Support Cajuns, then support your candidate
Nick Bouterie
The Daily Advertiser Opinion Piece
10/26/06

The Nov. 7 election is almost here, and the citizens of Acadiana will have to vote on various ballot initiatives and candidates, including which person they would rather represent their districts in Washington.

Both Reps. Charlie Melancon and Charles Boustany have done a good job for their districts, and both are co-sponsors of HR 4761, the energy bill that is designed to give Louisiana a much larger share of offshore oil and gas royalties. Because of their sponsorship and hard work in gaining support for this bill, which is the most important legislation for Louisiana's future in front of our Congress today, I will be voting to re-elect Boustany for District 7 and hope that the voters of District 3 re-elect Melancon.

But on Oct. 28, before Election Day, the University of Louisiana (at Lafayette, if you wish) Ragin' Cajuns play their homecoming game against Middle Tennessee. Our Cajun football team, after two rough outings against LSU and Texas A&M, have strung off four straight victories, including an exciting upset against University of Houston.

The UL football program is finally rebounding, and this is good for the whole university, especially the rest of the athletics program. As a former Ragin' Cajun track and field athlete, I have seen how revenue brought in by the football and basketball teams affects funds for the spring sports, such as baseball, softball and track.

I know all the typical rhetoric from those who enjoy putting down the Cajuns. The fact is our Cajun football players work just as hard as any in the nation, and the results are beginning to show.

Now is certainly the best time for all SLI, USL and UL alumni to really show support for the football team that represents Lafayette. If you graduated from SLI/USL/UL, there is hardly any reason for you not to attend Saturday's game at Cajun Field. Even if you swear you're the biggest Tiger fan, LSU is off.

About one out of every four players on the Cajun roster played high school football right here in Acadiana, therefore sporting a great representation of the area and giving local fans some good local guys to cheer for. So remember, not only is supporting your candidate for the upcoming election important, but so is supporting our UL Ragin' Cajun football team.

In the end, these guys, with their class and hard work, will always represent Acadiana and Lafayette better than the politicians.

Nick Bouterie is a landman for OGM Land Company and author of The Conservative Cajun blog.