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

[Hammer58]

_ Im the guy you love to hate, but at the same time im the type of person you have to have for a succesful program.

You can either cuss me, or listen to what I have to say and maybe just maybe you will win us back again one day. Although I am just one person, there are at least 20K people in the Lafayette are just like me.

I am not one of the 8K people that will go to the game just because they are playing.
Like I said, I have not been to Cajun Field or the Cajun Dome in 10 years.

I dont expect a National title contender, but I do expect the university to care more then me.

I have been a member of this forum for a while. I cant say that I spend a ton of time here lurking, but I do spend enough time here to realize that the administration is not the only ones that has a problem.

I hate the attitude of some of the fans. Some of you act like your **** dont stink because you go to the game to watch an inferior product, and when the people like me go after a 2 game winning streak you pretty much show the cold shoulder. You guys want people at the games, but when they show up you act like its some kind of privaledge for us to be there like we are not worthy.

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 incompetance. 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, its the 1 girl at the ticket window.

The tailgate thread was a joke. I have been tailgating a few times in the last 10 years, and if they ever kick me out once the game starts I promise you, me and thousands of others will never step foot inside the stadium even if they go 13-0.

During the Mitchell and Jake years I was at every game, I have the potential to go to every game again. But until the University and the fans start treating the casual fans with a little respect, im afraid you are going to have to live with 8K for football and 800 for basketball.

Robert Lee not getting canned is an insult.

I use to love going to the cajun dome and watching Marty ball, but for some reason the cajunnecks down here never accepted hiim and ran him off.

Then Jessie came along, he was not perfect, but at least he brought some level of success to the program, once again the cajun necks never accepted him and he left for a better job.

Its time to quit blaming LSU for all the problems. Do you know how childish that sounds?

LSU has zero to do with ULs success or failure.

Its time to quit blaming the SUNBELT conference for all of ULs problems. Why dont you start dominating the SUNBELT first, then maybe just maybe you can make the case that you are ready to move onto bigger and better things.

The problem right now is the administrations no care attitude, and the illumi and fans ____ poor attitude.


You can like me or hate me, the bottom line is you will never see 25K at Cajun Field or 10K at the cajun dome without me sitting in one of the seats. _

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.

[USLJim]

_ WOW!!!! It seems like you dont need us then.
Sorry for caring. _

You have got to LOVE USL/UL for other reasons than SPORTS. I go because I love this University and for what it gave me. I am not from this area originally, North LA, but I fell in love with the People, Music, Food, and Atmosphere. All my best friends are here, gotten at UL. I support UL both academically and athletically. The people are passionate, just like other alum are passionate for their University. In UL's case, we lose alumni because of Athletics. That is the main reason I am aggravated with USL/UL alum. Some of my buddies refuse to use UL, I just look at them like dinosaurs and say, wake up and get involved.
Don't let someone on this board sway you from supporting UL, otherwise, I would have been gone along time ago.
Yes, we need more alum and friends of UL supporting both UL athletically and Academically.
Remember, " Sticks and stones, blah, blah. SO, If what I am saying is, IF you want to really Love UL, you will support this University regardless of what someone said on this SITE.
YOU either love or not.

Thanks for your comments

GEAUX CAJUNS.

[Turbine]

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.

[MissingMandy]

I feel sorry for you. You are missing alot. Come back and try it again...we have a great bunch of athletes that work hard for your entertainment. For nothing else...come for them. I also find it hard to believe that anyone ever gave you the cold shoulder during tailgating. I was a complete stranger 3 years ago and not one person has ever done that to me...perhaps you just got someone having a bad day.

[Big Buds]

Chop, I understand your frustration and I'm happy that you voiced your opinion. Don't give up on the Cajuns because we need all the support (no matter the size) Lafayette has it offer. I agree that Marty was run off in the 90's but I can promise you that Jessie was accepted by all REAL Cajun fans. He left for what he thought was "greener pastures" at USF. Take some time to think about this. If you need ten more years that's fine, just know that I will accept a casual fan with open arms in hopes that they will turn into a BIG fan that gives the University BIG $$$...lol. COME TO ANY GAME ANYTIME BECAUSE YOUR SEAT IS WAITING!!!

[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.