A great deal of attention has been given to this year’s Cajun team under Head Coach Mark Hudspeth and his hard-working staff–and deservedly so.  Members of the 1970 Grantland Rice Bowl Team have identified an opportunity to recognize this season’s New Orleans Bowl contenders from Lafayette in a manner that also honors and recognizes an admired and treasured member of UL’s football family whose tenure spanned some 36 years.  Bill "BLACKJACK" Landry, equipment manager, served thousands of not just football athletes but other UL sports as well.  That’s something like seven different eras of UL athletes.  It’s safe to say players from all of those eras knew Blackjack was there for them in both the winning years and the lean years.  No one was more committed than BJ–and he was arguably USL/UL’s biggest fan!
 
Danny Faucheaux (owner of Holiday Sporting Goods in New Iberia and a member of the ’70 Bowl Team), Tommie Rogers, and I have created a 1970 Championship T-shirt.   Danny is offering a "Throwback" USL Championship Shirt, complete with that "S" and the Bulldog Mascot, for $15 which includes tax and shipping.  Shirts will be available and made for all players, their spouses, parents, significant others, their kids, grandkids, siblings–and any present or past UL supporters and friends of "Blackjack".  (Go ahead–run up those numbers of shirts you order.  That’s all the more money for our "Blackjack Fund").  The only drawback is that the youth size shirt is the smallest that can be made where all of the names and writing will be legible and easy to read.  **SEE THE ATTACHMENT above to view the front and back of the shirt.  Here’s the writing on the back of the shirt close up:

                                         1970 GRANTLAND RICE BOWL
                                           NCAA COLLEGE DIVISION I
                                Mideast Football Championship Finalist
 
                                    USL    25         Tennessee State    26
 
                                    Head Coach:  RUSS FAULKINBERRY

 

December 1 deadline to call in the orders must still apply to this project 

100% of all proceeds from the sale of these shirts will go to the "BLACKJACK Foundation" toward the creation of a statue of Blackjack to be erected at the entrance of the football stadium.   We wish you and yours a terrific Thanksgiving holiday!

Regards,
 
Danny Faucheaux
Don Blair
 

---

David Letterman’s Top 10 Reasons To Call Michelle or Danielle at Holiday Sporting Goods (1-800-790-1015) by Dec. 1 with Your Shirt Orders for Sizes: ___ Youth Large  ___Adult Sm ___Adult Med___Adult Lrg___Adult XL___Adult 2X__Adult 3X____Adult 4X

     10.  They make great presents for young and old alike.

       9.  We could all wear the 1970 Bowl shirts, sit together in the Superdome on Dec 17th, and cheer for our New Orleans Bowl Cajuns.

       8.  Fans like "Throwback in Time" Jerseys which is why NCAA and NFL teams are always playing games dressed in them.

       7.  BLACKJACK served and cared for thousands of UL athletes and deserves a lasting memorial inside Cajun Field.

       6.  There are a lot of alumni and former athletes who are a little nostalgic about that "S" between the U & the L (and the Bulldog).

       5.  BLACKJACK spent his whole life in service of USL/UL Athletics and deserves a lasting memorial inside Cajun Field.

       4.  Seeing those kids, grandkids, nephews, nieces, etc. wearing these shirts for years tailgating & pregame on field would be WOW!

       3.  Face it, the over-the-hill 1970 Bowl Players would like to recall the ’70 season–since we have trouble recalling everything else!

       2.  What better way is there to spend a modest sum of money than to order a cool shirt while kicking in for a Blackjack Memorial?

And Letterman’s No. 1 Reason:  If there’s one common thread among five or six eras of UL athletes, it was Bill "BLACKJACK" Landry.