Above average: UL football season in review

[BrudaCajun]

_ If they are not going to put resources towards it then get rid of athletics. If your not going to do everything possible to compete than why have it. _

Ding! Ding! Ding!

[zephyr]

_ If they are not going to put resources towards it then get rid of athletics. If your not going to do everything possible to compete than why have it. _

I'm just not sure how hard this is. How do you put something into the program that you don't have??? If your university is in the middle of a 7 million dollar budget cut, how do you suppose you dump a bunch of resources into the program. Its not a matter of whether they are willing to do it, as I think Mr. Farmer and Dr. Savoie are more than willing, its whether you CAN!

[Clutch0364]

_ I'm just not sure how hard this is. How do you put something into the program that you don't have??? If your university is in the middle of a 7 million dollar budget cut, how do you suppose you dump a bunch of resources into the program. Its not a matter of whether they are willing to do it, as I think Mr. Farmer and Dr. Savoie are more than willing, its whether you CAN! _

Well a decision needs to be made whether to stay at the bottom or push for more resources (Private RCAF type of money) or don't have any athletics. We keep hearing about renovations for baseball, softball, and football...if the money is there for these type of improvements, the money is there to make some decisions regarding personnel.

Basically what I am saying is that financially we are not as strapped as what we may think.

[Hammer58]

_ I'm just not sure how hard this is. How do you put something into the program that you don't have??? If your university is in the middle of a 7 million dollar budget cut, how do you suppose you dump a bunch of resources into the program. Its not a matter of whether they are willing to do it, as I think Mr. Farmer and Dr. Savoie are more than willing, its whether you CAN! _

In addition to starting the RCAF (and I think we are all gettng frustrated with the delays in this) we need to get the prohibition on student fees for athletics rescinded. The lack of student fees is probably the biggest contributor to the gap between our athletic budget and those of our peer mid-major D1A schools. This is an effort that will take the cooperation and coordinated lobbying efforts by all fo the state's universities. Of course, we have seen all to often in our banana republic that such cooperation is painfully hard to come by. LSUA&MC will not support the effort because they don't need the fees and despite their "flagship" status they have never shown a propensity to lead on any issue that benefits anyone other than them. I certainly don't expect them to support anything that benefits the other state schools. And too many of our sister ULS institutions (namely the D1aa schools) will not support it because while it will benefit them as well they will see it as a bigger benefit to the in-state D1A programs and they have always oppossed anything the furthers growing the gap between them and us. Still, even with those obstacles it is something that must be pursued.

[zephyr]

_ In addition to starting the RCAF (and I think we are all gettng frustrated with the delays in this) we need to get the prohibition on student fees for athletics rescinded. The lack of student fees is probably the biggest contributor to the gap between our athletic budget and those of our peer mid-major D1A schools. This is an effort that will take the cooperation and coordinated lobbying efforts by all fo the state's universities. Of course, we have seen all to often in our banana republic that such cooperation is painfully hard to come by. LSUA&MC will not support the effort because they don't need the fees and despite their "flagship" status they have never shown a propensity to lead on any issue that benefits anyone other than them. I certainly don't expect them to support anything that benefits the other state schools. And too many of our sister ULS institutions (namely the D1aa schools) will not support it because while it will benefit them as well they will see it as a bigger benefit to the in-state D1A programs and they have always oppossed anything the furthers growing the gap between them and us. Still, even with those obstacles it is something that must be pursued. _

I agree. I was on this boat a while back but I got info here stating that it is not possible for the university to charge the students an athletic fee of sorts in their tuition. Why? I have no idea. I think this is completely missing in the budget and from what i've heard, the students are against the fee. This leads me into my previous statements that we,as fans and students are always demanding that the administration pony up and allow us the resources to fund a good program. I, however, feel like we should be donating and supporting the program so they can do this. Now, people seem to be waiting for the RCAF as I am but there is nothing stopping you from donating funds without it. I did it this past year and they had no problems accepting my donation.

[zephyr]

_ Well a decision needs to be made whether to stay at the bottom or push for more resources (Private RCAF type of money) or don't have any athletics. We keep hearing about renovations for baseball, softball, and football...if the money is there for these type of improvements, the money is there to make some decisions regarding personnel.

Basically what I am saying is that financially we are not as strapped as what we may think. _

Well then its a matter of putting the cart before the horse I suppose. Buyout coach Bustle for 600k then hope we can pay a head coach 400k and upgrade the new coach's assistants for say another 150k or do much needed renovations to other athletic and academic facilities? Hum. Don't know. If you make the wrong decision personnel wise, it puts your program back YEARS. Its not like I don't agree that things to be done but I don't think we always look at things with a degree of perspective. Don't you think that one of the reasons that these projects are delayed is because of a lack of funding? It just seems to me that if we had all this money in a fund somewhere that there would be no delays. Plus, these types of projects take a long time to develop.

[Hammer58]

_ I agree. I was on this boat a while back but I got info here stating that it is not possible for the university to charge the students an athletic fee of sorts in their tuition. Why? I have no idea. I think this is completely missing in the budget and from what i've heard, the students are against the fee. This leads me into my previous statements that we,as fans and students are always demanding that the administration pony up and allow us the resources to fund a good program. I, however, feel like we should be donating and supporting the program so they can do this. Now, people seem to be waiting for the RCAF as I am but there is nothing stopping you from donating funds without it. I did it this past year and they had no problems accepting my donation. _

The fee restrictions are a state mandate. I used to be under the impression that it was a legislative mandate but others have corrected me and stated it is a Board of Regents directive. To me being a board directive should make it easier to overturn since if the member institutions would get together and lobby the board members. Changing their minds should, IMO, be easier than convincing a majority of the legislature. But again, we have up until now demonstrated a Greek city-state mentality (as another poster aplty described it).

[Clutch0364]

_ Well then its a matter of putting the cart before the horse I suppose. Buyout coach Bustle for 600k then hope we can pay a head coach 400k and upgrade the new coach's assistants for say another 150k or do much needed renovations to other athletic and academic facilities? Hum. Don't know. If you make the wrong decision personnel wise, it puts your program back YEARS. Its not like I don't agree that things to be done but I don't think we always look at things with a degree of perspective. Don't you think that one of the reasons that these projects are delayed is because of a lack of funding? It just seems to me that if we had all this money in a fund somewhere that there would be no delays. Plus, these types of projects take a long time to develop. _

I am looking at it as make a big hire now and it will benefit financially later. I just feel this administration needs to do something to show we are serious about winning at the FBS level and I have yet to see anything. I haven't seen them be serious about any sport. Softball and baseball have been able to flourish despite the admin.

[zephyr]

_ I am looking at it as make a big hire now and it will benefit financially later. I just feel this administration needs to do something to show we are serious about winning at the FBS level and I have yet to see anything. I haven't seen them be serious about any sport. Softball and baseball have been able to flourish despite the admin. _

If Bustle was at the end of his contract, I'd agree with you. However, his buyout presents a much larger wager than this university can afford to expend IMO. These other projects are in place enhance our visibility to both fans and recruits. Hiring a new coach which will certainly cost us a lot more and his assistants along with Bustle's buyout would be a very large expenditure considering the financial times of both the economy and the university. If they make the wrong decision (even if it looks like they make a good hire) and the next coach fails, you've now set up to where you would have to keep someone who puts the program in a similar position but at a higher pricetag. That can keep a program like ours down for quite a while. Everybody makes it sound like lets just go throw money at some quality guy out there but I just don't think it is that easy......yet.

[Just1More]

_ If Bustle was at the end of his contract, I'd agree with you. However, his buyout presents a much larger wager than this university can afford to expend IMO. These other projects are in place enhance our visibility to both fans and recruits. Hiring a new coach which will certainly cost us a lot more and his assistants along with Bustle's buyout would be a very large expenditure considering the financial times of both the economy and the university. If they make the wrong decision (even if it looks like they make a good hire) and the next coach fails, you've now set up to where you would have to keep someone who puts the program in a similar position but at a higher pricetag. That can keep a program like ours down for quite a while. Everybody makes it sound like lets just go throw money at some quality guy out there but I just don't think it is that easy......yet. _

We have no hope whatsoever of "swapping out" coaches... and be secure in the knowledge that we have eliminated our old selection methods and installed a new productive method. It is comically ridiculous to speculate on a coaching change that will actually be a progress step... unless and until we have the right private funding system in place.

Please help spread this axiom... it is not the funds that are the driving force behind a private funding system... it is the private minds that get infused into the program. Money is a product of this system that is secondary to the reasoning for the system. Our program would not have to rely solely on the public employees' operation of the system when private entities become stakeholders. A body of private people do not accept pathological failure. Money is only one tool in "these" people's toolshed. If more people would adopt this understanding of private funding, we would stop arguing about its potential limits financially. Theoretically, there is no monetary limit. It is like saying "how many fans could we have for our program?". The admin has to believe that they will gain more than they will suffer for hosting an aggressive system. They have veto power... I simply do not know why they don't go full tilt.

I do not yet know what it means that Dr. Savoie is "passionate" about football. "Passionate" is like "awesome"... I've heard it used in a wide range of emotional expressions. "Bubblegum is awesome. I've got a passion for bubblegum. It is just bubblegum, however... and it shouldn't cost more than 2 cents." Or... "That girl is awesome. I have a passion for that girl. I'd... just to... " Well, you understand... there's passion... and then there's PASSION!