The Building of Russo Park at Louisiana

[LaCajunsFan]

Your being very dense. Robe is definitely not giving full disclosure. That doesn't mean he isn't telling the truth. I didn't listen to the interview. Did Robe say that the timeline isn't going to be a problem for next season??

When people who are in charge of the timeline tell you we are behind then we are behind. Starting demo in two weeks doesn't change that fact. Same people were told a NTP would be issued by the end of this week. Hasn't happened. I'm sure Robe believes demo will start in two weeks and if it does it won't surprise me. That doesn't change anything. We are so far behind at this stage that it is highly unlikely we are able to use the stadium until well into the season next year.

Luke Johnson with the Advocate has publically stated that he can't get any answers. Why do you think that is?

Well, I'm not sure how you can determine whether he is being forthcoming or not, when you never listened to the interview....but I guess that's just part of my denseness, lol. And no, he didn't say anything about when it would be completed, but stated in good detail that the delay has been the foundation issues.

I've never said that we are behind the the timeline....because the only facts I have to base that on would be the robe interview. And he freely admitted we are behind schedule, and why he thought this was.

I don't have your sources, and Robe did not discuss the NTP.

Finally, and based on Helmuts very knowledgeable posts, I'm not sure if we have all the info needed to determine how far behind we truly are, and when we can expect it to be completed.

[raginsaints]

Robe said that he's personally meeting with Lemoine once a week and if there was an issue, he would be the first one out front telling us. He said they've had a lot of delays because the guts are really old and they're having trouble determining what pipe connects to what and all that nonsense but he said that we should soon be seeing a lot of progress on the outside.

[LaCajunsFan]

Robe said that he's personally meeting with Lemoine once a week and if there was an issue, he would be the first one out front telling us. He said they've had a lot of delays because the guts are really old and they're having trouble determining what pipe connects to what and all that nonsense but he said that we should soon be seeing a lot of progress on the outside.

[CajunT]

Well, I'm not sure how you can determine whether he is being forthcoming or not, when you never listened to the interview....but I guess that's just part of my denseness, lol. And no, he didn't say anything about when it would be completed, but stated in good detail that the delay has been the foundation issues.

I've never said that we are behind the the timeline....because the only facts I have to base that on would be the robe interview. And he freely admitted we are behind schedule, and why he thought this was.

I don't have your sources, and Robe did not discuss the NTP.

Finally, and based on Helmuts very knowledgeable posts, I'm not sure if we have all the info needed to determine how far behind we truly are, and when we can expect it to be completed.

Coach Rob is a positive person, I do not expect him to say anything negative towards anyone or any contractor. He stated that the staff told the players when they return in August, to keep their mouths shut ,focus on fall workouts and be prepared to make adjustments if necessary. To me that is a clear indication that he has no timetable until construction moves forward. As for as the funds are concerned, Coach would only have knowledge of what he has been told. He doesn't sign off on construction payouts, nor does he have the authority to allocate funds. That is the reason he was caught off guard the first time the stadium fell through in 2008 or 2009. He has no knowledge of the actual amount of funds in the account other than what he was told.

[CajunT]

Robe said that he's personally meeting with Lemoine once a week and if there was an issue, he would be the first one out front telling us. He said they've had a lot of delays because the guts are really old and they're having trouble determining what pipe connects to what and all that nonsense but he said that we should soon be seeing a lot of progress on the outside.

That is correct, I believe he stated everything he knows. But, Coach Robichaux does not allocate the funds for the project, that is done by Jerry Luke LeBlanc. Coach only knows what he is told when it comes to the funds and the actual allocation of them. There are several people on RP that are involved in the project along with Lemoine. I have no reason to not believe these people and others that found out the amount of actual funds in the account. Even BOP has now acknowledged he was mislead on the information he was given on the project.

[CajunDreDog]

I'm no construction expert, but if you have underground work to do on the site. Wouldn't you demo the stadium first to get full access to the entire foundation area. Do that foundation, electrical, plumbing, etc then start building?

[LaCajunsFan]

I'm no construction expert, but if you have underground work to do on the site. Wouldn't you demo the stadium first to get full access to the entire foundation area. Do that foundation, electrical, plumbing, etc then start building?

Sounds like a question for resident construction expert, Helmut.

And I actually have some others, since I know nothing about an NTP: I'm assuming that is an issue here, us not having issued it yet. Is that correct? Or, e.g., is it possible that they are waiting for the foundation issues to be finished before issuing it? I'm just trying to determine if there are any other logical reasons ...... other than financing ..... that it wouldn't be issued? I'm not trying to impugn what others have said, just trying to get your opinion since you have so much experience in this area. Thx.

[HelmutVII]

Sounds like a question for resident construction expert, Helmut.

And I actually have some others, since I know nothing about an NTP: I'm assuming that is an issue here, us not having issued it yet. Is that correct? Or, e.g., is it possible that they are waiting for the foundation issues to be finished before issuing it? I'm just trying to determine if there are any other logical reasons ...... other than financing ..... that it wouldn't be issued? I'm not trying to impugn what others have said, just trying to get your opinion since you have so much experience in this area. Thx.

Foundation construction would take place after demolition. From what I can understand they did indeed have to relocate a major electric line and some distribution equipment prior to demolition. From What coach Robe said on his interview last week on the radio I understand this was finished about what is now about ten days ago. (if I remember correctly he said that they had disconnected the electricity from their offices late the week before and they had moved their offices into the Cox Building). There probably was some excavation being done to do this electric line relocation. I am speculating that he may have been confusing this with foundation work.

A notice to proceed is given regardless of what may or may not be encountered during the course of construction. Any item that may be discovered during the course of construction is handled by a change order and plan change.

Plain and simple not having a notice to proceed is a serious issue in this case.

[Just1More]

Ok guys... I'm going to come clean on this. We discovered something at the Tigue just after the last game. Just as the Cajuns lost to Arizona with the final out... we heard a strange noise under the grandstand. As it turns out, we have had a Sasquatch living under the grandstand for several years now. That evening, a group of us decided to investigate that weird sound. It was dark, and all we had were flashlights. We heard some grunting and odd bodily noises coming from under a section of bleachers... a hairy smelly human thing was passed out drunk under the bleachers. After we got BandwagonKing a taxi ride home, we continued our search. That's when we came upon our Cajun Sasquatch. He's living in a borrow under the grandstands.

Apparently, after talking with him, he moved in under our grandstands many years ago. He migrated down from Nova Scotia... and when hearing there might be others of his kind in Acadiana, he made a home at the Tigue. He gave us a tour of his meager dwellings, and told us that "Robe and I deserve better than this". We all agreed. His simple little cave like dwelling is very modest. The only thing hanging on his wall is Yvette's plaque. He said it was a gift from "the one called Z".

Well, when we should have started the new Tigue, we realized we needed to include some modifications to accommodate a very loyal Cajuns baseball fan. He said his name was "Ugg"... but he preferred being called "Winston" (don't ask me). Anyhow, Winston is a really cool Squatch. And he loves Cajuns baseball. He claims he's cooked in the Cajun Cooking Club several times, unnoticed. And the whole reason for some of our plumbing/piping issues is that he's piped the drains off our beer taps into his cave. We decided he deserved his own fresh spigot... and we're going to work out a plan for him to pay off the costs. He thinks he can help our players with some power hitting advice. We'll have to see about that.

He also told us he likes to listen to Jay on an old radio he found. He said "AM sucks and so does Mr. Bitter". But although he likes Jay calling games... he said he thinks he's a cocky "ruksmug". I found out later what "ruksmug" meant when Winston went to the bathroom and said he just took a big ruksmug. Winston feels bad about some of the cracks in our foundation. He said some of those happened when he called into "that cocky ruksmugs" show... and was cut off. He said it takes longer for a Squatch to form his thoughts... and that Jay needed to "chill the booch out". He punched his ceiling after that ruksmug cut him off and went on one of those ruksmug "I know everything" diatribes.

Anyhow... I apologize for not coming forward with the facts sooner. Winston wrote Scott Farmer a letter telling him that he was a Leprechaun and that he'd buried a pot of gold on a unicorn farm up in Alaska. Now you know more than I should have told. I'm just glad to help explain some things.

[Boomer]

Ok guys... I'm going to come clean on this. We discovered something at the Tigue just after the last game. Just as the Cajuns lost to Arizona with the final out... we heard a strange noise under the grandstand. As it turns out, we have had a Sasquatch living under the grandstand for several years now. That evening, a group of us decided to investigate that weird sound. It was dark, and all we had were flashlights. We heard some grunting and odd bodily noises coming from under a section of bleachers... a hairy smelly human thing was passed out drunk under the bleachers. After we got BandwagonKing a taxi ride home, we continued our search. That's when we came upon our Cajun Sasquatch. He's living in a borrow under the grandstands.

Apparently, after talking with him, he moved in under our grandstands many years ago. He migrated down from Nova Scotia... and when hearing there might be others of his kind in Acadiana, he made a home at the Tigue. He gave us a tour of his meager dwellings, and told us that "Robe and I deserve better than this". We all agreed. His simple little cave like dwelling is very modest. The only thing hanging on his wall is Yvette's plaque. He said it was a gift from "the one called Z".

Well, when we should have started the new Tigue, we realized we needed to include some modifications to accommodate a very loyal Cajuns baseball fan. He said his name was "Ugg"... but he preferred being called "Winston" (don't ask me). Anyhow, Winston is a really cool Squatch. And he loves Cajuns baseball. He claims he's cooked in the Cajun Cooking Club several times, unnoticed. And the whole reason for some of our plumbing/piping issues is that he's piped the drains off our beer taps into his cave. We decided he deserved his own fresh spigot... and we're going to work out a plan for him to pay off the costs. He thinks he can help our players with some power hitting advice. We'll have to see about that.

He also told us he likes to listen to Jay on an old radio he found. He said "AM sucks and so does Mr. Bitter". But although he likes Jay calling games... he said he thinks he's a cocky "ruksmug". I found out later what "ruksmug" meant when Winston went to the bathroom and said he just took a big ruksmug. Winston feels bad about some of the cracks in our foundation. He said some of those happened when he called into "that cocky ruksmugs" show... and was cut off. He said it takes longer for a Squatch to form his thoughts... and that Jay needed to "chill the booch out". He punched his ceiling after that ruksmug cut him off and went on one of those ruksmug "I know everything" diatribes.

Anyhow... I apologize for not coming forward with the facts sooner. Winston wrote Scott Farmer a letter telling him that he was a Leprechaun and that he'd buried a pot of gold on a unicorn farm up in Alaska. Now you know more than I should have told. I'm just glad to help explain some things.

---So we have a home and home with ND and our game is in the SuperDome---Pot of gold for $10 mill deal!!! All the UL Catholic kids stun ND officials by pulling for the Cajuns!!! ND gives an extra mill to the Catholic Student center----Roy Henry out for the coin toss!!! lol