Musings from UL/Akron – From the Bird’s Nest

Cajuns' fans have had better Saturday nights.

There are many adjectives that could be used to describe Louisiana's 35-14 loss to Akron on Saturday night.  And, if you're waiting for me to list them, don't.  That would be redundant.  Because they've all been used already.

I must say, Akron is a better football team than I thought they were.  Not defensively.  I knew that front seven was pretty salty and it's the main reason why the Zips were picked second in the MAC East Division and why Phil Steele named them the #2 most improved team in his annual football preview.

But their offense got the job done.  I wasn't sure that could happen.

And since Saturdays at Cajun Field are all about the total experience, here are my thoughts about Saturday.

STOP, CHILDREN, WHAT'S THAT SOUND?--After tons of complaints about the sound system at Cajun Field (all of them justified), something was done about it.  Some new equipment was brought in that upgraded the sound beyond measure.  Now, the university does not own that equipment...yet.  I'm hoping that sometime during the game, someone brought the purchase contract to President Dr. Joe Savoie.  And, I'm hoping he signed it.  We've learned how the sound CAN be at Cajun Field.  It would be a bad thing to take a step backward.

TAILGATING PART DEUX--I went to a different area for tailgating on Saturday as I said I would.  This time it was a trip all the way to the area of North College, where,, for the first time in several years, I got to visit with the guys at the Eauk.  These gents (who I have always considered friends) can be some of the most caustic fans we have, especially if you get them near a fan board.  But, like everyone else, they want the Cajuns to win.  No one, however, offered me a cigar.

NEITHER DID BOBBY, BUT HE FED ME--My good friend Bobby Neveaux has invited me to his tailgate tent on several occasions and finally I had a chance visit with those folks, who feed a lot of people on game day.  Grits and Grillades (grits like they do them at Zea's) with white beans and sausage and some rice.  I vowed to eat just a little.  I lied.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD, PART TWO--So, after stuffing myself and declining food offers from three other places, it was time to go upstairs.  And, we were all treated to a spread that probably was in the top five of all "booth food" I've had in 24 seasons of Cajuns' football at Cajun Field.  Jambalaya...mini crab cakes with a seafood cheese sauce, and really, really good brisket.  And fruit.  And dessert.  I'm going to look like a blutopotamous before this season is over.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD, PART THREE--As if all that wasn't enough, the folks from Sodexo (who did the jambalaya, etc) brought up a few items that are on the concession menu:  The Johnny Be Goode is a chicken sandwich with sauteed mushrooms, along with lettuce tomato and onion.  There were also burger sliders (which I though were really good) and a monstrosity of a hot dog with a cheese sauce.  And of course, we all had to sample.  Oh, did I tell you they brought up coke floats as well?

THE BEST PAIR OF HUMAN EARS ON EARTH---might belong to our engineer Matt Gholston.  He came up to the booth after the game started and said he could tell that I was talking into an open window and Richie Falgout was talking near one that was closed. (There is one sliding window in the box.)  Dude, really?  You could tell that?  I told him to go eat a hot dog.  And some jambalaya.  And some brisket.  And told him not to talk with his mouth full.

THE RULING ON THE FIELD IS WE LOVE TO HEAR OURSELVES TALK---Saturday night was the first night we've had the referee mic feeding right into our broadcast board.  Well, we got our effort's worth.  The referee (the crew was from the MAC) made sure he explained what they were calling.  Problem is, it was pretty obvious what they were calling.  And, do you mean to tell me NONE of the things that happened were worth reviewing?  I've never been a fan of Sun Belt officials (although they've improved considerably the last three years) but after what I saw Saturday, I'm thankful for what we have.

MEDIA PARKING WILL NOW BE AT THE LAFAYETTE AIRPORT--Until midway through last season, media parking was within the confines of Cajun Field, near the fence on Congress.  Then the media had to be moved to accommodate RCAF passes and were relocated to the Cajundome.  A golf cart shuttle was provided before and after the game, if you timed it right.  But there was an event at the 'Dome this weekend, which necessitated moving the media to near the general parking area off Devalcourt St.  Most of the media wound up walking because that shuttle idea didn't work too well. This doesn't affect me because I have a parking pass.  But for those who are hauling equipment to do their jobs, that's a pretty fair trek.

NEVER BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU--The move into the new Athletic Performance Center was, in fact, a distraction last week.  You gotta find a way to overcome it, and that's NOT all on the coaches.  But Mark Hudspeth rankled more than one person with his comments about tours of the new facility to high level supporters being part of the issue last week.  Those men weren't at practice where the bulk of the work is done.  And, these are the same people that were courted to pony up the money for that new palace, not to mention the money that supplements salaries. If THAT was a distraction, that's not on the players.  Hud has some making up to do with those folks.  But he knows that.

CONGRATULATIONS TO 4,646--The record holder in career rushing yards missed the game Saturday.  But he had a good reason.  Tyrell Fenroy married his longtime girlfriend Heidi Montet over the weekend.  (He married up, trust me.)  I can guarantee one thing.  He didn't give a speech at the reception.