Cayenne Ballyhooed Debut 2001

[NewsCopy]

Hot, Hot, Hot Cayenne ignites Ragin’ Cajun® spirit Cayenne ignites Ragin’ Cajun® spirit There’s a new pepper in town. It’s big. Eight feet tall, in fact. Wears size 25 shoes. • And it’s hot, so hot that it’s always on fire. • Cayenne, the Ragin’ Cajun® Pepper, premiered as University of Louisiana’s new spirit leader in January. It arrived at the Cajundome astride a Harley Davidson motorcycle during halftime at the Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns® vs. North Texas basketball game. • “Students wanted something to ignite our school spirit and promote pride on campus. Cayenne does that,” said Princess Willis, president of University of Louisiana’s Student Government Association. The concept of a spicy spirit leader for all athletic teams was sparked by the Ragin’ Cajuns’ appearance at the NCAA basketball tournament last spring and was fueled by University of Louisiana’s first trip to the NCAA College World Series in June. “The University received an unbelievable response to its unique nickname — ‘Ragin’ Cajuns’ — and its logos during the baseball team’s excellent performance at the College World Series,” said Julie Simon-Dronet, director of Public Relations and News Services. “The students and the administration thought it was important to build on the responses we were getting. The Ragin’ Cajun image is rapidly creating more national attention for our university and athletic teams.” Students wanted a spirit leader that is unique and playful. They didn’t have to look any further than the school’s athletic logo, which combines a fleur de lis and the words “Ragin’ Cajuns” in fiery letters. The apostrophe in “Ragin’ ” is a pepper in flames, a droll detail that says volumes about Ragin’ Cajuns’ sense of fun. So, the students picked the pepper, so to speak, and held a “name the pepper” contest on campus. “Cayenne” was the winner. “Cayenne represents a unique image the university has continually built upon throughout the years,” said John Mouton, president of the Union Program council. “It reflects our hot and spicy way of life.” Cayenne, according to Simon-Dronet, is a non-traditional spirit leader for a non-traditional university. “That pepper on fire has created an ‘out-of-the-box’ look that manufacturers and retailers love to promote. In fact, the pepper on fire mark produced our first line of products to go national. You can buy a Ragin’ Cajun hat at any LIDS store in the nation because of the popularity of the pepper on fire. And that’s only the beginning,” she said. Cayenne is not a mascot and does not replace any characters who represented the university throughout its 100-year history, including a bulldog. “Cayenne embodies the Ragin’ Cajun spirit of Acadiana. We needed a spirit leader that kids can hug. We needed a spirit leader that can represent Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns to a national audience,” Simon-Dronet said. She noted that University of Louisiana players and fans who attended the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., were frequently asked, “What’s a Ragin’ Cajun?” “A Ragin’ Cajun is not a person or an animal,” she said. “It’s a feeling that describes our unique way of life. It describes our hot and spicy food and unique music. Cayenne is the same. “This spirit leader represents everyone and embodies all of what the Ragin’ Cajuns are. . .hot, exciting and on the move.” Glen Clark La Louisiane Spring 2001

[Turbine]

Personal feelings aside (I hate it) and the fact that there will never be another Cayenne as good as Sid

Kids Love the Pepper

[Geaux clotille]

Kids do, but that costume is so cheesy looking!

[locoguano]

we really need a better mascot than a damn pepper... i doubt there is another team with a veggie for a mascot..

[Jeaux]

we really need a better mascot than a damn pepper... i doubt there is another team with a veggie for a mascot..

Actually it is classified as a fruit. Then, if your asking if there is another team with a fruit for a mascot I can think of one of the top of my head. You might not have heard of a little team from Columbus, Ohio. I think they go by the name of Buckeye. Buckeye? isn't that the state tree of Ohio? Oh and yes it produces a fruit too.

[Zeebart21]

Actually it is classified as a fruit. Then, if your asking if there is another team with a fruit for a mascot I can think of one of the top of my head. You might not have heard of a little team from Columbus, Ohio. I think they go by the name of Buckeye. Buckeye? isn't that the state tree of Ohio? Oh and yes it produces a fruit too.

LOL!!! We love it when our adopted Cajuns, hammer the fake Cajuns..

Nice job..

Z.

[Jeaux]

And to think I deleted the second part because I didn't wanna be sarcastic. Oh well once a smart@$$ always a smart@$$.

[Turbine]

One reason Cayenne could never succeed even if Russell Heim was inside is because the head is too attached to the body.

In my opinion a large portion of a successful mascot personality is expressed though head movement. When Russell (The Cajun Chicken) turns his head and his beak changes time zones you have no choice but to notice.

The Pepper is locked in, on the one hand if UL head could turn, it wouldn't be a pepper. Since its head can't turn it is relegated to a low level personality.

Having said that, I thought Sid did a good job a few years back. He did what he could and ironically it was seeing the difference between his performance and the replacement that cemented my feeling s that the Pepper had peaked with Sid.

jmo