We’ll definitely be there.
Cajun Vic appreciates fans like CajunMike who support the university in anything not breaking NCAA rules. Jay Walker has often said that the fans decide when a coach has to go.
The only conclusion I can make of this is that the bandwagon fans are responsible for any improvement in the money programs. Maggard has refused to improve the coaching, or the schedule for people like CMike. No use improving the schedule for a dead man walking coach.
I guess you'll have to add me to that list as I renewed also. I also appreciated Mike's post.
No one supporting athletes who choose to exercise there eligibility in a uniform that says Louisiana across the chest should ever, ever, ever be chastised.
I renewed also I hope I make more games than last year which was 0 can't even give the tickets away most times.
Ok, let me say this for the upteenth time over the years.
Bryan Maggard makes the football schedule. That's the only schedule he makes (although he must approve all schedules.)
Dr. Maggard tells the coach how much money he needs in guarantees and as long as the figure is met, he's good.
UL does not give the head coach money to buy D-1 games.
The idea in scheduling is to have the same number of games home and away and if there are games that are at a neutral site (read: Asheville this year) that's cool, too.
As I pointed out in a previous post, with exception of the three new eastern schools, everyone that has released a schedule has three games against non D-1 schools. That's because they all have the same issue. They aren't getting the money to buy D-1's and they're having trouble scheduling home and home opponents. (Marshall is buying two D-1's: Coppin State and Chicago State...which is the caliber you get for 50-60K)
As CajunsMike pointed out, the schedule got hamstrung this year because Southern Miss was supposed to return last year's visit, but is now a league member. Southeastern LA was on the schedule but had to drop out when the Southland suddenly had two more schools than planned (Lamar came in a year early, UIW decided to stay instead of going to the WAC.)
Now, I'm not using that to say the schedule would have been great, obviously that's not the case. But they are facts about this year's schedule.
The first of what I'm sure are many meetings has been held as to how to improve basketball in the Sun Belt. The bottom line is all the schools in the league need to up their budget significantly.
That means more money has to be raised because you can't rob Peter to pay Paul.
Here is a list of some non conference home games that Sun Belt schools will attract this season:
Marshall:
-Akron
-Ohio
-Toledo
App State:
-Campbell
-Kennesaw State
-Furman
-Southeastern La
Coastal Carolina:
-College of Charleston
-UNC Wilmington
South Alabama:
-ALABAMA
ODU:
-William and Mary
-East Carolina
-George Mason
-Norfolk State (same city)
Arkansas State:
-UT-Martin
-Southeast Missouri State
Southern Miss:
-Montana
-Lamar
Georgia Southern:
-Florida Gulf Coast U
-Wofford
-Campbell
Georgia State:
-Belmont
-Eastern Kentucky
-Mercer
-Georgia Tech (same city)
-Rhode Island
ULM:
-Sam Houston State
-Jacksonville
UL:
-Louisiana Tech
-Samford
The reason why I am posting this is that I see teams on here that are going to other schools in our conference but for some reason are not coming here. Plus, some of these schools have recently been to the NCAA tournament. How is it that ULM got Sam Houston to go drive the extra three hours to come to Monroe but won't come to a school where their former coach coaches? How is it that we have to travel to Philadelphia to play Drake, but can't agree to a home-and-home? But Garry can get Houston, Texas Tech, LSU, Auburn, and Mississippi State to come play at the Cajundome? Regardless of how many non D1's schools that are being brought in, the difference between us and those other Sun Belt schools is that they are making up for it with decent non conference competition at home, and we are not. If people want to blame Maggard for not bringing in that level of competition, that's one thing. But why did he take over scheduling in the first place?
You are a smart person. This is not a smart post, however.
It's normal when a coach first leaves that he doesn't want to play the team he left. See Matt Deggs in his first year. That time is long past, but it's Coach Wooten that doesn't want to play. Bob's been trying for several years now.
Drake is in freaking Iowa, not Philadelphia. And, it's already been pointed out that game was added to pay for the Puerto Rico trip as a guarantee game. It was between Drake and Mizzou. The dates worked out for Drake.
Don't compare scheduling of the two sports. Apples to bricks.
The other schools playing teams at home makes you drool. But is a simple geography thing. The three MAC schools are a bus trip for Marshall, who is on the Ohio border. That's like UNO and McNeese coming here. It happens to be the closest conference. The same can be said for everyone else's non conference schedule. Geography, Geography, Geography.
We have Louisiana Tech. The only teams on any of these schedules that are more appealing are Alabama (Auburn also agreed to go to USA a year or two ago) and Georgia Tech (who is opening GSU's new arena. Georgia opened ours.
I would think our relationship with LSU would improve now that Little Willy is gone. Time will tell. Perhaps we can get them back on the schedule in the near future.
And, to reiterate, Dr. Maggard did not take over basketball scheduling.
And make no mistake. I'm no more happy about the schedule than you are. But my point is, everyone in the league is pretty much in the same boat.
I’ve set my bar so low. I want to see D-1 basketball teams. I’m fine with home and homes with Southland, SWAC, etc. schools. Apparently that is some astronomically high bar that can never be reached and anyone who thinks otherwise is a “Marlin minion.” This university is a straight up bummer to support at times.
My mistake on Drake. I got them confused with Drexel. BTW, it's Hooten, not Wooten (sorry, I had to after the Drake correction hehe!).
So, I had a feeling "geography" would be the response, and it honestly it's a very valid one. So I get that. But we are also within seven hours from schools like SFA, Houston, Rice, TCU, Baylor, UTSA, and Memphis. FGCU is a farther drive to Ga Southern, and Jacksonville is a longer drive to Monroe as well as Rhode Island to Georgia State. As for quality, I'd have to respectfully disagree that Tech is more attractive than just Alabama and Georgia Tech. I would take FGCU, Mercer, George Mason, and College of Charleston tomorrow. They've all been the tournament more recently than Louisiana Tech.
There is no reason after all of these years that we can't attract better schools to play here. I'm not saying to get Duke or North Carolina to come to the Cajundome, but if South Alabama can attract Auburn and Alabama even if they are close; we should be able to bring in an SFA or Rice. Also, if Sam Houston doesn't want to play us, it would be interesting to know why.
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