Scheduling . .

[wgwillis]

_ Would someone remind me just what Wrong Waters or the SBC have done to benefit UL? This godforsaken wannabe conference is our only apparent lifeline, but sometimes I wish we were just an independent (with understanding of all the pitfalls that brings). I sometimes wonder if we might have a better chance of getting in a new conference (when reallignment comes about) with standalone success as an independent. We aren't having much success as a conference member. And when we do, like being co-confernence champions in football, we still don't get to a bowl game. And, softball certainly didn't need the SBC to earn its success. The SBC has no revenue generation for its members that I am aware of, unlike other 1A conferences. Is scheduling the major obstacle? Can that be easily overcome? Would freedom in football scheduling allow for a much more attractive schedule with greater attendance and more revenue generation? Can we generate more credibility as a 1A program than we currently have as a SunBelt member? Is this pie in the sky thinking or can anyone see any value in independent status? _

I agree. I do not think Waters is good for UL. He obviously wants to take advantage of us. Perhaps we should lobby for a Commissioner with more perspective and when the time is right I think we should bolt.

[Just1More]

_ Would someone remind me just what Wrong Waters or the SBC have done to benefit UL? _

We can't blame the SBC for our issues. The SBC isn't exactly launching us, but like Josh says, we need a conference affiliation... and right now, no choice but the SBC for UL. We have no excuse other than ourselves (the university) for not being better in the Belt. We have to win the Belt in football before we have any legitimate claim to complaining about what they haven't done FOR us. JMO

[Zeebart21]

_ We can't blame the SBC for our issues. The SBC isn't exactly launching us, but like Josh says, we need a conference affiliation... and right now, no choice but the SBC for UL. We have no excuse other than ourselves (the university) for not being better in the Belt. We have to win the Belt in football before we have any legitimate claim to complaining about what they haven't done FOR us. JMO _

Oh, I think we can narrow it down a bit more, J1M.....

[BrudaCajun]

_ Oh, I think we can narrow it down a bit more, J1M..... _

You can blame me. My gf always does and it seems to work out!

[RaginFan2]

_ You can blame me. My gf always does and it seems to work out! _

Done! Thanks for that Bruda! Now we can go on enjoying Cajun sports without pointing any fingers.

[RaginCajun2010]

according to jay, there isnt even 250 people there....wow.

[DestinCajun]

_ When a team is in a conference, it gets a guaranteed share of television and bowl revenues. Scheduling is also much easier and helps establish rivalries.

The only way to survive as a I-A football program is to have a large alumni base and an automatic bowl-in.

Notre Dame has it. So does Army and Navy with agreements with the EagleBank Bowl.

All three schools have no money or scheduling issues. (Navy and Army are fully funded by the federal government.) So there's no incentive to join a conference.

UL is not as fortunate. _

Aren't you utterly amazed at these "fifth column" posts questioning and criticizing our conference membership?

I mean does one need even the IQ of a pecan to realize that if not for the SBC, UL would be a "football independent" and we would all be fans of a certifiably dead D1a program.

What a complete, utter waste of time.

[RCAJUN90]

_ Aren't you utterly amazed at these "fifth column" posts questioning and criticizing our conference membership?

I mean does one need even the IQ of a pecan to realize that if not for the SBC, UL would be a "football independent" and we would all be fans of a certifiably dead D1a program.

What a complete, utter waste of time. _

I think they are still upset with Wrong Waters which we all should be. We need to get out of the Belt asap and yes that includes jumping to the WAC. Right now however I think we are lucky to be in the Belch. Our programs are all pretty terrible. We haven't moved up at all in the Belch. Being an Independent would be mean death to Ragin Cajun sports.

[HoustonCajun]

_ I think they are still upset with Wrong Waters which we all should be. We need to get out of the Belt asap and yes that includes jumping to the WAC. Right now however I think we are lucky to be in the Belch. Our programs are all pretty terrible. We haven't moved up at all in the Belch. Being an Independent would be mean death to Ragin Cajun sports. _

Why would being an Independent be death to UL sports? Every team out there is looking for opponents. It might be a little more difficult to schedule, but not impossible and we would certainly get more quality opponents. As an Independent in 1996, we went 5-6 against Florida, Texas A&M, Southern Miss, LA Tech, Houston, Ark. State, UAB, Memphis, VA Tech, Norhern Ill. and Texas Tech, with A&M, Houston, Ark. State, Memphis and N. Ill as home games. In 1997 we played Pitt, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, UAB, Ark. State, N. Alabama, ULM, Tulane, Washington State and LA Tech, with OSU, UQAB, N. Alabama, ULM, Tulane and LA Tech at home. Stokley's last year at UL we played Arkansas, Northwestern State, LA Tech, USM, UAB, ARk. STate, UCF, Tulane, ULM, Oklahoma State & W. KY. Even when Baldwin took over in 1999, we played a great schedule with Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Houston, Middle Tennessee, LA Tech, Washington STate, Tulane, ULM, Ark. State, USM and Wofford. Scheduling has gone downhill since then.

That fact that we had losing records was not so much because of scheduling but because our budget kept getting reduced. After 1996 when we wnet 5-6 and beat Texas A&M, Dr. A kept lowering out budget and we dropped to the bottom on 1A football. Why can't we maintain that same kind of schedule and with what we are starting to do with facility improvements and the RCAF, we could move our program up a notch or two above the SBC? A winning record would get us in a bowl game against that kind of competition. We have been in 2 conferences, Big West and SBC, where we tied for the championship and still got shut out of a bowl game. And, when we became bowl eligible this year, we still got shut out to teams that finished lower than us in our conference and in the MAC. SBC Conference affiliation has done nothing for us.

Of course, when we were an independent back then, we were also an independent in other sports as well. Softball still made it to the World Series. Teams still want to schedule against geographic teams and would prefer to play an independent than a lower tier SBC program. Would we have to travel more? I don't know that that is necessarily true. If we win, schools will want to play us and if we win we can get invites to the NCAA (automatic conference births have meant little to us). And, better scheduling will give us more credibility, more recognition, greater attendance, more revenue (the SBC generates no revenue that I am aware of), and a better chance at conference realligment time. And, we would no longer be tied to the hip with ULM and a conference that will not support our use of UL.

And, in starting the RCAF, if we were to become an Independent and announce the kind of scheduling we had in 1996, would we likely get more donations and committments to facility improvements? I may be totally wrong, but I think the idea is too readily dismissed and still has merit.

[Hammer58]

_ Why would being an Independent be death to UL sports? Every team out there is looking for opponents. It might be a little more difficult to schedule, but not impossible and we would certainly get more quality opponents. As an Independent in 1996, we went 5-6 against Florida, Texas A&M, Southern Miss, LA Tech, Houston, Ark. State, UAB, Memphis, VA Tech, Norhern Ill. and Texas Tech, with A&M, Houston, Ark. State, Memphis and N. Ill as home games. In 1997 we played Pitt, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, UAB, Ark. State, N. Alabama, ULM, Tulane, Washington State and LA Tech, with OSU, UQAB, N. Alabama, ULM, Tulane and LA Tech at home. Stokley's last year at UL we played Arkansas, Northwestern State, LA Tech, USM, UAB, ARk. STate, UCF, Tulane, ULM, Oklahoma State & W. KY. Even when Baldwin took over in 1999, we played a great schedule with Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Houston, Middle Tennessee, LA Tech, Washington STate, Tulane, ULM, Ark. State, USM and Wofford. Scheduling has gone downhill since then.

That fact that we had losing records was not so much because of scheduling but because our budget kept getting reduced. After 1996 when we wnet 5-6 and beat Texas A&M, Dr. A kept lowering out budget and we dropped to the bottom on 1A football. Why can't we maintain that same kind of schedule and with what we are starting to do with facility improvements and the RCAF, we could move our program up a notch or two above the SBC? A winning record would get us in a bowl game against that kind of competition. We have been in 2 conferences, Big West and SBC, where we tied for the championship and still got shut out of a bowl game. And, when we became bowl eligible this year, we still got shut out to teams that finished lower than us in our conference and in the MAC. SBC Conference affiliation has done nothing for us.

Of course, when we were an independent back then, we were also an independent in other sports as well. Softball still made it to the World Series. Teams still want to schedule against geographic teams and would prefer to play an independent than a lower tier SBC program. Would we have to travel more? I don't know that that is necessarily true. If we win, schools will want to play us and if we win we can get invites to the NCAA (automatic conference births have meant little to us). And, better scheduling will give us more credibility, more recognition, greater attendance, more revenue (the SBC generates no revenue that I am aware of), and a better chance at conference realligment time. And, we would no longer be tied to the hip with ULM and a conference that will not support our use of UL.

And, in starting the RCAF, if we were to become an Independent and announce the kind of scheduling we had in 1996, would we likely get more donations and committments to facility improvements? I may be totally wrong, but I think the idea is too readily dismissed and still has merit. _

If being an independent was such an advantageous way to go don't you think more mid-majors would take that route? As it is the only mid-majors that can pull it off are Notre Dame and the two service academies because finances are not an issue for any of them.

[RCAJUN90]

_ Why would being an Independent be death to UL sports? Every team out there is looking for opponents. It might be a little more difficult to schedule, but not impossible and we would certainly get more quality opponents. As an Independent in 1996, we went 5-6 against Florida, Texas A&M, Southern Miss, LA Tech, Houston, Ark. State, UAB, Memphis, VA Tech, Norhern Ill. and Texas Tech, with A&M, Houston, Ark. State, Memphis and N. Ill as home games. In 1997 we played Pitt, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, UAB, Ark. State, N. Alabama, ULM, Tulane, Washington State and LA Tech, with OSU, UQAB, N. Alabama, ULM, Tulane and LA Tech at home. Stokley's last year at UL we played Arkansas, Northwestern State, LA Tech, USM, UAB, ARk. STate, UCF, Tulane, ULM, Oklahoma State & W. KY. Even when Baldwin took over in 1999, we played a great schedule with Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Houston, Middle Tennessee, LA Tech, Washington STate, Tulane, ULM, Ark. State, USM and Wofford. Scheduling has gone downhill since then.

That fact that we had losing records was not so much because of scheduling but because our budget kept getting reduced. After 1996 when we wnet 5-6 and beat Texas A&M, Dr. A kept lowering out budget and we dropped to the bottom on 1A football. Why can't we maintain that same kind of schedule and with what we are starting to do with facility improvements and the RCAF, we could move our program up a notch or two above the SBC? A winning record would get us in a bowl game against that kind of competition. We have been in 2 conferences, Big West and SBC, where we tied for the championship and still got shut out of a bowl game. And, when we became bowl eligible this year, we still got shut out to teams that finished lower than us in our conference and in the MAC. SBC Conference affiliation has done nothing for us.

Of course, when we were an independent back then, we were also an independent in other sports as well. Softball still made it to the World Series. Teams still want to schedule against geographic teams and would prefer to play an independent than a lower tier SBC program. Would we have to travel more? I don't know that that is necessarily true. If we win, schools will want to play us and if we win we can get invites to the NCAA (automatic conference births have meant little to us). And, better scheduling will give us more credibility, more recognition, greater attendance, more revenue (the SBC generates no revenue that I am aware of), and a better chance at conference realligment time. And, we would no longer be tied to the hip with ULM and a conference that will not support our use of UL.

And, in starting the RCAF, if we were to become an Independent and announce the kind of scheduling we had in 1996, would we likely get more donations and committments to facility improvements? I may be totally wrong, but I think the idea is too readily dismissed and still has merit. _

I understand your frustration and in the mid 80's when we were an independent we had good (by our standards) football and basketball teams. The college landscape has changed since then. I was shocked when we didn't get into CUSA. We had played all those teams every year like a league when I was a student. In an act of desperation we joined the Big West and then the Sunbelt. I hate the Sunbelt. I wish we could just leave but with our teams being as bad as they are we wouldn't survive as an independent nor would we be welcomed anyplace else. Do you really think we would survive playing the big boys every other week? Could we survive without a Bowl game to play for and a championship? We need to at least win the Belt and go to the New Orleans Bowl before we can leave the Belch. I believe if we were Troy (As far as their successful sports teams ) we could probably bolt for greener pastures but right now we look about as hot as an 93 year grandma.
Just my .02

[HoustonCajun]

_ I understand your frustration and in the mid 80's when we were an independent we had good (by our standards) football and basketball teams. The college landscape has changed since then. I was shocked when we didn't get into CUSA. We had played all those teams every year like a league when I was a student. In an act of desperation we joined the Big West and then the Sunbelt. I hate the Sunbelt. I wish we could just leave but with our teams being as bad as they are we wouldn't survive as an independent nor would we be welcomed anyplace else. Do you really think we would survive playing the big boys every other week? Could we survive without a Bowl game to play for and a championship? We need to at least win the Belt and go to the New Orleans Bowl before we can leave the Belch. I believe if we were Troy (As far as their successful sports teams ) we could probably bolt for greener pastures but right now we look about as hot as an 93 year grandma.
Just my .02 _

Why would we have to play BCS schools every week? Other conferences still need to schedule games. It might be easier to schedule C-USA, WAC, MAC & an SBC game mixed in with BCS schools and a 1AA school than it is to play those conferences as an SBC member. We have a bowl game to play for in the SBC, but it hasn't done anything for us. We tied for the conference and didn't play. We were bowl eligible this year and didn't play. We have a great reputation on baseball and softball, so that shouldn't be a problem. Basketball has a great reputation although we haven't played well of late. Football is up and coming. I don't think scheduling would be a major problem. In fact, we would likely have better scheduling than in the Belch. Games vs. conference members for the most part don't excit me. I still think we would be just as attractive to anyone as we are now in the Belch and likely moreso. I just might be easier to establish ourselves as an Independent than an also ran in the Belch. Maybe that is just wishful thinking on my part, but I am not ready to concede that the SBC is better than being an Independent.