The Book: 2007 Football

[NewsCopy]

The last time a Steve Spurrier coached team opened a season with the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana, his starting quarterback won the Heisman Trophy and two other national awards, and his team finished the season as the national champions. Read inside to hear what the Head Ball Coach is thinking about this year's season opening matchup. Some things have changed since then. Spurrier is now the coach at South Carolina, not Florida; the other school changed its name in 1999 from SW Louisiana to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Spurrier's starting quarterback this year won’t even suit up for the first game of the season. But there is one thing that hasn’t changed. Steve Spurrier is still considered to be one of the very best coaches in the land, and he likes what he sees in his 2007 team. Few, if any, expect him to have his team challenging to repeat what his 1996 team accomplished, but fans across the Palmetto state share their coach’s enthusiasm, and are as optimistic about this season as perhaps the fan base has ever been about any USC team. In a season where the head coach has been the only coach in the SEC to openly proclaim that his team’s goal is to compete for the SEC championship, he addressed his team’s readiness for the season opener: “Hopefully we can play our best, and we really should. We've had a lot of practices, scrimmages, snaps and repetitions. We've made our share of errors. Hopefully we can learn from the mistakes, and really play a fairly close to mistake-free game.” The rest of the story By Doug Jolley

[NewsCopy]

  Want to greet those Ragin’ Cajuns with some of their favorite dishes when they roll into town this weekend?

Here’s what you do, cher. (Cher? That’s Cajun for “dahlin.”)

Stock your cooler with lots of beer — any kind will do, but Abita beer from Louisiana would be really sweet.

Find some for-true French bread. (That “for-true” business means “the real thing” — crusty, chewy, toothy bread.)

Then you’re going to need some andouille or boudin (both hearty Louisiana sausages). Slather on some Jack Miller barbecue sauce and mustard, and you’re good to go.

Yes, that’s barbecue sauce and mustard, not mustard barbecue sauce. And when you’re done, it’s called a sausage po’ boy.

Or, you could stock up on some cracklins and chitlins. They’re a favorite tailgating appetizer among Cajuns, but those crazy Cajuns eat their chitlins in stews and barbecued.

Come real eating time, you can also create sandwiches with thinly sliced tasso ham, again with French bread, or grill some extra-thin pork chops (bone-in, cher) and place them between two slices of white bread (any old white bread will do with this sandwich), slapped with a combo spread of mayo and mustard.

The rest of the story

By ALLISON ASKINS - aaskins@thestate.com
C. ALUKA BERRY/ CABERRY@THESTATE.COM

[Zeebart21]

Anyone here ever eat a %&$%*& chitlin?

Z

[Hammer58]

_ Anyone here ever eat a %&$%*& chitlin?

Z _

Chitlins? Once again the name issue causes confusion with monroe.

[jay bee]

Cox Sports Television (La., Miss., Ark., Texas)
Thursday, August 30th - 3:30 PM CT

Which I'm sure is a convenient time for everyone.

[shasta]

Anyone here ever eat a %&$%*& chitlin?

Z

no and after a quick web search to determine exactly what a chitlin is and if there may be another name known as something else, hell no

[shasta]

Which I'm sure is a convenient time for everyone.

and channel

[rhineaux]

_ Anyone here ever eat a %&$%*& chitlin?

Z _

Where's Univeristy of Louisiana dash Lafayette Stadium? Is that what they're calling the track facility?

Well, at least she did do some research. She made an effort, which is a lot more than a lot of these people do.

[rhineaux]

"They're a very good running team. It's kind of like the Wofford game (last season). We weren't assignment clear in the Wofford game, and we were very fortunate to beat Wofford. (Louisiana-Lafayette uses) a different scheme; they'll be in the shotgun running the fake to the back, keep it and run some option stuff all over the place. Our defensive coaches had to really adjust from playing against our offense to the one we'll see Saturday night. We have to get them off the field. We can't let them stay out there and take the time off the clock. That's what running teams do."

It doesn't sound like they are expecting much of the fast paced stuff. hopefully we can keep them guessing with the pace and the play calling, becasue i think that moving the ball will be tough against those guys. Defensively, I hope all the blitzes and stunts that I've been hearing about will keep us aggressive as Fooq wants us to be. they may be saying they're more confident in their O-line, but by saying that they are evaluating them during this game, i don't know that i believe it. And, hopefully our defense will get down on their QB. If we stay aggressive, then i think that changing the QBs throughout the game will be in our advantage. It prevents the QB from gaining consistency, and the offense from gaining momentum, especially if the play calling changes to benefit each QB. If we keep after them, and prevent each QB from gaining some rhythm, that will be key.

I am really looking forward to this game, and can't wait to get to Legend's on Saturday afternoon to watch the game.

[CrazyCajun]

one good thing it sounds like they are going to have to play alot of youth. Hopefully they will stumble in their first game in a big time atmosphere. We need to come out firing. They are going to expect us to run it so i say we come out throwing, dinking and dunking passes then hit them hard with fenroy and desormeaux.

[CajunCharlie]

_ Anyone here ever eat a %&$%*& chitlin?

Z _

If the USC folks, or any other "foreigners", want real Cajun tailgating food they should visit the Eauk, Krewe de Chew and tailgating sites in between. You ain't going to find any chitlins, Cher!

[CajunKahouna]

_ Anyone here ever eat a %&$%*& chitlin?

Z _

What the f&&k is a chitlin?

[Pirogue]

_ Anyone here ever eat a %&$%*& chitlin?

Z _

I think they got Cajun food and soul food confused...

[Damon]

The little Clemson jab was funny.

[DestinCajun]

_ Chitlins? Once again the name issue causes confusion with monroe. _

Had them in a red gravy at Mandina's on Canal quite awhile back.

Mandina's A/K/A'd them as "menudo".