Tech to the Belt?

[JamesTheJeweler]

Here’s why no to Tech…

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Post: #31RE: Why does seemingly everyone in the Sun Belt West want LA Tech to die in agony?
This will be long, but it will answer your question:

You can ask anyone who was in the SBC administration in the '90s and they will tell you Louisiana Tech was always the most uncooperative folks in the league. They were not in favor of growing the league unless there was something in it for them. And, they did have the "we are better than you" attitude and for the life of me I don't understand it.

When it was time to form the SBC football league, Louisiana Tech and Central Florida were part of the plan. Tech decided they were too good for the Sun Belt and applied for membership in the WAC. UCF said they weren't going without Tech. Wright Waters was still able to put together a football league but it wasn't easy. North Texas, Arkansas State, Louisiana, Idaho, New Mexico State, Middle Tennessee and ULM were the charter members (Idaho and ULM were football only.)

When Tech made their decision, the Women's SBC tournament was pulled out of North Louisiana. Tech cried foul.

Meanwhile, Tech joined the WAC where Rice, SMU, Tulsa and UTEP resided. They believed being associated with those schools would help them get a CUSA invite. (Tech made no bones about the fact CUSA was their desired league. But it backfired in 2004 when those schools left and Louisiana Tech was on an island. Their closest "rival" was New Mexico State, which was farther from Ruston than Pittsburgh.

When Derek Dooley was named athletic director, Tech sent out an email to see what schools might be willing to schedule home and home in football. Louisiana received one of those emails and immediately called. The deputy AD said "that was sent to you by mistake, we can't gain anything by playing you." David Walker, then the Cajuns' AD, got on the phone with Tech's associate AD Van de Velde and asked if the statement was true. When he was told yes, he responded that UL would honor any existing contracts between the two schools, but they would never schedule Louisiana Tech in any sport until there was a signed agreement for a football home and home with the first game at Cajun Field. (This was in 2007).

Now, Tech is hemorrhaging money in travel costs and ULM stopped playing them as well. They were having trouble making a non conference schedule where they could bus to everything (talking Olympic Sports here). Van de Velde called Walker and they worked out dates for football. Van de Velde stated now the other sports could schedule and Walker cut him off. "Do you think I'm f******g stupid? I said SIGNED CONTRACTS. Van de Velde said he'd sign them. He never did. The boycott continued.

Tech kept UL out of the Independence Bowl in 08. They denied it, but an Independence Bowl committee member confirmed it the following year.

The story of Tech sitting home rather than play ULM in the Independence Bowl is well documented.

Two years later, Tech agreed to the home and home to be played in 2014-2015, right when they joined Conference USA.

Louisiana and Tech play multiple sports non conference. And, yes, their fans are insufferable. At one of the basketball games a few years ago. They listed us as ULL, USL, LAF, and rotated them throughout the game on their scoreboard. Tommy McClelland didn't respond to my email, but they didn't do it again.

Other schools have similar stories. Tech tried to put ULM out of business. Arkansas State has stories as well.

Tech still won't schedule any of us in football. We both had openings last year after COVID affected our schedules and we made the call.

Memories are long here in the Sun Belt as it relates to Tech. But if Tech wanted to come in, the two Louisiana schools would say yes. Tech is part of the UL system with Louisiana and ULM. It would be bad politically to say no. But the Louisiana schools would have to convince others.

Like I said, memories are long here.

Here’s the whole thread, actually one of many. Any doubts, read it.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-929683.html

Thank you for posting this. There's some here that act like inviting Tech is on par with inviting Ohio State. Its mind boggling.

[MarlinMan3]

Schultz is on the money with the push back from the Eastern block of the SBC. They do not want Tech.

I'm really starting to believe that the SBC is going to stay at 13 for now and deal with the scheduling headaches.

Eastern block, i like that reference for them

[ZoomZoom]

Thank you for posting this. There's some here that act like inviting Tech is on par with inviting Ohio State. Its mind boggling.

Being Im a good bit older than you, copy and save that. You’ll need it again one day. We need to compile a list on Alice Shoe and McLeast. They’re not our allies though the academics love collaborating with them.

I’ve been banned from CSSN for deleting posts (though I’d bet they thought I was someone else), been asking someone that was a regular to hunt this down. Had some time, found Marshall’s offer date, had it in 10 minutes. Some of Jay’s best work on a message board.

Someone please link the post to a current L A Tech thread.

[SlickRick]

Tuck Fech...

[Swamp]

F TECH

[CajunT]

Being Im a good bit older than you, copy and save that. You’ll need it again one day. We need to compile a list on Alice Shoe and McLeast. They’re not our allies though the academics love collaborating with them.

I’ve been banned from CSSN for deleting posts (though I’d bet they thought I was someone else), been asking someone that was a regular to hunt this down. Had some time, found Marshall’s offer date, had it in 10 minutes. Some of Jay’s best work on a message board.

Someone please link the post to a current L A Tech thread.

You should wear that ban from CSSN like the Purple Heart! My life has been so much better not having to read that board of cast offs.

[Bandwagon King]

I would take tech all day over Lamar. A big fat no to Lamar. Ever.

Spoken like a true nad sack. Mr. UL obviously wasn't around when tech tried to screw over UL & the belt. I hope the SBC commissioner makes tech grovel like the snivel ____s they are then tells them to F--- off. Tech is a bunch of back stabbing nare do wells whom the SBC could not count on when things were tough & now the prodigal has lost it's way & needs SBC nooney pie to nurse them back to health? Not no, but hell no. Before you make a fool out of yourself again, Jay made the play by play call pretty well & maybe even forgot a couple of their dirty deeds.

[RaginDave]

Spoken like a true nad sack. Mr. UL obviously wasn't around when tech tried to screw over UL & the belt. I hope the SBC commissioner makes tech grovel like the snivel ____s they are then tells them to F--- off. Tech is a bunch of back stabbing nare do wells whom the SBC could not count on when things were tough & now the prodigal has lost it's way & needs SBC nooney pie to nurse them back to health? Not no, but hell no. Before you make a fool out of yourself again, Jay made the play by play call pretty well & maybe even forgot a couple of their dirty deeds.

I was there douche. I don’t want tech but they bring a ton more to the table than Lamar who brings nothing.

[angeleast]

The video of their former AD saying they are so much above us makes it an automatic NO. ____ their crying asses now.

[Swamp]

F TECH