Softball rebuilding? Maybe so...

[LifeTimeCajun]

The best thing to happen to CAJUN SOFTBALL and maybe CAJUN ATHLETICS has just occurred !!!

As bad as it is for these girls...I agree with the comment. He is the only one that has stood up for anything that is right. Now hopefully, someone will open there eyes in the athletic dept. softball has carried the athletic dept up until the rebirth of football 2 years ago. It's time people pay attention

[jllanclos]

Many people sacrifice for their families, give up their time to work, and never see their kids. Because they HAVE to. Mike doesn't. He has the money. It's a choice. He said today on the radio: "When they were younger, we could raise them at the field. Well now we have a sophomore and a 12 year old, and they have their own lives... I would rather be a great dad and Steph be a great mom than be a great coach."

Some sacrifice FOR their families. Others choose their career INSTEAD OF their families. THAT'S the choice he faces. He's not coaching FOR his family. He's not coaching to keep a roof over his family's heads.

"I love these kids. But I spend more time with these kids than my own kids. I'm struggling with this. This is hard."

"Some people will call you a traitor or a deserter. How are you treating your kids?'"

"You read all the books. 'I was a great coach, but I wasn't there for my kids.'"

"I said this for the 10 years I was the co-head coach. Only reason I was co-head coach was it was the law...spouses can't answer to each other. So we decided we'd be co-head coaches."

If you missed the interview, these quotes don't do it justice. The man shared his heart, cried, and put it all on the line. Stevie P. didn't ask him the hard stuff - Mike didn't give him a chance, because Mike brought it up. "Let's talk about the timing."

I'll leave you with one more:

"It's grueling. It's grinding. It's hard, man. The coaching isn't tough. The X's and O's aren't tough.."

Our AD can't make Lotief's love for his family take 2nd place to the Ragin' Cajuns. If that's what you expect from your AD, you need to examine your priorities.

[Duggie35]

Did he say anything about Farmer one way or the other?

Why would they, this is al about Lotief's screw up the day beore the season starts!

[SlappyCajun]

Why would they, this is al about Lotief's screw up the day beore the season starts!

I was talking about what Lotief said, he specifically thanked Savoie for support. Don't know if he said Farmer

[DieHard1280]

I was talking about what Lotief said, he specifically thanked Savoie for support. Don't know if he said Farmer

I didn't hear Farmer's name.

[jllanclos]

He didn't mention Farmer one time. About Savoie: "what a good man. Good leader. We don't always agree. We're going to figure out what to do. It may take time. It may not be the perfect solution."

My sense is that Lotief couldn't take missing any more of his kids' lives. Savoie talked him into the current role (vs. leaving altogether).

[Duggie35]

Lack of staff seems to have driven him to this point.

I'm sure he was well aware of any saff limitations were when he accepted the job. All of the other Head Coaches at UL seem to be! After hearing his interview with Stevie P. it may be a good thing that he won't be the voice of Cajun Softball going forward. That was brutal on his part as well as Stevie P's!!!!!

[GATOR GRUNT]

Why would they, this is al about Lotief's screw up the day beore the season starts!

.
No, it's not just about Lotief. Your beloved Athletic Director had alot to do with this.

[jllanclos]

What you call "brutal" I call "heartfelt." But I guess people hear what they want to hear.

[Duggie35]

That makes it more depressing. An assistant softball coach making alot more than a top 25 program head coach. But in the end, it's not about the money for Mike, he wants money for assistants.

Regardles of the success UL softball has had for many years, FOOTBALL drives the bus in NCAA athletics. Unfortunatly for UL, our football team doesn't generate the same money as an Alabama. Thus, UL Softball will always have to work with less, regardless of on the field succes. Those are the facts, and that is not Farmer's fault! I'm hoping a Conference move is in our future, but moving to CUSA or any other Non-AQ Conference not provide a significant increase in Softball funding. UL Softball was built on a grass roots effort by dedicated individuals both past and present. That is what will continue to be necessary when it comes to Softball. If our present or future coaches don't understand that fact or can't acept it, they shouldn't apply.

[ulforlife]

I was talking about what Lotief said, he specifically thanked Savoie for support. Don't know if he said Farmer

I noticed this as well. He didn't mention Farmer once

[Turbine]

Regardles of the success UL softball has had for many years, FOOTBALL drives the bus in NCAA athletics. Unfortunatly for UL, our football team doesn't generate the same money as an Alabama. Thus, UL Softball will always have to work with less, regardless of on the field succes. Those are the facts, and that is not Farmer's fault! I'm hoping a Conference move is in our future, but moving to CUSA or any other Non-AQ Conference not provide a significant increase in Softball funding. UL Softball was built on a grass roots effort by dedicated individuals both past and present. That is what will continue to be necessary when it comes to Softball. If our present or future coaches don't understand that fact or can't acept it, they shouldn't apply.

When you are allowed to have that attitude towards any program wrestling, weightlifting, gymnastics, trampoline or even softball it doesn't take much for the mentality to seep into the football program and you find yourself mired in 40 years of mediocrity.