2012 New Orleans Bowl

[CajunDreDog]

Could someone put a white stripe down the center of that helmet?

I provided the pics, someone with graphics talent will have to get it done.

Fyi, there were small black stripes on side of the bigger white stripe.

[CajunRebel]

Two thoughts on Farmer's original interview: 1) His comments about "facilities and fundraising" being the two most important things is great...but we are now 3 years or so later and we have not yet unveiled a plan through which any major fundraising MUST be coordinated and driven...and 2) the comments about "regional conferences" has recently been shot to hell.

The University has raised more money from fundraising in the past two years than it ever has before. Farmer also recently hired an assistant AD who is a "fundraising specialist" and whose main purpose for being here is to focus on fundraising.

I's it perfect? Not by a long shot. We've all pointed out some big weaknesses with the RCAF on this board that we would love to see changed. And our fundraising levels arent nearly where most of us feel they should be. But fundraising has improved tremendously under Farmer. Just look at the numbers. Just look at our budget increases.

We may see an athletics master plan or a facilities master plan but for obvious reasons we'll never see a fundraising master plan. But just because UL doesn't announce it's fundraising strategy to the public doesn't mean they aren't working really hard at it.

[Turbine]

interesting read when Scott Farmer was hired
Do you think there's a ceiling here?

[Chuckle] No, I don't. I think the sky's the limit. I see a great community that embraces UL, and the Ragin' Cajuns. I see a community made of strong businesses, and business leaders who are very anxious to support their local institution. Going through the parking lot at UL games, people come up and say, "I got a check here and I don't know who to give it to." Trust me, you don't get that everywhere in the country.

It's just a great community with great people, and great students... 17,000 is really a good-sized university, and it's probably going to grow. This is a place coaches can recruit to. We have some facilities that have to be taken care of, but as soon we get that done, then we'll be able to greatly enhance our recruiting. Because the first job of a coach is to recruit, and everything follows from that.

On a personal level, we thought Lafayette was just a great place to raise a family. I have an 8th grader and a 5th grader, and the educational and cultural opportunities afforded to them here are just fantastic.

Did anything about Lafayette and UL surprise you?

The gracious reception that the Farmers have received in Lafayette has really surprised me. People have opened their homes, their tailgating parties, their camps, and their hearts to us. And I have said repeatedly, we're not planning to leave Lafayette anytime soon, maybe never.

What's your vision here? What are your goals?

My goals are to position this athletic department to accept membership in the best conference that comes calling. I'm not knocking the Sunbelt by any means, it's a good conference. But there are changes coming in the future, conferences are going to shift, and we don't want UL to be left out because 5 years earlier we hadn't positioned ourselves properly. So I want to position the Athletic Department-- meaning the budget, the facilities, the teams, the attendance-- so that we can be ready for whatever opportunities appear, and whatever conferences come looking.

Do you have any idea what UL's future conference might look like?

No. But I think ADs around the country are starting to realize the importance of regional competition. It's almost like we're going back 50 years, when all conferences were regional. I think you're going to see that attitude, that philosophy, come back. I think you'll see us playing schools like Houston, Rice, USM, Tulane, and Tech, because regional opponents excite people, and bring people to the games. Even LSU saw some of their biggest crowds when they hosted UL. Whatever conference we end up in, I think you'll see us trying to schedule more regional games.

What does UL need to get into another conference?

There are two things that are critical: fundraising, and facilities. Facilities help us recruit, and recruiting helps us move up to the next level. But to get the facilities, we need the fundraising.

We hope that this Spring we'll announce some big news concerning fundraising and capital projects; not just one announcement, there are several large very projects in the works.

Tell us about the internal changes that have taken place since you've arrived here.

First of all, we've already reorganized the Athletic Department, and tried to align jobs and tasks with the strength of individuals in the Department. At the same time, we're trying to cover some of our pressing needs. And our internal assessment, quite honestly, showed where our true weaknesses are. We are hopeful that with fundraising, we'll be in a position to approach the Administration for more staff.

Internally, we're also looking at all of the UL marketing inventory that has been outsourced, and we're trying to evaluate where we are and how we can do things better. We want to publish our own schedule cards, posters and produce a lot of our other materials.

We need to control our product.

Am I wrong to think this interview was from not long after he was hired as Associate AD?

Like within 6 months of being hired.

[Zeebart21]

The University has raised more money from fundraising in the past two years than it ever has before. Farmer also recently hired an assistant AD who is a "fundraising specialist" and whose main purpose for being here is to focus on fundraising.

I's it perfect? Not by a long shot. We've all pointed out some big weaknesses with the RCAF on this board that we would love to see changed. And our fundraising levels arent nearly where most of us feel they should be. But fundraising has improved tremendously under Farmer. Just look at the numbers. Just look at our budget increases.

We may see an athletics master plan or a facilities master plan but for obvious reasons we'll never see a fundraising master plan. But just because UL doesn't announce it's fundraising strategy to the public doesn't mean they aren't working really hard at it.

Dude is a beast.. without anything to show prospective donors he is dead in the water.,

Z

[cajuns23]

I was at the I-Bowl yesterday. The threat of rain kept a good bit of locals home. The Monroe sideline from 20 to endzone on both ends was full in the first quarter. Place was a ghost town after halftime. It was COLD!! Made me grateful for the dome last week.

[cajuncorkdork]

to all you knocking Shreveport, wouldnt you rather see us in the Indy Bowl against an ACC or SEC team than the others vs CUSA or WAC or something like that???

[Cajun Monkee]

Are we at that limit, and does a limit exist or are you speculating?

If that's the case then the administration should say so. Then make a plan to get it done anyway. My god, I've never been around a situation with so many people focused on why something can't be done.

First let me say this: I'm not a CPA. I just have a little knowledge of public financing. By no means am I'm trying to pass myself off as an expert. I'm sure we have some CPAs on this board who are more than qualified to answer the questions.

To answer your second question first, yes, I think there is a legal limit on how much debt a public institution may incur.

Don't know the answer to your second question, that's why I asked it.

And I'm not saying this because I'm "focused" on why it can't be done. On the contrary, I've advocated for another student assessed fee. I've suggested looking in to getting the State Legislature's approval to increase UL administrative contribution to athletics. Again, I plead ignorance on this. I don't know how much comes from General Fund/tuition, how much is allowed by law, if UL meets this limit, and what it would take to raise the limit (the limit in this case is related to how much State Universities can use for athletics as opposed to a limit on bonding capacity).

If UL were to bond the projects out using revenue raised by Football, you'd pay much higher rates than if the bonds were backed by UL's overall budget or the State. Remember what happened a few years ago when LUS bonded out the Fiber Program. LUS wanted to use its entire revenue base to obtain lower rates, but a State Court ruled they could only use revenues from the Fiber Program which in turn resulted in higher rates on the bonds.

Now, if there are local banks out there willing to fund long term capital projects for athletics thru low interest loans, and UL has the ability to pay these loans back without an increase in any tuition or student assessed fees, by all means do so. They'd be crazy to not do it. I'd still want to advocate for another student fee and/or increased University contribution to athletics. But who/where are these banks? Are they gonna offer UL $50 million at 4% over 30 years to improve Cajun Field?

Again, I'm not a CPA. I am a UL fan (I admit it, I loved Marty Fletcher and drove Brian Mitchell to the movies and Todd Hill around town) who wants the athletic program to be more than it can be . I just don't know if "taking out a loan" is as easy running down to the nearest "check-into-cash" place.

[82Cajun]

Turbine, you are correct, I was doing a background check on Scott Farmer and his relationship with Russel Athletic Sportwear when I came across this interview right after he was hired. The reason I posted this is because of exactly what Just1More stated.
Just1More, your post was spot on and I agree with everything you said. Thank you for taking the time to share your observations.

[CrazyCajun]

to all you knocking Shreveport, wouldnt you rather see us in the Indy Bowl against an ACC or SEC team than the others vs CUSA or WAC or something like that???

There wasn't an acc or sec in the Indy this year.

[cajunhawk]

There wasn't an acc or sec in the Indy this year.

And if they were taking us, chances are, it's against another mid major.

[cajuncorkdork]

but usually there is at least a team from one of those conferences as long as they have enough teams bowl eligible

[Zeebart21]

to all you knocking Shreveport, wouldnt you rather see us in the Indy Bowl against an ACC or SEC team than the others vs CUSA or WAC or something like that???

Are you with the Shreveport Chamber?

Z