IND Monthly called it Thursday morning, noting the likelihood that a Saturday victory at Cajun Field would seal the deal with New Orleans, and bowl reps made it official right after the game: the Cajuns will be back in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 22 at 11 a.m.
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The Cajuns’ opponent has not yet been announced.
The days preceding the game will be filled with activities in the Crescent City for fans, teams and traveling parties. No “official” events list has been compiled so far, but here’s a tentative list of activities compiled from several sources — your first guide to bowl activities. It will be updated as events are confirmed and announced, so watch here for updates and additions.
Tuesday, Dec. 18
TBA - Teams arrive in New Orleans, UL at New Orleans Marriott, opponent at Hilton Riverside
6 p.m. - UL team party, Rock N’Bowl. The legendary Rock N’Bowl, a New Orleans institution like no other, will host the Ragin’ Cajuns for a night of food, bowling, karaoke and entertainment. Sorry, fans, this one’s just for the team and traveling party.
Wednesday, Dec. 19
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TBA - Ragin’ Cajun practice at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Thursday, Dec. 20
TBA - Ragin’ Cajun practice at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome
12:30 p.m. – Media Day at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome
1:30 p.m. – Cajuns visit Children’s Hospital
Friday, Dec. 21
TBA - Ragin’ Cajun practice at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Noon – Bowl Luncheon, New Orleans Marriott The luncheon annually features a guest speaker. Former New Orleans Saints standout Darren Sharper was speaker at last year’s luncheon. Tickets are required and may be purchased through the bowl office at (504) 525-5678.
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5:30 p.m. - Media party
Evening - Free concert, Champions Square at the Superdome. Nothing’s definite yet, but if plans come together, Friday night’s free concert takes a quantum leap forward with a move to the Champions Square area at the ‘Dome and appearances by two major acts – one of the most acclaimed bands of the classic rock era as part of its reunion tour, and one of the quintessential American rock bands. Watch for the official announcement.
Saturday, Dec. 22
9 a.m. - Youth Empowerment Program, Mercedes-Benz Superdome One of the bowl’s game-day activities will spotlight children this year, as all youths age 6-12 are invited to a free youth empowerment program which also includes a free ticket to the game. The program features a show called “Positive Thinking” by Rhythm and Soul, a dance group featured on So You Think You Can Dance. Theatre workshops and craft sessions. Youths interested in attending should RSVP to Lauren Bernard either by phone at (504) 525-5678 or e-mail at
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11 a.m. - R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, Mercedes-Benz Superdome
The game moves to a daytime slot this year courtesy of ESPN, which will air the game nationally. The early start will allow Acadiana fans the option of enjoying the Big Easy nightlife after the game or coming back home for the final two days before Christmas.
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MAY 24 Blogger Robert Mann posts this entry about the Baton Rouge Chamber's recent report on Louisiana's higher education system. It's critical to economic development, and yet our system is facing a "funding crisis" with no way to resolve it, the report says. The Chamber says control of tuition and fees must be returned to the higher ed governing boards.
MAY 24 Here's a NBC33 story about Tyrann Mathieu. He has signed with the Arizona Cardinals, inking a $3 million, four-year deal. He gets a signing bonus of $265K, but gets another, larger bonus if he doesn't get cut from the team for doing drugs. The deal reportedly includes mandatory tests and meetings for the player.
MAY 24 Jarvis DeBerry posts here about the redonkulus rhetoric that would have us believe NOLA is a safe city with a murder problem. Maybe the city's crime stats don't compare with its murder stats because you can't manipulate a murder, he says: a dead body's a dead body. It just doesn't make sense, he says, and his readers agree: a poll asks if they believe the city is safe, and more than 90 percent say no.
MAY 24 Jindal administration officials announced Thursday that the privatization of public health care is going to cost a lot more than they budgeted for, the Advocate reports here. "I'm so surprised," said no one. Anywhere. The cost they're projecting now is more than $1 billion - a lot more than the $626 million budgeted for it. And, it's more than it cost the state to operate those hospitals. So why are we doing this again?
MAY 24 Blogger CB Forgotston ridicules the recent PR campaign by the state GOP in the wake of a legislative auditor's request to both major parties. The GOP (apparently unaware that the Dems got the same request) started yammering about being targeted because it had "killed" a tax increase. CB finds that laughable, but it's also pretty funny that the GOP was comparing this episode to the IRS scandal (Because the President has so much to do with our state auditor. Right?).
MAY 24 Politico details some recent fund-raising efforts by Sen. David Vitter, which have raised the question of his future political plans. This time, it is a $5,000 per head "bayou weekend" that includes "Cajun cooking" and an all-caps "alligator hunt," the story reports. Funds raised go to a super PAC that can spend money to support Vitter in federal or state races, the story points out.
MAY 24 The pink building on Royal in the quarter was sold at a sheriff's sale Thursday, this Picayune story reports. An injunction that would have halted the sale wasn't enforced because the family failed to post a $150,000 bond, the story reports. So the owner of the mortgages on the building bought it, for nearly $7 million. Now the feuding family will have to negotiate with that company to get a lease on the building that has housed their business for close to 60 years.
MAY 23 This post in Louisiana Voice tells us about a bill by a Winnsboro lege that would require all public high school students to take at least one Course Choice online class in order to graduate. (What?) Blogger Tom Aswell says it's a monument to "waste and corruption," especially in light of the problems he's exposed with the program in recent weeks. Idaho had a similar program, but voters removed it by a 2-1 margin, Aswell says.
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