Ricky's Gotta GEAUX

[Mitch]

_ So you are satisfied with watching this same crap every year? The past four seasons have been like the movie "Groundhog Day" with a blowout to a BCS team, a good performance to a BCS team, a loss to a Sunbelt team in a "statement" game and an embarrassing loss to a team we should beat. Its getting to the point that even the apologies for those losses are sounding the same. Rickey Bustle is a nice, likable guy but he has taken this team as far as his abilities allow. Its time for a change. _

Not satisfied. But it may be the best we can get right now. Unless you take a chance on a proven high school coach. I don't see how we can pay a up and commer or and an established coach with a decent background, the money they will want.

[Mitch]

_ There are some big name coaches out there that just might look at this job. Jeff Bower (former coach of USM), Jim Leavitt (former coach of USF) and Terry Bowden (Former Auburn coach and son of a legend) are all out there and all may be purchased at the right price, and all would bring instant fan support and instant credibility. _

Can we even come close to paying those guys what they want? I don't know. It would be nice to have any one of those guys on our sideline.

[Hammer58]

_ Not satisfied. But it may be the best we can get right now. Unless you take a chance on a proven high school coach. I don't see how we can pay a up and commer or and an established coach with a decent background, the money they will want. _

We heard similar arguments about trying to find a replacement for our former basketball coach. The naysayers predicted that no one would want the job and we couldn't find better so why not stick with what we had regardless of how poor the results were.

There are "up and comers" with head coaching success at the D1AA level who would see this as a step up in both pay and in opportunity just as Coach Marlin did in basketball. There are also a few D1A coordinators and assistants who have had HC success on other levels who might be interested in a D1A HC position. The administration just needs to search them out and find the best fit.

[Cajunsmike]

_ There have been billboards around town as well as mailings and newspaper ads. I believe there is also information about RCAF in every gameday program.

igeaux.mobi _

Members also have decals to put on their vehicles. I have one on my truck. Of course people in town are the only ones likely to see that. Getting info to out of towners is more difficult. The tour held earlier this year was meant to address that concern.

[HoustonCajun]

_ There have been billboards around town as well as mailings and newspaper ads. I believe there is also information about RCAF in every gameday program.

igeaux.mobi _

The problem is, no one goes to our games, so no one buys and reads the gameday programs. Marketing is a MAJOR problem for UL, always has been. Either hire a professional firm to handle it or consider utilizing internal talents at UL like a Senior Marketing class each year making UL athletic marketing its senior project. Put to practical use what is being taught. Anything has got to be better than what we are doing now.

[HoustonCajun]

_ I feel that firing Bustle would hurt the program. He has a relationship with the local coaches in the area and nation wide. Unless UL can get a highly regarded coach to come in, I don't think firing Bustle would have a positive effect. Look, players need to be up for games. It doesn't matter what team your playing against. The cajuns had a rough couple weeks before WKU came to town and it showed on the field. Coaches cannot get players emotionally ready for a game. That doesn't mean they can't give a stirring speech before the game and affect the players in a positve way. As a player you are responsible to get yourself ready to play emotionally! I don't care how many "Lets win this for the Gipper" speeches coaches give before the game and at halftime. Players get themselves ready or they don't. Everyone can see that all of our players weren't emotionally ready for WKU. They got their asses kicked. We move on and cheer another day. _

And, the fans need to be up for games as well. As long as this continues, fans will not show up, support will be down, and the vicious cycle UL has been in for all these years will continue. UL is under new management; a new President, a soon to be named new AD, a new basketball coach, and now a new football coach. We need to break that cycle and it must happen in football which drives all of athletics.

[ULalum06]

_ Can we even come close to paying those guys what they want? I don't know. It would be nice to have any one of those guys on our sideline. _

the money is there....trust me. we can, and are willing to pay much more than you think

[wgwillis]

_ The problem is, no one goes to our games, so no one buys and reads the gameday programs. Marketing is a MAJOR problem for UL, always has been. Either hire a professional firm to handle it or consider utilizing internal talents at UL like a Senior Marketing class each year making UL athletic marketing its senior project. Put to practical use what is being taught. Anything has got to be better than what we are doing now. _

We have never had a consistent tradition of winning ever - like in basketball i.e. no real success ever and, we are not winning now and, the fans do not have any real hope of winning or faith in the future therefore, why should they support the football team? Why not not stay in the parking lot drink beer - eat boudin and pass a good time that way!

It's the results on the field and the impact on fans and the supporters hearts over years of underachieving and disappointment that is holding us back. We have an unbelieveable amount of support considering we give the fans NOTHING AND I MEAN NOTHING TO CHEER ABOUT - HOPE FOR OR BELIEVE IN!!!

No criticism of Mr. Bustle as a person whatsoever period...

We need someone who knows how to get Cajun players to win. He has had enough time and has proven he is not the GUY. Nothing personal we need fresh ideas and someone that can do more than be a nice person.

Success my friend - you can talk all you want but we need WWWWWWWins!!!!

[tdncz]

_ I feel that firing Bustle would hurt the program. He has a relationship with the local coaches in the area and nation wide. Unless UL can get a highly regarded coach to come in, I don't think firing Bustle would have a positive effect. Look, players need to be up for games. It doesn't matter what team your playing against. The cajuns had a rough couple weeks before WKU came to town and it showed on the field. Coaches cannot get players emotionally ready for a game. That doesn't mean they can't give a stirring speech before the game and affect the players in a positve way. As a player you are responsible to get yourself ready to play emotionally! I don't care how many "Lets win this for the Gipper" speeches coaches give before the game and at halftime. Players get themselves ready or they don't. Everyone can see that all of our players weren't emotionally ready for WKU. They got their asses kicked. We move on and cheer another day. _

Are you KIDDING me????!!!??
No Other comment necessary!!!!

[Sharp Square]

I don't think anyone can say that everything Coach Bustle has done is a negative i think he has done some positive things for the program. But at some point you have to take a step back and say has he taken us as far as he can and is the program now in a place where change is needed to help move forward. I think this may be the case now for this program that is simply time to move on and bring in someone new with a new approach and to usher in a new atmosphere. I would thank Coach Bustle for all he has done and all of his efforts through the years and i think he did a pretty good job with what he had to work with.

[Spydaman70507]

Tyrone Willingham, Major Applewhite, Sly Croom,
Mike Leach, Mike Shula would fit here would love to see Ty Major or Leach Here

[cajunfan32]

_ My point exactly. Without a up and comer in the coaching profession to take Bustle's place whats the point? Starting over with some no name coach will not help recruiting. If your going to do that, why not get a top notch high school coach to try his luck? Not saying I'm right. I'm just sayin. _

There is never a good time to fire a coach. Whether it's b/c it's in the middle of the season or it will hurt recruiting. There is always an excuse. I like bustle and he brought this program far but i don't think he will take us much farther. There are plenty of coaches out there who can recruit and if they are unfamiliar with the area then they will hire assistants who have connections around here. That's what marlin did and it seems to be working very well for him. And I think most on here would agree that hiring a HS coach is the worst possible thing we could do. College is a completely different game and you cant hire a head coach JUST b/c he has decent connections around the area.