The Book: 2004 FOOTBALL

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Bring your Ragin’ Cajuns car flags into Friday’s game against North Texas and wave on the Ragin’ Cajuns to victory.

A list of local merchants that carry car flags has been provided. If you are not able to get your hands on a car flag, a red handkerchief will do!

Please see the attachment for more information.

ESPN will be in the house so don’t forget to wear RED!

UPPER DECK TICKETS 1/2 PRICE!

FIRST 500 LADIES GET A CHANCE TO WIN A DIAMOND VALUED AT $2,800.

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RED FLAGS available at

Academy -               4533 Johnston Street -      984-9868

Albertson's -           2678 Johnston Street -      233-2940

Albertson's -           1818 NE Evangeline Thruway - 237-2626

Bell's Sporting Goods - 4313 Johnston Street -      981-5330

LA Hot Stuff -          4409 Ambassador Caffery -   981-3132

University Bookstore - UL Student Union -           851-2665

-Please call ahead for availability-
				

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All info above and below provided by University of Louisiana Alumni Association

[jhaan79]

hey all,

I can't wait to see the Cajuns on espn2 tomorrow night! The only bad thing is Marshall/Akron is on before it, and most likely will run past the 3 hour timeslot.

[waterboy]

Did anyone see the half time story on ESPN tonight? Talked about Thomas for UNT and a little about Jerry. Not too bad.

P.S. Who was the blonde doing the special??

[CajunDreDog]

I got WAFB here in Baton Rouge to do a small segment on our game tomorrow night. It didn't start recording early enough though.

[Turbine]

18:40 and ticking

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LOUISIANA La. -- As a former 3,000-yard rusher, defensive end Eugene Kwarteng knows something about the running game.

That might be of assistance tonight when Kwarteng plays a role in helping the University of Louisiana at Lafayette stop the nation's rushing leader.

North Texas freshman Jamario Thomas has gained 1,215 yards and scored 11 touchdowns to lead the Mean Green toward a third consecutive Sun Belt Conference title.

Thomas wasn't even ticketed to start at running back until former starter Patrick Cobbs suffered a season-ending knee injury for North Texas (4-4, 4-0 SBC).

UNT's rushing attack will be featured at 9 p.m. today at Cajun Field on ESPN2.

Kwarteng, computer animation major and a Ghana native who acquired his U.S. citizenship this year, said the Cajuns (4-4, 2-2) can't afford to have the defensive lapses they've experienced at times this season.

"If we can keep the mistakes down, we can prevent the critical plays which have sometimes hurt us," said Kwarteng, who played at Mabank's Eustace High in the Dallas metro area. "Everyone has to be out there working on the same page."

Kwarteng played running back, safety and middle linebacker at Eustace and ended his career rushing for 3,190 yards.

ULL defensive line coach Shawn Quinn said Kwarteng, who now weighs 240 pounds, has grown into an effective defensive end.

"Eugene is the type of guy who has made himself into a good player. He has great speed and strength and will outwork anyone," Quinn said. "He's a starter now even though he suffered a painful chest injury in the first game. That is something that he's played through and he has continuously improved."

The rest of the story

By BOBBY ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate

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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

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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