Playing for pay hurts Sun Belt

[NewsCopy]

NEW ORLEANS - There's a reason Sun Belt Conference teams don't play many games in December - just look at who they're playing in September. That's when Sun Belt schools often are overmatched on the road against out-of-conference heavyweights for the big payouts. Money may help athletic departments balance the books, but it isn't helping teams in the conference become bowl-eligible, and that concerns Sun Belt Commissioner Wright Waters. "We've got to get to a point where we are scheduling to get as many teams bowl eligible as we can," Waters said Tuesday at the Sun Belt Media Days. However, that's easy for Waters to say - he isn't in charge of an athletic department budget and isn't dependent on the large paydays that Division I-A bottom feeders need from football game guarantees. For example, Florida Atlantic will receive $600,000 this season for playing at South Carolina. Louisiana-Lafayette was paid $500,000 last season for going to Texas and taking a 60-3 defeat. In the Sun Belt, playing money games may be a way of life, but Waters would like to see teams strike a balance and start winning some non-conference games. Florida Atlantic's non-conference schedule this season isn't exactly what Waters has in mind as a model for improving the league's winning percentage. The rest of the story By Marcus Nelson Palm Beach Post

[DestinCajun]

The writer makes it appear as if the Sun Belt is somehow unique among the nonBCS programs by "playing up". :confused:

Here's who the programs just around us play and they aren't in the SBC.

Rice - UCLA, Texas and Fla St.
Houston - Okla St and Miami
UAB - Oklahoma, Ga and Miss St.
So Miss - Fla, NC State and Va Tech
Tulane - LSU (BR), Auburn and Miss St.
LaTek - Neb, Tx A&M and Clemson

Good, bad or indifferent, the players always seem to be in favor the games.

[CajunProud]

The writer makes it appear as if the Sun Belt is somehow unique among the nonBCS programs by "playing up". :confused:

Here's who the programs just around us play and they aren't in the SBC.

Rice - UCLA, Texas and Fla St.
Houston - Okla St and Miami
UAB - Oklahoma, Ga and Miss St.
So Miss - Fla, NC State and Va Tech
Tulane - LSU (BR), Auburn and Miss St.
LaTek - Neb, Tx A&M and Clemson

Good, bad or indifferent, the players always seem to be in favor the games.

I think the players do enjoy playing a better competition. Personally, I enjoy the games as well becuase we really have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The only problem that I see with playing the big "money" games is the fact that we (UL) seems to play them all at the beginning of the season. Two problems right off the bat that I see with this is; 1) risk of injury which hurts the rest of the season because we do not have as much depth as the upper tier schools; and 2) starting off the season 0-2 which I would think hurts morale.

I think the bigger problem is not playing enough out of conference mid major schools and playing 1-aa schools like North Carolina A&T. WE SHOULD NEVER PLAY A 1-AA SCHOOL. We have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

[bigearl]

I think the bigger problem is not playing enough out of conference mid major schools and playing 1-aa schools like North Carolina A&T. WE SHOULD NEVER PLAY A 1-AA SCHOOL. We have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

AGREE - 110%

[El Sidonio]

But my dear friends, you forget that the logic that gets the big boys to pay, schedule us and play us is the same logic that gets us to pay, schedule and play the 1-aa schools. It's usually an easy rent-a-win that gets fans interested, boosts the morale of the team, and helps them to work out the kinks.

When our athletic program gets to where the big boys are, we'll be complaining in the same way about lower level 1a schools as we do now about 1aa schools.

just my 3 cents

God Bless

GEAUX UL RAGIN CAJUNS!!!!!!

[CajunProud]

But my dear friends, you forget that the logic that gets the big boys to pay, schedule us and play us is the same logic that gets us to pay, schedule and play the 1-aa schools. It's usually an easy rent-a-win that gets fans interested, boosts the morale of the team, and helps them to work out the kinks.

When our athletic program gets to where the big boys are, we'll be complaining in the same way about lower level 1a schools as we do now about 1aa schools.

just my 3 cents

God Bless

GEAUX UL RAGIN CAJUNS!!!!!!

I have to respectfully disagree. Even if a 1-aa is an easy rent-a-win, it does nothing positive for us. I have not talked to one person or heard from one person that is excited about NC A&T. We could beat them 100 to 0 and it would mean nothing. Besides, there are plenty of mid major and lower tiered 1-a schools that we could schedule.

This is a problem that our AD could solve. Oh that's right, we don't have an AD

[Turbine]

Besides, there are plenty of mid major and lower tiered 1-a schools that we could schedule.

This year? I'm not so sure.

It was very late in the game when we found out another game was needed.

[Clutch0364]

I have to respectfully disagree. Even if a 1-aa is an easy rent-a-win, it does nothing positive for us. I have not talked to one person or heard from one person that is excited about NC A&T. We could beat them 100 to 0 and it would mean nothing. Besides, there are plenty of mid major and lower tiered 1-a schools that we could schedule.

This is a problem that our AD could solve. Oh that's right, we don't have an AD

The WAC got where it is today by winning games, most of which were against 1aa. Boise State won games first and got better players by winning these games and now they can play with the big boys.

[geo_cajun]

I have to respectfully disagree. Even if a 1-aa is an easy rent-a-win, it does nothing positive for us. I have not talked to one person or heard from one person that is excited about NC A&T. We could beat them 100 to 0 and it would mean nothing. Besides, there are plenty of mid major and lower tiered 1-a schools that we could schedule.

This is a problem that our AD could solve. Oh that's right, we don't have an AD

We did have a game scheduled with a 1a team, but they backed out very late putting us in a tough spot to find another team. I think almost all other 1a teams had their schedules in ink so we had to do something.

[CrazyCajun]

I have to respectfully disagree. Even if a 1-aa is an easy rent-a-win, it does nothing positive for us. I have not talked to one person or heard from one person that is excited about NC A&T. We could beat them 100 to 0 and it would mean nothing. Besides, there are plenty of mid major and lower tiered 1-a schools that we could schedule.

This is a problem that our AD could solve. Oh that's right, we don't have an AD

ok well why don't you call bustle and tell him to cancel the a&t game and that you will personally find a d-1 team to come play us. Did everyone forget that Ohio pulled out of that game. We did what it took to keep it a home game. If we were on the road playing another money game isntead of that one you would still be complaining.

[California Cajun]

For those of you that can get KPEL, Jay Walker is devoting his radio program to the subject of scheduling. So if you aren't going to be in a dentist's chair like I will be, tune in at 3 PM for the discussion.

Scheduling is an interesting topic now, because it appears that there has been a change in philosophy. The emphasis has changed from "you have to upgrade your schedule" to "you have to schedule to win."

For those of you who can listen, please summarize the discussion for us.

[CajunProud]

ok well why don't you call bustle and tell him to cancel the a&t game and that you will personally find a d-1 team to come play us. Did everyone forget that Ohio pulled out of that game. We did what it took to keep it a home game. If we were on the road playing another money game isntead of that one you would still be complaining.

A lot of assumptions you are making without knowing who I am.

I am fully aware of the circumstances that led to the scheduling of NC A&T, that being the untimely backing out of a contract by Ohio University. And I never said we should cancel the game (Why don't you read my entire post and try to understand it before jumping to conclusions)

I am glad we have a home game, but if I was given a choice, I would rather be on the road against a mid major.

[CajunNation]

This year? I'm not so sure.

It was very late in the game when we found out another game was needed.

I believe TCU was available for the very same date.

Of course, that would have meant giving up our much treasured 6th home game.

[CrazyCajun]

A lot of assumptions you are making without knowing who I am.

I am fully aware of the circumstances that led to the scheduling of NC A&T, that being the untimely backing out of a contract by Ohio University. And I never said we should cancel the game (Why don't you read my entire post and try to understand it before jumping to conclusions)

I am glad we have a home game, but if I was given a choice, I would rather be on the road against a mid major.

obviously we would all like for it to work out but in this particular instance this is all we could do. If we would still have the ohio game everyone would saying how glad we are we have ohio and not some div 2 team. Its obvious playing this team hurts us nationally but it is all we could do.

[CajunNation]

The WAC got where it is today by winning games, most of which were against 1aa. Boise State won games first and got better players by winning these games and now they can play with the big boys.

Not exactly. Boise is an interesting case.

From '82 until '95, Boise made the 1-AA playoffs only 3 times.

Boise went 1-A in 1996.

'96
1-2 record vs 1-AA
2-10 overall record

'97
1-1 record vs 1-AA
4-7 overall record

'98
3-0 record vs 1-AA
6-5 overall record

No great wins. Only (7) 1-A wins in these 3 years. After the '97 season, they hired Dirk Koetter(now the HC at Arizona St.). He recruited very well.

'99
10-3 record
Big West champs
Bowl victory over Louisiville

'00
10-2
Big West champs
Bowl victory over UTEP

Impressed by his job, ASU hires Koetter away from Boise. Boise hires Dan Hawkins(now the HC at Colorado). At this point,Boise has dominated the Big West for 2 years, and has 2 bowl victories on National Television. Impressed, the WAC comes calling and invites Boise. They obviously accept.

'01
8-4 record
WAC wins over FRESNO, HAWAII, TULSA, UTEP, NEVADA, SAN JOSE STATE

'02
12-1 record
WAC champs
Bowl victory over IOWA STATE. This is their first victory over a "BCS" school.

'03
13-1 record
WAC champs
Bowl victory over TCU

'04
11-1 record
WAC champs
Regular season victory over OREGON STATE
Bowl loss to LOUISVILLE

'05
9-4 record
WAC champs
Bowl loss to BOSTON COLLEGE

Now mentioned as most probable addition to the MWC.


How did they get here?
It wasn't scheduling wins in non-conference play(NCA&T/EMU)
It wasn't marquee "BCS" or eye-popping non-conference wins.

They hire great coaches.
They have an administration absolutely committed to WINNING.
They dominate their conference virtually every year.
They won bowl games.
They accepted invitations to better known conferences and had success there.

That is the BOISE model.