Louisiana is a "Tier One" School

[CajunVic]

I agree with CajunRunner. Vobserver had to raise money on his own just to get new hurdles purchased. About 15 years ago the head track coach at UL was making around $25K a year.

Did AutoGo Eric run hurdles with VOB?

[NOCajun]

I know as a former athlete your perspective was that he was hostile towards athletics. I think that is the wrong word. He viewed athletics as a side note to the University. He wasn't out to kill it but didn't view it as an investment either.

As far as fund raising.... I dealt with this first hand and it wasn't just athletics. It was absolutely insane how he and he alone approved or more often than not disapproved anyone associated with the University from seeking donations of any type. If there is anyone out there that ever had the conversation with him as to why I haven't heard it and I've talked to a lot of people through the years that experienced similar. Bottom line was that you better not seek any external funding sources without his explicit approval no matter if it was athletics or not.

And he took that attitude because of the "death penalty". He went to that extreme because he refused to allow anything like that to happen here again. Remember, also, that several major universities were being penalized during that time for recruiting violations but were only being slapped on the wrist for it.

#cULture

[Cajunrunner]

The death penalty happened in the 70s. Ray Authement was still bleeding athletics dry in the late 90s and early 2000s. We’re damn lucky Coach Robe stayed through that fiasco, and Coach Yvette, yeah, I know, but who could blame her for leaving.

And to Cajun90’s statement, yes, I only saw it from an athletics standpoint. If Authement had that same attitude for fundraising in other arenas of the university, then that was flat out stupid, especially considering the late 80s to early 90s drying up of in-state jobs and revenues to fund the schools with tax dollars.

[Turbine]

Authement was solely focused on academics.

Unfortunately he didn't grasp how the front porch of the university was an asset to academics.

It is no coincidence that tier one status coincides with unprecented achievements in athletics.

It may not be a conscious reaction, but the dollar doalers are much more likely to hand you the money if its not the first time they ever heard your name.

[Cajun90]

And to Cajun90’s statement, yes, I only saw it from an athletics standpoint. If Authement had that same attitude for fundraising in other arenas of the university, then that was flat out stupid, especially considering the late 80s to early 90s drying up of in-state jobs and revenues to fund the schools with tax dollars.

I believe he saw it as a very finite pool of resources and he was going to make certain those resources went where he wanted them to go (i.e. computer science). I also have a very vague recollection of someone saying he thought it was a bad look for the University to have multiple people associated with the University soliciting some of the same resources. Obviously the death penalty issue in athletics played in as well. He wanted to make certain no outsider thought they had a say in how things were going to be run.

[JamesTheJeweler]

My man!!

That was a touched up photo, Z! Here is the real, undoctored photo!

[CajunVic]

That was a touched up photo, Z! Here is the real, undoctored photo!

Looks like a very bored man with a picture . . .

[fanof71]

That was a touched up photo, Z! Here is the real, undoctored photo!

Laugh out loud everytime I see this....

[fanof71]

So nice of you guys to remember me...I so enjoyed wearing my red USL cap set a bit to the side when attending games and the friendly and polite banter with a fan or two.. Those were the days...

Signed, Dr. A

[ZZeebart21]

That was a touched up photo, Z! Here is the real, undoctored photo!

He was the greatest.

Z

[Louisiana84]

Yes, he was, Z. And he let us hang with him on Saturdays. Well, sort of. But I could see his box from my seats.

[JamesTheJeweler]

Pouring through some old USL documents and I came across this gem. Authement-Gate is getting interesting. I'll have more on this story as it develops.