Mike Neu, New Orleans Voodoo
Outstanding Professional Coach, Louisiana, 2004
Mike Neu was named New Orleans Voodoo head coach on June 17, 2003. Eleven months later his Arena football expansion team set a host of league marks: First team to win 11 games in its inaugural season. Fastest start (7-1) ever for an expansion Arena Football League team. The Voodoo won the Southern Division title. New Orleans was only the fourth expansion team in league history to win a division championship.
In addition to being named the 2004 Arena Football League Coach of the Year, he was honored as the Sugar Bowl's Outstanding Professional Coach from the State of Louisiana.
The New Orleans Sports Awards Committee began in 1957 when James Collins spearheaded a group of sports journalists to form a sports awards committee to immortalize local sports history. For 13 years, the committee honored local athletes each month. In 1970, the Sugar Bowl stepped in to sponsor and revitalize the committee, leading to the creation of the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1971, honoring 10 legends from the Crescent City in its first induction class. While adding the responsibility of selecting Hall of Famers, the committee has continued to recognize Sugar Bowl Athletes of the Month.
Story submitted by René Nadeau of the New Orleans Sports Awards Committee.
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