Tech to the Belt?

[Ragin9221]

Out of conference scheduling is 1/3 the battle.

When you have an Ace in the hole OOC, why would anyone want to remove an OOC and make it harder than it needs to be with no benifits.

Now you have to hunt down another opponent.

This isn’t just about Louisiana Tech—it’s about the reality of our footprint and the long-term stability of the Sun Belt West.

WKU and MTSU are short-term answers at best. Geographically, they’re Eastern programs. If push comes to shove, they’ll gravitate toward the East, leaving the Western half of the conference isolated, overextended, and without reliable travel partners or rivalry ties.

Unless we pull off a miracle and land North Texas, UTSA, or maybe Missouri State—which is highly unlikely given current conference alignments and institutional trajectories—we’re out of realistic options.

That’s where Tech comes in. Whether people want to admit it or not, Tech is the only program left that checks every box: location, competition level, institutional resources, and—most importantly—built-in rivalries that still stir passion and engagement.

We can’t afford to hold out for a flawless, fantasy scenario. If we do, we’ll miss the best practical fit sitting right in our backyard.

[SlickRick]

This isn’t just about Louisiana Tech—it’s about the reality of our footprint and the long-term stability of the Sun Belt West.

WKU and MTSU are short-term answers at best. Geographically, they’re Eastern programs. If push comes to shove, they’ll gravitate toward the East, leaving the Western half of the conference isolated, overextended, and without reliable travel partners or rivalry ties.

Unless we pull off a miracle and land North Texas, UTSA, or maybe Missouri State—which is highly unlikely given current conference alignments and institutional trajectories—we’re out of realistic options.

That’s where Tech comes in. Whether people want to admit it or not, Tech is the only program left that checks every box: location, competition level, institutional resources, and—most importantly—built-in rivalries that still stir passion and engagement.

We can’t afford to hold out for a flawless, fantasy scenario. If we do, we’ll miss the best practical fit sitting right in our backyard.

Dude, who's paying you?

[Duckster]

Sorry to split hairs on geography with you Ragin9221, but Bowling Green, KY and Murfresboro,TN are pretty much due north of Troy, AL. As the SBC goes, that's west side.

As for latech, sure it could be a good hate rivalry, but they have repeatedly demonstrated they are not good partners. It's not worth it. Seems like every realignment opportunity that past 30+ plus years that we could have pursued to elevate our programs, we instead choose a different, more lowly path. latech is the latest lowly path out front and its disgusting to think we need them now.

[Ragin9221]

WKU and MTSU are geographically and culturally aligned with the Sun Belt East If ECU—or any former American Conference schools—end up joining the eastern division, it’s only a matter of time before WKU and MTSU fully break toward the East.

They’re not rooted in the West. Never have been. And if a realignment shift happens, they’ll follow the gravity pull of location, rivalry, and convenience. That leaves the Western schools out on an island—disconnected and vulnerable.

If we’re not preparing for that now, we’ll be left behind when it does.

Let’s run it back—CUSA 4.0, baby!

And when it happens? Let’s bring in Louisiana Tech, pair them with Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, and Tarleton State, and give this thing some real backbone.

Only then the Administration has finished us off for good.

[Duckster]

If history is a teacher, based upon our athletic senior administration decisions of the past 30 years, then we can safely assume we'll be left behind again. Like many others spending their hard earned monies on the program, its not donated with the goal of being in conference with latech or even remaining SBC any longer than necessary. I'd label our acceptance of latech into same conference as Louisiana a 'dead horse' strategy. An old timer once told me early in my career, if you find yourself on a dead horse, get off the horse!

[Ragin9221]

If history is a teacher, based upon our athletic senior administration decisions of the past 30 years, then we can safely assume we'll be left behind again. Like many others spending their hard earned monies on the program, its not donated with the goal of being in conference with latech or even remaining SBC any longer than necessary. I'd label our acceptance of latech into same conference as Louisiana a 'dead horse' strategy. An old timer once told me early in my career, if you find yourself on a dead horse, get off the horse!

Its not, the scenario i put forth could happen! People need to get off there high horse on the Tech situation.

We lost Texas State we need to realistically consider someone that fits the geographical footprint of the Sunbelt Conference West Division

[Boomer]

WKU and MTSU are geographically and culturally aligned with the Sun Belt East If ECU—or any former American Conference schools—end up joining the eastern division, it’s only a matter of time before WKU and MTSU fully break toward the East.

They’re not rooted in the West. Never have been.

And if a realignment shift happens, they’ll follow the gravity pull of location, rivalry, and convenience.

That leaves the Western schools out on an island disconnected and vulnerable.

If we’re not preparing for that now, we’ll be left behind when it does.

Let’s run it back—CUSA 4.0, baby!

And when it happens? Let’s bring in Louisiana Tech, pair them with Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, and Tarleton State, and give this thing some real backbone.

Administration has finished us off for good.

With the happenings on the National/global scene you would think COMMON SENSE would prevail on our level …..Everything that we do is a constant Hope by tech as a hope we fail …..we compete constantly for prestige, money, enrollment, attendance, academic success, academic rankings and with this recruiting …..things are pretty damn good for UL at the time! Do you really think for instance that they will have Louisiana on the scoreboards when we are referred to? The key is RECRUITING and this is what drives the bus …We are crazy to loose the advantages we have and that we can build on in the future.

[Boomer]

…..Help T-nine it is happening again!

[Ragin9221]

With the happenings on the National/global scene you would think COMMON SENSE would prevail on our level …..Everything that we do is a constant Hope by tech as a hope we fail …..we compete constantly for prestige, money, enrollment, attendance, academic success, academic rankings and with this recruiting …..things are pretty damn good for UL at the time! Do you really think for instance that they will have Louisiana on the scoreboards when we are referred to? The key is RECRUITING and this is what drives the bus …We are crazy to loose the advantages we have and that we can build on in the future.

Yes we will have an edge when the East breaks off and we start adding schools like Kennesaw State and Tarleton State. In our new conference!

If the Sunbelt East does break off and add say Liberty, and ECU, UAB etc. after the MWC adds UTSA, and UNT etc. if Tulane and Memphis go to the Pac-12?

Just remember we did this in the name of recruiting!

[JamesTheJeweler]

Yes we will have an edge when the East breaks off and we start adding schools like Kennesaw State and Tarleton State. In our new conference!

If the Sunbelt East does break off and add say Liberty, and ECU, UAB etc. after the MWC adds UTSA, and UNT etc. if Tulane and Memphis go to the Pac-12?

Just remember we did this in the name of recruiting!

Let me get this straight. If the east breaks off, we will be fine if we added Tech. But if we don't add Tech now and the east breaks off we'll be screwed????

Dude just stop. The longer you go, the sillier your arguments get.

Guys. Administration. Take note. The key for UL athletics not just surviving, but getting to the next level, is making sure we hitch our wagon to Tech.

Ragin9221 Im afraid if I threw you in a barrel full of tiddies, you'd come out sucking your thumb.