The Runaway Track That Could Have Been UL's

[Turbine]

Coach Lancon was classy, stiil employed and very careful in his wording.

[basinbear]

Turb, it was a privilege to work with Coach Lancon. Recruiting in Track & Field and football sometimes crossed over and he was a pleasure to work with. His budget was so lean that when needed we would allow his recruits to participate in our weekend, on campus functions. That man was aces in my book.

[ragin2112cajun]

I'm still miffed (for Lancon) that Authement wouldn't drop 10G to OWN a $250,000 (then) storeaway professional indoor track.

The Grim Reaper "Authement"!!! As for as Lancon, I had the pleasure of running 4 yrs of track under him. He was a great man, and was well respected in track circles he new that track would have done wonders for UL and the area track programs.

[CajunRed]

I was president of the track and field officials association at that time. It was not quite that simple. It isn't just buying the track. It then must be stored.and assembled each time it is to be used. Assembly would have cost thousands for each meet. At the same time some are criticizing Doc for not buying the track, others are saying screw track and field -- it doesn't bring in a dime to UL.and takes away from football. Which is it?

[Hammer58]

I was president of the track and field officials association at that time. It was not quite that simple. It isn't just buying the track. It then must be stored.and assembled each time it is to be used. Assembly would have cost thousands for each meet. At the same time some are criticizing Doc for not buying the track, others are saying screw track and field -- it doesn't bring in a dime to UL.and takes away from football. Which is it?

Maybe if The Fossil would have allowed the formation of RCAF back then the money would have been there for those expenses. You can't look at it in a vaccuum. Yes there were money woes but he, if not the creator of those woes, certainly contributed to them.

[Turbine]

Actual picture of track updated.

[CharlieK]

$250,000 track for $10,000? Worst case buy it, pay to store it, then flip it for multiples of what you paid. Were we really so broke we couldn't pay to STORE a track? The thousands to set up and tear down for a meet I would think would be covered by the entry fees for the meet? I admit I have never run a track meet, so maybe this isn't so.

I know there is always more to a story like thisbut man.

[Turbine]

If Coach Lancon said it would be a money maker, that's good enough for me.

[CajunAmos]

We have horse barns up the wazoo and couldn't find a place to store a track?

[CajunRed]

We have horse barns up the wazoo and couldn't find a place to store a track?

The horse barns leak.and are not air conditioned. If not stored properly, the track sections will warp and will be worthless.

[ragin2112cajun]

True that!!! The run he had at UL along with Coach Badon has been well overlooked.

If Coach Lancon said it would be a money maker, that's good enough for me.

[Turbine]

The horse barns leak.and are not air conditioned. If not stored properly, the track sections will warp and will be worthless.

Very true. A building with some kind of dehumidifier would be needed.

I'm sure if asked UL Alumni would have stepped up and housed the track.

Arkansas bought one on the recomendation of a UL Alumnus and houses theirs in a long skinny building about the length of two full size house trailers.

[Big Buds]

Why couldn't we keep it in Blackham?

[Hammer58]

Very true. A building with some kind of dehumidifier would be needed.

I'm sure if asked UL Alumni would have stepped up and housed the track.

Arkansas bought one on the recomendation of a UL Alumnus and houses theirs in a long skinny building about the length of two full size house trailers.

And there you are back at the root cause of so many of our problems with athletics, The Fossil would not ask anyone for money for anything related to athletics.

[Cajunrunner]

Bump.as this was linked in a recent thread.

April of 2003, I was in my last outdoor track season, Authement was still President, and we had no RCAF. In fact, wouldn't it be another three years until something was finally allowed to be implemented?

Meanwhile, our peers were whipping past us in development of their athletic programs.