(2009) I'm the casual fan that has not been to Cajun Field in years

[Hammer58]

_ Chop you make some valid points but please don't let how one or two fans feels allow you to make up your mind. They have reasons for feeling the way they do that have nothing to do with you directly. So please don't take it personally, UL needs every fan it can get.

jmo

ps Remind me someday to state why Theater & Film need every sort of fan to make a movie successful. _

And all his valid points have to do with the admin and the product they put on the field. He needs to voice those complaints to the admin just as we have done. His complaint about the fans seems to be that there are some of us who have chosen to stay and try to change things for the better rather than walk away as he has done. Maybe I'm making an erroneous assumption but he sounds a lot like our wayward alumni who have gone east of the basin. In the case of those folks, I don't apologize for giving them the cold shoulder while they throw their support to another program.

I hope he comes back and begins to support UL again. He is correct that UL needs fans. He is also correct that there is a segment of our fan base that will show up and accept mediocrity. There is also a segment that is demanding more from the admin. He sounds like that is what he wants. So join us inholding their feet to the fire. But complaining to fans here without complaining to the admin will change nothing.

[RaginWaldo]

1. i can gaurantee the "20k fans" dont necessarily need this guy to speak for them maybe 100 or 200, but not all 20,000.
2. If mr. 30-40 something would get his chip off his shoulder like we need to roll out a red carpet for his lazy ass to get off his couch and come support his alumni then maybe i would support this post more, but all you seem to be in my eyes is a selfish whiny person who thinks the world revolves around them.

I am yet to see someone give a fan the cold shoulder for coming to the game. quit whining and go watch some Cajun football
Get over it, you're not THAT important guy.

[Turbine]

There is also a segment that is demanding more from the admin. He sounds like that is what he wants. So join us inholding their feet to the fire. But complaining to fans here without complaining to the admin will change nothing. _

Someone needs to be the UL HERO . not the zerO . I don't know what put that in my head.

[gridiron]

"You’ve got to break this cycle in your head that you deserve stuff. None of us deserve squat." -Dave Ramsey

http://twitter.com/jllanclos/status/6364548419

[CajunRed]

_ You started your post claiming the admin and the fans are the problem. You claim the fans give you the cold shoulder. Yet you give no example of what the fans did. You do point out many problems with the admin not creating an impression that they want success. I don't think you will find many here that disagree. However, your indignation at having to pay full price when showing up late is laughable. Name one program that does that. As for going to a Saints game 15 minutes before KO and still being inside for the KO that is stretching the truth a bit as well. In fact I think much of your post stretches the truth.

BTW, tailgating is not meant to be a substitute for some festival or Downtown Alive. It is meant as a pre-game activity; the operative word being GAME. If you are staying outside you weren't going to the game and supporting the team anyway so why should we care if you vow to never come back?

And again, I ask for an example of getting "the cold shoulder". The only people I ever see getting the "cold shoulder" at UL tailgating are those wearing the latest tanktops from WalMart. If that applies to you there is your answer. _

AWESOME comback to him. I admit, my "stay home" comment was not wy near as effective as yours. Maybe it will make him realize he is part of the problem instead of helping us solve it.

[gridiron]

_ AWESOME comback to him. I admit, my "stay home" comment was not wy near as effective as yours.

LOL You think?

[rhineaux]

_ Ok guys, I will certainly take your advice and never support the UL program again.
You guys are too good for me, Im not worthy of being in your presence.
Sorry if I still had one little ounce of care left in me for the UL program. Enough care to at least make this thread. You just zapped that little bit of care I still had left in me.

Sorry for the constructive thread that I made in hopes letting people know the thoughts of over 20K people in the Lafayette area. You guys have it all figured out. You dont need the casual fan.

Cancel my membership to this forum.
Enjoy the basketball season. All 259 of you. _

I think it's interesting that YOU claim that WE Cajun fans think OUR ____ doesn't stink, and that WE are too good for YOU, and that YOU are not worthy of being in OUR presence.but YOU give numerous reasons why WE should change if WE want YOU to come to a game. How is that any different?

My suggestion to you.get over yourself. What kind of fool says that game management is a problem when they admit they haven't been to a game in over 10 years? What kind of fool says that not firing Robert Lee is an insult, when they haven't attended a single game he's coached? If you are waiting on any fan or member of the UL Administration to roll out a read carpet and give you any type of special treatment so "Chop" will consider being a Cajun fan again, then you need to quit admiring yourself in the mirror, and start looking yourself in the mirror. You are nothing more than a person. You are not special (then again maybe you are). Nobody owes you anything. Are you married? Have a family? Would you make these demands of your wife, parents, kids, siblings, friends?

Perhaps you should support your university and drop the attitude. Perhaps you should examine the reasons why you should support the school instead of the reasons you shouldn't. If you want to be a fan, if you have/had an ounce of care left, then just express it by going to a game and quit going on a message board and begging people to kneel in front of you.

If you really want to support the school, then do it. If you don't, then don't. It's that simple.

[CajunKate]

I think he got the answer he wanted in the first two posts and now feels validated in his decision to never support UL again. I don't think he was ever looking for a reason to support UL again, I think he was looking for the justification NOT to do so. The response he received in the first couple of responses did just that.

When it comes to the thousands of casual fans like him, the fact of the matter is UL needs a few winning seasons (8-3 or better), and Cajun Field will be full for every home game. He would come back, regardless of what he is saying now. Period. End of story.

There are few programs around the nation who can fill a football stadium when all they have produced is a decade plus of losing or breaking even records. People support a winner. The devoted fan is hard to come by. There will always be a handful of people who chose to support UL athletics no matter what. I am happy to place myself among them (and I am of the 30-40 year old generation). I realize that I am the minority.

I want consistently full venues for our athletic programs, and I realize it is people like ME who are going to put on the pressure to make that happen, not the casual fan. And so, while I want the casual fan back, my main concern right now is HOW to get them back and implementing it, not wooing them back when we do not have the means to do so. And we DO need them. Well, actually, we need their money, and I'll do everything I can on my end to get it.

Just my two cents.

[RaginWaldo]

you're right, look at the saints

ive always been a saint fan and got excited when i could get tickets to the game, now they're undefeated there's no way in hell id be able to get a ticket to watch them, (im glad i got to see my share last year)

this is the same thing that will happen when UL wins consistently but i will still go watch them and make sure i get my tickets.

[Turbine]

And so, while I want the casual fan back, my main concern right now is HOW to get them back and implementing it, not wooing them back when we do not have the means to do so. And we DO need them. Well, actually, we need their money, and I'll do everything I can on my end to get it.

Just my two cents. _

At the current exchange rate your two cents are worth a dollar.

[CajunMarine81]

I believe every one of you has a valid point and everyone is passionate people about UL. The road that we are all sure of taking, to get our sports program to success, will all be different routes. That is the bottom line.

I AM a "DIE HARD" fan! I never miss a game! But when I have heard several of you say, "yes, we need you in the seat, but we need your $$$$$$$", is disgusting to me.

I used to be the "Casual fan". I fell into the "if your born in Louisiana, support LSU", early in my life. I grew out of that and supported my university and their athletics from Acadiana. I did not go to college. I went to the military. I have never stepped foot in a college class. However, I am a "DIE HARD" UL fan! My money, yes, it goes to the university. I paid for my wife’s education there, I go to every game, and I give donations to the school. I love UL. Because I'm not alum, does that make me less supportive of the university and its athletics?

All I am saying is, yes, we have lost some fans because of several things that have happened in the last few decades, not years. After we lost to McNeese, I swore I'd never step foot in Cajun Field until changes were made. I didn't live up to that, I kept going. BUT GUESS WHAT GUYS, OTHER PEOPLE TOOK THAT TO HEART!

I say to chop, c'mon man, get your ass into the stadium and watch our Cajuns! But I will not be-little you for your feelings. Acadiana is looking for someone to root for in their own community!

[MissingMandy]

_ I believe every one of you has a valid point and everyone is passionate people about UL. The road that we are all sure of taking, to get our sports program to success, will all be different routes. That is the bottom line.

I AM a "DIE HARD" fan! I never miss a game! But when I have heard several of you say, "yes, we need you in the seat, but we need your $$$$$$$", is disgusting to me.

I used to be the "Casual fan". I fell into the "if your born in Louisiana, support LSU", early in my life. I grew out of that and supported my university and their athletics from Acadiana. I did not go to college. I went to the military. I have never stepped foot in a college class. However, I am a "DIE HARD" UL fan! My money, yes, it goes to the university. I paid for my wife’s education there, I go to every game, and I give donations to the school. I love UL. Because I'm not alum, does that make me less supportive of the university and its athletics?

All I am saying is, yes, we have lost some fans because of several things that have happened in the last few decades, not years. After we lost to McNeese, I swore I'd never step foot in Cajun Field until changes were made. I didn't live up to that, I kept going. BUT GUESS WHAT GUYS, OTHER PEOPLE TOOK THAT TO HEART!

I say to chop, c'mon man, get your ass into the stadium and watch our Cajuns! But I will not be-little you for your feelings. Acadiana is looking for someone to root for in their own community! _

Great postthank you for supporting our athletes!

[Hammer58]

_ I believe every one of you has a valid point and everyone is passionate people about UL. The road that we are all sure of taking, to get our sports program to success, will all be different routes. That is the bottom line.

I AM a "DIE HARD" fan! I never miss a game! But when I have heard several of you say, "yes, we need you in the seat, but we need your $$$$$$$", is disgusting to me.

I used to be the "Casual fan". I fell into the "if your born in Louisiana, support LSU", early in my life. I grew out of that and supported my university and their athletics from Acadiana. I did not go to college. I went to the military. I have never stepped foot in a college class. However, I am a "DIE HARD" UL fan! My money, yes, it goes to the university. I paid for my wife’s education there, I go to every game, and I give donations to the school. I love UL. Because I'm not alum, does that make me less supportive of the university and its athletics?

All I am saying is, yes, we have lost some fans because of several things that have happened in the last few decades, not years. After we lost to McNeese, I swore I'd never step foot in Cajun Field until changes were made. I didn't live up to that, I kept going. BUT GUESS WHAT GUYS, OTHER PEOPLE TOOK THAT TO HEART!

I say to chop, c'mon man, get your ass into the stadium and watch our Cajuns! But I will not be-little you for your feelings. Acadiana is looking for someone to root for in their own community! _

I won't belittle his complaints about the admin or the feeling of a lack of commitment to athletics. But I get an underlying vibe in his complaints about the fans that makes me suspicious of his posts. As someone else pointed out he stated he has not been to a game in 10 years and then comments on basketball under jesse. That doesn't jibe. Also he talks about getting the cold shoulder from fans tailgating at Cajun Field 10 years ago (assume its 10 years since he states that is how long since he attended a game) I think it was about 10 years ago that we started tailgating under the Eauxk and I have to tell you tailgating was a pretty lonely experience back then. Remember that would be in depths of the Baldwin years. So the more I think about it the more many elements of the story don't add up.

And no, you don't have to be an alum to support UL. Next season stop by the Eauxk and introduce yourself. Semper Fi, Devilpup.

[duggie85]

I remember the last game I tried to go to, it was a home game against LATECH. I showed up at 6:45. They had one girl in the whole stadium taking tickets. By the time it got to my turn in line it was almost halftime and the Cajuns were already down 3 TDS, yet they still wanted to charge full price for there incompetence. The next Monday I called Jay Walker about the situation and he blasted me for not showing up at 5PM. Hey DUDE!!!! I think they only had 16K people at that game!!! Why should I have to show up 2 hrs before a game when the stadium is only half full? I can go to a Saints game with 70K people 15 mins before start time and still make the opening KO. The problem is not me, it’s the 1 girl at the ticket window.

It was live on tv on channelsurfing.net but I cant find a replay. I was at the game but would like to see the video version

The second post was refering to the Southern game FYI

[CajunZ1]

I AM a "DIE HARD" fan! I never miss a game! But when I have heard several of you say, "yes, we need you in the seat, but we need your $$$$$$$", is disgusting to me.

This year has proven that "die-hards" number somewhere in the range of 8k-15k. That will not be enough to get UL respectable, even within the Sun Belt.

I feel the original guy had a point (emphasis on a point). We need the casual fan. More importantly we need their money.

Although from reading more of his posts, maybe we could do without "Chop"'s $100.