Ricky's Gotta GEAUX

[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.

[cajunfan32]

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

I would go crazy if we got Leach (in a very very very good way). And like i've said before, I know aaron spikes would LOVE the hire.

[Just1More]

_ 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. _

That is pretty much the case. We are getting seriously distracted by a few people that want to either criticize the terminology (deplorable) of a fan, or use this past Saturday as an Oprah Winfrey episode on one guy's bad behavior... BUT... fortunately... we are heavily united in the need to do something better with our football program.

We are all sad that Bustle could not break through and conquer. He did us very well following the Baldwin debacle. The key is that once your trend goes to a straight line and that line does not in 9 years ever rise to automatic bowl entry... you have to find another way. Eventually, given the exact skill and tactics Bustle has in his toolbox, his trend will shoot downward and it will be all the more difficult to salvage what is available in fan support and recruit interest. When you go sideways for this long, you absolutely have to recognize the only direction you are in for is DOWN.

The next debate we are getting into is whether we can actually get a better coach (as we ignore the other idiotic threads and posts on here attempting to criticize our most precious commodity... the fans). I am more interested in a younger energetic well-spoken coach that has proven skills as a head coach at a lower football division. We can try to get some of the coaches that have been mentioned (well known names) but I think they are highly unlikely.

I also do not believe attractive head coach and staff salaries are as big an issue as many state. Dr. Savoie said when he first came to UL in regard to our athletic system... "it might be time to take out a loan". I take that to mean we get who we need to make our football program tick and then we get people to pay for it. RCAF will get that money. The biggest problem with RCAF and raising funds is the lack of faith 98% of the available Cajuns have with UL ever doing something great with it for football.

I joined RCAF because I don't want to be a hypocrite posting about how bad I want UL athletics to improve and thrive and I want to force the administration's commitment to follow through with what we need to do. I know others that are not going to give a dime to UL athletics until they see solid proof. I have always maintained that the football coach (and the money necessary) comes before all other athletic investments. When we get football right, and that requires a solid coach, the rest will flow.

I want a new coach that will turn around and tell the admin to put up or he'll kick their ass. I want 50,000 Cajun fans to help him do it. I'm tired of this university trying to claim you cannot have solid academics at a public university unless you are known to suck at football. We would lose our martyr status if we had a good football program. That would certainly terrify a few bleeding hearts. I could get used to it.

I would also like the opportunity to manage the luxurious problems of a better football program... instead of allowing pinheads to keep it "quaint" in order to avoid those issues. This forum and the violent attitudes routinely provided are a bigger problem than we would have with a healthier and successful football program... but the bleeding hearts think this is a better situation. They fear greatness. They only understand small.

[ULGrad@HOU]

_ That is pretty much the case. We are getting seriously distracted by a few people that want to either criticize the terminology (deplorable) of a fan, or use this past Saturday as an Oprah Winfrey episode on one guy's bad behavior... BUT... fortunately... we are heavily united in the need to do something better with our football program.

We are all sad that Bustle could not break through and conquer. He did us very well following the Baldwin debacle.....

Exactly, we all need to stay focused on the real issue, saying thank you and goodbye to Coach Bustle and hello to a new direction. We must apply and keep the pressure on the administration, letting them know that we need a new coach to guide us.

[ManAboutTown]

I want a new coach that will turn around and tell the admin to put up or he'll kick their ass.

Well, that fired me up. I'm convinced that the only way for a real culture change to take place around here is for an outisider to come in and force the hand of our lazy, change-fearing ole boy network.

igeaux.mobi