The Book: 2004 FOOTBALL

[NewsCopy]

Cajuns’ abnormal week capped by North Texas invasion on TV

LOUISIANA La. — The pace of life has been accelerated around the University of Louisiana this week, and so has the collective pulse rate of coach Rickey Bustle’s Ragin’ Cajuns as they prepare to host North Texas at 9 p.m. tonight on ESPN2.

If adrenaline could be bottled and sold, UL could probably balance its athletic budget on this week alone.

“Our focus has been good,” Bustle said on Thursday. “The last two days the players have really had a spring in their step. They’re excited, and we’re excited with them.”

It’s that way away from the practice field, as well.

“Here in the last three or four days, we’ve really seen a lot of attention being paid to the game,” Bustle said. “You go out to eat, and people will come up and tell you, ‘I’m coming on Friday.’ Maybe they’re concerned with how many are going to show up, but they want to make sure we know they’ll be there.

“That’s neat to hear. Maybe they’ve said it before, but you notice it more this week.”

Bustle’s Cajuns practiced on Sunday to get on their normal game week timetable, and the coaching staff is working to make today feel like game day Saturday as much as possible.

“What we normally do is have special teams meetings, then have offensive and defensive walk-throughs. That’s basically it,” Bustle said.

“We try to eat on time, according to how many hours ahead of the game it is. Then the players usually lay around and watch football games on TV. Tomorrow, obviously all you’ve got on is soap operas.

“We’re going to have longer special teams meetings in the morning, then offensive and defensive walk-throughs. Then in the afternoon I’m going to carry them to a movie. I think we’re going to go see ‘Friday Night Lights’ and then get back around a quarter-to-5 and have our meal at 5.”

Obviously, “Friday Night Lights” is a perfect choice for a team with a late Friday night kickoff under the lights at “The Swamp.”

“Then, too, and this is kind of important, a number of our players need to be in class on Friday morning to take tests and things like that, so our coaches will be carrying them to class,” Bustle added. “We want to make sure they get there if their professors say they need to be there.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — There will be no escape from the rage that will rock Cajun Field tonight as the University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns take on the North Texas Mean Green in front of a national TV audience at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.

“We are pumped up,” said Brandon Thompson, a UL child psychology major. “You will feel the rage. They’ve been playing awesome.”

The Cajuns, now 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the Sun Belt, haven’t lost a game yet on their home turf, and fans don’t anticipate an exception.

“It’s going to be intense, because they don’t want to lose at home,” Thompson said.

The university hopes to pack Cajun Field for the televised event and is offering half price upper deck tickets. While the team’s home games have been televised, this is their first nationally televised game at home.

Typically, the Friday night lights are reserved for high school football, but the late start will hopefully enable fans of prep football make it in time for the game.

Half-price tickets, jewels and other giveaways are a few of the lures for the game. The first 500 women through the gate will be handed a cubic zirconia with instructions to check the stone for a special marking. The mark is a sign they’ve won a $2,800 diamond.

“We’re calling it ‘Friday Night Rocks,’ ” said Eric Maron, director of athletic marketing and promotions. Ragin’ Cajun fanny packs, cheer sticks and megaphones are some of the other freebies fans can scoop up if they show up early.

Although it’s a different game day, tailgating still applies.

“We heard of some people taking off early for the game,” joked John Claude Arceneaux, assistant director of UL Alumni Association. He wouldn’t name names, but figured many people may cut out of the office early to get their full dose of tailgating before the game.

The Alumni Association is encouraging fans to drive to the game with their red Ragin’ Cajuns car flags who bring them into the stadium. Arceneaux said the idea came about when he looked out at the parking lot at one of the games and saw the flags waving to the empty parking lot.

“I thought, ‘Why not bring them in?’ ” he said.

The rest of the story

Marsha Sills
msills@theadvertiser.com

[DestinCajun]

Do you or did you work in the media in BR?

For some reason I'm associating your name with TV, radio or the press.

[RedBug58]

I saw in the paper that A Brians Jewerly was giving out a "chance" to the first 500 ladies for a diamond worth appros $3000. Also, some kind of "fanny pack" to the first "x" number of people going through the gate.

[texascajun]

fanny pack...

[jhaan79]

5:49!

[Clutch0364]

Did anyone else feel like their was a lot of heat between the two teams last night. I might be confused but it just felt like the two teams wanted to kill each other out there.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. -- Rickey Bustle didn't address the winner's locker room, but he couldn't avoid complimenting his University of Louisiana at Lafayette football team early Saturday.

After an initial eight minutes of self-destruction late Friday night, ULL made it a game in a 27-17 loss to Sun Belt Conference heavyweight North Texas.

UNT led 14-0 with 7:53 left in the first quarter, following two Cajuns turnovers inside their own 25-yard line.

"All of a sudden we're behind 14-0. I never thought that would happen, but we didn't worry about it," Cajuns wide receiver B.J. Crist said. "Our defense came back and fought hard and the offense kept on moving."

Bustle said ULL (4-5, 2-3 SBC) was in a difficult situation from the start in the nationally televised game against the three-time SBC champion (5-4, 5-0).

ULL cut the lead to 17-10 by halftime and with 13:12 left, trailed 20-17.

"I have to take my hat off to our team," Bustle said. "They came back when there was no question it was going to be an uphill battle.

"The defense, I thought, played its best game all year. They held (UNT) off until the fourth quarter when it kind of got away."

Making ULL's situation even tougher was freshman North Texas running back Jamario Thomas.

The rest of the story

By BOBBY ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate

[CajunCharlie]

Saturday is our last home game, and against a team that is equal to or better than NT. It is an afteroon game. Start time is 2:30 PM, long range forecast calls for a high of 61F, low of 41F, and the wind around 10mph. There are no high school games scheduled. So there should be no excuses for not showing up. Bustle and the players emphasize how valuable the crowd is to them. They cite it as the 12th man! Lets all get on the band wagon and publicize this game. We need this one and the Monroe game for a winning season. Are you a real Ragin Cajun fan? If so, be there, be loud, and be PROUD!! NO EXCUSES !!

[RealCajun70]

We need yall more than yalll realize yall are a part of our life force.

[Cajun1997]

great post cajuncharlie, I asked for Saturday off 2 weeks ago just to see this game. I'll be there and I hope 20,000 plus will join me at the Swamp.

[RaisingCajun08]

My wonderful sister in law scheduled a birthday party for her kids at 3:00 next Saturday.

BUT you will not here any excuses from me. I will be at the game hell with the birthday party. I know where my priorities are.