Tech to the Belt, 2026

[Cajunrunner]

"Maybe our administration would have been proactive if we had a big pool of wealthy alumni/donors over two decades ago (which we don't have due to 100 years of suppression from TSAB). Instead, we had supporters being asked to help pressure wash facilities back then, so don't think we had the money to warp us to the front of the line."

Quit making excuses about being oppressed by TSAB. Sure, they are not our best friend; but TSAB did not make our administration spend the bulk of the last 50 years actively discouraging our students from developing a lifelong love of UL both academically and athletically. THAT is why we have no fan base in the 30-60 age groups; that is why we have no money. That is why MOST of our non-business season ticket holders are 65-85 years old.

I was going to chime in with a very similar response.

Tails: I agreed with a good bit of your comment, but while LSU/Baton Rouge has been a complete pain in the ass, it was our own Martin Hall that pushed people away in the 80s and 90s. Basically said, “No thank you. We don’t want your money for athletics.”

[DieHard 1280]

Thank you.

I get it. I really do. And I got it.

Embrace the small time. We will always and forever be small time, so I guess we should be happy sitting on our hands. I realize where college athletics is now couldn’t have been fathomed back then, but I sure wish someone had told us that back in 1973 that we’d never hit the big time. And that we should stay with the McNeeses of the world. Maybe I would have become a TSAB fan and called it a day back when I got to USL in 1987.

🤢 As depressing as this all is, that thought makes me wanna 🤮

[JamesTheJeweler]

I really don't think it's fair to make that claim. I think having money is an exponentially higher contributing factor to teams getting ahead. We don't have money.

Arkansas State had a perceived proactive admin (Terry Mohajir) once upon a time, it got them some FB championships but no invites to the P4. LaTech had the perception of being proactive, no invite to the P4. NIU, another perceptively proactive admin - going to the MWC in FB only, no invite to P4.

The teams that have passed us up in the last 20 years, and I mean truly passed us up (ex. UCF, SMU, BYU, Houston) are all flush with cash. Two of those are private schools with ultra wealthy alumni, other two are in gigantic population centers with high enrollment.

Any other school that has the perception of passing us up (schools that got the "call up" to the AAC and MWC 2.0) has only cut us in line in hopes of getting on the boat, but they are still going to be left at the dock with us.

Maybe our administration would have been proactive if we had a big pool of wealthy alumni/donors over two decades ago (which we don't have due to 100 years of suppression from TSAB). Instead, we had supporters being asked to help pressure wash facilities back then, so don't think we had the money to warp us to the front of the line.

Idk, sometimes we just gotta look inwards and realize we ain't got no money. May sound defeatist, but coming from the introspection of a realist.

I get what you're saying, but there is money here. Make no mistake about it. There are big time LSU donors here. We never made the effort to get them HERE! Its always "we cant do that here." We can. Hell, There are opportunities this University passed on that could've elevated the program exponentially. Its almost like they dont want it. We have money here, we just ain't going after it like we mean it. That's a fact. My business comes from disposable income. Jewelry and diamonds aren't a need. I work by appontment/referral only. I spend zero dollars on advertisement, and I can barely keep up. During covid years when I thought I would struggle.....I actually had my best years! There is money here. Disposable money. Im talking about customers that spend 20, 50, 70, 100k plus on JEWELRY! We have it, we just don't want it. The man who says he can, and the man that says he cant, are both right. Period.

[RedTails]

Baw teach me how to jewel.

[HoustonCajun]

I get what you're saying, but there is money here. Make no mistake about it. There are big time LSU donors here. We never made the effort to get them HERE! Its always "we cant do that here." We can. Hell, There are opportunities this University passed on that could've elevated the program exponentially. Its almost like they dont want it. We have money here, we just ain't going after it like we mean it. That's a fact. My business comes from disposable income. Jewelry and diamonds aren't a need. I work by appontment/referral only. I spend zero dollars on advertisement, and I can barely keep up. During covid years when I thought I would struggle.....I actually had my best years! There is money here. Disposable money. Im talking about customers that spend 20, 50, 70, 100k plus on JEWELRY! We have it, we just don't want it. The man who says he can, and the man that says he cant, are both right. Period.

We need someone like Hud to re-cultivate and excite the base. He could do it, he did do it. No one since him has come close. Coaches just don't have that same personality. Winning alone hasn't done it. Would love to get him back here as head of RCAF, pay him a nice salary and a percentage of all he can generate. He could make a lot of money and UL would be much better for it. In the absence of having him or someone like him, it is business as usual which is apparently all UL wants.

[Turbine]

".... not make our administration spend the bulk of the last 50 years actively discouraging our students from developing a lifelong love of UL both academically and athletically. THAT is why we have no fan base in the 30-60 age groups; that is why we have no money. That is why MOST of our non-business season ticket holders are 65-85 years old.

Pretty much sums it up.

[RedTails]

I think to pump a little optimism to go along with the GOOD NEWS thread is that even though the current climate of NIL and transfer portal suck, we have never had an actual chance to make a postseason football splash until now. As long as G5/6 retains access, we have a chance to make the playoffs. The playoff committee has shown that winning out regardless of strength of schedule (as Liberty showed) matters more to them. This is why Dr. Maggard's scheduling philosophy is important.

[UL_Cajuns]

I think to pump a little optimism to go along with the GOOD NEWS thread is that even though the current climate of NIL and transfer portal suck, we have never had an actual chance to make a postseason football splash until now. As long as G5/6 retains access, we have a chance to make the playoffs. The playoff committee has shown that winning out regardless of strength of schedule (as Liberty showed) matters more to them. This is why Dr. Maggard's scheduling philosophy is important.

which makes for an interesting season as long as we are in contention for a conference championship.

[CajunNation]

Bottom line. We have no money now because we didn't want it for athletics.

Post from Dr Fun incoming in 3..2...1....

[HoustonCajun]

I get what you're saying, but there is money here. Make no mistake about it. There are big time LSU donors here. We never made the effort to get them HERE! Its always "we cant do that here." We can. Hell, There are opportunities this University passed on that could've elevated the program exponentially. Its almost like they dont want it. We have money here, we just ain't going after it like we mean it. That's a fact. My business comes from disposable income. Jewelry and diamonds aren't a need. I work by appontment/referral only. I spend zero dollars on advertisement, and I can barely keep up. During covid years when I thought I would struggle.....I actually had my best years! There is money here. Disposable money. Im talking about customers that spend 20, 50, 70, 100k plus on JEWELRY! We have it, we just don't want it. The man who says he can, and the man that says he cant, are both right. Period.

I can understand there not being huge support for UL athletics being in the Sun Belt. In my mind, it still carries a stigma from past years. We are in the same conference as ULM and may well be in with LA Tech again. When it comes to supporting the SEC or the SBC, there is no question where the money is going. People want to support a winner and love the name association with LSU.

Now what if UL were to join the PAC 12? To me, that totally changes the perception of UL. Better bowl games and a better track to the Playoffs, not to mention basketball with Gonzaga and possibly St. Mary's. More playoff, bowls and NCAA money to the conference members. There is discussion that Stanford and Cal are not happy in the ACC. What if they return to the PAC? What if Tulane and Memphis join in a couple of years? Granted, these are "what ifs". But what is the SBC going to be in 5 years? The same old SBC. UL possibly has a chance to change its association, perception and fan interest.

Change the perception of UL and who it affiliates with and that might just change the minds of alumni donors who might then open up their pocket books, something I don't see happening in the SBC.