In 10 years?

[ATXCajun]

Originally posted by Clutch0364
With the questions about playing LSU being asked, I was wondering where everyone would like to see UL in the next 10 years?

Well, how about some progress to show that all of the time, effort, and money meant something. We seem to compete nationally in most sports, with football lagging behind. USM was once on par with us. Now they are on par with trips to the Libery Bowl etc. That's what I would like to see from football. Baseball and Softball have been dangerously close to doing the unthinkable. I would like for one or both of those programs to win a national championship. Put us on the map. I think that, along with bowl appearances creates a better window for viewing the school and its academic and athletic programs.

[ATXCajun]

Originally posted by Sid
I agree with everyone. In 10 years what I'd like to see most is a fb win over LSU. I'd also like to see a return to civility between our fans and theirs so that even if not in FB, we can get some home-n-home in all other sports. I think if the atmosphere was right, we could have a great in-state rivalry with LSU. I also think that by this happening, we might get back some formerly UL now LSU fans, and we might also convert a couple of LSU fans. Anyhoo regardless of how exactly it happens, things are headed way up!

God Bless.

That would be cool, but I don't want to get to hung up on using LSU as a measuring stick. We should aim higher in all respects. Beating them would be fun for sure, but the positive impact on our program would last about as long as the euphoria from the win. See UL 29 Texas A&M 22. I would like to see us consistently compete with the SEC and Big 12, winning a respectable 33% of the time. Get over the hump. Close losses are not good enough.

[Clutch0364]

How about a 2005 softball national championship to boost us into the future and into the minds of a lot more people out there.

[CajunRebel]

Here is my realistic view of UL football in 10 years.

While I do see us greatly improving, I don't think that we will be playing in any Sugar Bowls...

I think that after 10 years we will still be in the Sun Belt. Our current budget is among the very lowest among DI-A schools. With as little money as we have had to work with, it is amazing to me that we have had the success that we have had here. That reason alone will keep us out of C-USA, the only conference that we could really end up in.

But the Sun Belt we see 10 years form now will be much different from the one we see today. I think that after 10 years this conference will certainly flourish. We will be among the ranks of the WAC or C-USA.

We will still be in Cajun Field, which will have completed swamp gates but no completed student side upper deck. I think that we will have consistant crowds of over 25k.

Plans for the indoor practice facility will still be stuck in the state legislature. God Bless Louisiana.

By the end of 10 years, we will have gone to the New Orleans Bowl twice, and a new Sun Belt Bowl twice.

We won't be national champions, we won't beat LSU, we probably won't beat ULM either, but we will be out of the toilet and at a respectable level with the rest of our sports.

After so many years of watching a poor product at Cajun Field, I will be happy with being "respectable."realistic