The Book: 2007 Football

[Zeebart21]

Louisiana 28
Mickey D's 24

Bring your Xanax and valium.

LOL!! With a Crown chaser!

Z

[RaginFan2]

I totally agree. This thread is about nothing. Why are we complaining about ppl not cheering? Don't you guys remember how pathetic our university looked a few years back before bustle came in and there was absolutely no one in the stands! I'm not crediting Bustle for the increase in attendance, the UPC can take full credit for this (our team really can't), but my point is that as long as we are getting people in the stands, that is all that counts. Especially when we can't even manage to win consistently against bottom tier teams. I know that I'm gonna get a lot of flack for this post, but the truth is that until we can refine our product and get a good team on the field, our attendance is going to stay around the same, and so is the noise.

Bottom line: wins=fans; wins = noise

I think Bustle does deserve the lions share of the credit for increased fan support. As you pointed out, pre-Bustle, the "crowds" were almost non-existent. He has most definitely built (NOT re-built) this program into a competitive one. It amazes me to hear a number of Cajun fans who are seriously talking about changing coaches at this point in the season. I agree with you that wins=fans. What were the number of wins in the 5 years before Bustle? What are the number of wins since he arrived? I think there has been a marked improvement in that area. Does there need to be another marked improvement? Hell, yes! We need to start winning some of these games now, not just being competitive. But first you have to walk before you can run. Is Bustle the guy who can take us to that next level? I don't know. But I think he might be. I am not opposed to criticizing game strategies, play-calling, playmakers (or lack thereof), recruiting, etc. But I think talk about replacing a coach 2 games into the new season is ludicrous. Especially after the 2 losses were to quality teams (these were NOT lower-tier teams!). And especially after this coach has done so much to raise the standards of this program since he has been here, and done so in a quality way.

[RaginFan2]

I think it's a good sign that you are upset that 'Ohio is about as good as us'. They went 9-3 last year, and will likely match or better that this year. I'll take 9-3 for the Cajuns and go to the house right now.

That's a great point, VO! All the talk about what a lousy job Bustle is doing obviously ignores all of the improvement that he has made in the program. Now we are disappointed by close losses to South Carolina (a rising SEC team) and Ohio (a last year's MAC divisional champion). Seems like just a few years ago the few lonesome souls in Cajun Field were praying just to field a competitive team. Now that Bustle has done that, the larger crowds that now attend games are upset that we aren't winning these games. And that's a GOOD thing! It means the bar of expectations has been raised! Congratulations and condolences, Coach Bustle!

[NewsCopy]

Listen up, boys and girls. This week will be an education. The teachers will be those of you out there of a certain age. The ones that remember "Go to Hell" chants and bumper stickers. The ones that remember sitting on the hill at Cowboy Stadium back when they thought it seated 20,000, thus contributing to crowds of 27,000. The teachers this week will be those of you who are in your 40s or older and remember the intensity of the McNeese State-USL (nay, UL-Lafayette) football rivalry. It died after the 1986 season with the Cajuns figuring that if they were going to be a Division I-A program and McNeese was going to be I-AA, it probably made sense that they not play each other any more. So here we are, 21 years later, a lifetime for a lot of current college football players, and McNeese and the Cajuns haven't played since. That is, until this Saturday. You'll be hearing all about it, so pay attention. The rest of the story By GARY LANEY AMERICAN PRESS

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns head football coach Rickey Bustle addressed the media Monday about his team's upcoming game with the McNeese State Cowboys during his weekly press luncheon at the Cox Communications Athletic Center. Prior to the start of the press conference, the Sun Belt Conference announced Jarrett Jones (New Orleans, La.) was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week. Jones had an interception inside the Cajuns' red zone for the second straight week. Leading 13-10 over Ohio, Jones picked Bobcats quarterback Brad Bower at the UL 19-yard line to stop the Bobcats' scoring drive. Jones also led the team in tackles for the second straight week, making seven stops (including six solo tackles). Last weekend, Louisiana (0-2) lost for just the second time at home under Bustle when leading at halftime. The Cajuns opened the second half with 20-10 lead, but Ohio made it a three-point game late in the third quarter. After Ohio's Kalvin McRae rushed for his 29th career touchdown to cut the UL lead to three points, he later added his 30th career rushing score, giving the Bobcats a 24-23 lead. Ohio would hold on to eventually defeat the Cajuns, 31-23. During Saturday's tough loss, Tyrell Fenroy (LaPlace, La.) passed Darren Brister to become the Cajuns' career leader in rushing yards by a running back. His 2,474 rushing yards trail only former quarterback Brian Mitchell's school-record 3,335 yards. Against the Bobcats, Fenroy rushed for a season-high 136 yards - his 12th 100-yard rushing game of his career. McNeese State (1-0), which is ranked sixth in the nation in the FCS Top 25 Coaches Poll, is making its first trip to Lafayette since Nov. 16, 1985. Saturday's game will be the first between the schools since 1986, when the Cajuns won 33-13 in Lake Charles. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 29-15-2, while boasting a 10-7-1 record on UL's home field. The rest of the story RaginCajuns.com

[NewsCopy]

  Each week Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns football coaching staff honors its outstanding performers from the previous weeks’s game by designating them as Players of the Game. There were no Offensive or Defensive Player of the Week awards for the Ohio game.

The Special Forces Player of the Game honors went to Kyle Ward.

Ward was commended by the coaches for outstanding play on punt coverage and kickoff return coverage.

The Offensive Scout Team Player of the Week was Johnathan Thomas. The Defensive Scout Team Player of the Week was Richard Brooks.

The Cajuns honored Kevin Belton with the Thumper Award for the biggest hit on offense, and the Hammer Award for biggest defensive hit went to Orkeys Auriene. The Kuhuna Award for special teams biggest hit was awarded to Jezreel Washington.

The rest of the story
RaginCajuns.com

[NewsCopy]

For UL's football team, it's not about what happened at South Carolina or what happened Saturday against Ohio. It's not even about what's going on in Lake Charles. It's about what's happening a few feet from Reinhardt Drive. "At this point, I just want to see us play four quarters of football," UL coach Rickey Bustle said Monday. "Right now, a victory would be big for us, period. It doesn't matter who we're playing." The Cajuns have had opportunities for wins in each of their first two games, with Saturday's 31-23 loss to Ohio's Bobcats the most recent example of things turning from sweet to sour. UL watched a 20-10 halftime lead vanish at Cajun Field Saturday in a second-half swoon. Now, an 0-2 team will face its most emotionally-charged opponent of the season when the Cajuns face McNeese State at 6 p.m. Saturday at Cajun Field. The nearby schools haven't played since 1986, and Saturday's game has been one of the most-anticipated since the Cajuns announced their 2007 schedule almost a year ago. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

UL senior cornerback Jarrett Jones, who had his second interception of the season in the Cajuns' 31-23 home loss to Ohio on Saturday, was named the Sun Belt Conference's Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. Jones had a pass theft inside the Cajun red zone for the second straight week, picking off a pass at the UL 19 on Saturday to help UL hold onto a 13-10 lead at the time. His interception also set the Cajuns up for a seven-play, 81-yard drive that led to a score 1:03 before halftime. The rest of the story

[rhineaux]

_ I totally agree. This thread is about nothing. Why are we complaining about ppl not cheering? Don't you guys remember how pathetic our university looked a few years back before bustle came in and there was absolutely no one in the stands! I'm not crediting Bustle for the increase in attendance, the UPC can take full credit for this (our team really can't), but my point is that as long as we are getting people in the stands, that is all that counts. Especially when we can't even manage to win consistently against bottom tier teams. I know that I'm gonna get a lot of flack for this post, but the truth is that until we can refine our product and get a good team on the field, our attendance is going to stay around the same, and so is the noise.

Bottom line: wins=fans; wins = noise _

You can't say that Wins=fans, in the same post in which you credit the UPC for increased attendance. its one way or the other. I don't know that I give much credit for anything to the UPC. I never noticed them doing a whole lot of good things, unless you consider the pepper costumes, the ridiculous shirts they'd give away, etc. as good.

[CrazyCajun]

UPC??????? are you kidding me? Where was the upc when baldwin was here? that is the most rediculous thing i have ever heard. i have an idea why dont you stand at the gate and ask every pereson that walks in if they are there b/c of upc. Now, i am not taking away from upc's efforts but to say they are the reason we get the attendence we do is just insane. People go to watch FOOTBALL!

[Choppie29]

_ While I agree that wins = fans; you are smoking some serious dope if you think the two teams we lost to this year are 'bottom tier' teams. Both Carolina and Ohio went to bowl games last year; both will go bowling again this year, Ohio will likely win the MAC and my money is on South Carolina to finish second in the SEC East. How much more top tier can we get? _

I think he was talking about losing last year to teams like North Texas, who had just fired their coach, and then getting beat down by UL Monroe in the season finale, with a winning season and possible bowl birth on the line. Those were both HOME GAMES we should have won, no questions asked.

So far we have played two quality opponents who both played in bowl games last year. So far this year, we have played better after two games than we did in out first two games last season, but we are still 0-2 no matter how you look at it. If we play up to potential the next two weeks and eliminate stupid mistakes, attendance will take care of itself.

[cajunmaniac]

_ I was at the game (didn't leave early) and I was dismayed to see the entire fan section sit in silence watching the game. The cheerleaders were yelling there heads off, but got no reaction. It's like people have no pride. Heck I have fun cheering on the cajuns, I know they can't here me down there anyway. We had a decent turnout, if everyone is loud while we are on defense maybe we can have a real home field advantage (gasp). The student section sounded loud and proud, I could here them cheering and chanting for most of the game.

I guess my point is for everyone go to the game and try to get everyone around you into the game and off there feet. When an announcer has to tell the fans when to make noise, that is not good. We have many players who deserve our cheers. _

I agree with you, except on the cheerleader fact. They annoy me, I don't like them being in my field of vision when I am trying to enjoy the game. Especially the dudes, thats just creepy.