No excuses allowed

[Cajunsmike]

_ In all fairness to your post, you are wrong. Actually, you don't know how wrong you are by saying that the administration does not care. They do. If they didn't you wouldn't see the numerous facility upgrades going up that will benefit almost every one of our sporting programs directly, not to mention the planned football stadium overhaul. The problem is always dollars. When your crunched for dollars and have to weigh every single one of those dollars as it goes out the door versus what you are taking in, its tough to make the decisions that would normally be easier with more funds in hand and less risk. They took the step and made the statement with the Marlin hire and the fact that he makes more than Bustle is a statement in itself to Bustle that they are prepared to pay to get someone to do the job. Football is going to be a much more difficult hire, filled with more risk. The type of guy we would like with head coaching experience over here is going to cost us a lot. We are likely going to have to pay near the top of the SBC coaches and I think that is in the neighborhood of 375k to 400k but maybe more (Not sure). If the state only allows us to pay about 225k per year out of state funds, the money is going to have to come from private dollars, likely taking away from some allocated projects that are in the pipeline. Sure, the hire along with renewed interest would hopefully increase ticket sales and energy into the program and directly increase dollars but nothing is a given and risk is involved to a high degree. I think that is why you've seen the patience that so many have questioned over the years. Its understandable to see the frustration and quite frankly, I'm at the point that I don't think the program will have any choice after this season but to make a change. But everyone needs to have a level of understanding when it comes to such decisions. _

Zephyr, that is an excellent post. You explained well our current situation. I understand your view that a change may be inevitable at season's end. However, keep in mind that we have been in this situation in the past and the team surprises us. Maybe that will happen Saturday.

[Turbine]

_ When Nelson was AD the buget was $8 mil, now it is reported betwen $12 and $14 mil. Now since you are talking "budget" what cost changed so drastically in the past few years that the budget went up that much?

Just curious. _

_ Turbine, are you serious? Everything in the landscape of collegiate athletics has gone up. I think your point would be better served by going back to see what the average payout for those games was and what percentage of your budget it represented. We played the games back then as we do now. The thing is, you have more D-1 teams now than back then to compete against, salaries are higher, travel cost is higher and the need for facility upgrades and their enormous cost have been recognized. I don't know where you can possibly state that costs have not gone up.

OK let me reword the question after I say Nelson had UL getting $500 $600 $G paydays. Meaing from that revenue source the budget should only be $600 G higher.

So what other income changed so drastically in the past few years that the budget went up that much?

[RCAJUN90]

_ In all fairness to your post, you are wrong. Actually, you don't know how wrong you are by saying that the administration does not care. They do. If they didn't you wouldn't see the numerous facility upgrades going up that will benefit almost every one of our sporting programs directly, not to mention the planned football stadium overhaul. The problem is always dollars. When your crunched for dollars and have to weigh every single one of those dollars as it goes out the door versus what you are taking in, its tough to make the decisions that would normally be easier with more funds in hand and less risk. They took the step and made the statement with the Marlin hire and the fact that he makes more than Bustle is a statement in itself to Bustle that they are prepared to pay to get someone to do the job. Football is going to be a much more difficult hire, filled with more risk. The type of guy we would like with head coaching experience over here is going to cost us a lot. We are likely going to have to pay near the top of the SBC coaches and I think that is in the neighborhood of 375k to 400k but maybe more (Not sure). If the state only allows us to pay about 225k per year out of state funds, the money is going to have to come from private dollars, likely taking away from some allocated projects that are in the pipeline. Sure, the hire along with renewed interest would hopefully increase ticket sales and energy into the program and directly increase dollars but nothing is a given and risk is involved to a high degree. I think that is why you've seen the patience that so many have questioned over the years. Its understandable to see the frustration and quite frankly, I'm at the point that I don't think the program will have any choice after this season but to make a change. But everyone needs to have a level of understanding when it comes to such decisions. _

You make a great well thought out post. You really did but I heard all this stuff in 1985! Not on the internet because it didn't exist but in local newspaper and of course the "Vermilion"? When I was a student we played and beat Memphis, ECU, Tulsa and sometimes USM. They today are way ahead of us. I have seen program after program pass us. Have you ever been to Hattiesburg or Troy Alabama? Hattiesburg is getting much better but Troy is a sleepy little "Hell Hole" that nobody in their right mind unless they want to play sports would ever go. How did Troy become the class of this conference before us? Lack of vision etc... on the admin and nothing else.

[Hammer58]

_ OK let me reword the question after I say Nelson had UL getting $500 $600 $G paydays. Meaning from that revenue source the budget should only be $600 G higher.

So what other income changed so drastically in the past few years that the budget went up that much? _

I think part of that is due to the recent change that increased the percentage of overall budget that could be allocated to athletics. And I think our overall budget actually went up somewhat over the past few years when the state was flush with money. Now that is changing and we will likely see our athletic budget reduced as the overall budget is cut back.

[zephyr]

_ OK let me reword the question after I say Nelson had UL getting $500 $600 $G paydays. Meaing from that revenue source the budget should only be $600 G higher.

So what other income changed so drastically in the past few years that the budget went up that much? _

Turbine, that is like asking why a business should expect and need to make more money now than it did 10 years ago. Costs go up yearly. This is the cycle of everything in our daily lives. What did gas cost in 2001? What did a gallon of milk cost 10 years ago. I know these examples are just that and they have absolutely no bearing on this conversation but the point is everything cost wise goes up, typically on a linear pattern. Coaching Salaries is one cost, to answer your question, that has and will continue to go up. Travel costs also continue to go up. Do you think it is easier or more difficult to fly these days than it was ? Have airlines gone up on cost and down on features of what they offer? Of course. We are thinking just football. Every sport has economical costs that continue to inflate yearly and we must be able to budget for that. Also, the cost of operating on this level have also gone up. The statute is set for teams such as UL to have to make upgrades and compete facility wise for athletes that a lot of other schools are doing the same. I also think that the current administration has done a better job of soliciting funds and Gerald Hebert has worked tirelessly in recent years to get donors to cooperate. I also think the move of Dr. A out of office has loosened the reigns that many donors held tight until he was out of office like the Herb Schillings etc.. who were put off by him and his lack of cooperation. It is careless on our part to not consider the economics of the current athletic landscape and realize that we have to invest in our programs before we can see the payoffs.

[zephyr]

_ OK let me reword the question after I say Nelson had UL getting $500 $600 $G paydays. Meaing from that revenue source the budget should only be $600 G higher.

So what other income changed so drastically in the past few years that the budget went up that much? _

Another thing, think about this. Even if costs had not gone up one bit, maybe the increased "budget" would only begin to start putting us on par with other schools on our level rather than making money. I believe we were so grossly underfunded, and still are, that maybe that was just leveling the field if nothing else.

[Just1More]

_ Another thing, think about this. Even if costs had not gone up one bit, maybe the increased "budget" would only begin to start putting us on par with other schools on our level rather than making money. I believe we were so grossly underfunded, and still are, that maybe that was just leveling the field if nothing else. _

Something else to consider about budgets and costs... there is a kernel of expenses that everyone has to cover. We have always just barely covered base expenses and small incremental add-ons. When a school has $5 million more in annual budget than we do, they have astronomically more money than we do. RCAF can and I believe will... if properly stewarded... bring our program... financially... into a completely different realm of financial capability.

It is ridiculous what you can borrow and build with $1million more in annualized revenue. UL cannot pass on one penny of additional dollars while we plan our aggressive football future. The aggression will be rewarded (in an almost unconscious fashion) by a steady addition of fan support. People react to investment. The historical problem of UL is the liberal ideology maintained by so many connected with the university. They did not seek public professions to be aggressive with money and take risks. The hope is that those entrepreneurial members of the RCAF board are establishing and maintaining the pace. If one of these jelly-belly intellectual homegrown fruitcakes gets in the picture... other than to pick out the colors... we have to vaporize them.

I know Turbine is stuck on "money games". I know we are going to still play them, so I feel safe in not arguing about it. What I am not so confident in is how intelligent we will pursue the next football head coach. If we get a parallel to Marlin... I will be one very happy camper.

Bustle and staff still have a chance to pull off this season and keep their jobs. I would love to wear my Grim Reaper outfit to the next home game, stand on the sidelines, and keep pointing my fake bony finger at Bustle.... of course... purely for inspirational purposes... and to use my sickle on Cayenne.

[Turbine]

Zephyr your points on are 100% spot on, but we haven't had 60% inflaton in the last 5 years.

Just1More I may seem that I am stuck on money games I jut don't think they are the solution, they create a welfare attitude.

I want to know where David Walker found another $4 to $5 millon to get the budget where it is now. Was Authement using it? I don't know, I'm just curious.

[CrazyCajun]

_ Zephyr your points on are 100% spot on, but we haven't had 60% inflaton in the last 5 years.

Just1More I may seem that I am stuck on money games I jut don't think they are the solution, they create a welfare attitude.

I want to know where David Walker found another $4 to $5 millon to get the budget where it is now. Was Authement using it? I don't know, I'm just curious. _

it was passed a couple years ago that the% of our total budget allowed to go to athletics was increased

[Turbine]

_ it was passed a couple years ago that the% of our total budget allowed to go to athletics was increased _

Thanks.

In light of his retirement announcement, I hate that I asked the question.