2016: Alden Report Released by University of Louisiana Athletics

[VObserver]

This has turned into the thread hijacked to hell...

It is an RP tradition.

[VObserver]

Let us do a brief review...

RCAF was formed in 2009. This kicked off an immediate, dramatic and ongoing increase in our athletic budget. In the brief period since its inception, our facilities have improved dramatically, and our athletic budget has more than doubled.

Our coaches and players have responded very well.
Football has been to 4 bowls in that span.
Both men's and women's basketball have made some progress, the men reaching an NCAA Tournament appearance, the women winning back to back post season tournaments.
Our stick and ball sports have been among the most successful in the country.
Track and Field has begun to make strides toward its former status as one of our best programs.
Most of our other sports have also advanced well beyond where they were in 2009.
Even the marching band and pep band are much better than in 2009.

Where we have NOT improved is in athletic administration.

In the time frame since RCAF was founded, there have been three rounds of conference re-alignment. In all three rounds, our athletic administration was caught off guard and was not prepared to present our university in its best light. Credible sources outside the University have said that other conferences have not approached us because we showed no interest in leaving the Sun Belt. As a result, 5 of our conference mates in 2009 have since moved on to a better conference, as have two of the other 3 G5 schools in state.

The number of donors to RCAF has reportedly increased by less than 25% from 2011 [our first bowl game] until 2015; in spite of numerous people advising our athletic administration to heavily promote RCAF membership in conjunction with on field success.

We have a waiting list for tailgate spots, in spite of having considerable available space to put new spots.

Game day organization is chaotic. At every home football game, we seem to manage to 'USL' something. Same with basketball. We make little or no provision for expected larger crowds for big games or for games following long win streaks.

We still do not produce our own TV shows for coaches or our own games; even though several of our former and current conference mates have been doing so for years.

I could go on, but you get the picture.

We need to demand better performance on Rhinehardt Drive to match the better performance on the fields and courts.

[ZoomZoom]

Bottom line, we have not had a bonafied full time D1 AD since Terry Don Phillips.

Timing is horrible, but it's time to sack up in the entire athletic department and show the shareholders (the fans) concrete efforts. Otherwise, we're just singing with Jerry Jeff Walker...

[HoustonCajun]

noones resisting..stick to UL, Louisiana and Ragin Cajuns...promote that. End of story.

Not end of story. We will forever be in a battle with LSU, La Tech and especially ULM for UL recognition. Use of UL is illegal and will always be fought against. Branding is extremely important. We solve much of it with use of Louisiana. The acronym we use is also extremely important. Dr. S will not approve use of something that is illegal. Why continue use of UL that is only used in Lafayette and has no universal acceptance? We want/need a clear identity. UL will always be controversial and variations will continue to be used in its place, ULL, UL-L, ULOL, U La La, etc. As ULGrad said, no school uses its moniker as part of its preferred acronym. We all have our preferences and I don't think LARC has universal appeal or acceptance. Are you going to buy a cap with LARC on it as representative of Louisiana? If we make the announcement that our official branding will be LOUISIANA and LU (like OU, KU and CU), it will be recognized and accepted and no one can argue we violated the UL law.

[Turbine]

Or perhaps UL/RC or ULRC, actually I don't think I like those either... I like UL....

UL is best but technically illegal.

LA is legal as a ticker and is not confused visually with L.A.

[basinbear]

LARC is fine as a sports ticker abbreviation...
A sports ticker abbreviation is not the same as what we would use on caps and uni's....for example, when you look up a Louisville score the abbreviation is LOU but they use the single "L" on caps and UNIs. Everyone knows Oklahoma as "OU" but on a sports ticker they are known as "OKLA". I would bet ULA would have been legal to give the SunBelt when they requested a sports ticker abbreviation or Even LU. And no, Lamar is not known as LU on sports tickers, it's LAM.

[Turbine]

LARC is fine as a sports ticker abbreviation...
A sports ticker abbreviation is not the same as what we would use on caps and uni's....for example, when you look up a Louisville score the abbreviation is LOU but they use the single "L" on caps and UNIs. Everyone knows Oklahoma as "OU" but on a sports ticker they are known as "OKLA". I would bet ULA would have been legal to give the SunBelt when they requested a sports ticker abbreviation or Even LU. And no, Lamar is not known as LU on sports tickers, it's LAM.

Interesting and informative

[31Ragin97]

And OU is actually university of oklahoma, if fighting with our legislture they'd never get away with that and have to be UO

[BirdofParadise]

And OU is actually university of oklahoma, if fighting with or legislture they'd never get away with that and have to be UO

Which is Oregon

[LaCajunsFan]

LARC is fine as a sports ticker abbreviation...
A sports ticker abbreviation is not the same as what we would use on caps and uni's....for example, when you look up a Louisville score the abbreviation is LOU but they use the single "L" on caps and UNIs. Everyone knows Oklahoma as "OU" but on a sports ticker they are known as "OKLA". I would bet ULA would have been legal to give the SunBelt when they requested a sports ticker abbreviation or Even LU. And no, Lamar is not known as LU on sports tickers, it's LAM.

I'm beginning to like LARC. It would be just a ticker, and says who we are without violating any of those idiotic laws....and no Lafayette in sight.

[Just1More]

This has turned into the thread hijacked to hell...

The thread topic involves about 63,762 different subtopics... where exactly was this particular plane supposed to land?

[Turbine]

http://www.lafayettelarc.org