Matt Viator

[Cowboy Up]

Knew it wouldn't take long for one of you Brokeb@ck Boys to show up once Viator was mentioned. Man you guys sure do spend a lot of time obsessing about UL.

Oh, I guess we obsess about as much as you talk about your favorite movie. . ."Broke Back something-or-other. . ." Ya know, I'm starting to wonder about you Hammer! You really like to talk about that a little too much. . .Ya know?

But your in luck, Hammer, the "don't ask, don't tell policy". . .is still in force!!

[Cowboy Up]

We didnt hire Mac Brown or Bear Bryant either when they were in thier earlier carreers . WE KNOW football here and dont need know-nothing types to apply. LOL@

Oh! I get it. Your record actually "proves" how well you know football and I certainly forgot to take that into account. My Bad!!

[Cowboy Up]

Hey Lady Luck Cowgirl Up why don't you ____ Off! Viator will not get a formal interview regardless.

Oh I'm sorry. Did I break your concentration?? Well, allow me to retort!

Whew! I'm relieved. I can rest easy now knowing that our coach will not end up ruining his career in No-Win-Ville. . .Uh! Vermilionville.

[ragin91cajun]

_ Knew it wouldn't take long for one of you Brokeb@ck Boys to show up once Viator was mentioned. Man you guys sure do spend a lot of time obsessing about UL. _

You do realize that a thread on OUR board devolved into an McNeese-UL argument before a McNeese fan started posting?

[Hammer58]

_ Oh, I guess we obsess about as much as you talk about your favorite movie. . ."Broke Back something-or-other. . ." Ya know, I'm starting to wonder about you Hammer! You really like to talk about that a little too much. . .Ya know?

But your in luck, Hammer, the "don't ask, don't tell policy". . .is still in force!! _

Always reminded of it when you girls show up. Too bad there isn't a don't ask, don't tell policy regarding you Broke Back Cowgirls on UL message boards.

Funny how you're never around when you're getting _____-slapped in other sports or showing up without uniforms for basketball games. Come to think of it thats really not such a bad thing.

[Hammer58]

_ You do realize that a thread on OUR board devolved into an McNeese-UL argument before a McNeese fan started posting? _

No it was a discussion about coaching candidates and one name brought up happened to be Viator and whether or not we wanted him as a coach. And as predicted one of them showed up to perpetuate the myth of the Legends of the Fall.

[ragin91cajun]

_ No it was a discussion about coaching candidates and one name brought up happened to be Viator and whether or not we wanted him as a coach. And as predicted one of them showed up to perpetuate the myth of the Legends of the Fall. _

After other posters had turned the thread into a "McNeese will never have what we have" thread. By the way, the colorful nicknames "Broke--Back U" and "Lake Chuck" display about as much intelligence as the people from LC that call us the University of Loveable Losers. I agree Viator is not the coach and that we are heads and shoulders above McNeese, but if they are not a viable threat, why is everyone getting so upset?

[Hammer58]

_ After other posters had turned the thread into a "McNeese will never have what we have" thread. By the way, the colorful nicknames "Broke--Back U" and "Lake Chuck" display about as much intelligence as the people from LC that call us the University of Loveable Losers. I agree Viator is not the coach and that we are heads and shoulders above McNeese, but if they are not a viable threat, why is everyone getting so upset? _

As to the first statement, I agree with him. As for nicknames, I don't care if it ____es them off, in fact that thats pretty much the point. As for the last point, it is because this will be the most important hire this new administration makes. After the debacle Doc A gave us in not funding athletics and especially with the hiring of Baldwin we need to move forward not backwards. To suggest that we hire a coach with such a thin resume on the basis of his success in one game against Coach Bustle is short sighted and would be a death knell for this program, IMO. This next hire needs to be one that the fanbase and boosters can rally around and who can get us north of .500.

[Duggie35]

Duggie: What we have at McNeese is a winning tradition. You guys could certainly use some of that. And while we are on the subject, you are right, one game does not a team make. I'll agree to that. Kinda like WKU celebrating the end of their 26 game losing streak at YOUR Homecoming. I know you guys are better than that, but hey, it happens. . .even to the worst of us.

Our victory several years ago (actually 3 years but I'd try to put that as far back in my memory too!) was because Bustle could not get the team to hold on to the ball? Are you serious? At best, that statement is laughable. Good teams not ony create turnovers but capitlize on them as well. At least that is what is always taught by good coaches like, well, Matt Viator.

BTW, you need to go check the overall record between McNeese and UL. There is a lot more hanging over your head than just one game. But, I digress. Try this, why don't you guys consider hiring Larry Blakeney from Troy? Since you guys turned him down "years ago" (to use your term) and hired that genius Jerry Baldwin he has flat out owned you guys as well as the Sun Belt Conference. But, I guess he came from the Southland Conference too and would not exactly measure up to the "strict" standards.

Seriously, good luck on the new hire. It's long overdue for some excitement in Lafayette on Saturday nights. I guess you could do worse than Matt Viator. Oh, wait! You did! The killer "B's" . . Baldwin and Bustle!! _

Cowgirl Up,
I will agree with you that McNeese does have a winning tradition against 1-AA competition! I guess because you don't play 1-A competition on a regular basis except once a year, or possibly twice in a good year, you folks have a hard time knowing the difference in the level of competition. Except for the upset of UL 3 years ago, what other 1-A team have you beat in the past 10 years? As a matter of fact, when was the last time McNeese even won a 1-AA playoff game? I know that years back, you guys made a run or two, but ULM actually won a national 1-AA title years ago. The FCS is nothing but a glorified high school playoff system and that system is getting weaker and weaker each year as more and more 1-AA schools are moving up to 1-A, something that McNeese apparently wants no part of.

Like I said earlier, I'm sure Matt Viator is a great guy and he has a good record at McNeese against 1-AA schools. However, there is no guarantee that he could accomplish anything close to what he has done at McNeese if he had to start recruiting against other 1-A teams at a school with much higher admitance standards such as we have here at UL. In addition, he would not have the luxury of taking 1-A transfers who could come in and play immediatly. Even with all of that being said, you can be assured that if the UL job was ever offered to Viator, he wouldn't even think twice about leaving McNeese. I think that says volumes about the differences between the two schools.

Look, you guys at McNeese seem to be real happy winning a few games each year in 1-AA. I'm happy that you are happy. However, what we do here at UL should be of no interest to you since you are not playing the same game as we are here. If McNeese ever moves up to 1-A and wants to compete with the big boys every week, then we can compare apples to apples. Until then, climb back onto that donkey you McNeese fans like to ride and head back west!

P.S. If UL ever decides that we want one of your coaches, we'll just go take him like we did with Robichaux. The choice will be ours, not yours.

[Cowboy Up]

Cowgirl Up,
I will agree with you that McNeese does have a winning tradition against 1-AA competition! I guess because you don't play 1-A competition on a regular basis except once a year, or possibly twice in a good year, you folks have a hard time knowing the difference in the level of competition. Except for the upset of UL 3 years ago, what other 1-A team have you beat in the past 10 years? As a matter of fact, when was the last time McNeese even won a 1-AA playoff game? I know that years back, you guys made a run or two, but ULM actually won a national 1-AA title years ago. The FCS is nothing but a glorified high school playoff system and that system is getting weaker and weaker each year as more and more 1-AA schools are moving up to 1-A, something that McNeese apparently wants no part of.

Like I said earlier, I'm sure Matt Viator is a great guy and he has a good record at McNeese against 1-AA schools. However, there is no guarantee that he could accomplish anything close to what he has done at McNeese if he had to start recruiting against other 1-A teams at a school with much higher admitance standards such as we have here at UL. In addition, he would not have the luxury of taking 1-A transfers who could come in and play immediatly. Even with all of that being said, you can be assured that if the UL job was ever offered to Viator, he wouldn't even think twice about leaving McNeese. I think that says volumes about the differences between the two schools.

Look, you guys at McNeese seem to be real happy winning a few games each year in 1-AA. I'm happy that you are happy. However, what we do here at UL should be of no interest to you since you are not playing the same game as we are here. If McNeese ever moves up to 1-A and wants to compete with the big boys every week, then we can compare apples to apples. Until then, climb back onto that donkey you McNeese fans like to ride and head back west!

P.S. If UL ever decides that we want one of your coaches, we'll just go take him like we did with Robichaux. The choice will be ours, not yours.

Fair post, Duggie, fair post.

First of all, I guess McNeese has certainly been to more bowl games than USL but I can't remember the last time you guys went to a bowl game. Was it in 1970? Oh, yeah, the Grantland Rice Bowl. We went to the Independence Bowl 3 times and won the inaugural game. . after beating you guys of course. And, you're right, we have not won a playoff game in a while but we did have a couple of championship runs as you pointed out. How many times has UL actually won the Sun Belt? Was football still being played with leather helmets back then?

I also have to agree with you that we do not notice the level in competition or can tell the difference when playing 1A and 1AA schools. I guess that's because the 1A schools we have actually beaten were Monroe and Lafayette (please insert college moniker of choice here). And you are also correct that playing a schedule week in and week out in the FBS with the big boys would be a task to say the least. I guess that does not include UL or ULM-Monroe does it? Shucks! I would love to compare apples to apples with you guys because we had to beat you with 22 less players on our roster. You are also right; we do not play the same game as you that's obvious for all of the correct reasons. And, BTW, we have increased our admission standards so your crutch is starting to make your argument lame there.

As for recruiting, well, we've beaten that horse to death. Matt Viator seems to do pretty well against the 1A schools and our camps, like your own camps, help a lot. We don't really recruit against you guys because, well, Bustle and crew spends all of their time chasing Florida's leftovers. Frankly, we don't want to expend the cost for that when Houston, Acadiana, and East Texas are right in out backyard. Thanks for leaving us all of the gems we have found that you guys missed. BTW, good luck recruiting this year, seriously.

Frankly, if you guys were smart enough to offer Matt Viator, I would be happy for him. You could certainly pay him more and, frankly, he deserves it. I know he could recruit good athletes here and have them buy into his program, and UL would finally win. I just do not know if his future resume' having coached at UL would really benefit him. Most coaches come here and then leave and never coach again. That's not good. So, at the end of the day, it really will be the decision of the coach, not you, and what he would want for his future.

Even your Jerry Baldwin decision paid him much more in the end than as a coach. Somehow, UL's decison was wrong on that one. You could do worse and have done worse. Time to Bustle Up!

[Hammer58]

_ Fair post, Duggie, fair post.

First of all, I guess McNeese has certainly been to more bowl games than USL but I can't remember the last time you guys went to a bowl game. Was it in 1970? Oh, yeah, the Grantland Rice Bowl. We went to the Independence Bowl 3 times and won the inaugural game. . after beating you guys of course. And, you're right, we have not won a playoff game in a while but we did have a couple of championship runs as you pointed out. How many times has UL actually won the Sun Belt? Was football still being played with leather helmets back then?

I also have to agree with you that we do not notice the level in competition or can tell the difference when playing 1A and 1AA schools. I guess that's because the 1A schools we have actually beaten were Monroe and Lafayette (please insert college moniker of choice here). And you are also correct that playing a schedule week in and week out in the FBS with the big boys would be a task to say the least. I guess that does not include UL or ULM-Monroe does it? Shucks! I would love to compare apples to apples with you guys because we had to beat you with 22 less players on our roster. You are also right; we do not play the same game as you that's obvious for all of the correct reasons. And, BTW, we have increased our admission standards so your crutch is starting to make your argument lame there.

As for recruiting, well, we've beaten that horse to death. Matt Viator seems to do pretty well against the 1A schools and our camps, like your own camps, help a lot. We don't really recruit against you guys because, well, Bustle and crew spends all of their time chasing Florida's leftovers. Frankly, we don't want to expend the cost for that when Houston, Acadiana, and East Texas are right in out backyard. Thanks for leaving us all of the gems we have found that you guys missed. BTW, good luck recruiting this year, seriously.

Frankly, if you guys were smart enough to offer Matt Viator, I would be happy for him. You could certainly pay him more and, frankly, he deserves it. I know he could recruit good athletes here and have them buy into his program, and UL would finally win. I just do not know if his future resume' having coached at UL would really benefit him. Most coaches come here and then leave and never coach again. That's not good. So, at the end of the day, it really will be the decision of the coach, not you, and what he would want for his future.

Even your Jerry Baldwin decision paid him much more in the end than as a coach. Somehow, UL's decison was wrong on that one. You could do worse and have done worse. Time to Bustle Up! _

Same old lame smack we always here from the Legends of the Fall. And as usual its full of errors and delusions. Jerry Baldwin lost his case on appeal so he isn't reaping the windfall you claim. And as far as resume boosters it sure doesn't look like having Broke Back U on his (and nothing else) has helped Viator.

In the end you are still D1aa and no one outside of Lake Chuck cares. Thats why you have to spend so much time trolling on our message boards to get attention.

[allncr1966]

_ Knew it wouldn't take long for one of you Brokeb@ck Boys to show up once Viator was mentioned. Man you guys sure do spend a lot of time obsessing about UL. _

Being new to this site and having gone to both UL and McNeese I have some perspective on both programs. Like all schools they have their strengths and weaknessess. I think we could all agree that McNeese has had a winning tradition in football where UL has not. While UL has had the winning tradition in men's basketball where McNeese has not. I won't get into a spit ball throwing contest on victories in Div 1 or Div 1AA FBS or FCS victories are victories in my opinion. With all that being said I don't think Coach Viator would be a good fit at UL or for that matter any FBS school. I think he likes where he is and will stay at McNeese for a while. I am not saying he wouldn't be interested in an FBS job I just feel he is not ready for that. Someone in another thread here mentioned that Ohio State Coach Tressel had success at a Div 1AA team then went straight to Ohio State and has been very sucessful. That is all true but he unlike Coach Viator he possessed at least 2 Div 1AA National Championships one of which he got playing Coach Kealser's Cowboys. He may have one or two more I am not sure but he point is his resume was more impressive with those championships as compared to Coach Viator. I like Coach Viator my grandsons played for him at SHS and later one of them at McNeese and he was and is an excellent coach. I just have not been overly impressed with him as a college coach. Yes he has done well but compared to some other Cowboy coaches Doland, Duplechain, Kealser, and even Tate he has not overly impressed me. If he left for UL or any other place for that matter I wouldn't be crying about it. He could be a good position or offensive coordinator at the next level but I am not sure about HC. Besides he might bring Lark Hebert with him as defensive coordinator and you don't want that. Wait maybe you should hire him a lot of Cowboy fans are not fans of Coach Hebert and would love to see him gone.

I am not sure what coach would be a good fit for UL but he needs to be I think a defensive minded coach because through the years I have observed they seem to have the greater overall success in football. He needs to be young 30ish and hungry for a HC job at the FBS level and wants to move up the ladder. I know UL fans don't want that someone staying 3 to 6 years then leave but if he has a good program setup you will succeed. Look at Bosie State their coach left for Colorado but they have just kept on ticking. The same can be said of Utah after Urban Meyer left. Weren't Baldwin and Bustle both in their 40's when they got the job at UL?? I think that is a bit old to be getting your first FBS HC job with no previous HC job at another level. UL needs a hungry guy, a young guy, a true southerner who is a good recriuter and can hire good offensive and defenisive coordinators.