Historic Day

[Crawfish]

I never really bought into that "sleeping giant" stuff, but here we are.

[cajungrad00]

In 1996, I was a freshman at UL and I watched our team get a big win. We rushed onto the field and I became a Ragin Cajun fan for life that day.

Tonight, I watched our student section get to have a similar moment. A big win, they rushed onto the field and celebrated with the team! That was great to see.

I am so thankful for all those involved in what we are building here.

[cajun55]

“Now that UGA lost, we have the second longest winning streak in FBS, only Cincinnati @ 13 tops us.”

Wow!!!

[HoustonCajun]

“Now that UGA lost, we have the second longest winning streak in FBS, only Cincinnati @ 13 tops us.”

Wow!!!

Cincy will likely lose in the final 4. If we win our bowl game, we should claim title to the longest win streak going into next year.

[CajunVic]

Cincy will likely lose in the final 4. If we win our bowl game, we should claim title to the longest win streak going into next year.

The longest win streak is factual and not subject to dispute . . . If we have it, it is ours . . . No need to have to claim it . . .

[Bandwagon King]

Thank you for your thoughts Mike. Today was more than just a game. It has to be the most important civic event that I can recall in Lafayette history at least since I moved there in 1980. So that's over 40 years. And it was more than just a great civic event. It was a lesson for all of us. It was a lesson in integrity, honesty, loyalty, allegiance, selflessness, trust & respect. When people look around & wonder why things are so screwed up in our society today, they need look no further than people who are supposed to be leaders & the actions they take as an example of why people do the crazy things they do today.

This week we have been bombarded with coaches who are highly paid leaders, just picking up from their institutions where young men follow them for guidance & communities trust them not only with that guidance, but pay them to be examples to all of the young still impressionable people whom they come in contact with at these places of learning. We've seen these people just pick up & jet out from their highly paid jobs to take other either easier, or even higher paying jobs without so much as a warning, much less give the people they leave behind the decency to explain why they are abandoning these young men & women & the communities who have placed immense trust in their leadership.

But one example of being trustworthy is Billy Napier. Everyone knows the score & why Billy's leaving. But he didn't just accept a job, hop a plane & say to sayonara to his team. It would have been a hell of a lot more expedient short term for him to just kiss Louisiana off his list of stepping stones on his way to the top, than the path he chose. But that isn't who he is. The words I used above, all mean something to this man. I have no doubt that part of his deal with Florida was for him to be able to keep his promise to us. It's possible that could have cost him his opportunity there. But what is opportunity if you don't keep your word to those who trust you? Integrity is keeping your word to those who trust you.

The University of Louisiana is most fortunate to have found a man with such integrity. And we are all better people for having seen a man with such integrity operate & lead that program. Thank you Billy Napier for being a man of integrity.

[Boomer]

In 1996, I was a freshman at UL and I watched our team get a big win. We rushed onto the field and I became a Ragin Cajun fan for life that day.

Tonight, I watched our student section get to have a similar moment. A big win, they rushed onto the field and celebrated with the team! That was great to see.

I am so thankful for all those involved in what we are building here.

…..I kept looking at the student side and hearing the don’t go on the field announcement…..then finally one kid ran out the stands and finally the rest followed……and I thought maybe my USL (now UL) is back!

[CajunFun]

I wrote this on my Facebook page earlier today. What makes today special to some of the rest of you. I admit I got choked up during the post game ceremony.

As someone who's Dad helped build Cajun Field back in the early 70's, watching my alma mater won an outright conference championship on that field makes today special to me. It will become a never-forget memory. I join thousands of other Cajun fans in thanking Coach Billy Napier for what he has done for the program and wish him well as he moves on to coach the Florida Gators. That man led the way for this program to accomplish things many would laugh at if you predicted it when he came here four years ago. In a couple of years, when people will ask who is the most famous person you know, I will mention Coach Napier's name and be happy to do so. Great to see something good happen to a good person. Of course, it did not come easy as nothing worthwhile ever does. That hard work will continue as the Cajun Nation continues to build on the tradition Coach Napier started.

It's also a sad day, it's like watching your kid graduate college with honors. You are so proud, you know he/she is going on to do yet more impressive things.

But it also means that you're losing something, and you're not needed as much. For those few of us who have stayed with the Cajuns, and waited 40 or 50 years for this, the wait is over. But a critical part of our lives is also over. All the struggle, all the disappointments -- and most importantly, all the camaraderie and joy for those of us who, like good parents, stuck with the child when other people just moved on to whatever kid is winning this season -- all of that is gone.

UL is going on to great places, and for those of us who showed up at games when almost no one came, who tailgated in a near-empty parking lot, who defended the team against critics and nay-sayers both inside and out... it's bittersweet. Because the hardest part is done, and we are less important going forward.

Now the band-wagoneers will jump on board, and bring with them their diminished sense of loyalty and love.

Two decades ago, in the darkest days of the program, I told you guys we would miss those times. We have other things to celebrate now. But for me at least, the victory is bittersweet.

[cajun55]

Well said everyone! We deserve this! Everyone that attends UL athletic events and supports the Cajuns through thick and thin deserves this! Anyone can jump on a bandwagon but not everyone can handle the grind, the adversity’s, the frustrations and perseverance that it takes to really build something real.

We have a great university in our backyard and this football program symbolizes that.

Congrats Cajun Nation!

[RaginCajun309]

I welcome all the band wagon fans we can get, as long as they are spending $$$.

[CajunFun]

I welcome all the band wagon fans we can get, as long as they are spending $$$.

I dunno.

I've been to schools with a lot of money.

And a lot of jerks to go with it. I don't want their fans showing up here.

UL means a lot more to me than braggin' rights.

[tdncz]

I welcome all the band wagon fans we can get, as long as they are spending $$$.

Exactly
I too saw and heard a few.
I spoke to one young couple with two kids who
Said this was their FIRST UL game. : keep coming as much as you can
I appreciate casual fans- not to provide expert advice or comment /criticize the team but to SHOW UP ON GAME DAY -and to WEAR UL colors everywhere, as MUCH AS POSSIBLE!!!