WAC or Southland??

[CCSLUDGE]

Is Tech better off in the WAC (or a simular conference) or going back to a conference like the Southland.

Why in the Southland:
I know some of the schools of the former southland are 1-AA, but is Tech better off playing in a conference like the old southland. I now live in Kansas but I always try to make a game every year and I listen to every game, but it seems like Tech only draws 20 plus for very select games at home. Back when, Tech used to always draw 30 plus for NLU(I cant call them anything but that) , Northwestern (Rally in the Alley I believe you older bulldawgs called it that), USL, Mcnesse, etc... It seems to me that no one in North LA cares to go see Tech play San Jose St, Tulsa, etc.... Which we should all support them at any game. Also in terms of the other sports it would seem more realistic to play a home and home with USL in baseball instead of Boise State. I think that it is hard to call any of the schools in the WAC rivals except Boise and Fresno.

Why in the WAC:
Beating Alabama, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, and winning the WAC were some of the greatest moments of my life even though I was not at any of those games. I will always remember me screaming as loud as I can in Walmart in Kansas as I was listening to the game through my cell pnone as we beat Michigan State. It is fun to be playing teams like Miami, Tennesee, LSU. When we get the big payouts from playing these schools, could we afford to keep the athletic programs going without these payouts? Is the difference of travel expenses from the southland to the WAC about the same as these payouts?

We have proven we can beat the big boys, but why can't we draw the fans to the games. Why don't more people come to the games in an area in which football is king.

I personally like being in the WAC and playing the big boys in non conference games, but I live in Kansas and don't get to go to the games. Would you rather go see the Dawgs play San Jose or NLU? I think we are heading in the right direction, and with a few changes would could get to a higher level.

Let me know what your thoughts are on this.

CCSLUDGE

by the way I have a Math degree from Tech so I never learned to spell so don't hate.

[qng001]

What kind of question is this?
It's like asking a MWC team if they would rather be in the Big West?

The problem is the admin, if they get off their butts and do something like a little promotioning and marketing we would draw more ppl...and winning helps also.

[Champ967]

WAC !!!!

For a thousand reasons! Pride, prestige, a (admittedly slim) BCS shot, relevance, advancement, excellence .... do we need to go on?

If your only concern about the WAC is travel costs, you are forgetting a very significent revenue source that the WAC has and the Southland doesnt: NCAA bball tournament credits. Noone can say exactly what will happen when those run out ... but for now they make the WAC our best option, by far.

And BTW ... ALL the Southland fball teams are 1AA, because the Southland is a 1AA conference. (And NLU isnt in it anymore.)

[johnnylightnin]

qng is right.

The WAC was supposed to be a stepping stone to bigger and better things. We knew that the travel costs and things of that nature would be too overwhelming if we had to stay there too long. So, an opportunity came along to join CUSA, but the administration failed us. Despite mediocre success over the past two years and the emergence of the greatest single season running back in Tech history, our season ticket sales are down. Secretary Oakes apparently knows nothing about marketing. Ryan Moats was the most marketable feature that we've had in a long time and we still didn't increase our season ticket sales. The student section is growing with no help from the administration. Meanwhile, CUSA is losing their best teams to the Big East, so it's not as strong as it used to be. I think your question would be better posed if you said WAC or Sunbelt. This topic has been discussed many times on this board. I personally can see benefits of both. I do however think that with a little vision from the big white tower, we could move on to some great things from the WAC, but with the three blind mice that are leading us now, we're just running our athletic department into the ground.

[theinsider]

get real...there is no contest...the WAC has helped Tech alot already and will more in the future...quit posting this crap.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

get real...there is no contest...the WAC has helped Tech alot already and will more in the future...quit posting this crap.

AMEN!!!

[oledawg66]

Sludge - Your question is a legitimate one for a concerned Tech alumni. As was mentioned, just substitute Sunbelt for Southland. Neither conference is where any of us want to be. But with our administrations failure to keep us up with our WAC brethren, and with many of the Sunbelt schools for that matter, we are marching backwards every day I, for one, do not want to be the Vanderbilt of the SEC. I like winning and competing. But there is no plan in place to provide Tech athletics with the resources necessary to keep us at the level we're at now, let alone move us to "the next level." Just FYI, I plan my vacations each year around the Tech football schedule. Mich St was an away game with no TV coverage, so I was on the beach in Florida when the game was played. I just happened to go up the the room to get something to eat, turned on the TV, and ESPN showed the last couple of minutes of the Mich St game. I was screaming and hollering and jumping up and down on the bed like a teenager. Winning is fun. But we don't seem to want to commit the resources necessary to give our guys a chance of doing this on a consistent basis. So I think your question is very legitimate and shows concern for our once proud program.

[CCSLUDGE]

From theinsider
get real...there is no contest...the WAC has helped Tech alot already and will more in the future...quit posting this crap.

A am not trying to start any crap on here I just wanted your thoughts on this. Like I said I am for Tech staying in the WAC, but when some of the other athletic programs can't bring all their athletes to conference championships or games because we have to save money, then something is not right.

[aubunique]

Tech was able to dominate all the various conferences of so-called small colleges it was a part of the majority of years for decades but struggles playing against overwhelmingly better-funded schools in 1A football. Yes, it would be easier to step down and try to maintain that tradition, but we've been there and done that.
Fan support and administration wisdom can be developed.
Those are the key factors to success at the 1A football level. Division I isn't divided in any other sports; so the NCAA championship events include many more teams in those sports.
Playing 1A football garners much greater attention and prestige for the university and persistence and ingenuity can maximize those benefits.

Maximize your Champs donation and include a letter with suggestions for gaining fan support with your check.

[Dawgpix]

WAC

tm

[johnnylightnin]

Will your suggestions get any thought Aub? I just have trouble personally funding more of the same. It's true that the WAC is head and shoulders above the belt, but we've also missed opportunities because of complacency at the top. We have to find an effective voice for the average fan...Like I said, with the right leadership, the WAC can lead us to much bigger and better things...I'm still waiting on the leadership.

[champion110]

I don't understand why people have a question about the WAC or the Sunbelt/Southland (close to the same thing). Everyone asks this question and then goes on to complain about our administration. It is the administration that we need to do something about - NOT the conference. You don't give up what you have, because you aren't moving forward. You, instead, figure out how to move forward. Seems to me that there are a couple of people in the way of that right now. Do we let them continue?

[johnnylightnin]

Seems to me that there are a couple of people in the way of that right now. Do we let them continue?

You're exactly right...the problem is, when people get where they are through politics, it's almost impossible to get rid of them...especially in Louisiana. I think Tech is in a great position to move forward, but I don't think there is anything we can do about our administration problem. And, just for the record, the way they are driving the athletic program into the ground in the WAC, I'd bet that they'd be doing the same thing if we were in the Sunbelt, CUSA, or the SWAC. It doesn't matter where you are, if you're leaders are blind, you're probably not gonna get where you wanna go.

[Bill Pup60]

Being in the WAC has given Tech a huge boost in name recognition, as has the scheduling of big boy BCS teams.

If we were in the Sunbelt, or didn't play the big boys, I doubt that anyone here in Pennsylvania would even know there was a Tech. Yet I often hear people around here mention Tech.

I was recently at a local "establishment" quaffing a few Yuenglings (the best beer brewed in the US) and there were some guys at the next table discussing the Boise State-Louisville game. One guy, who was very impressed with ( justifiably) the Broncos made a comment about Boise's "tough" schedule. Another guy said "That's BS!!" He said -- "Their conference has 2 teams who play much tougher schedules. Fresno's schedule is far tougher and Louisiana Tech has an even tougher schedule than Fresno."

I seriously doubt that some local guys in a sports bar in Western PA would know anything about us if we were in the 'Belch!!!! Fresno State, Boise State, Hawaii, and LA Tech are pretty well known nationally!! Name a 'Belch team that is???????????????????????

[killerdawg]

I, for one, do not want to be the Vanderbilt of the SEC.

What makes you think we would be the UNT of the Belch - or the NSU of the Southland?

Once recruits find out Tech is giving up on becoming a viable mid-major, we will end up as the ULM of the Belch.

You need to stop listening to people who are either jealous, fearful, or just plain stupid.