Funding Athletics

[VObserver]

It is entirely possible that 10 years from now there will be only 2 public universities in Louisiana with FBS football, or even with division 1 athletics. That will be the 2 that are not funding athletics on the state teat. Our plan is to be one of the 2. That alone will kick our recruiting througn tne roof.

[Rainman66]

It is entirely possible that 10 years from now there will be only 2 public universities in Louisiana with FBS football, or even with division 1 athletics. That will be the 2 that are not funding athletics on the state teat. Our plan is to be one of the 2. That alone will kick our recruiting througn tne roof.

Correct, I have heard countless times that this state cannot support this many D1 programs, and that is 100% true ... so the programs that want to stay D1 must figure out a way to support themselves.

You don't get there without some bumps in the road, and the start is often the bumpiest. T-Joe has some vision, but more importantly, his ego isn't so big that he doesn't listen to people who maybe know more and can help. That is a sign of a true leader.

[Cajunfanatico]

It is entirely possible that 10 years from now there will be only 2 public universities in Louisiana with FBS football, or even with division 1 athletics. That will be the 2 that are not funding athletics on the state teat. Our plan is to be one of the 2. That alone will kick our recruiting througn tne roof.

Please, everyone read VObserver's post carefully. Some might dismiss it as an impossibility, but the fact remains that his observation has serious merit. The current structure of state tax support for 4 FBS football programs in this state is built, not on sand, but on marsh.

Where do we want to be when the hammer falls? One of the possible 2, or competing in the Southland Conference with McNeese and Northwestern State?

[CajunEXPRESS]

The demise of LTUR has been predicted to often to count. They’ll survive and probably thrive.

[ZoomZoom]

Here's a poster who gets it. He's not a sunshine pumper like I often am. ZoomZoom sees the big picture.

We want to dominate our peers and challenge LSU on every front possible? That's how you do it. As much as possible, you wean yourself from the state teat. No more FREEBIES, and no more LSU-dominated state legislature telling you what you can and cannot do.

The added benefit is that while we can flip off those who would control us, our peers cannot because they still have their hands out, still depend on the state teat, still looking backwards. So when they're having to scale back their athletic programs because of draconian state budget cuts, pull in their horns, re-evaluate their plans, we're moving forward building. Top-notch recruits don't follow this stuff, you say? No problem. Our staff will point it out to them.

Who do you want to cast your lot with? The guy's moving up, or the guy's having to throttle it back? Day by day, week by week, month by month, it makes a difference.

Thanks for the kind words. When it comes to Alice Shoe, let them be Alice Shoe. Rather not have any association with them when this goes down. When UL pulls this off and the bell tolls the cuts many of us have long predicted come, it will be Alice Shoe the beast that needs to be fed, even if only academically. Those same universities that ran to Alice Shoe in 1984 will suddenly be shunned by the beast...not UL. Not necessarily revenge, but if the Lord above has me around to see this, I'll feel like Cartman after feeding Scott Tenorman chili.

UL just needs to address students attending sporting events to create future support. It’s a big part of the business model the is lacking presently.

[Cajunfanatico]

The demise of LTUR has been predicted to often to count. They’ll survive and probably thrive.

Oh, they'll survive, but I don't think it's a given they'll thrive.

It's not even a given that we'll thrive, but I like our chances better than theirs. LaNeck has fallen well behind us as it relates to an athletic program.....yes, que the dozen posters who will remind us they own us on the football field......but it's true. The budget numbers over the last 5 years or so don't lie. And the percentage of their athletic budget funded by the state doesn't lie either.

They've also fallen behind in academics. I won't review the supporting facts, they're already well-known.

[Rainman66]

UL = USA and LaTech = USSR and it is roughly 1984. The two look equal, but those in the know, know the truth. Numbers don't lie, one is ascending and one is declining and those two lines are intersecting right about now.

[HoustonCajun]

Oh, they'll survive, but I don't think it's a given they'll thrive.

It's not even a given that we'll thrive, but I like our chances better than theirs. LaNeck has fallen well behind us as it relates to an athletic program.....yes, que the dozen posters who will remind us they own us on the football field......but it's true. The budget numbers over the last 5 years or so don't lie. And the percentage of their athletic budget funded by the state doesn't lie either.

They've also fallen behind in academics. I won't review the supporting facts, they're already well-known.

And once we attain Doc I status within a couple of years ...

[Cajunsmike]

The demise of LTUR has been predicted to often to count. They’ll survive and probably thrive.

I recall ULM being the one with the predicted demise. Don't recall people saying Tech would be in that much trouble. Some have said they would drop off but I don't see it yet.

[CajunEXPRESS]

I recall ULM being the one with the predicted demise. Don't recall people saying Tech would be in that much trouble. Some have said they would drop off but I don't see it yet.

Moving to the WAC was supposed to be their demise way back when Mike. According to some the Fossil didn't want to sacrifice baseball, and softball bla,bla, bla.

Surely you remember those RP threads.

[CajunRebel]

It is entirely possible that 10 years from now there will be only 2 public universities in Louisiana with FBS football, or even with division 1 athletics. That will be the 2 that are not funding athletics on the state teat. Our plan is to be one of the 2. That alone will kick our recruiting througn tne roof.

I never understood this logic. The state allows x number of dollars to be transferred from the general fund to athletics no matter if that school is FCS or FBS. If the state wants to end that they will. And I’m also pretty sure it’s not that much more expensive to be a FBS program. ULM already does it on a Southland budget. If they dropped down, they’d still have the same Southland budget.

[CajunRebel]

Moving to the WAC was supposed to be their demise way back when Mike. According to some the Fossil didn't want to sacrifice baseball, and softball bla,bla, bla.

Surely you remember those RP threads.

According to others we were never actually invited in the first place.

[IberiaCajun]

It is entirely possible that 10 years from now there will be only 2 public universities in Louisiana with FBS football, or even with division 1 athletics. That will be the 2 that are not funding athletics on the state teat. Our plan is to be one of the 2. That alone will kick our recruiting througn tne roof.

You may be on to something. We could never get the universities/colleges to consolidate.
They may remain, but the athletic programs may not. The purge will be painful.

[CajunEXPRESS]

According to others we were never actually invited in the first place.

I’ve no knowledge one way or the other. I’ve heard both sides claim to know.

[Cajunfanatico]

I never understood this logic. The state allows x number of dollars to be transferred from the general fund to athletics no matter if that school is FCS or FBS. If the state wants to end that they will. And I’m also pretty sure it’s not that much more expensive to be a FBS program. ULM already does it on a Southland budget. If they dropped down, they’d still have the same Southland budget.

The Monrovians would be tearing up FCS right now with this team.