Robichaux receiving bonuses for UL's big season

[Duggie35]

Coach Robe has been coaching a long time. Now that his sons are finished playing for him, will he continue to coach for a few more years? Does AD type of work appeal more to him now? Could we keep Deggs for a couple of years as a coach in waiting if such is the case with Robe? Just asking.

I don't think UL should have any coach in waiting until the current coach makes his plans known. So far, I am not aware of Robe telling anyone exactly when he plans to retire or depart UL! Until that happens, there is no need for UL to have a coach in waiting.

[CrazyCajun]

Muschamp was coach in waiting...until something better came along. It means nothing, the term is non-binding. All assistants are "in-waiting"

[Cajunfever]

Maybe so. Maybe there's no amount of money we could offer to keep him here. But it would be a huge failure on the part of this administration if we didn't at least beat whatever Sam Houston is willing to give him. If we can find 6 million to fund an expansion, but can't find ~100k to keep a great coach, there's something very wrong with our priorities.

This guy has been a huge key to our recent success in baseball. If we want these good times to continue, we absolutely must find a way to keep talented guys like him on staff.

Would you pay him more than Bab? I think part of the long term success of the baseball program is because of Coach Babineaux.

[Turbine]

You can't compare to 10 ten attendance schools. Those are SEC/Big12/Pac12 schools with budgets 10x's as much as ours. If someone writes a check, by all means pay the man.

I agree 100%

I wasn't suggesting you compare schools, I was thinking of the gate receipt income a top-10 attendance ranking brings.

How many home games does it take to get to 31,000? Eight games?

At $8 a ticket that is $250,000

[jumboragncajun]

I think the bonuses are dam near offensive in comparison to what that program accomplished this year. I get it, it's a bonus.....but just feels like they all deserve more.

Hopefully, the exposure really helps with the camps. It's my understanding that was a good revenue source for the assistants.

[CrazyCajun]

If I wanted my kid to get better at the plate...I know what camp I'm sending him to

[castsdan]

And, this is just my opinion, but if Coach Deggs wants to be a head coach and a school like SHSU wants him, I don't think getting him a healthy raise here is going to matter.

I just don't see Deggs leaving. He didn't take head coaching jobs when he was the top assistant at Arkansas and A&M, and he was very well known back then too.

Some coaches are more comfortable being an assistant, not saying that's the case here.

[Dad04]

I have heard Coach Robe say on more than one occasion that the best thing that can happen for his Baseball program is for the Football program to be successful! He is a smart man and seems to always see the big picture. I'm sure he wants his share of the pie and he deserves to get it. But he knows full well that Football does indeed drive the bus. Hopefully the bus will deliver a gift to his doorstep in the very near future!!!

"Drives the bus." I See what you did there

I just don't see Deggs leaving. He didn't take head coaching jobs when he was the top assistant at Arkansas and A&M, and he was very well known back then too.

Some coaches are more comfortable being an assistant, not saying that's the case here.

Wow...I wish I had your confidence. Coach Deggs is obviously more experienced than when he was at those other schools, very competitive and good at coaching baseball. He has been a head coach at the juco level, very successfully, I might add. I would be very surprised if he did not have career goals similar to Scefz and Simoneaux.

[CajunRage]

I agree 100%

I wasn't suggesting you compare schools, I was thinking of the gate receipt income a top-10 attendance ranking brings.

How many home games does it take to get to 31,000? Eight games?

At $8 a ticket that is $250,000

I wonder how much of that attendance is needed to run our program? Do we have things that other sunbelt schools don't? Do we spend more on recruiting, equipment, travel? Just thoughts to put out there.

If we fed our players PB&J like Ulmost we might be able to pay Robe more

[CajunRebel]

As I recall, you were against the numbers of seats in the stadium expansion. You wanted to spend the money on better amenities. "That" is what you were talking about. The funds being raised for facility improvements have no relationship to Robe and/or Deggs or anyone else's salaries. You do realize that not only has Mark Hudspeth remained at UL under the premise that we are expanding the stadium, but also Robe is not expecting to divert dollars expected to improve the Tigue to go to coaching salaries.

I don't believe the approval process for facilities funding includes a caveat that says, "unless you instead need to increase salaries".

And futhermore, we don't need to increase any coaching salaries if we don't improve/expand our facilities.

You're right. I thought investing in premium seating and other enhancement would have been a better way to spend the money, and I don't know if I ever specifically mentioned baseball coaches salaries. But I did say on numerous occasions that I felt there were dozens of better ways to spend the money. And yes, I think paying to keep a great coach is certainly one of those ways.

But if our season ticket sales and full-season attendance increase dramatically this year, I'll be happy to come back and say I was wrong.

[sportsfanatic21]

Maybe so. Maybe there's no amount of money we could offer to keep him here. But it would be a huge failure on the part of this administration if we didn't at least beat whatever Sam Houston is willing to give him. If we can find 6 million to fund an expansion, but can't find ~100k to keep a great coach, there's something very wrong with our priorities.

This guy has been a huge key to our recent success in baseball. If we want these good times to continue, we absolutely must find a way to keep talented guys like him on staff.

This is the same as professors griping about Hud's salary. The $6 million being spent on stadium expansion will generate millions in revenue over time. Paying an assistant coach $100,000 will not. Its been said over and over, football funds all of the other sports. Whether you like or not, agree with it or not, it is a fact. With the football stadium expansion, funds will be generated that will help all of the other programs. Saying that paying assistant coaches instead of expanding the stadium is bassackwards. Expand the stadium, generate revenue, THEN you can pay your coaches. If you skip the revenue generating part, and as you said "find funds" to pay coaches now, you will never get anywhere. You will ALWAYS be trying to "find funds". It's called an investment. Look it up.

[CajunRebel]

Would you pay him more than Bab? I think part of the long term success of the baseball program is because of Coach Babineaux.

In all honesty, if I could do so without upsetting Robe and Babineaux, I'd pay Deggs more than Robe.

I'm not saying it would be fair, but in any business the guy who is open to leaving usually gets paid more than the vet who isn't.

[CajunRebel]

The $6 million being spent on stadium expansion will generate millions in revenue over time.

That's the thing. I don't agree with this opinion at all.

[CajunRage]

That's the thing. I don't agree with this opinion at all.

Facilities get us out of the sunbelt. Getting out of the sunbelt generates more money than all coaches can combined.

[sportsfanatic21]

That's the thing. I don't agree with this opinion at all.

What are your feelings about Hud's extension/raise?