[Editor's Note: Visit theind.com throughout the day for Dan's updates.]
N.O. Bowl Update – Saturday, 12/17, 6 p.m.
NEW ORLEANS – The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl logos are all over the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and there are also logos on the field. But we can’t see them.
The painted logos for the two schools, and whatever else is painted on the artificial turf, is still covered by large pieces of paper. One of the dance groups that’s performing either pregame or halftime is on the field, but they’re standing on top of the paper.
If it’s because the paint’s still a little wet, it better dry in a hurry since kickoff’s only a little over two hours away. And as cold as it is in this building, the paint may freeze before it dries.
The view from the top of the ‘Dome is still impressive, especially after the renovations inside the facility last year. But one of those renovations changed the way that media members cover events in the Superdome.
The media area used to be midway up the ‘Dome and may have had the best sight lines of any stadium in the country. But in the renovation, that area became luxury boxes, and the media area was moved to the very top of the ‘Dome … higher than every seat in the building, and on the same level as the large speaker panel that hangs from the middle of the roof.
That sky-high location is where you’ll get the rest of tonight’s reports, as the Ragin’ Cajuns’ first-ever Division I bowl appearance looms just over two hours away.
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Prior to the game, the Ragin’ Cajun Athletic Foundation had its own tailgate party in the St. Charles Club room of the Superdome. UL director of athletics Scott Farmer welcomed a large group of RCAF members and other fans (it was comp for the RCAF and a $10 charge for others), and expressed appreciation for their efforts in making this year’s football success and bowl trip possible.
“You are all a part of this,” Farmer said. “This wouldn’t have happened without you, and all of us will be forever appreciative of what you’ve done to make this such a great week and a great season.”
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5:45 p.m. and the Cajuns are in the ‘Dome.
The squad, coaches and support staff arrived at the back entrance of the facility and took the walk toward the front of the building and their locker room, located on the north end (Poydras Street end) of the ‘Dome.
The UL cheerleaders and Ragin’ Jazz dance line met the team. The band hasn’t arrived yet, since they’re making a couple of other appearances at the events outside the stadium in the next hour.
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The paper covers are now gone and the logos on the field are visible. One more step toward actually kicking off...
MAY 23 Here's a story in the Picayune about some statistics that must come as a blow to folks who believe that any private school can do a better job of educating kids than any public school: Danielle Dreilinger reports that only 30 percent of the voucher kids are passing. That's less than half of the state wide average, she says. It's an interesting statistic because most of the schools (if not all) taking voucher kids have never had their students' standardized test scores released to the public before.
MAY 23 Stephen Sabludowsky blogs on Bayou Buzz about auditor requests here. Recently the state GOP started crowing about a request from the Legislative Auditor, claiming they were being targeted because of their anti-tax stance. (Uh, your what?) Denial and hyperbole aside, the state Democratic party blew holes in that theory with an email announcing they'd received the same request, Sabludowsky writes here.
MAY 23 Jim Brown blogs about the senate race in this post. He says that, given Bobby Jindal's "lack of traction" on the national stage, it might make more sense for the governor to consider running against Mary Landrieu for the senate seat. Since Tim Teeple left the Cassidy team, it makes sense he might land on a Jindal for Senate team, Brown opines.
MAY 23 In this Louisiana Voice post, blogger Tom Aswell writes of rumors that his nemesis, state Superintendent of Education John White, may be soon departing Louisiana for a federal post. It's hard to believe, given his performance, Aswell says, but stranger things have happened. An anti-White BESE member says that, if true, White is quitting before he can be fired.
MAY 23 In this post on American Zombie, blogger Jason Berry writes about the Mother's Day shooting. Mayor Landrieu said that "this is not who we are," but the fact is, this is New Orleans, Berry writes. The violence infused in the city is the result of a culture created by "sins of omission or sins of commission," Berry writes. It's not a problem that can be solved by legislating, policing, praying or publicizing, he says: Someone's got to understand what's happening first.
MAY 23 This post in the Westside Journal tells us what Port Allen Mayor Deedy has been up to lately: vetoing ordinances, apparently. This story is most interesting, however, when it delves into a petition that has been circulating around the city lately. It accuses the former mayor of a lot of nasty things; the former mayor says it is full of lies and "broken syntax" which may be a larger offense in his eyes.
MAY 23 This editorial posted in The Advocate is a bit confusing. The writing is poor - definitely not up to the usual editorial writing standard there - and the point is hard to grasp. Apparently, the writer is saying that privatization of state efforts is OK, as long as there is oversight and transparency, but Jindal's not good at that, and the legislature shouldn't over-react. Okey Dokey. Can't they get one of them Pulitzer-winning people to write an editorial?
MAY 23 This post on The Lens gives you links to a new Google Earth tool that allows you to see any spot on earth transform over the past 30 years. Bob Marshall, who covers the coast for the paper, says that in the case of Louisiana's coastline, it's possibly something you don't want to see, because it's not a pretty picture. There are several clips here, showing critical areas erode away. For Marshall, it was vindication for all those times he was met with eye-rolling when he talked about erosion.
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