Heading into the 2nd half of the Sun Belt slate last year, things were building towards a frenetic finish for the Cajuns. 11 Game Win Streak. Fear the Beard. Sun Belt West Division Championship.
Down The Stretch They Come
January 29th, 2012 — Uncategorized
Dat’s A Big Offseason
January 17th, 2012 — Uncategorized
If you’ve followed the Saints for any numbers of year pre-2006 (Sean Payton and Drew Brees), what happened Saturday was something you came to expect as a fan of the Black and Gold. I mean, we’ve seen some crazy stuff happen. But the 3 minute roller coaster ride that ended up being a scissor kick to the gut hurt.
The Buzz is Gone…For Now
December 25th, 2011 — Uncategorized
Without furiously searching on the internet, can you name more than 3 players currently on the Hornets’ roster?
Don’t worry if you can’t, you aren’t alone.
Long gone are the days of CP3, DWest and the core of the Hornets that led the Bees to a game away of the Western Conference Finals just a few short years ago.
In fact, Emeka Ofakor is the lone player left from the 2o1o team (!!!!!). That’s right, this year’s group is a COMPLETELY new team and it will show on the floor.
For those Hornets fans still wondering who the heck is on the team, here’s the new face of the franchise:
Meet Eric Gordon.
Christmas Came Early This Year.
December 25th, 2011 — Uncategorized
If Ragin’ Cajuns fan don’t have many presents under the tree tomorrow night, don’t worry…Coach Mark Hudspeth knows why:
Merry Christmas Cajun fans!!!If for some reason Santa doesn’t deliver tonight…no worries, Brett Baer already has!!!Geaux Cajuns!!
— Mark Hudspeth (@ULCoachHud) December 24, 2011
Terrific Trio: Savor the Moment. Get Ready For Seconds?
December 6th, 2011 — Uncategorized
After seeing UL accept its bowl bid, watching LSU win this week against Georgia and being at this week’s Saints game I felt compelled to write this simple statement (and then elaborate on it for a while):
This has been the most memorable football season in Acadiana history…period (and it’s not over).
Don’t believe me? Remember the last time UL, LSU and the Saints made it to the postseason? Me neither. Because it’s never happened. That streak seems destined to end this year with the Ragin’ Cajuns and Tigers postseason plans already set (both in New Orleans) and the Saints seem all but assured of a third consecutive playoff appearance. To top it off, all three have various songs recorded in their honor. So you know it’s good.
It wouldn’t have been hard to fathom in August that both LSU and New Orleans would be in the position they are in back in August. UL? Hardly. Sporting News projected the Ragin’ Cajuns as the worst team in college football. Not much was expected by the Sun Belt’s coaches either. Not only has UL defied any and all expectations, but the Cajuns will be in a Division I-A (FBS) Bowl for the first time ever in school history. There was the 1970 Grantland Rice Bowl but that was for smaller schools (UL was in the Gulf States Conference). We as sports fans are in uncharted waters with UL joining the fold of the golden years of both LSU and New Orleans…happy times!
I’m Walking to New Orleans…
November 27th, 2011 — Uncategorized
First off, apologies for no picks last week. I was out of town for Thanksgiving and well, the tryptophan was brutal.
Unfortunately for many of our Acadiana area teams, it was for them as well.
We only have three teams left, and they are all teams we figured had the best shot to get to the ‘Dome. This week, this is what’s at stake:
So What’s Your Dream Job? ESPN?
November 20th, 2011 — Uncategorized
This is probably the question that I, along with the majority of other young sportscasters, get on a regular basis from family, friends, etc. While working for the WWL would be a pretty sweet gig, I can say without a doubt that doing what I do is about as close to a dream job as I can get. As I previously mentioned in other posts, I am a high school football nerd (read: junkie).
My dream job consists of many of the things I currently do: report on a hotbed of high school football, a major Division I program (I get two) and have professional franchises within arms reach. For my first job, Lafayette pretty much hit a home run in that regard. My favorite aspect of my job is also the part that entails the most work: Friday Night Football. I’m proud to say that the show we put on is easily the best source for high school football in Acadiana, and one of the best in the state. But it takes a lot more work than you think. To give you an idea of all the work it entails, I wanted to give you a day in the life of FNF.
On This Team, We Fight For That Inch (Part 2)
November 16th, 2011 — Uncategorized
Class 3A
6. Notre Dame vs. 11. Parkview Baptist – For folks in Crowley and Baton Rouge, this is their Game of the Century Week. Most teams in the state fake a rivalry. This IS a rivalry. Since 2001, these two have played five times in the postseason including the 2009 State Finals. The Big Red Machine holds a 3-2 edge in these games but Parkview won last year in the semis en route to a title. I like the revenge factor for Notre Dame. Plus, if I pick against the Pios, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.
8. Eunice vs. 9. Jennings – DISCLAIMER: Before reading this segment, play this video while reading...and read like Harry Kalas
On a crisp November night, two teams…mere neighbors…come to blows. A battle that is timeless as it is important for either squad. A true Dogs vs. Cats playing football the way the forefathers wanted it to be played. 3 yards and the cloud of dust. The last time these two met with the stakes this high, one raised the crown. The year was 1982 and the Cats reigned supreme. Now many fathers watch their sons on the same battlefield they once roamed, against their sworn enemy. The team of green won the first round but the rematch is when it counts.
On This Team, We Fight for that Inch (Part 1)
November 15th, 2011 — Uncategorized
If you don’t get the title, that’s ok…any teenager that played for the Notre Dame Pioneers in the last decade probably does and that’s all that matters. While Al Pacino is no Vince Lombardi this was played right before loading the bus every Friday in a pitch black locker room. Ahhh, Memories.
Now that you’re ready to run through a brick wall, I have a confession to make. I’m a sports nerd. I’ll admit that just about any day of the week. I know way too much about high school football than any 26 year old guy should. Now, while I’m certainly not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, I consider myself fairly well versed in Louisiana prep football. The high school football season is my favorite time of the year. Not college bowl season. Not March Madness (distant 2nd). Not the Super Bowl. I love the passion of the playoffs here in Louisiana and the drama that unfolds on Friday night.
The first round of the playoffs is usually a laugher and once again that was true
Whether it was a blowout (looking at you Acadiana and Carencro) or a game that really made you laugh (seriously, St. Paul’s? SERIOUSLY?!?!), not a whole lot of intrigue at least on my part. But now we get into the meaty part of the playoffs…so let me break them down, short and sweet for you:
Class 5A
7. Carencro vs. 10. Ouachita – For those of the betting variety, take the under…on game time. Carencro is a triple option battering ram spearheaded by the best running back in the state, Alex Johnson. Meanwhile, one thing you can always count on from a Monroe-area squad is pounding the ball. You can usually compare apples to apples in high school football to get a good gauge, and we have one.
Week 8: Ouachita vs. Natchitoches Central: W 28-16
Week 11: Carencro vs. Natchitoches Central: W 77-28
‘Nuff said. The Golden Bears win.
11. Acadiana vs. 6 Archbishop Rummel – I think Acadiana is far and away the toughest team to prepare for in Louisiana high school football. In the era of fancy spread offenses trying to dink and dunk their way down the field, the Wreckin Rams (read: REKARAMS!!!!) prefer to just pound you into submission thanks to a Veer Option offense that cavemen invented. Why is the veer the toughest offense to prepare for? Because you can write an entire webpage on it and still…NOBODY STOPS IT. Rummel didn’t stop it in 2008 (21-14) and 2007 (35-14) and won’t in 2011. Rams Roll.
I Finally Give In…
November 15th, 2011 — Uncategorized
Let me first say that I’ve always been apprehensive to this whole blogging thing. Didn’t see the point. Well as usual, I was wrong. I’ve been dabbling in writing and started to think this might be another avenue to give ya’ll my thoughts on various things: sports and otherwise. I consider myself fortunate enough to have been at some pretty great sporting events already in my career, not even five years in. For instance:
I checked the Super Bowl off my sports’ bucket list fairly early, in fact, I did something any Buffalo Bills player in the 90s dreamed of…I was on the podium (minus the trophy, but still).
I’ve met Jim Brown at the Cotton Bowl. Being a Syracuse grad, this is the equivalent of meeting God. But for all the great moments in sports I’ve witnessed…there’s also been:
Easily the most surreal experience for me. Never have I ever expected to hear what it would be like to have 92,000+ wanting to kill the quarterback and the head coach OF THEIR OWN TEAM. Unbelievable.
Anyway, enough about me (yes shameless bragging, sorry.). Through this blog I hope to entertain, give a laugh and maybe even some “insider” insight to Acadiana area sports I cover, as well as national topics. Finally, like I said, I’m new to this. Take it easy.