Opinion: What a joke UL athletics has turned into!

[JamesTheJeweler]

So, we suck in Softball and Baseball?

Stay tuned.....we're getting there. To think they can be as inept as they are with basketball and football, but are completely opposite with diamond sports is short sided. Big things coming for baseball soon. This admin deserves EVERY SINGLE BIT of criticism it's getting.

[Cajunrunner]

Big things coming for baseball soon.

Like?

[HoustonCajun]

I remember that thread/statement, and I'll go back to what I said about it. We need to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, which means doing what we can, obviously within our budgetary means, to try and foster an environment where the coaches can go out and recruit and get the best OVERALL best athletes possible for their programs. Overall because yes, you ideally want those who are great athletes but not a pain in the ass in the locker room.

So it's not an either/or debate, or shouldn't be, unless we're too scared to walk and chew gum at the same time. And if we are, then fine. Everyone just get settled in to understand that even amongst our peers in the Sunbelt, our realistic destination is about the 5th-7th best athletic program in the conference. We're going to be passed up QUICKLY, and we already have by some, if we're scared.

Dr. S has done a great job academically moving UL to Carnegie R1 status. What he needs to do now is commit UL athletics to a comparable status athletically. That means increased funding for athletics, demonstrating a commitment to the public, completing total facility upgrades, and making a move for better conference alignment that will change the perception of UL by the public. It will take a combination of academics AND athletics to achieve that. Make the commitment, announce to the public and start a major athletic fund raising campaign, demonstrate that commitment by making certain coaching changes and hirings, change policies that make events more fan friendly, change how events are marketed, address improving the fan experience at games, and let the world know it is no longer business as usual for UL athletics.

[ZoomZoom]

And there is net negative, like this...
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...na-rcna143624#

[facelessjonmoon]

Stay tuned.....we're getting there. To think they can be as inept as they are with basketball and football, but are completely opposite with diamond sports is short sided. Big things coming for baseball soon. This admin deserves EVERY SINGLE BIT of criticism it's getting.

Bro- you keep leaving us hanging.

[Cajunsmike]

Dr. S has done a great job academically moving UL to Carnegie R1 status. What he needs to do now is commit UL athletics to a comparable status athletically. That means increased funding for athletics, demonstrating a commitment to the public, completing total facility upgrades, and making a move for better conference alignment that will change the perception of UL by the public. It will take a combination of academics AND athletics to achieve that. Make the commitment, announce to the public and start a major athletic fund raising campaign, demonstrate that commitment by making certain coaching changes and hirings, change policies that make events more fan friendly, change how events are marketed, address improving the fan experience at games, and let the world know it is no longer business as usual for UL athletics.

All of that requires the community/fans putting substantially more financial resources into the program than they do now. That has to be done despite not necessarily assured of immediate success on the field. Are there enough people alive with the means and more importantly the will to do so? That is a question I can’t answer. I will agree we have to do a better job of marketing the program and in ASKING for the help needed.

[GMG]

Do you actually think people will support UL financially if the administration and under performing coaches are still employed? That is delusional and not going to happen. I wish and pray it could be different.

[GMG]

Another delusional fan. WW and his team kicked our butts this year as did LA Tech. Maybe if aren't going to make a real commitment to improving the teams on the fields and courts we should go back to the SLC. No one goes to the basketball ball games so I feel sorry for the players.

Marlin is predictable and WW has beaten Marlin twice especially when UL was supposed to have the better team.

Maybe the administration is thinking like this poster instead of doing the smart thing.

[CajunVic]

somebody is scratching an itch

[GMG]

I used to plan my life around UL football, basketball and baseball. Now I have a huge hole in my life because I will no longer support my university with the status quo.

I guess I have a lot of free time on my hands and money to donate elsewhere.

[CajunVic]

Louisiana and those similarly situated are really more a victim of the system than they are of themselves unless you let the handful of noisy posters here control the latter. Yes, there are things we could do better, but it is never as bad as portrayed here.

All I can hope as a supporter of Louisiana is that other supporters make up their own minds based upon valid information they source as oppose to most of the yelling that is found here.

Look hard and you will see how few we have controlling the narrative here. Do you want to let those few control your dollars?

[cajun4life]

Louisiana and those similarly situated are really more a victim of the system than they are of themselves unless you let the handful of noisy posters here control the latter. Yes, there are things we could do better, but it is never as bad as portrayed here.

All I can hope as a supporter of Louisiana is that other supporters make up their own minds based upon valid information they source as oppose to most of the yelling that is found here.

Look hard and you will see how few we have controlling the narrative here. Do you want to let those few control your dollars?

I agree that we are a victum of the system that has been created. But to say we as fans need to do better is kind of misleading.

The administration doesn’t know what direction to go in. We are spinning in circles. If that’s not the case then they do a terrible job of conveying that to their fans/consumers.

Can we compete with the big 4 conferences?

Do we have donor support that rivals the big 4?

Do we cultivate a new fan base?

Where will NIL money come from?

Who will buy season tickets at ultra premium prices, when we can’t compete financially? When the consumer knows we can’t compete.

What is our identity as an athletic program?

What is the direction of this program as a whole?

There are so many questions that are just hanging out there that everyday normal fans are beginning to ask and we get no answers. Just told to shut up and support us. What does UL Athletics want to be?