When coach Des was hired, I was very vocal about my disappointment. I ranted and raved and got all the poison out. After about a week, I put it behind me because at the end of the day, I'm a Cajuns fan and it was time to move on and throw 100% of my support behind Coach.
As we all know, the big reason we were given was "to keep and maintain THE CULTURE." Well, it didn't take long for criticisms to start when Des decided to change up the living destinations for camp. Justified? Maybe, maybe not. There were other points of criticisms of the hire that continued when we weren't seeing our "Napier led teams" of the past. "I thought we kept him to maintain the culture!" "If he's not going to maintain the culture, we could've hired a bigger name!" Add whatever other sentiments that were uttered here as well. And I understood the criticisms...I did. Couldn't really argue. But again, gonna back the coach until he has time to do his thing.
Well, after our first few losses, with the biggest hurt being the one to the HOAX, and most were convinced we most definitely lost the CULTURE. But.....low and behold, we come out and beat Marshall! "OK, ok...let's temper our enthusiasm, it's one game." Maybe it's a fluke. But wait! There's more! Then we beat Arky State! "OK, OK we didn't beat no P5!" No, we didn't. But still. We only won 2 games in a row, but that wasn't the takeaway. I don't think anyone can deny that over those 2 games, we were looking different. These young guys; the leftover talent that just didn't have the reps, were starting to find themselves. Hang on now...we were starting to find our identity. And then it hit me!
Our CULTURE and our IDENTITY are 2 different things. For whatever reason I lumped them together, and maybe some, or most of you did too. You can keep the CULTURE and lose your identity.....or should I say, FIND YOUR NEW IDENTITY. And I think that's what we're seeing boys. Our CULTURE is still here. It never left. We're just finding our new identity with a new coach AND team. Like a snake shedding it's skin...it's still the same snake...just in a new skin. Our Coaches and team are starting to click. We are building a fresh new foundation on the same hallowed ground. And I don't know about you, but man, I'm excited about what new monster we are creating! Let's keep this in mind as we move forward this year. Cue the f____g "ITS HAPPENING" GIF! Throw up the "PAIN TRAIN" GIF! ChooChoo
M-F'ers!!!
LETS GEAUXXXXXXXXX!