Is UL Athletics Broke?

[Cajun Monkee]

Beno Cooke once said (and I'm probably paraphrasing) that "college athletic programs spend to their needs."

And they need to spend all of it (I added this).

In the last decade, both Texas and Tennessee have both had to reach to their repspective universities for help in solving budget deficits.

Did we overextend ourselves during the Covid years grasping out the brass ring or did we want to present the illusion everything was okay? When other programs were cutting back on staff, salaries, and sports, I don't think we did the same. So I think its a little of both.

Actually a lot of both.

It took CBN 4 years to build this program up to where it was (and Lafayette/Acadiana still refused to put 25k butts in Cajun Field). He took what he built and brought it to Florida, and Mike had all of 6 weeks to regain that momentum.

We here talk of the 3% percent alotment for athletics from the University budget that isn't being utilized; there's a 2% cap set by Authement and continued by Savoie.

Just a thought on this regard: allegedly we had offered CBN $3.2 million to stay (but Florida more than doubled that so its a moot point). What if Savoie sits on this extra 1% (which admittedly could be a substantial amount) specifically for these purposes? To me, this would be a prudent move on Savoie's part.

To Jay's point, Mike's salary is commensurate with his place in the pecking order.

I hope people wouldn't have expected Maggard to take the potential $3.2 million offered to Napier and offer to somebody else.

They spend to their needs and they need to spend it.

We wouldn't have them do it any other way.

People have said on this board that we should be that stepping stone. If that's the case, we have to prepared for this scenario.

[CajunVic]

Mike's salary is a competitive salary with coaches in the Sun Belt. It's just 100,000 less than what Napier started at.

Who said it was not competitive.

The point is that CMD's salary would not have been sufficient to attract the caliber of coach with the expected experience being demanded on this board and so as to those potential candidates, Louisiana was broke in that they did not have enough money to compete for their employment.

[CajunVic]

now for all the goofy stuff you post i did not know you were capable of such good subject matter. more of this less of the goofy stuff

Pay attention. When the board is engaged in goofy stuff, I give it right back. When it is not, my analysis is detailed and on point.

[JayWalker]

Who said it was not competitive.

The point is that CMD's salary would not have been sufficient to attract the caliber of coach with the expected experience being demanded on this board and so as to those potential candidates, Louisiana was broke in that they did not have enough money to compete for their employment.

You did.

If Dr. Maggard had gone outside to hire a new coach, he sure as hell wouldn't have paid anyone a million dollars to start.

So your comment about hiring Mike on the cheap holds no water.

None.

[CajunVic]

You did.

If Dr. Maggard had gone outside to hire a new coach, he sure as hell wouldn't have paid anyone a million dollars to start.

So your comment about hiring Mike on the cheap holds no water.

None.

Hiring on the cheap was someone else's words. The budget was set and they went out and hired a coach that not only was willing to work for the budget but that they believed provided many more intangibles which other coaches at that salary level probably would not have provided. He also provided the one intangible that only he had . . . he coached under and had 4 years of watching while he waited under a coach that did extremely well here.

[JayWalker]

OK fine. You didn't say the exact words.

But you certainly said it without saying it.

"That is one of the reasons why we spent $750,000 on a new coach and not $3,200,000 to retain the old one.

At $750,001, we would have been broke and we are not allowed to be broke.

All of the other information gives insight why the level of broke was what it was at the time CMD was hire."

In other words, we hired the cheapest coach we could find. Got it. Again.

[CajunVic]

OK fine. You didn't say the exact words.

But you certainly said it without saying it.

"That is one of the reasons why we spent $750,000 on a new coach and not $3,200,000 to retain the old one.

At $750,001, we would have been broke and we are not allowed to be broke.

All of the other information gives insight why the level of broke was what it was at the time CMD was hire."

In other words, we hired the cheapest coach we could find. Got it. Again.

NO, WE HIRED THE BEST COACH WE COULD FIND AT THAT NUMBER.

HOW HARD IS THAT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND?

[JayWalker]

NO, WE HIRED THE BEST COACH WE COULD FIND AT THAT NUMBER.

HOW HARD IS THAT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND?

Because it isn't accurate. Dr. Maggard was not told he couldn't spend more than $750,000. He hired Mike because he thought Mike was the right choice and paid him a competitive salary with other first year coaches in our league.

I think you are totally off base with your hypothesis.

And, don't yell at me.

[no1cajunfan]

I'm suggesting the university is taking advantage of the coaching change to direct every available dime towards a new stadium.

At the possible risk of setting this program back?

[ZoomZoom]

If UL is broke, then why did they not politic to become part of the Louisiana weed market that UBR & Southern now control?

Because both can grow weed being they are agricultural and mechanical colleges. Within their defined mission. They’re Aggies.