Congrats; Quick question

[Arizona Fan]

Congrats on your success in Tucson this past weekend. You are a class program that has earned, year in and year out, the respect of your competitors. As both of us have young teams, I believe we will be seeing one another in OK City next year. Clearly, this year did not turn out the way either of us would have liked.

I have a quick question - I thought I overheard a Cajun fan say your program was "self-funded". I didn't want to interupt so I'll ask here - What does that mean ?

I may have heard it wrong and if so, I apologize.

Again, congrats. You are a class group of Ladies & fans and I hope, notwithstanding the outcome, you enjoyed your time at the UA & Tucson.

[BirdofParadise]

By that, it is meant that the University only funds scholarships and coach's salaries.

All other expenses for the softball program are covered by donations generated by the coaches and boosters.

In other words, there ain't no budget.

[Arizona Fan]

WOW. That makes your accomplishments that much more impressive !!! The conversation I overheard was an explanation as to the NCAA "punishing" the Rajin' Cajuns with a 5th seed for SOS & the financial difficulty in scheduling home & home series with other top 10 teams due to self funding. Seems to me they should be rewarding you for doing it the old fashioned way - earning, athletically & financially, everything you've got. As I said in first post, I hope we are in different regionals next year. When your carriage arrives at the big ball in OK City I will know you not only earned it, but actually paid for it !

Again, congrats.

[Rebel02]

Thanks Zona fan. We could schedule a Top 10 program for a home and home series every year that is only 50 miles east of Lafayette, but someone over there thinks "its no longer about the kids" anymore. So they refuse to put us on the schedule.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by Arizona Fan
Congrats on your success in Tucson this past weekend. You are a class program that has earned, year in and year out, the respect of your competitors.

Thanks Arizona Fan.

I want you to know I still think UA is the best team in the country. Sorry about Champion's injury, she could have provided that key hit.

I also think UL is one of the top 5 in the country winning more regional games than anyone anywhere. They also had to play more, so goes being a 5 seed.

Still after it was all said and done I think UA got hosed the worst. Being #1 all year is supposed to create some breathing room but when you had to play UL in your 2nd game, OU in you 3rd and UL again in your 4th. It was like playing 3 straight #2 seeds. No one elsewhere had such a task.

I hope you are right about next year, I think you will be and expect to meet or greet next year. We have everyone coming back.

[Crowley Cajun]

Thanks for the kind words and congrats on a fine season yourself, AF. It would be nice to meet again in finals in OK. We look forward for a rematch.

[Arizona Fan]

Thanks for the kind words but don't know that Autumn would have helped in our second game with you. Brooke Mitchell was "on" & your bats were popping ! Injuries are part of the sport. Understand that Mitchell took a ball to the face a month or so ago & the lay off may have effected her staminia.

As for softball "not being about the girls anymore", I can't really think of a sport in D1 that is or should be more about the athletes. These girls start out in their pre-teens on tournament teams playing in out of the way places, at obscene hours, in hot weather, in front of "crowds" that are typically just die hard parents. Oh yeah, they also raise their own funds to get there with no lucrative pro futures or dreams as a pay back. Talk about love of the game !!! Don't know how anyone can say it isn't about the girls.

Again, congrats, you are a class act, & best of luck next year.

[Cajun Express]

Originally posted by Arizona Fan

As for softball "not being about the girls anymore", I can't really think of a sport in D1 that is or should be more about the athletes. These girls start out in their pre-teens on tournament teams playing in out of the way places, at obscene hours, in hot weather, in front of "crowds" that are typically just die hard parents. Oh yeah, they also raise their own funds to get there with no lucrative pro futures or dreams as a pay back. Talk about love of the game !!! Don't know how anyone can say it isn't about the girls.

Thanks, it still is and has always been about the girls, there is a contravesy between LSU and UL that others need not get involved in.

[ATXCajun]

Originally posted by BirdofParadise
By that, it is meant that the University only funds scholarships and coach's salaries.

All other expenses for the softball program are covered by donations generated by the coaches and boosters.

In other words, there ain't no budget.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the same can be said for all spring sports, which makes the 2000 CWS appearance and performance by men's baseball impressive as well.

[ATXCajun]

Originally posted by Arizona Fan
WOW. That makes your accomplishments that much more impressive !!! The conversation I overheard was an explanation as to the NCAA "punishing" the Rajin' Cajuns with a 5th seed for SOS & the financial difficulty in scheduling home & home series with other top 10 teams due to self funding. Seems to me they should be rewarding you for doing it the old fashioned way - earning, athletically & financially, everything you've got. As I said in first post, I hope we are in different regionals next year. When your carriage arrives at the big ball in OK City I will know you not only earned it, but actually paid for it !

Again, congrats.

AZ Fan, that has to be one of the most respectful things a fan has ever posted. Thanks for stopping by. We need to ink a deal that gets UA to Lady Cajun Park for one of our tournaments.

[CajunRebel]

AZ fan, thanks for the nice comments.

And yes, things are different when you aren't a BCS school and you don't have millions of dollars lying around. Thats why so many of us were deeply troubled when we got such a low seed. It was almost as if we lost our respect. And if we ever lose our respect or reputation in softball, we simply won't have enough money to get it back. Softball is the only sport where we regularly have the chance to compete for a national championship, so it's scary to think that we would lose that.