The Eauque™

[CajunFun]

The thread where I posted to about the "good ol' days" got me to reminiscing.

In the depths of the UL football program, few people were going to the game. The Internet was still new, and we were all squabbling on the sports board that Diehard had created.

I knew that Cajuns & Creoles don't necessarily need a winner, they just needed a good time. From that, I also knew that if we could get people tailgating by the fences, people driving by would be enticed in.

So I invited the people on the sports board to tailgate under the big oak tree across from now-Agave. The first game, it was drizzling, and only a few people showed up... me, V.O., Hammer? 84? Crawfish? Rash? and there was no one tailgating within 100 yards of us. We were all a little awkward, getting to know one another after insulting the crap out of each other for months.

Now, one of the most hated people on the old board was LFTman. So we see this figure in a poncho, plodding through the puddles coming up to us. As I mentioned, no one is anywhere near us, so we knew it was someone from the sports board.

Dude walks up and says, "I'm Lafayette Man".

We all froze. Even though it was raining, you could have heard a pin drop.

Then he says, "Nah, I'm Zeebart." (Which was the 2nd best practical joke in the group's history. The nastiest, meanest, most diabolical was Debaillon convincing us we were getting an invite from C-USA [when that still meant something]. No one stopped to think about the date: April 1. Rat ba$tard.)

It was great times thereafter, and the plan worked, or at least helped. I will be ridiculed at my wake for bringing quiche, but people ate all of it. Zeebart Jr, Jr-ette & the other hoodlums swarmed through, and in locustly fashion, stripped all the food.

At one point, I told the group that one day we would start winning, and we would miss all of this. Everyone just laughed.

But more people started showing up near us. They spread out down the fence line. We started referring to the tree as "The Eauque™," adding the ™ because State and other schools were stealing our intellectual property. (In addition to State stealing 'Geaux', another thorn is, ironically, Billy's new home. Spurrier grabbed 'The Swamp' the year after we introduced it. I begged Martin Hall and News Services to trademark it, but they didn't. Then UF did, and we lost a great, free, marketing asset.)

As the tailgating grew, some of the new neighbors began bringing obnoxious boom boxes. Some parked trucks and campers under the The Eauque™ before we could get there, and that caused problems for us, and it wasn't good for the tree. Then UL started charging for the tailgating spots, and then divided the area under the tree into four spots. More and more newbies showed up. Over the years, we abandoned the tailgating spot and went our separate ways.

Anyway, one of our projects was a volunteer weekend to spruce up Cajun Field. We created The United Louisiana Cajuns, and had people sign up through the Internet.

(An aside: Bustle had just been hired, and he even came out and helped pick up trash. Our fans responded to a picture of him helping out with, "Oh wow, our coach will get out and help pick up trash?" Our beloved sister school to the east took the same picture and responded, "LOL, their coach has to get out and pick up trash!" The cultural differences between the two schools in one picture.)

Anyway, I pulled out the spreadsheet of volunteers from 2003. Here's to all of you, and to the past:

Turbine, DocRaginCaju, CorpusCajun, Froze, Pirogue, ArchiCajun, EVCajun, NOCajun, VermilionObserver, BeauCajun, CajunHardcore, CajunsMike, CAJUNCIVIL, Mac_1, DaddyCajun, SwampFox, CPCajun, CajunFan, Memphis, oldschool110, EdLeblanc79, RaginCajun77, ULtimate Cajun, DestinCajun, Warlord, Jerman, CajunExpress, TJPCajunFan, Tallboy2, RedBug58, Chefredone, ArtsGod, Southpaw03, TXCAJUN22, LoveFest, LJR3721, Louisiana84, Crawfish, Guru, Zeebart/Ron Mexico21, CajunFan11, BamaCajun, Hammer58, CajunSlim, CrowleyCajun, Boudin Balls, COCajun, SATXCajun, LibbyOracle, Textitan, CajunJared, CajunRash, Titleist, Trigger, CalifCajun, CajunRaider, GoneGolfin, ProSoundCaju, CajunFan1, Redbeans, CajunStudent, RCajun90, Cajuns1, CajunFever, GueydanMajor, DFWCajun, Cajun90, LFT2, TheTruth76, MobileCajun, Rod1171, OKPOMan, Simba, Karulo/Aquadoc, RaginDave, Cajun67, Kevin, MsAbacus, GEAUXCAJUNS2 , Diehard1280, MB2711 , Geaux96, Cus, CajunTide, Bedia, Louisiana Cajun, Boomer, RowdyPenguin, rgncjn12, Indaneaux, Rhineaux, CajunMan02, Access12, Cypremort, Houston Cajun, cbdds, CajunKahouna, Mrthedude, JPBOUDREAUX , CajunLove, Cayenne, Froghoppers, Cajunyuppie, hattoe, OuiCat Lu Lu, DuckOne, CajunTodd, Cajuns2481, Drumroll, SeniorPro1, CajunCherokee, CajunCharlie, Cajunrunner , CajunRage, CajunSaint, CajunGirl, Madatem, Ryan4, CajunNation, Crawfish61, Derf , cajuncharlie , madatem , cajungirl, Miss Cajun, timf82 , fubar, CajunRage, cajun saint, CajunAmos , Cajunrunner.

And lurkers from other schools: Arrowhead, ForeverLSU/CornDogs, ArkStFan, BlueRaiderTN, DwayneFromMinden.

[Boomer]

..ThanksFun…..great memories!

[BeauCajun]

Good times putting the sweat equity. Back when that internet thing was new.

[Lafitte the Pirate]

I noticed that you did not include me in those days!!

[Crawfish]

Those were some fun times. One time the Cajuns played the Golden Gophers at Cajun Field. I found a rabbit at a local butcher shop and barbequed it before the tailgate. I told everyone at the tailgate it was barbequed gopher. Everyone would look at it, but no one would eat it, except me. We even had a couple of Gopher fans show up and they got a big kick out of it. Some people said things like "that's not really a gopher, it is?" They probably knew, but there was just a bit if doubt. It was hilarious.

During the Baldwin years, I guess we needed some entertainment. The games sure were not much fun.

[Boomer]

Those were some fun times. One time the Cajuns played the Golden Gophers at Cajun Field. I found a rabbit at a local butcher shop and barbequed it before the tailgate. I told everyone at the tailgate it was barbequed gopher. Everyone would look at it, but no one would eat it, except me. We even had a couple of Gopher fans show up and they got a big kick out of it. Some people said things like "that's not really a gopher, it is?" They probably knew, but there was just a bit if doubt. It was hilarious.

During the Baldwin years, I guess we needed some entertainment. The games sure were not much fun.

…….enjoyed some days as a late comer…..we all agreed on one thing except all of them…..and found out that Fun was really a liberal, a former cheer dude, a KSig, a doc, and now an author!

[LaCajunsFan]

Good read indeed. Thanks for sharing. So the first TG you talk about was 2003?

I think I’ve told this story before, but ~1984 my brother (who is a huge tigger fan. Oh the shame….but also from time to time lower himself to watch ‘USL’) and a group of us, I’d say less than 10, tried to TG at the oak, about 3-4 hours before the game. Not many fans at those games, but not a real low point either. Anway, all we had were his old beat-up pick-up truck, some lawn chairs, and maybe a bbq grill. But before we could even get started a UP officer shows up and asked us, and I quote: ‘what the hell’ we thought we were doing. We tried to explain what TG’ing was about, but he was having nothing of it. Keep in mind that this way before the parking lot/CF was fenced off so it was nothing but a vast open space, with free parking right to the gate. So we no choice but to pack up our stuff and head to Girard park, lol.

We still laugh and curse about that day.

[Louisiana84]

There were days when we never could have imagined something like last night. It was so freaking loud last night.

Remember one game, maybe the last of the Baldwin years? We were under the oak. I think we were playing New Mexico State? There was no one between us and the stadium. It was a ghost town. The walk to the stadium felt like forever.

We powerwashed the stadium. Bustle did show up. That’s the truth. We did things that only true fans would do. We tore down bleachers at Tigue Moore Field. Bought peanut butter for the players. Whatever we could do at the time. Thanks Fun for reminding us.

[CajunFun]

I noticed that you did not include me in those days!!

You were involved, for sure. I think you aren't listed because, living in Houston, you couldn't be there that weekend and didn't sign up.

[CajunFun]

Those were some fun times. One time the Cajuns played the Golden Gophers at Cajun Field. I found a rabbit at a local butcher shop and barbequed it before the tailgate. I told everyone at the tailgate it was barbequed gopher. Everyone would look at it, but no one would eat it, except me. We even had a couple of Gopher fans show up and they got a big kick out of it. Some people said things like "that's not really a gopher, it is?" They probably knew, but there was just a bit if doubt. It was hilarious.

During the Baldwin years, I guess we needed some entertainment. The games sure were not much fun.

I remember the 'gopher', I ate a bit of it, but as I remember you showed up toward the end of tailgating and people had already had too much to eat (and drink... )

With the Minnesota fans, I remember the guy with the spray-painted gold shoes showed up. We found out that he was a bit of a legend up at UM.

[NOCajun]

My favorite experience under the Eauque was the K-State game where we got to tailgate with that great group of Wildcat fans. AND the CAJUNS won the game!!

#cULture
#WeAreLouisiana
#WayToGeauxCajuns
#SunBeltChampions

[Turbine]

Good read indeed. Thanks for sharing. So the first TG you talk about was 2003.

Probably 2001, my first visit was 2002 and by 2003 The Eauque had a liason trying to convince the athletic department to charge for TailGating as a revenue source.