that your conference is better because you won a few random matchups.

And as the owner of 1/3 of all CUSA football championships that have been awarded, including 2 of the first 3, Southern Miss is the program that built CUSA. And as far as I know, we've yet to join the BE. _

Louisville, Cinci, and USF built CUSA into the power that it now. USM played a role but don't kid yourself. USM is not and has not been the class of CUSA for some time. Respectable program for sure but no where near what you think they are. If they were then you would hear much more about them, kind of like Boise, Utah, Frsno, Nevada, Hawaii in the west an ECU and UCF in your own conference.