Quote Originally Posted by dawg80 View Post
On UCF...

some of you may not remember but 20 years ago they, and us, were indies, in search of a conference. In 1998 UCF went 9-2 (Daunte Culpepper at QB) and got left out of the bowls. The Belch made a big, highly-PRed play for both Tech and UCF. Wrong Waters ended up with mud on his face. UCF's prez and AD publically and emphatically denied the rumors that they were joining the Belch. And even said in a statement release: UCF does not consider the Belch as a viable option and besides, no way will we join the Belch if Louisiana Tech does not also join. At that point Tech had already publically stated we were looking at other options other than the Belch.

UCF got into CUSA, and we got into the WAC, both for 2001, the same year the Belch officially sponsored football for the first time in conference history. Clearly UCF had a vision that did not include getting trapped in the worst conference in the nation.

UCF joins Utah and Boazy State as the only G5s to complete a perfect season with a win over a P5 in a major bowl. Of course, UCF had already beaten Baylor in a big bowl just a few years ago. Northern Illinois had its shot...but lost to FSU in the Orange Bowl in 2012 (ahem...)

I want Tech to get to a point in our program's growth and development when we can realistically have a shot at a perfect season. It's not the kind of thing one can expect to have very often, but properly managed programs can have all the pieces come together with the right mix of senior talent/leadership in a given season and make a legit run at it. In all honesty, as an objective CFB fan, would you list Tech as one of those G5s who COULD run the table?
I was thinking about UCF last night. How many of you remember "Big Daddy UCF"? He was a poster two message boards ago. He always tried to get us pissed with his posts and unbridled loyalty to the upstart UCF. He aligned himself with NLU and took every chance to try to stir up crap. He was a fun poster. Tech and UCF were indeed programs looking to better themselves, but Tech lost it's way and UCF didn't. Of course it helps to be the largest student body school in the NCAA and reside in a paradise.