Rate the job Scott Farmer is doing as UL AD

[CajunT]

What's the alternative?

It's not like we have the option to build in C-USA.

Until we actually try, we will never know.

[Hammer58]

If he just pays for himself it is worth every penny.

What is the holdup?

If a fund raiser can't cover his own salary ... next.

What's the rush? We're comfortable right where we are.

[Bandwagon King]

No, because the picture is much larger and more complicated than your think. Winning sells tickets as we have all recently witnessed hosting regionals and super regionals. Many of the people that wanted tickets to those events weren’t attending games while the softball and baseball programs were having great seasons, both being nationally ranked. Winning sells tickets and increases the value of your brand. Fundraising will require someone with the contacts and skills to go out and sell your brand to individuals, local businesses and corporations that essentially have no ties to this university or athletic program. This is the target group you must sell the athletic brand to moving forward and convince them there is something in it for them beyond just dumping money into a local university’s athletic fund. The LEDA presentation of the athletic programs economic impact on Lafayette and the surrounding area is a major spring board into approaching such business that have interest here in Lafayette. Approaching and selling these target businesses and corporations is going to take a person that has national connections and is versed in negotiations. The target investor is no longer just the local business man or woman that are vested in the success of this university, but those that have no ties to academics or athletics and convincing them of the benefits of investing into this athletic program.

We have fundraisers, but RCAF needs a full time professional to help raise the funds to complete the second and third phases of the Master Plan. This is not going to happen without moving forward and separating RCAF from the University Endowment. Coaches have to do too much fundraising at this university now; does anyone question how much Coach Hudspeth has done for football and what other coaches like Robichaux and Lotiefs have done for years? We need to move away from that model and allow coaches to run their programs. We are years away from that model, it will take time. Now is the time to push the envelope and get this going because we are just beginning to see what the benefits could be of a successful athletic program to this community.

But the reality is there is no business whether locally owned such as Olde time grocery, or internationally affiliated such as Baker Oil tools who doesn't have a very vested interest in the success of this university. I've been on this board now as long as Hud has been at this school & the one thing that has appalled me is the attitude of several posters on here about the oil industry. It reflects an overall mentality this university has had historically toward the main industry which is by far the number one employer in this whole area & is indirectly responsible for at least 80% of the business success in this community. Plus how much are we doing to target other industries in our community.

This university has had a we're better than you exclusive mentality where it has continually dug into the well of the same old pockets for so long, it didn't even have a relationship with many of the leading companies in this parish & the adjoining parishes in the Acadiana area until Hud came along & began to break down barriers that had been allowed to exist for far too long & couldn't be broken simply by a baseball or softball coach.

We need a fundraising person with a strong personality & a humble mindset who has the love of the school and a good understanding of the whole community as well as an open mind & go get it attitude. We need somebody like Troy Wingerter for the job. We need somebody who's bold & willing to try new things. I don't think there are enough fundraising events this school could put on right now, which would not be a success. But some of these fundraisers need to target more of the Baker, Weatherford, PHI, Knight Oil Tool, Superior Industries crowds. Plus more of the other industries in adjoining parishes.

Why are we in a relationship with just one casino? Why are we not in a relationship with all three casinos? Do we have representation at the local auto shows, the outdoor shows? When SLEMCO does their thing how big of am impact does the school have? Are they angling themselves into every single other event going on in this town? Those relationships Will Raise money. And continue to build community pride & involvement. Plus push forth the Louisiana name everywhere around us. We can't win the state if we won't fight for the area.

[zephyr]

And those obstacles have been removed. He has done some good things with the new resources he has. But he has also screwed some things up. When he got here he commented on the "That's not how we do thong here" attitude and said that needed to change. Instead, over time, he has gotten "comfortable". His biggest failure was to become comfortable with the Sun-Belt and declare it is the place for us to be, IMO.

Was this response in honor of J1M?? LOL.

I will say this Hammer. I don't think those obstacles have been removed. I don't think they ever will be removed. We will never have sufficient funding to be able to compete with the big boys. Hell, many of the programs in CUSA or AAC have budgets at least double ours. When you have teams like UCF and Memphis who have budgets hovering around $40million, its hard to say we have overcome these obstacles. Hell, as per Jay's response, we don't have enough money from the state to hire a full staff in the athletics department.

Now, while our budget is horrible and funding is trickling in, its much better than it was say 5-8 years ago. We now have a private financing source along with a slightly increased athletic budget to now increase our resources but we are not at a point and I don't see us at a point anytime soon where the coaches are not having to work alongside the administration in bringing in money.

I will not argue with you or Z about his role, or lack thereof, in the naming issue and the conference shuffle issues because if you are accurate in your feelings towards him about those, I think those are big dings against him. However, I guess what I'm saying is I truly don't know his role or non role in those issues so its hard for me to go bashing him without full knowledge. Perhaps Jay could enlighten us about that but I don't think he would.

[Hammer58]

Was this response in honor of J1M?? LOL.

I will say this Hammer. I don't think those obstacles have been removed. I don't think they ever will be removed. We will never have sufficient funding to be able to compete with the big boys. Hell, many of the programs in CUSA or AAC have budgets at least double ours. When you have teams like UCF and Memphis who have budgets hovering around $40million, its hard to say we have overcome these obstacles. Hell, as per Jay's response, we don't have enough money from the state to hire a full staff in the athletics department.

Now, while our budget is horrible and funding is trickling in, its much better than it was say 5-8 years ago. We now have a private financing source along with a slightly increased athletic budget to now increase our resources but we are not at a point and I don't see us at a point anytime soon where the coaches are not having to work alongside the administration in bringing in money.

I will not argue with you or Z about his role, or lack thereof, in the naming issue and the conference shuffle issues because if you are accurate in your feelings towards him about those, I think those are big dings against him. However, I guess what I'm saying is I truly don't know his role or non role in those issues so its hard for me to go bashing him without full knowledge. Perhaps Jay could enlighten us about that but I don't think he would.

Yeah, It's hard to get J1M and his thongs out of my head.

There is a difference between the obstacles that used to be in place and an insufficient budget. In the past we were prevented from having an athletic fundraising organization or student fees and had to rely solely on state funding. The difference now us those two obstacles have been removed in theory although they have not been fully implemented. And the lack of full implementation is not entirely Farmer's fault. Most of that lies with TJoe. But figures reported in the Advertiser today showed our budget for 2013 as $18.1 million. That's awful close to what we stated was CUSA's benchmark. So he has a lot more to work with. And if TJoe would get off his ___ and make the right decision soon (like yesterday) on the separation of RCAF and hiring the fundraiser he would have even more to work with.

[BirdofParadise]

Zeph...almost every time I've tried to explain things, I've been called an apologist for the University. So, you're right. I don't go there any more.

Instead I have private conversations with people who actually truly care about this.

[Hammer58]

Zeph...almost every time I've tried to explain things, I've been called an apologist for the University. So, you're right. I don't go there any more.

Instead I have private conversations with people who actually truly care about this.

C'mon, Jay. We all care about this. We wouldn't be here if we didn't. We certainly wouldn't have stuck around through all the years of the previous administration. At times I get more frustrated today. We finally got rid of a guy who we discovered was a flat out obstructionist for a guy who gives us hope with some good decisions and then mucks it up with boneheaded decisions or seeming spineless inability to make a decision.

You yourself stated the need to separate RCAF. So why can't a decision be made on that and a fundraiser for RCAF? All this delaying is wasting opportunity once again to strike while the iron is hot just as we did with the New Orleans Bowl victories. I don't know if there will be another time when excitement about UL athletics has been at the fever pitch that it's been in the past few weeks. Yet we don't have anyone in place to take advantage of that. And given the short attention span of most people nowadays that excitement will cool quickly. (again, this aspect is not all on Farmer, it rests mainly with TJoe.)

[BirdofParadise]

Tony, while you may be correct, I've taken enough personal attacks on this board when I've tried to explain things to where I simply don't care to offer my opinions to everyone when it comes to how the athletics department is run.

You and I know each other well enough to where I'm willing to discuss this with you anytime.

But I'm done trying to explain it to those who really don't want to hear it.

[Cajunjeb]

Zeph...almost every time I've tried to explain things, I've been called an apologist for the University. So, you're right. I don't go there any more.

Instead I have private conversations with people who actually truly care about this.

Jay, I understand the "dammed if you do, dammed if you don't", but RP is full of people "who actually truly care about this." The problem is, and as I feel as well, the university athletic department does not do a good job of communicating with "all" of the masses about athletics. Now, I do agree that for legal reasons, some things cannot be discussed. But, the whole Adidas roll-out thing was a debacle. Someone needed to "own' that entire communication plan. Instead, the athletics department had to spend the rest of the day on damage control. This, and the whole dreaded name thing is an embarrassment to the university, athletes and fans of the university. It's a shame that Ben McDonald on Sunday had to mention on National television that "we" don't know what "we" are supposed to call ourselves. When I heard this, I was embarrassed.

The university, and the Lafayette area, is full of highly talented, bright minds in marketing and PR. This athletics department needs work with marketing and public relations. Scott Farmer is responsible for the athletics "message". I think he falls short in this.

[axg8750]

Tony, while you may be correct, I've taken enough personal attacks on this board when I've tried to explain things to where I simply don't care to offer my opinions to everyone when it comes to how the athletics department is run.

You and I know each other well enough to where I'm willing to discuss this with you anytime.

But I'm done trying to explain it to those who really don't want to hear it.

Same reason I stopped calling into BEV.
Tired of being talked down to when I try to make a point.