There is nothing wrong with "The Program"

[CajunNation]

HOTBOUDIN I don't have time (at the moment) to address all your arguments, but I would remind you we are talking about building a program.

The programs you mentioned had just that "programs" going in. Bustle came into no program to speak of. The schools that are in fact upstarts either have twice the budget or benefited from the free transfer rule, or both.

Do you happen to know the record of Tech in the years leading up to Crowton?

Frank Beamer’s inherited much more of a program when going to V-Tech than Bustle did coming to UL. He inherited a program producing somewhere between 5 and 6 wins a year on average in the previous 12 or so before he took the V-Tech job.

We are talking about building a program (almost) from scratch with no money, and all Bustle has to do is win 12 games in the next two and a half years and UL will be on pace (in number of wins) with what Frank Beamer did at now national power house Virginia Tech.

The UL program is on track for success.

You tell me not to compare us to Va Tech. Then, you turn around and do the very same thing?????


"Do you happen to know the record of Tech in the years leading up to Crowton?"

La Tech was 16-28 in the 4 years previous to Crowton with 3 losses to the Cajuns. 4 losing seasons in a row.


"The programs you mentioned had just that "programs" going in. Bustle came into no program to speak of. The schools that are in fact upstarts either have twice the budget or benefited from the free transfer rule, or both."

The best comparisons to our situation just happen to be in our state and in our conference.

1)La Tech when Crowton took over.(see above)
2)ULM when Weatherbie took over.
-They also have 9 1-A wins from '02-'04. But, the '02 year was Keasler. So, a truer comparison would be since '03.
-From '03-'05, ULM has 8 1-A wins, we have 6 1-A wins
-From '03-'05, ULM is 6-6 against current SBC schools, we are 5-6
-They finished in a tie for third in the the SBC last year, we finshed in a tie for last
-If you are going to say we are poised for success, you had better say Weatherbie has ULM poised for success.

[Turbine]

You tell me not to compare us to Va Tech. Then, you turn around and do the very same thing?????

Don't recall telling you that. What post # was it?

I encourage the comparison to Va Tech. I just ask that you remember the status of Va Tech's program when Beamer took over and the status of the program that Bustle took over.

Beamer took over a program with 7 straight winning seasons.
Bustle took over a program with 6 straight losing seasons.

[gorcajun]

Everyone knows that football fuels the athletic engine and the success of the football program breathes life into each and every other sport.

With the above statement in mind and referencing the "success of the other state schools" the following statement is a fact.

When the Ragin Cajuns and La Tech were in the same conference (that is playing the same teams for a conference championship), NEVER, AT NO TIME, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES did La Tech surpass the SLII, SLI, USL, ULL, or UL in overall achievement in the all sports trophy.

Turbine, you referred to Wins/Losses on a game vs. Success/Failure on a program. You are correct the football program is making strides, the athletic department is a very successful one.

Dare I say PENTATHLELAM again. Ragin Cajuns win.

[CajunNation]

Don't recall telling you that. What post # was it?

I encourage the comparison to Va Tech. I just ask that you remember the status of Va Tech's program when Beamer took over and the status of the program that Bustle took over.

Beamer took over a program with 7 straight winning seasons.
Bustle took over a program with 6 straight losing seasons.

I made a comparison to years 3 and 4. You say it doesn't matter because Va Tech was a winning program already when Beamer got there. Yet, you say if Bustle does x,y, and z, like Beamer in years 5,6, and 7 then, it's a success.

You can't have it both ways.

Quite frankly, Beamer should have been let go after year 6. He inherited a program that went 54-23-1 in 7 winning seasons in a row and a Peach bowl victory in 1985.

Over the next 6 seasons, Beamer went 24-40-1. with 4 losing seasons in that time frame.

The fact that the mid-90's saw a RETURN to prominence of Va Tech football had little to do with Beamer or Bustle and everything to do with Virginia Tech as an ever growing presence on the East coast, politically and academically.

The football program was already an established winner against quality competition before Frank Beamer/Ricky Bustle.

I've never understood the constant comparison to Va Tech.

Apples and Oranges.

[Turbine]

I made a comparison to years 3 and 4. You say it doesn't matter because Va Tech was a winning program already when Beamer got there. Yet, you say if Bustle does x,y, and z, like Beamer in years 5,6, and 7 then, it's a success.

You can't have it both ways.

I understand. When I said the below I didn't mean don't bring up VT as talking points, just keep in mind relative starting points.

Frank Beamer’s inherited much more of a program when going to V-Tech than Bustle did coming to UL. He inherited a program producing somewhere between 5 and 6 wins a year on average in the previous 12 or so before he took the V-Tech job.

We are talking about building a program (almost) from scratch with no money, and all Bustle has to do is win 12 games in the next two and a half years and UL will be on pace (in number of wins) with what Frank Beamer did at now national power house Virginia Tech.

But you are right, based on relative programs I would expect a slighly higher production curve for VT in years 3 and 4.

Would I have prematurely fired Beamer? Yes. I would have been wrong.

Is it time to get frustrated with Bustle? No. I could be wrong. (don't think so)