Louisiana mentioned in Pat Forde preview article

[CajunRage]

Other than the Rose, Sugar, Orange, Fiesta, Capital One, Outback and maybe one or two more that will never have an open spot, what other Bowls would realistically be bigger than the NOLA Bowl? Especially when considering location and expense involved.

The NOLA bowl still has the image of a "nobody bowl". There are several bowls that are better than NOLA bowl. Would it be an overwhelming Cajun crowd like in New Orleans? No, but winning the NOLA bowl 10 years in a row won't do as much good as winning a couple of the more prestigious bowls.

[Duggie35]

The NOLA bowl still has the image of a "nobody bowl"

I think the NOLA Bowls image has improved greatly over the past few years. It should continue to improve as long as quality teams (UL, etc) continue to participate.

[CajunRage]

I think the NOLA Bowls image has improved greatly over the past few years. It should continue to improve as long as quality teams (UL, etc) continue to participate.

We can agree to disagree, but until is moves to after Christmas day, it will never be a "big time bowl".

[Duggie35]

We can agree to disagree, but until is moves to after Christmas day, it will never be a "big time bowl".

I agree with you in some respects, but I really think that the few other Bowls that UL would realistically have a chance of getting into, would not be Bigger from a financial perspective (and isn't everything really about money).
But from a fans point of view, I don't have a problem with traveling to a different venue to see the Cajuns play. Even if virtually all of those other potential venues would be a downgrade from the Super Dome.

[ATXCajun]

We can agree to disagree, but until is moves to after Christmas day, it will never be a "big time bowl".

There are a number of crappy bowls after Christmas, including the GoDaddy. One thing I like about the NO Bowl is that it kicks off the bowl season. I think viewership is good because people are ready for more football after a short drought. NO Bowl teams get featured pretty well. As you get closer to the NC game, they spend the whole game and the halftime talking about the NC matchup. I guess that will be different this year. There might be so much playoff hoopla that all of these consolation bowls become a platform for talking about the playoff system and matchups.

[Bigbuf]

We can agree to disagree, but until is moves to after Christmas day, it will never be a "big time bowl".

the problem is that the chances are against us to get a "big time bowl". they are all tied to conferences. not only that but it needs to be a bowl that we would travel to...just think of the up roar if we pass up NOLA for the Pinstripe Bowl. So stay in the region. Let start with Houston. the car care bowl goes #6 Big 10 and 12. when is the last time they had less than 6 bowl eligible teams. Dallas Big 10 #7 and CUSA #4. great bowl if we were in CUSA but just like the car care bowl we have to count on a major off year of the ENTIRE NCAA FBS and a season like we have never had before to even sniff at those and many other bowls. Don't get me wrong I think it can and will be done....just not at THIS time and THIS conference.

UL's brand does not have the clout YET that is needed to be in the running with ANY of the power conferences or ANY of the perennial mid major power houses. in sort it takes more than three pretty good years to be given a seat at anything other than the kids table for the holidays.

[ulXrunner]

[QUOTE=ccap05;686912]Don't mean to be stupid, but what Bowls would be in realistic sight if we end up losing 1-3 games with a win over Ole Miss and/or Boise? I assume if the Cajuns are undefeated then the Cotton Bowl is a possibility but that would depend on a perfect season. Also, I tried to post a comment on the SI Blog but had no luck signing up (maybe Boomer can give me a few tips).[/

I'm not sure, my point is its time to show that we can travel other places but NO

[CajunRage]

All good points. Main point is that we need to keep our options open and not jump on the Nola bowl immediately upon invitation. They want us every year. See what else is out there.

[Just1More]

Bowls are contracted to various leagues. If there are at large slots open at the end of the season, it's doubtful any of the openings would be any better or more prestigious than New Orleans.

The only way you get into a big time bowl is to run the table and be the highest rated school not in the big five conferences.

Barring that, New Orleans, Camellia or GoDaddy would be the most likely choices.

That's a good summary of facts. I think some people are leaning toward not just the "prestige" of an at-large opening versus the NO Bowl... but the arguable benefit of taking on a new venue, testing our fan travel, and avoiding being labeled "they only travel well to New Orleans".

Others believe that we'll somehow get annointed a better opponent in these at-large opportunities. I can understand their thinking... but there are other issues to consider... not to mention we won't necessarily get a better, well-known opponent. One of those considerations is the waiting game that will always be involved in that at-large circumstance. It isn't just IF the NO Bowl will wait for us (everyone believing they will)... it is a matter of making accomodations. We want to travel really well for this ficticious great match-up at this ficticious better bowl... but if we do not have good advanced ticket and travel... we are not going to travel well. And if that bowl date isn't on a weekend... it will change things a lot more than Cajun fans think.

Besides this automatic assumption that we'll travel well and that the opponent will be a more prestigious opponent... they also add that we will beat this other opponent. I'm not saying we have a better or worse chance of winning against the NO Bowl opponent or any other opponent. But, I think it's kind of silly that every consideration of another bowl game... people talk as if the outcome will be a WIN... automatically... and we will get all of this national notoriety for that outcome.

Everyone wants a more "prestigious bowl". Everyone wants us to beat a more well regarded opponent. Everyone wants to prove we travel well to places not named New Orleans. We get that. But... like you said... the most likely way for us to do that... is for us to run the table. Just about anything short of that... and we are looking at our tie-in bowls... until and unless we get our of the SBC... and the best tie-in is still called the New Orleans Bowl.

[CajunJack55]

until and unless we get out of the SBC

Ding Ding Ding..we have a winner!