2012 Poll: Conference Affiliation

[Oiler]

I would like to see the schools that are rumored to be getting into the alliance (FIU Tech MT ASU UTSA etc ) and see how UL stacks up against them!!! With all the data that you have collected could you give us an idea if we should or shouldn't be in that group and why-----Thanks for your time and efforts!!!!

UL's athletic budget is the biggest negative we face. All five of the schools you mention have higher athletic budgets than UL. FIU, MT, ASU, and UTSA , I understand, but how La Tech can have a higher budget than UL is beyond me.

[HoustonCajun]

BK, I understand your view. Let us remember even the worst of the CUSA teams get more money, morfe pub, more everything than the best Sun Belt team, and the new conference is expected to do even more.

I think the view is always if you get more television money you can improve your physical plants, and get better athletes simply because of your neighborhood.

It may be nuts but that is the prevailing thoughts I think. When does preception become reality? I don't know.

I fear many UL alums and fans have an inferiority complex and would rather stay where we are. Many seem to think we aren't worthy of improving ourselves because of our budget, or market size, or past performance, or prior history of non-support fro Dr. A. LA Tech, OTOH, feels an entitlement to something better. That pretty much summarizes the difference in how our alumni bases view our respective universities.

Whether Tech gets in or not, they are going for it. The SBC will always be a fall back position for them as it currently is for us. Frankly, I'm tired of always being in the worse conference or automatically thinking this is where we belong with all these former FCS schools which seem to be who will be added.

How about we development that superior attitude that we bring a lot to a better conference and we are the school that should be added? The SBC will not let us go if we don't get in anymore than they will do with UNT or FIU if they don't get accepted.

I want our leaders to sell the hell out of UL and push for inclusion. No embarrassment
if we don't get in. They will a lot more about us and that is a good thing. Let's go after what we want and quit settling for the leftovers.

[CajunEXPRESS]

I fear many UL alums and fans have an inferiority complex and would rather stay where we are. Many seem to think we aren't worthy of improving ourselves because of our budget, or market size, or past performance, or prior history of non-support fro Dr. A. LA Tech, OTOH, feels an entitlement to something better. That pretty much summarizes the difference in how our alumni bases view our respective universities.

Whether Tech gets in or not, they are going for it. The SBC will always be a fall back position for them as it currently is for us. Frankly, I'm tired of always being in the worse conference or automatically thinking this is where we belong with all these former FCS schools which seem to be who will be added.

How about we development that superior attitude that we bring a lot to a better conference and we are the school that should be added? The SBC will not let us go if we don't get in anymore than they will do with UNT or FIU if they don't get accepted.

I want our leaders to sell the hell out of UL and push for inclusion. No embarrassment
if we don't get in. They will a lot more about us and that is a good thing. Let's go after what we want and quit settling for the leftovers.

The world is not static Houston. CUSA is not what it was by a long shot. You have three schools in CUSA that together have about the student body of UL. They are Rice, Tulane, and Tulsa. All small private schools. You have UTEP, way out west, a great USM, badly weakened by politics UAB, and far flung Marshall, and ECU.

IMO if UNT, FIU were to hang with us, and we could get both Texas schools the Sun Belt would be better than the proposed CUSA. Remember the mega merger has to retrench it is not going well.

I guess my point is that the past does not always equal the future. Toyota Motors vs GM, USA indurstrial might vs China. The Sun Belt actually even with newbies offers a better end result than the proposed CUSA. As of yesterday the Sun Belt has a bigger metro market than the current CUSA. Denton ain't Dallas/Forth Worth, and Ruston ain't shrevesport.

[CajunNation]

I would like to see the schools that are rumored to be getting into the alliance (FIU Tech MT ASU UTSA etc ) and see how UL stacks up against them!!! With all the data that you have collected could you give us an idea if we should or shouldn't be in that group and why-----Thanks for your time and efforts!!!!

We should absolutely be in that group. I could make a case that we are their best candidate for addition.

But, we are not a candidate for one reason. Well, 2 actually.


The first reason is the main reason. Location. Smack dab between 2 private schools who fear the competition for recruits.



The other reason is a word that is hated on this board: Perception.

We are one of the few schools in history to voluntarily defund and leave unprotected a football program(1997). Also, we are one of the few schools in history to decline an invite to a better conference(2005). The perception has been set in the minds of our would be friends in CUSA. "They are not serious".

And, one bowl season will not change enough minds for it to matter.

No, we missed the boat for a CUSA invite back in 2005. Had we accepted the WAC invite then, and started the RCAF then, and hired a real coach then, we would be all giddy about the upcoming invite, not the guys in Ruston.

Sooner or later, you have to risk it all to reap big rewards. Tech understood this. If we are to understand this as well, I believe our moment of truth will be the renovation to Cajun Field. Starting that project would be a clear signal that we mean business.

One thing needs to be clear to the people in Martin Hall. We will not reach our full potential without stepping on a few toes. We have to quit being our brother's keeper. There is no shame in demanding what is rightfully ours.

[California Cajun]

I fear many UL alums and fans have an inferiority complex and would rather stay where we are. Many seem to think we aren't worthy of improving ourselves because of our budget, or market size, or past performance, or prior history of non-support fro Dr. A. LA Tech, OTOH, feels an entitlement to something better. That pretty much summarizes the difference in how our alumni bases view our respective universities.

Whether Tech gets in or not, they are going for it. The SBC will always be a fall back position for them as it currently is for us. Frankly, I'm tired of always being in the worse conference or automatically thinking this is where we belong with all these former FCS schools which seem to be who will be added.

How about we development that. superior attitude that we bring a lot to a better conference and we are the school that should be added? The SBC will not let us go if we don't get in anymore than they will do wit h UNT or FIU if they don't get accepted.

I want our leaders to sell the hell out of UL and push for inclusion. No embarrassment
if we don't get in. They will a lot more about us and that is a good thing. Let's go after what we want and quit settling for the leftovers.

My feeling is that the current administration and athletic department is pursuing the CUSA opportunity but not publicly which CUSA probably appreciates and increases our chances. I wouldn't believe this under the previous administration. We're not settling for less. We're just going about our business in a more dignified, class manner. In the meantime we're helping to strengthen the Belt by not treating it as a last resort. Don't confuse the conduct on message boards with the conduct of administrations. I participate on the Scout board and can see the caliber of players interested in our program steadily upgrading. Players lead to wins, which lead to $$$, which lead to opportunities. We are a juggernaut in the making and any opportinity we don't get at this stage won't be because we didn't do everything possible to make it happen, trust me.

[California Cajun]

As of yesterday the Sun Belt has a bigger metro market than the curren t CUSA. Denton ain't Dallas/Forth Worth, and Ruston ain't shrevesport.

Georgia St. Has a 22 million athletic budget so either way we go we are going to have our work cut out for us just to keep up. I don't think the Belt of 5 years ago would have subjected themselves to this much pressure.

Note to fan base: keep a full tank of gas and bring your checkbook on the journey ahead.

[Boomer]

UL's athletic budget is the biggest negative we face. All five of the schools you mention have higher athletic budgets than UL. FIU, MT, ASU, and UTSA , I understand, but how La Tech can have a higher budget than UL is beyond me.

------------Well the differentiation has no doubt shrunk ----Reason is that the profits from last year's Bball and F-ball and also the softball and baseball were pretty good for UL ----The Bowl profits and the peripheral sales of beer and merchandise also grew-----Meantime this past year the Tech WAC money has gone down considerably----Would like to see the latest info on this!!!!

[Turbine]

The first thing you must do when you see raw athletic numbers is . . .

Take tuition costs out of the equation.

jmo

[veedreen]

Obviously I am naïve. If we don't SBC is worth anything why would anyone else. I don't have all the numbers etc so ill just bow out of this discussion since I don't think like most or know less bout this subject

[Duggie35]

The fact that nothing is being made public does not mean that our administration is just sitting back and not doing anything to possibly be considered for an invite to another conference. I think that they are taking the correct approach which is apparently to keep any of those discussions out of the public eye. I have no idea how detailed that any possible discussions have been, or even if any formal discussions have taken place. However, I have been told by a VERY reliable source that UL DOES have friends in CUSA! Weather or not we have enough friends to merrit a possible invite is yet to be known.

[HoustonCajun]

The fact that nothing is being made public does not mean that our administration is just sitting back and not doing anything to possibly be considered for an invite to another conference. I think that they are taking the correct approach which is apparently to keep any of those discussions out of the public eye. I have no idea how detailed that any possible discussions have been, or even if any formal discussions have taken place. However, I have been told by a VERY reliable source that UL DOES have friends in CUSA! Weather or not we have enough friends to merrit a possible invite is yet to be known.

Notice of a visit to our campus would be a
good indicator. I would at least hope
that those contacts and our presentation would warrant a look at what we have to offer now and what is planned for the future. If Tech can get a campus visit in Ruston, UL should certainly get one, assuming we are actively pursuing this. Such an announcement would be revealing.

[Oiler]

The fact that nothing is being made public does not mean that our administration is just sitting back and not doing anything to possibly be considered for an invite to another conference. I think that they are taking the correct approach which is apparently to keep any of those discussions out of the public eye. I have no idea how detailed that any possible discussions have been, or even if any formal discussions have taken place. However, I have been told by a VERY reliable source that UL DOES have friends in CUSA! Weather or not we have enough friends to merrit a possible invite is yet to be known.

I'd like to believe this is true, but the fact that UL is not on the list of schools that are being visited by the commissioners of CUSA and the MWC leads me to believe it is just wishful thinking.