We are in the Bustle II Era

[Go_UL]

Looks like a lot of us are satisfied with low expectations

Not low expectations, just realistic. no pie in the sky.

[CAJUN_LXA685]

_ Not low expectations, just realistic. no pie in the sky. _

Do you think any great programs or great athletes just went for "realistic"? No they went for that "pie in the sky" and were not satisfied till they got it.

[RaginCajun77]

Before the beginning of this season, just what exactly were our expectations? We knew Fenroy, Des and Cherry had moved on and were faced with a schedule playing three BCS schools and an improved Sunbelt. So... after ten games into the season, we still have a chance for 7-5. Who'd have thunk that? We lost two games that we should have won (Florida games), but won two games we should have lost (KSU and ASU).

Had we just WON at FIU.....................

Anyway, my point is that we are about where many of us thought we would be.

No, we are not healthy right now, just like last year at this point in the season. But if we can find a way to win shorthanded on the road at ASU, we can certainly do the same at home against ULM. They're not exactly healthy either.

We didn't win more than 6 games with Desormeaux, Fenroy, and Chery and they were playmakers. So that argument doesn't hold water. The Sunbelt will continue to improve and either we improve along with it or we will be a bottom of the conference team. It is time to quit justifying mediocrity and call a spade a spade.

[UL Alum93]

I'm almost willing to take an "L" for the next 2 just to see him go, sad day when I think two home games are worth the sacrifice, but that's what it has come to. I've never had this much lack of excitement with our team at this point in the season, but the homecoming game just did me in, Bustle has to go, it is all business, the product he brings has reached it's limit, thanks for what you have brought us to, nothing personnal, but time to move on....winning 5 games next year with an exciting new head coach with some promise is better than what we have to look forward to with Bustle....

Come on AD make a statement in our "hungry for a winner" community, we have the money to support you, you build it we will come!!

[MetryCajun]

_ I'm almost willing to take an "L" for the next 2 just to see him go, sad day when I think two home games are worth the sacrifice, but that's what it has come to. I've never had this much lack of excitement with our team at this point in the season, but the homecoming game just did me in, Bustle has to go, it is all business, the product he brings has reached it's limit, thanks for what you have brought us to, nothing personnal, but time to move on....winning 5 games next year with an exciting new head coach with some promise is better than what we have to look forward to with Bustle....

Come on AD make a statement in our "hungry for a winner" community, we have the money to support you, you build it we will come!! _

5 wins and he should go. However, I had to chuckle at your lack of excitement this late in the season comment. When did you start watching....2002? If we somehow win these next 2 it will be our best season in over 15 year. Even if we don't win it will be better than most seasons we have had.

This year has been tough because there is no continuity. One week we play well on D and win, the next we get blown out, after that we play well on O but the D lets us down. There is nothing to hang your hat on with this team.

I think the obit of this season will be: The team that could never put it together.

[CrazyCajun]

I'm almost willing to take an "L" for the next 2 just to see him go, sad day when I think two home games are worth the sacrifice, but that's what it has come to.

Come on AD make a statement in our "hungry for a winner" community, we have the money to support you, you build it we will come!!

you are an idiot, why dont you go tell all the seniors that you hopw they lose their last 2 games as cajuns and most of them the last 2 ever.thats the dumbest thing i have ever heard.i mean seriously why dont you go to the complex and look zanders in the eye and tell him you hope he loses. then tell him its just business.

igeaux.mobi

[USLJim]

_ Looks like a lot of us are satisfied with low expectations

For the size of this university, the size of this area, and the money in this town, we are grossly underacheiving......... _

You are right,"with the money in this town" and no one is willing to GIVE TO THE RCAF.

That is me preaching again. NUMBERS GUYS, we need RCAF members and donations to be successful. Put all things aside and let's start doing something about it.

GEAUX CAJUNS.

[Turbine]

_ I'm almost willing to take an "L" for the next 2 just to see him go, sad day when I think two home games are worth the sacrifice,

Glad you said almost.

For me it is much more important for long term success to have non losing seasons or better on the UL resume than to allow slash and burn tactics to get a desired (but not guaranteed) results.

[Just1More]

_ Before the beginning of this season, just what exactly were our expectations? We knew Fenroy, Des and Cherry had moved on and were faced with a schedule playing three BCS schools and an improved Sunbelt. So... after ten games into the season, we still have a chance for 7-5. Who'd have thunk that? We lost two games that we should have won (Florida games), but won two games we should have lost (KSU and ASU).

Had we just WON at FIU.....................

Anyway, my point is that we are about where many of us thought we would be.

No, we are not healthy right now, just like last year at this point in the season. But if we can find a way to win shorthanded on the road at ASU, we can certainly do the same at home against ULM. They're not exactly healthy either. _

This "expectation theory" being a supporting factor for Bustle's retention is hollow. First, I am in agreement to keeping Bustle if we are not going to make a leap upward in quality (and cost) for the next coaching staff. "Change" is a non specific empty proposition that has absolutely no implication of improvement, much less a guarantee of it. "Change" that is not defined first by a requirement for improvement can be more damaging than doing nothing.

We are getting notorious for looking at what little is in the pantry and saying, "hey, considering how empty the cubbard is this year, we did pretty good to get a meal half the time." The issue isn't that you compare preseason expectations (created by a mixture of poor prior recruiting, coaching and performance) and then say you did good "compared to expectations". The same folks that prepared and served the meal, are the same folks who didn't stock the cubbard. Unfortunately, cubbard management is far more than the head coach alone. Unfortunately, when college football goes bad, the protocol is to fire the HC. The entity most responsible for our future football success is the president of the university.

I think Bustle is a fine guy and I am very sorry he and UL, in this place and time, cannot completely overcome the damage our former president did to UL football. But, make very certain of one thing, I am not impressed one bit by a new president firing any subordinates and just "replacing them"... hoping to placate the ignorant group that believes you can simply "replace something" and get an "improved something". If they do not drastically improve things, we all need to stop blaming the coach... and start revolting against the management.

"Matching" our cellar-dwelling preseason expectations is not acceptable.

Geaux Cajuns! Clobber ULM!

[Turbine]

Fear of change because there are no guarantees should no be a road bump to change.

Credit for Bustle bringing the program back for the depths ended in 2006 when his first regime (Bustle I) was fired. Any mention of it now is a walk down memory lane and should not be confused with current events.

Bustle II (his 2nd stint at UL) and his success or failure rate should only be judged by the program he inherited. He 2007 the start of his 2nd stint he inherited a 6-6 program from 2006 the year all his top assistants were fired. That is what he and his staff should be measured against.

The question for me is this; is 3 years enough to judge the forward movement of a program? I certainly can't judge him from where he has come since 2007 since the terrible year of 2007 just proved the regime change from 2006 was a failure, a mistake.

I don't think a progress visual need resemble an incline. While an incline would be preferable, I expect a progress graft to look like an upward bound staircase. Another 6-6 record would be a plateau but still a solid step preparing for the next round of improvement.

A 7-5 record would be an incline and much more desirable.

A 5-7 record now would be a step back and a step back 3 years into your second try is unacceptable.

Having said that I think this team is more than capable of winning the next 2 games and then a 3rd. If the staff will pull out all stops and coach like there is no tomorrow they will succeed.

[CajunZ1]

Question, if we win out (unlikely but possible) and MT wins out (likely) that means we'd be the third SBC team in line for a bowl. Will there be 3 spots? Or is it too soon to tell?
igeaux.mobi

[AstroCajun]

_ Question, if we win out (unlikely but possible) and MT wins out (likely) that means we'd be the third SBC team in line for a bowl. Will there be 3 spots? Or is it too soon to tell?
igeaux.mobi _

There is no line. The sunbelt has one bowl tie in, period.

The only thing else it has is a MOU/wink-and-a-nod to fill three others - (assuming of course, that the moon is in the second house, Jupiter aligns with Mars, Arnaud's restaurant secretly switches the gourmet coffee it normally serves with Folgers, and...)

7-5 and lots of prayer is what it'll take this year.

That, and Troy convincing the NO bowl to let it out for a bigger pay day closer to home.