Pooyie!

Pooyie! 12.16.2009

C’EST BON
Heisman Trophy also-ran Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska finished the season with 82 tackles, 12 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. It’s a Heisman-worthy achievement to be sure. But the All-American defensive tackle had one of his poorest performances of the season on Sept. 26 — six tackles, one tackle for loss and no sacks — against UL’s Ragin’ Cajuns. And there are two good reasons Suh was held in check: Cajun senior offensive linemen Brad Bustle (guard) and Chris Fisher (center), who last week were among three Cajuns named to the first-team All Sun Belt football squad (junior punter Spencer Ortego also made the first team). In all, seven Ragin’ Cajuns earned All Sun Belt honors. But it was the achievements of Fisher and Bustle that are particularly noteworthy: By season’s end, the Cajun offensive line ranked 16th in the NCAA in fewest sacks allowed. Nothing offensive about that.

PAS BON
Mother Nature’s been a real bitch the last few months, taking a particular toll on events downtown. Numerous rainy Fridays knocked more Downtown Alive! and Bach Lunch performances off the schedule than ever before. In fact, Downtown Lafayette Unlimited took the extraordinary step of rescheduling Nik-L Beer for an extra DTA date, extending the Friday concert series beyond its traditional Wednesday-before-Thanksgiving finale. It rained. Concert canceled. Most recently, cold, wet weather forced DLU to cancel last weekend’s second annual Rudolph Run and ’Twas the Light Before Christmas event. The Rudolph Run has been rescheduled for Jan. 16, 2010. We’re not sure if this is climate change, but Mother can you spare a dime?
 
COUILLON
It’s time to rename the Assumption Parish village of Napoleonville. Keystone sounds fitting after the police department had two new cruisers repossessed by the Oklahoma dealership from which it purchased the cars. Joe Watt Auto Sales in Vinita, Okla., is also suing the 800-soul village for breach of contract, seeking $20,000. Ineptitude reigns in the hamlet U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon calls home. According to an account in The Times-Picayune, the village bought the specially outfitted 2009 Dodge Chargers using stimulus money it had yet to obtain, but because the department didn’t have anyone competent enough to write the grant, the stimulus money never came in. But the cars did. Watt claims what followed were weeks of calls to Mayor Ron Animashaun requesting and then demanding payment, and weeks of Animashaun saying, “The check’s in the mail.”