2004: Rate Julie Simon-Dronet's job performance

[Cajunsmike]

I certainly don't disagree with the overriding need for funding, but I think I have a unique experience being from somewhere else and I think it means something to a bowl selection or tournament selection committee if a general fan half way across the country knows the existence of the school being considered.

On January 1, 1972 I had no idea I would ever live here, yet by late February I was here. I can tell you with absloute certainty that if I hadn't moved I would have still never heard of USL or Louisiana-Lafayette.

Reason you would not have heard of us is not doing anything significant in the major sports. That would be the case no matter how unique our name is our how pretty our uniforms are. Focus has to be on improving the on field results. I can guarantee you athletes don't think about stuff like this when they are making decisions. They think about how their living conditions when being recruited. That is what we need to improve. That is not to say your ideas don't have merit. They just are not at the top of the priority list.

[CajunT]

_ LOUISIANA is not bush league, it is what we want. LOUISIANA's is what is bush league. That is like saying Alabama's Crimson Tide, or Nebraska's Cornhuskers. It is rediculous and needs to change.

I was watching scores on ESPN this weekend between Louisiville and, I believe UNLV. Anyway, Louisville was referred to as UL. I know that is not a problem in and of itself if we go by UL, but why wouldn't we want a unique identity like ULA? Why deal with a further identity problem once we overcome the UL Lafayette or UL L issue? We can proceed like Texas (UT) and Tennessee (UT), which is what we are doing, or we can be unique like UGA, UVA and ULA. We are not yet established as UL, but Louisville is. Texas and Tennessee have long been established in what are now BCS leagues. So are Ohio State (OSU), Oregon State (OSU) and Oklahoma State (OSU). _

UGA= University of Gerogia
UVA= University of Virgina

Everyone knows who they are in college sports. You want to use ULA, but we can't legally use The University of Louisiana with out the city tag. So the acronym means nothing.

UGA and UVA are all attached to the real names of those universities. Everyone knows it and that's why those abbreviations mean something.

[California Cajun]

_ Reason you would not have heard of us is not doing anything significant in the major sports. That would be the case no matter how unique our name is our how pretty our uniforms are. Focus has to be on improving the on field results. I can guarantee you athletes don't think about stuff like this when they are making decisions. They think about how their living conditions when being recruited. That is what we need to improve. That is not to say your ideas don't have merit. They just are not at the top of the priority list. _

At the time I signed out of my first high school, the PE coach (also varsity basketball coach) said we were ranked #13. So we were doing something significant in a major sport at the time.

There seems to be a general feeling on this board that if football or basketball reached that same status today the problems associated with recognition (bowl selection and tournament seeding for example) would go away and I don't agree with it.

I understand perfectly where you're coming from and agree that the nuts and bolts of building a program are the most important ingredient.

[CajunFun]

Lafayette is located on that cap in the back, it meets the letter of the Law. It is also located on the uniform, small as it may be it meets the letter of the Law.

OK guys, let's review.

It's not law. Our legal name, "The University of Louisiana at Lafayette", that's law. And that won't ever change, not as long as ULM exists. But LSU's name is LSUA&MCBR. They have to put that on legal documents. But otherwise, they're not compelled to use it.

The requirement that we have to put "Lafayette" on everything comes from the UL System. When we failed to use it in the past, ULM, LSU, and occasionally others would complain to the UL System.

The UL System can change it.

The UL System can ignore it.

We can also ignore it. And as several posts here have noted, we often do... the baseball team's caps DON'T have "Lafayette." And ULM put themselves in a tough situation arguing against us when they used these helmets:
2003
2004 & 2005

None of these are breaking the law. There may be repercussions for any of these, and if there are, they will probably manifest themselves in the Leg.

But definitely not in the courts.

[Louisiana84]

LOUISIANA.

[HoustonCajun]

_ UGA= University of Gerogia
UVA= University of Virgina

Everyone knows who they are in college sports. You want to use ULA, but we can't legally use The University of Louisiana with out the city tag. So the acronym means nothing.

UGA and UVA are all attached to the real names of those universities. Everyone knows it and that's why those abbreviations mean something. _

Perhaps another gaffe by our administrators. If we expected to be saddled with the "at Lafayette", maybe we should have selected the University of Louisiana at Acadiana to keep the ULA acronym. It is like no one thought through this whole thing. That would have greatly helped in transitioning to the Louisiana name.

[CajunNation]

Perhaps another gaffe by our administrators. If we expected to be saddled with the "at Lafayette", maybe we should have selected the University of Louisiana at Acadiana to keep the ULA acronym. It is like no one thought through this whole thing. That would have greatly helped in transitioning to the Louisiana name.

You have to understand. The name change done several years ago was done by the administration almost solely for academic purposes.

They knew exactly what they were doing.

As far as they are concerned, the name change was a resounding success.

[Cajun Express]

_ with all the Louisiana @ Lafayette ~~~~ floating around, how can anyone give her better than a 5?

We`are our own worst enemy......

She is a classic example of UL knowing its place....

Thankfully we took the bull by the horns, did an end around an produced UL gear on our own.

Z. _

Mrs. Express got me a brand new trailer hitch cover for Christmas. Gaud, that bold black cover with the giant chrome UL and little chrome lafayette which could only be gotten through the UL L Alumni group. Thank Simon-Dronet

[DestinCajun]

Mrs. Express got me a brand new trailer hitch cover for Christmas. Gaud, that bold black cover with the giant chrome UL and little chrome lafayette which could only be gotten through the UL L Alumni group. Thank Simon-Dronet _

Express, you gave your wife a trailer hitch for Christmas? What a great idea!

[HoustonCajun]

_ OK guys, let's review.

It's not law. Our legal name, "The University of Louisiana at Lafayette", that's law. And that won't ever change, not as long as ULM exists. But LSU's name is LSUA&MCBR. They have to put that on legal documents. But otherwise, they're not compelled to use it.

The requirement that we have to put "Lafayette" on everything comes from the UL System. When we failed to use it in the past, ULM, LSU, and occasionally others would complain to the UL System.

The UL System can change it.

The UL System can ignore it.

We can also ignore it. And as several posts here have noted, we often do... the baseball team's caps DON'T have "Lafayette." And ULM put themselves in a tough situation arguing against us when they used these helmets:
2003
2004 & 2005

None of these are breaking the law. There may be repercussions for any of these, and if there are, they will probably manifest themselves in the Leg.

But definitely not in the courts. _

So, when does Dr. S say let's do it. His inaugural theme was "WE ARE LOUISIANA". What exactly does that mean if we continue as Louisiana Lafayette? After 10 years, what are UL System repurcussions if we use LOUISIANA and UL for athletics only? I don't care that we are the University of Louisiana at Lafayette academically. So are just about all of the other major universities around the country. Let's just gain the right reference athletically. ULM has selected their reference. Now, let's select ours.

[CajunFun]

_ So, when does Dr. S say let's do it. His inaugural theme was "WE ARE LOUISIANA". What exactly does that mean if we continue as Louisiana Lafayette?

It means he knows what he's doing. He knows how the system works. He'll make his move after he finishes the groundwork.

That takes time. Oh, and he not only has a University run in the meantime, he also has to completely retool it from the previous admin.

One of the reasons I don't come on here much any more is that too many fans are simply ridiculous. Too many of you guys think that change is as easy as hitting a few keystrokes and then clicking the "Submit" button. Many of you think that everything should happen right away, and then proudly spout your opinions on things you don't even begin to understand.

And some of you even played HS ball, often for a coach whose only concept of team psychology was screaming at you.

And so-- not surprising-- many of you have exactly 3 responses when you don't get what you want:
1. Fire the Coach
2. Fire the Athletic Director.
3. Fire the President.

Oh, I'm sorry, my bad. There are 4 responses, I forgot one.

4. Fire all three of them.

Sheesh. This place makes my hair hurt.

And I'm bald.

[AstroCajun]

_ It means he knows what he's doing. He knows how the system works. He'll make his move after he finishes the groundwork.

That takes time. Oh, and he not only has a University run in the meantime, he also has to completely retool it from the previous admin.

One of the reasons I don't come on here much any more is that too many fans are simply ridiculous. Too many of you guys think that change is as easy as hitting a few keystrokes and then clicking the "Submit" button. Many of you think that everything should happen right away, and then proudly spout your opinions on things you don't even begin to understand.

And some of you even played HS ball, often for a coach whose only concept of team psychology was screaming at you.

And so-- not surprising-- many of you have exactly 3 responses when you don't get what you want:
1. Fire the Coach
2. Fire the Athletic Director.
3. Fire the President.

Oh, I'm sorry, my bad. There are 4 responses, I forgot one.

4. Fire all three of them.

Sheesh. This place makes my hair hurt.

And I'm bald. _

good points. And let me preface my remarks with the fact that I like T-Joe and think that he'll get the job done and do right by us.

But I understand the frustration.

Its awfully hard to see NIU get something more than they deserved because of friends in the right places.

Where's our friends? When do we ever get more than what we deserve?

It's also hard to see ____ty schools like Buffalo get their act together PDQ and earn a bowl.

And it's damn near impossible to watch teams that we used to beat regularly in football and basketball (Memphis I'm looking right at you) moving along.

Don't even get me started about the "never heard ofs" that somehow got it done (Davidson?, G. Mason?)

I am patient. But we still can't ask WHEN'S our time while we are still asking IF we'll ever have a time again.