to complain about the budget and administrative backing of our football program. If our President and AD can pour their support into another sport, they can do it here too.
|
|
|
|
|
to complain about the budget and administrative backing of our football program. If our President and AD can pour their support into another sport, they can do it here too.
This is from Dawg80 on the Techster section of this board. I totally agree with him and hope that he doesn't mind me posting it in this section. It is more related to the need to support our football and mbb program:
Speaking only for myself, I just hate to see our most successful program fading away. I take pride in EVERYTHING that is Louisiana Tech. Whether it was being part of the soccer club team 25 years ago and proudly sporting my TECH jersey in games against Florida State, Georgia Tech, Auburn, etc...or taking time to root home Tech's cross country runners in a meet in Houston once, when I was there on business, I LOVE Tech! We all do.
No matter what the ratings may be, and no matter what the attendance might be, in comparison to MBB, there will be a whole bunch of folks across the nation watching the women's FF. Success is success...winning is winning. As pointed out before, Tennessee won national championships in WBB and FB in the same year, UCONN won in MBB and WBB in the same year, and Meeeeeeeechigan State has the chance to duplicate that. Having a successful WBB program does not mean the other sports have to suffer. (and yes, I know those examples are all BCS/megabuck schools)
I (WE!) understand the financial arguments being made. Some of us are just asking, and apparently DR is too, what is it worth to hold onto a successful program? Once it goes, it ain't coming back! Tech football might have gotten us in the SEC, if the right decisions/support were made....in the 1940's! Because that train was leaving the station about that time. Remember, Tulane was in the SEC until voluntarily leaving in 1965 (HUGE mistake!).
History teaches us that you usually get ONE shot and only one shot at such things. Tech is at a crossroads, right now, as it concerns our most storied program. Decisions made in the next week or so will reverbriate for decades and decades to come!
For instance, how do we know that some gender equity provision won't level the playing field in the revenues generated from the men's and women's Big Dance? The NCAA is nothing but a bunch of spineless, political hacks that would bend over if pressed. So, will we be sitting here 20 years from now kicking ourselves for NOT remaining committed to WBB? I don't know. But, Tulane never saw the money train they would be missing when they made that fateful decision in 1965....
In the end, we need to increase the budgets of all of our programs. Let's raise the budget of WBB, but at the same time, increase it for MBB so that we spend more on it. That's the ticket.
When the president and athletic director of our university publicly say money isn't an issue when it comes to women's basketball, that nonsense needs to be addressed in every forum. Money is what has held us back in football and basketball, the only two sports which hold promise for a substantial rate of return. I realize that the Lady Techsers are a sentimental pillow for some folks, but it most not be the priority of our university.
Kim Mulkey Robertson said it best, "times have changed". The bigger programs have begun to pump resources into their women's basketball teams. Guess what? We can't keep up! Back in the day, when we were consistently on top, major schools didn't care about it. That's why Northeast also had a very successful program. Now, universities that have their financial house in order (football & basketball) are pumping money into women's basketball. Unfortunately, we aren't one of those universities. We must prioritize funding to that which can be most profitable. It ain't women's basketball.
BOXER-to simply back up your statement, "back in the days when we became prominent," our primary competition was Old Dominion, Immaculata, Delta State, & Wayland Baptist. Just think about that. Have you heard much from ANY of those former powerhouses in the last 10 years?
Mick, that is disingenuous(sp?). While somewhat true, your list leaves off UCLA and Tennessee which were both near the top of WBB in the mid to late '70s.Originally Posted by MICKEYS14
And actually, I don't recall Tech playing Immaculata or Weyland Baptist. Might have, I just don't remember it. I do remember when Delta State came to Ruston. There was quite a buzz anticipating the game. But really, Delta was already gone from the top of WBB and the Tech 30 point blowout just reinforced that. But when the Techsters were climbing the ladder, we were really competing against bigger schools already. The one exception was Cheney State.
I suppose the bigger point is this. In the mid-70s, Delta State, Immaculata and WB would have smoked any of the large land grants that dared take the floor with them. They were the best because, well, they were the best.
I seem to remember Tech playing Wayland Baptist. And i don't remember TN becoming a player until the early 80's.
I think that TN was a force back in the late 70's. If my memory is still functioning, I seem to remember beating them in some tournament in MS and thinking, "Wow, we are playing with the big time programs now." It seemed that the victory over TN was the spark that started our string of success. Of course, I could be dreaming all of this just like some old esisode of Dallas...
I know we spanked them in a regional or final four the first time i remember us playing them. You are proabably right because I think Pam kelly and Angela Turner were on that team.I think that TN was a force back in the late 70's. If my memory is still functioning, I seem to remember beating them in some tournament in MS and thinking, "Wow, we are playing with the big time programs now." It seemed that the victory over TN was the spark that started our string of success. Of course, I could be dreaming all of this just like some old esisode of Dallas...
Big Mick is spot on!!!!
Not only those schools but Stephen F. Austin with Rosie Walker was a dominant force... One of the last huge crowds in Memorial Gym and a HUGE win for the Techsters was over Wayland Baptist... TN wasn't in Tech's league until the mid to late 80's... UCLA was ok for a couple years with Ann Myers... ODU was great with Nancy Lieberman... KS was ok with Lynette Woodard and Maryland was decent with Carol Blazjowski... They were the VERY few BCS schools that were any good... You see, there wasn't much for a jr high kid to do in Ruston back in the 70's so you followed the new, latest sensation, Sonja Hogg and her "Lady Techsters", that is, until the football started flying and Spiderman Joe Ivory wasn't dunking on some fool from Ark Tech!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AH HA!!!!
1978-79 (34-4)
C-Elinor Griffin 17.8, 11.1
G-Angela Turner 16.0, 6.5
G-Jane Ellen Cook 11.6, 3.7
F-Kay Ford 7.2, 5.5
G-M.N. Kendrick 3.9, 7.2apg
Top Subs:
Pam Kelly 19.0, 9.8
Angie Donner 2.6, 2.0
Coach: Sonja Hogg
A Nicholls State W 90-51
A UL-Lafayette W 88-44
A Louisiana Col. W 61-52
H Arkansas W 82-28
H Memphis State W 76-57
H UL-Monroe W 86-50
A NW (La.) State W 104-61
N Central Missouri W 81-63
A Miss. Women's Uni. W 83-75
N Valdosta State L 85-82
N Tennessee W 64-56
A McNeese State L 71-70
A Pepperdine W 87-63
A UCLA W 85-81
A Southern Calif. W 76-68
H Louisiana Col. W 98-45
H Stephen F. Austin W 76-68
H McNeese State W 101-46
A Wayland Baptist W 75-64
H Belhaven Col. W 81-50
N So. Methodist W 72-50
A Mississippi Col. W 81-80
A UL-Monroe W 77-65
H Wayland Baptist W 78-56
A Stephen F. Austin L 83-82
H NW (La.) State W 89-66
H Delta State W 89-66
LAIAW STATE
TOURNAMENT
N UL-Lafayette W 74-41
N Southern Univ. W 105-83
N Louisiana State W 96-80
AIAW REGION 4
TOURNAMENT
N Texas A&M W 85-72
N UL-Monroe W 90-68
N Texas W 77-74
N Wayland Baptist W 72-59
AIAW NATIONAL
TOURNAMENT
N Kansas W 100-61
N Northwestern W 88-52
N ITennessee W 102-84
N IOld Dominion L 75-65
Of course we were so inspired by the first win over Tennessee that we went out and lost to McNeese....
From that 1978-79 schedule I see:AH HA!!!!
1978-79 (34-4)
C-Elinor Griffin 17.8, 11.1
G-Angela Turner 16.0, 6.5
G-Jane Ellen Cook 11.6, 3.7
F-Kay Ford 7.2, 5.5
G-M.N. Kendrick 3.9, 7.2apg
Top Subs:
Pam Kelly 19.0, 9.8
Angie Donner 2.6, 2.0
Coach: Sonja Hogg
A Nicholls State W 90-51
A UL-Lafayette W 88-44
A Louisiana Col. W 61-52
H Arkansas W 82-28
H Memphis State W 76-57
H UL-Monroe W 86-50
A NW (La.) State W 104-61
N Central Missouri W 81-63
A Miss. Women's Uni. W 83-75
N Valdosta State L 85-82
N Tennessee W 64-56
A McNeese State L 71-70
A Pepperdine W 87-63
A UCLA W 85-81
A Southern Calif. W 76-68
H Louisiana Col. W 98-45
H Stephen F. Austin W 76-68
H McNeese State W 101-46
A Wayland Baptist W 75-64
H Belhaven Col. W 81-50
N So. Methodist W 72-50
A Mississippi Col. W 81-80
A UL-Monroe W 77-65
H Wayland Baptist W 78-56
A Stephen F. Austin L 83-82
H NW (La.) State W 89-66
H Delta State W 89-66
LAIAW STATE
TOURNAMENT
N UL-Lafayette W 74-41
N Southern Univ. W 105-83
N Louisiana State W 96-80
AIAW REGION 4
TOURNAMENT
N Texas A&M W 85-72
N UL-Monroe W 90-68
N Texas W 77-74
N Wayland Baptist W 72-59
AIAW NATIONAL
TOURNAMENT
N Kansas W 100-61
N Northwestern W 88-52
N ITennessee W 102-84
N IOld Dominion L 75-65
Of course we were so inspired by the first win over Tennessee that we went out and lost to McNeese....
Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Kansas, Texas, UCLA, USC, Northwestern and LSU. Hmmmmmm, that's 9 current BCS schools.
Throw in Memphis State and Pepperdine, both of whom had a strong MBB tradition by that time, and that's 11 schools with decent athletic programs.
that does not mean they were any good. they fielded a team just like we do now in womens soccer
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
