|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Football: Waves of joy in a sea of Cajun red – links to video & photos included 12/23/12Football: Waves of joy in a sea of Cajun red – links to video & photos included 12/23/12 Claire Taylor, Daily Advertiser, Dec. 23, 2012 UL-Lafayette Head Coach Mark Hudspeth, from left, Athletic Director Scott Farmer and Univeristy President Joseph Savoie stand on stage with the R�L Carriers New Orleans Bowl trophy after UL defeated East Carolina University 43-34 Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. By Leslie Westbrook December 22, 2012NEW ORLEANS — It was another nail-biter, but for the second consecutive year, UL’s Ragin’ Cajun football team UL defeated the East Carolina Pirates 43-34 Saturday in the Mercedes-Benz Cajun fans set a record themselves Saturday. With 48,428 in attendance — a sea of Cajuns red and white and a small patch of East Carolina purple and gold — fans broke the R�L Carriers New Orleans Bowl attendance record they set last year.Second-year UL football coach He reminded them one more time not to let go of the rope, a recurring theme meant to unite and inspire the team and supporters to reach even bigger goals."I’m still holding on," UL student Students "He united the whole city, the whole state, really," Conlin said."He’s inspirational," Trahan added. Their friend, UL student Jessica Taylor of Kenner, was particularly moved by the team’s win this year."I was getting very emotional and teary-eyed," she said. "I’m a senior, and it’s so good to see our team doing so well."The Cajuns got off to an early lead, scoring seven points with 8:10 left in the first quarter. UL continued to build that lead, but East Carolina starting chipping away until the score at halftime was 31-21.With 7:10 left in the fourth quarter, the Cajuns were ahead by only three points. At 37-34, an East Carolina field goal would have tied the game. A touchdown would have threatened UL’s repeat victory. UL fans did their part to rally their team, cheering, chanting, waving cardboard signs and rally rags, even sending the human wave around the Superdome.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, UL fans stood, cheering and counting down as though it was New Year’s Eve. Former Lafayette resident Donald Romero, who lives in New Orleans, high-fived friends and cousins when UL was declared victorious.He was happy for the team and fans and grateful for his city’s opportunity to host the Cajuns. "They bring lots of fans, good fans, and they spend a lot of money, which helps our city out," he said. "And they always make it a good game."Some fans may have liked it better if the Cajuns had kept a big lead instead of allowing the Pirates to score so often — and not just because the Pirates fired off an annoying cannon every time they scored. Last year, the Cajuns won with a last-second Brett Baer field goal. This year’s win wasn’t quite as close, but close enough."It was a stressful game. It was a very stressful game," Crystal Toffier of New Iberia said. "But I enjoyed it." Jean Guilbeau, at 83 years young, was happy she was healthy enough to witness the team win the bowl game. She and husband Carrol have been UL football fans for years. Their son, Jimmy White, played on the then-USL football team for a bowl game around 1970.The couple had tickets to last year’s New Orleans Bowl, but didn’t quite make it. Jean fell and broke her back in New Orleans before the game."I cried all the way back to Lafayette," she said.UL quarterback Terrance Broadway was named Most Valuable Player of the New Orleans Bowl. He ran for 108 yards and a touchdown and passed for 317 yards to lead the Cajuns to victory.Broadway also came with his own fan club, and it was hard to miss them. Aunts, uncles and cousins from Baton Rouge to New Orleans wore Team Broadway jerseys with his No. 8 on them."It was an awesome experience to be there to watch," said his aunt, Amy Fran Chandler of Baton Rouge.Broadway makes the family proud, his cousin Bianca Chandler of Baton Rouge added."This has been a dream of his his whole life. He always wanted to play in the Superdome and get the MVP trophy," his uncle Mack Slant of New Orleans said.Several fans commented about how many more made the trek to New Orleans to cheer the team to its second consecutive bowl victory. "This is great. We’re starting to make a name for the university," 2010 UL graduate Callen Huval of Breaux Bridge said. "People aren’t going to think of it as just a small school
Athletic Network Footnote: videos and photos of activities surrounding the N.O. Bowl. Videos – click on the title to view. Ragin’ Cajuns do it again – Dec. 22 – Cajuns take over the ‘Dome – Dec. 22 – UL postgame interviews – Dec. 22 UL postgame press conference – Dec. 22 Photos – click on the title to view. Kids Visit UL Football Practice Dec. 16 – 28 photos Cajuns Board Buses for Bowl Game Dec. 18 – 26 photos UL Players Arrive in New Orleans Dec. 18 – 25 photos UL Practice in N.O. Wednesday Dec. 19 – 34 photos UL Players Visit Aquarium Dec. 20 – 19 photos N.O. Bowl Media Day Dec. 20 – 29 photos UL Players Practice in the ‘Dome Dec. 20 – 17 photos UL French Quarter Second Line Dec. 20 – UL Fan Fest in New Orleans 1/3 Dec. 21 – 72 photos UL Fan Fest in New Orleans 2/3 Dec. 21 – 28 photos UL Fan Fest in New Orleans 3/3 Dec. 21 – 29 photos New Orleans Bowl 1/4 Dec. 22 – 70 photos New Orleans Bowl 2/4 Dec. 22 – 49 photos Merry Christmas to all of our Athletic Network viewers. Peace, Ed Dugas
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
