Football and the Economy

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL) Ragin Cajuns have had a fantastic season. Their 6-6 record doesn't scream excellence, but having been to their games, it was a great season to watch.

Tyrell Fenroy is a name to remember. He is now the 7th player in NCAA history to have four 1000 yard seasons. Watching him play is grace in motion. He has a passion for the game that should have been noticed by the Heisman committee.

With a great team around him, including a quarterback (Michael Desormeaux) that will probably go pro and a have career like his predecessor Jake Delhomme, it was a great year to be a UL Ragin Cajun fan. They worked very hard to become bowl eligible for the third time in 4 years. Yet, for the third time in 4 years they have been overlooked.

The state funded Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA chose Northern Illinois (6-6) to play Louisiana Tech (7-5) on December 28th. When the state of Louisiana is facing a budget shortfall for next year, why wouldn't the Independence Bowl choose an in-state team to keep the money local rather than export it to Illinois. How many Husky fans are going to make the trip down here? How many hotel rooms and restaurant tables will they fill? The Ragin Cajuns would have brought thousands of fans with them to Shreveport. The in-state rivalry would have been great for both schools.

UL deserves it's chance for a bowl game and it's a shame that the Independence Bowl didn't recognize the talent that they had in their own backyard.

Jaci Russo
Senior Partner
The Russo Group