PreGame 2011 New Orleans Bowl - Walking To New Orleans

[sportsfanatic21]

As I sit here and read all of the excitement and jubilation about FINALLY receiving a bowl game invite, I wonder how big this actually is. I'm trying to equate this achievement with the really great achievements this university has had in other sports. So my question is this...how does this football bowl invite compare to other sports?

Baseball--is this the same as making a regional? A super regional? The world series? In my mind, since about half as many teams make bowl games as make the regional field in baseball, I'd say this is somewhere in between a regional berth, and a super regional berth. Of course, you have to win in the post season to get to the supers, so maybe a bowl WIN is on par with a super regional berth. To me, we'd have to play in a BCS bowl to match the 2000 CWS appearance by the boys on the diamond.

Basketball--making the NCAA tourney? Nope. This is bigger. Anybody can get hot for a week and win a conference tourney and get an NCAA bid, so is this about like winning a game in the tournament? I'd say so. Other than beating South Carolina in the 2000 baseball super regional, the basketball tourney win in 92 over Oklahoma was my proudest moment as a Cajun fan. This is right up there with that to me, but is it more? Is a New Orleans bowl invite the equivalent of making the Sweet 16 in basketball? There is no wrong answer, it's what you feel.

Finally, softball--We have become almost used to the Lotiefs and our ladies making runs at the WCWS, so the bar is set so high here, that, in my mind, this is about equal to that. Kudos to the softball program for making this unfair comparison seem fair.

What say you? Where does the New Orleans bowl invite rank (to you) in terms of UL athletic accomplishments? Again, there are no wrong answers. I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

Geaux Cajuns!!!!

[moorecajun]

You were close.....

https://forumeus.com/...referrerid=275

I had to save that article for next year's game with the goat"herders"!

That article is so funny it just seems it had to be an April Fool's Joke!

[MissingMandy]

Jay...once again crying at one of your articles...great job. (I've been thinking alot about Charlie too and how happy he would be)

[sportsfanatic21]

"UL unveiled its bowl-game promotional logo_–_a “Paint the Quarter Red” poster next to New Orleans’ traditional Bourbon Street road sign – at the moment that Valteau issued the official bid."

I would have liked to see "Occupy Bourbon Street"!!

[reddot]

Great list.
On the personal side I have a couple
Ann and Calvin.

Some of those years were lonely in the upper deck. Sitting there staring down at the brown barely painted field trying to
get the number of the bus that hit us.

[BirdofParadise]

Jay,

You wrote a "great" article, and everyone you mentioned certainly deserves the recognition, but you forgot to include the most loyal person to ever wear Ragin Cajun gear. That person would be Bill "Blackjack" Landry!!!!!! Bill was the original Ragin Cajun!!! I'm positive he is in heaven with a huge smile on his face (as always) enjoying this moment with all the former Ragin Cajuns who are no longer with us.

You're right. Bad oversight on my part.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Well no doubt football is KING. No doubt it is the hardest for a school like UL to get a post season invite. But in terms of accomplishment you gotta give it to the Lady Cajuns Softball, and mens Baseball. Both of those teams have finished in the top ten.

[anhil8tor]

To me this is making the college world series...

Its like making the sweet 16...


Its the biggest thing we have ever done in football history. Next year.. yeah it won't be as big.. but this year.. this is the pinnacle.. the biggest thing we have ever done as a football program!

[RaisingCajun08]

Its our time. We have faithful fans have grown over the past few years. We are regionally by far the best fit for the New Orleans Bowl. WKU can be upset that they are being "passed over" for us but they should understand the circumstances.

[raginsaints]

To me this is making the college world series...

Its like making the sweet 16...


Its the biggest thing we have ever done in football history. Next year.. yeah it won't be as big.. but this year.. this is the pinnacle.. the biggest thing we have ever done as a football program!

What? No. The Sweet 16 and CWS are much bigger than this.

[RaisingCajun08]

A friend of mine called the ticket office today to see if what we needed to do to get tickets together since 3 members of our Krewe all reserved at different times. He was told that tickets were being assigned. Once tickets were assigned, our seats are our seats.

Guess we will have to wait and see what the outcome is. I am still waiting on my phone call.

[ULshooter2491]

What? No. The Sweet 16 and CWS are much bigger than this.

I disagree. Making the CWS is a excellent achievement and so is the sweet 16, however for a school who hasn't been to a Bowl in 40 years this is a enormous accomplishment. It's harder to compete with AQ's in football then anyother sport. It takes more to be successful. Their are quite a few of the top basketball schools that are not even In the FBS.