Should a coach be held responsible for losing a money game?

[anhil8tor]

I sometimes wonder about our fans. I've been there home game after home game for a few years now. I drag two kids out there along with my wife regardless of weather and see the same fans out there week after week. I have seen the student section close to empty on many occasions. I have seen the upper deck and other side of the stadium almost empty as well. I wonder... will UL ever get the support? Does anyone really care anymore? Is going to a cajun game something that people get excited about?

[Just1More]

_ I sometimes wonder about our fans. I've been there home game after home game for a few years now. I drag two kids out there along with my wife regardless of weather and see the same fans out there week after week. I have seen the student section close to empty on many occasions. I have seen the upper deck and other side of the stadium almost empty as well. I wonder... will UL ever get the support? Does anyone really care anymore? Is going to a cajun game something that people get excited about? _

I'll tell you a little secret. It isn't the fans. It's the management. You have passionate fans... and even they are individuals with individual thoughts. The rest of anyone's fanbase is make up of ever growing concentric circles of fans. The farther out in the circle, the more the system has to offer them excitement and winning for their continued involvement.

We have a very respectable core of passionate fans. We are missing the many circles of fans that a terrible management system cost us. You cannot blame those people in my book. And more than I find them blameless... I know without a doubt you do not attract them back with all of our ranting about how ashamed we are of them.

We are on a slow move upward IMO. That does not attract those additional circles of fans. When the move up final surpasses an achievement worth their notice... they will show up. Again... you can get as frustrated as you choose to make yourself... but we had many years of really poor vision at the helm... and we paid a big price in football.

I absolutely hold no one in the "future fanbase" to blame for being unmotivated. You apparently do not know their history. We have had huge supporters that the university let down. You are fortunate to EVER get back off the ground when you've done that. EVER.

[DrumRoll]

I have seen the student section close to empty on many occasions.

I have no idea what typical student participation levels are, but it does seem that fewer students attend football games at UL. I have seen this anomally and discussions around it at schools that are drive thru campuses with a large percentage of commuter students. Is this part of UL's problem? Maybe it's an optical illusion because the student section is so large in comparision to other schools?

When activities that heavily feature students are going on, it seems to be the place to be, what role do activities play?

Maybe our marketing research on what fans want, needs to begin with the students? After all, they will become the future generation of UL supporters and fans, let's get it right...

[CajunProud]

_ I'll tell you a little secret. It isn't the fans. It's the management. You have passionate fans... and even they are individuals with individual thoughts. The rest of anyone's fanbase is make up of ever growing concentric circles of fans. The farther out in the circle, the more the system has to offer them excitement and winning for their continued involvement.

We have a very respectable core of passionate fans. We are missing the many circles of fans that a terrible management system cost us. You cannot blame those people in my book. And more than I find them blameless... I know without a doubt you do not attract them back with all of our ranting about how ashamed we are of them.

We are on a slow move upward IMO. That does not attract those additional circles of fans. When the move up final surpasses an achievement worth their notice... they will show up. Again... you can get as frustrated as you choose to make yourself... but we had many years of really poor vision at the helm... and we paid a big price in football.

I absolutely hold no one in the "future fanbase" to blame for being unmotivated. You apparently do not know their history. We have had huge supporters that the university let down. You are fortunate to EVER get back off the ground when you've done that. EVER. _

Ding, Ding, Ding. We have a winner.

Perfect example. I sent an e-mail to Julie Dronet over a week ago regarding the marketing survey asking if they would include me. As of today's date I have not received a response. Not a, "Thanks for inquiring.", or even a "Kiss our _____."

[Clutch0364]

_ I have no idea what typical student participation levels are, but it does seem that fewer students attend football games at UL. I have seen this anomally and discussions around it at schools that are drive thru campuses with a large percentage of commuter students. Is this part of UL's problem? Maybe it's an optical illusion because the student section is so large in comparision to other schools?

When activities that heavily feature students are going on, it seems to be the place to be, what role do activities play?

Maybe our marketing research on what fans want, needs to begin with the students? After all, they will become the future generation of UL supporters and fans, let's get it right... _

I don't think it is one of the only reasons but the student section is to big for the demand. It should be made smaller.

[anhil8tor]

I took some "new" cajun fans tailgating and to the game for Southern. When I tell you he had fun.. he had a terrific time. He decided that next year he wants to get 3 tailgating spots and tickets as long as he can six close to me.

I emailed Shivana that Tuesday letting her know about his excitement and if there are tickets avaiable next to mine. I have not heard back from her.


I understand there are things there that can never be fixed. Its time to start now. Lets lay the foundation for our kids and their kids. But how? Who do we contact? Where do we start? I was never brought to a Cajun game as a child. I became a fan attending the University. I make it a point to bring my kids there now.....

[4LSU]

_ While I may not like your affiliation, I have to agree with you. As long as we conrtinue to NOT sell out a 31,000-seat stadium, even when the team is GOOD, we will conrtinue to have to play "money-games". Also, as long as the head coach at this University (no matter WHO IT IS!) draws a salary that's lower than dirt and gets only minimal support from the U and it's fans... (A caveman could draw the appropriate conclusion here.)
igeaux.mobi _

That's ok...I don't always like my affiliation either.

I think in the perfect sports program world, it takes fans, administration, and team to have the kinda success that most of us would like to see for our favorite teams.

Without all three living up to their responsibilities, any program can easily resemble a dog chasing its tail.

[Just1More]

_ I have no idea what typical student participation levels are, but it does seem that fewer students attend football games at UL. I have seen this anomally and discussions around it at schools that are drive thru campuses with a large percentage of commuter students. Is this part of UL's problem? Maybe it's an optical illusion because the student section is so large in comparision to other schools?

When activities that heavily feature students are going on, it seems to be the place to be, what role do activities play?

Maybe our marketing research on what fans want, needs to begin with the students? After all, they will become the future generation of UL supporters and fans, let's get it right... _

Our students are available (not long distance commuters) for our games. We lost them in a big way during the Balwin era. We are building them back up. My comments earlier about the concentric circles of fans also applies to students. We are expanding the ring ever so slightly as Bustle's program brought us to .500 and glimpses of possibilities of post season play. When we provide something more interesting for those fans (including a significant allotment of students) you will see them. I absolutely assure everyone... we will not see them prior.

The key for us is to stop "analyzing" the unattending fan. It is about as computationally simple as figuring out how to attract ants. Put out the sugar... you get ants. If they are out there, they will come when the sugar does. No sooner... no later. Oh, and our admin can get fired up about counting the ants... but if they retract any of the sugar... those "extra ants"... they'll go where they can find sugar.

[CajunDreDog]

No offense but maybe you need to find a new way to place value on your education. I for one do not put any stock in the football team as weighing on the value of my degree. I would say your education here is something to be proud of no matter the W/L record of one of the athletic programs. Look at the great things this university does Academically, that is more a measure than this.

I have to agree with this....I graduated during the Baldwin year's!

[CajunT]

_ That (donations) can and will happen when UL strings together a few back-to-back winning seasons.

Money games cost you money in the long run. They are like borrowing from a loan shark.

jmo _

Turbine, tell that to Bosie State, Utah and Tulsa. All of them play BCS games every year despite their success and larger athletic budgets then UL. Playing BCS games is a fact of life as a mid-major and people that don't understand that, clearly haven't been paying attention to college football. I don't care to play three BCS games a year, but if you can get one at home for your fans, take the third game.

I heard someone call into Birds Eye View this week and asked Jay, "What is the difference between Bosie State or UL and why can't we be successful as them? A 28 million dollar athletic budget! The secret for success for us is to win the conference and win a bowl game.
I guarantee you if that happens, the staff will close the deal on some of the top athletes we've missed on lately.

[Boomer]

O-Kay dudes here is the deal--we had some guys out at LSU and missed on crucial plays to get it done---2 picks could have gone for tds--maybe scored per the replay ---maybe the Touchback per replay--their pick to stop a drive --game much closer than people realize -----and we played at their place!!1 At Neb. we had 4--- I said 4 safeties out -ergo a new defense where the fill ins were a willie LB and a converted wide out ---no All American center and one of our best receivers out ---this was the biggest game in the history of an unreal program ---you needed to be there to see the former great ones on the field pulling for their team!!! Remember the game was at their place----- We are going to get the guys back that beat Southern and Big 12 K State----PLEASE KEEP THE FAITH!!!!

[DrumRoll]

_ O-Kay dudes here is the deal--we had some guys out at LSU and missed on crucial plays to get it done---2 picks could have gone for tds--maybe scored per the replay ---maybe the Touchback per replay--their pick to stop a drive --game much closer than people realize -----and we played at their place!!1 At Neb. we had 4--- I said 4 safeties out -ergo a new defense where the fill ins were a willie LB and a converted wide out ---no All American center and one of our best receivers out ---this was the biggest game in the history of an unreal program ---you needed to be there to see the former great ones on the field pulling for their team!!! Remember the game was at their place----- We are going to get the guys back that beat Southern and Big 12 K State----PLEASE KEEP THE FAITH!!!! _

Bartender, I'll have what he's drinking, in fact, make it a double...

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