DG thanks for the honest assessment. It is nice to get a post from another school that isn't a flame.
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DG thanks for the honest assessment. It is nice to get a post from another school that isn't a flame.
WWDog
La Tech
Region and hyphen free since 1894!
Flagship of the University of Louisiana System
Clearly, competition-wise, the WAC is a better conference than CUSA. And just as clearly, geographically, CUSA is a better fit.
Tech is doing fine with its current conference-affiliation. That is not, or has not been, the problem. Tech's biggest problem has been TECH. We have been our own worst enemy. I, for one, lay most of that blame at the feet of DR and JO. They have absolutely sucked in terms of leadership for athletics. If these recent happenings are a sign of better things to come and we can stop shooting ourselves in the foot, then Tech will indeed move forward. Then, and only then, will another conference be interested in speaking with Tech about membership.
Until such time as that, Tech has too much in-house cleaning to do. Let's right the ship...beat Boazy!!!...and worry about Tech.
Sorry so late in responding. But yes they had a horrible budget. What they did have was nice facilities, metro population, and plans for the future. We had none of these. At the time of the opening other schools had plans that were being worked on and that they were implementing. We said well we have no plans BUT if you let us in we will do this and this and this....Originally Posted by 1L_dawg
It is looking like if there is an opening in the near future we will have both plans and be in the process of implementing those plans. So with our new coaching salaries and committment to athletics we should have a better shot.
Hi, as a UTEP fan I would like to say that I always thought of Louisiana Tech as a great conference mate of ours back in the WAC. Hopefully one day UTEP and LT will be conference brothers once again.
With that being said, UTEP did have a horrible budget earlier this decade but definitely not during the past couple of years and not even in our last year in the WAC. UTEP's budget during our last year in the WAC was $21 million, Louisiana Tech's was $11 million. Our newest totals are rumored to be close to the $30 million range. We did have a much larger metro population and our facilities are really nice, plus our attendance isn't too shabby in either Fball or Bball.. we have 2 bowls and 3 post season basketball tourny appearances in the past 4 years.
http://www2.indystar.com/NCAA_financial_reports/
I honestly would love to see Louisiana Tech back in the same conference with UTEP, we had some great battles and a good respect there between our schools. LTU has some catching up to do in facilities and such but after seeing you guys move forward in a few of your articles, I think you guys are doing pretty good, and if C-USA ever needs to add another member it might just be LTU moving up to C-USA.
I would also like to add that as a UTEP fan I would like to see NMSU, Louisiana Tech, Troy, or North Texas as a new member of C-USA and if it ever came down to expanding.. since we have a history with NMSU and LT...I'm not sure who I would prefer.. both seem like they are moving forward and adding to their facilities so that would be a tough choice, but if it was between LT and the other Sun Belt schools (Troy, NT, MTSU, Florida schools) it would definitely be LT.
Good luck bulldogs!
Wow! kind words from a UTEP fan; that's a rarity. Thanks.
I don't know what the odds are of a CUSA spot coming available anytime soon. Marshall or Memphis departure would more than likely mean Troy or one of the Florida schools. Our Texas former WAC friends may have our back but putting Tech in Marshall's spot would require the conference to be re-divided and that can mean a lot of work. Not else to mention where would these schools jump to?
Instead I am more hopeful of BCS breakdown. By preparing to be the best we are putting ourselves in the best position several years down the road if Big East, Big 12, or ACC encounters trouble. It may not be that likely but by setting ourselves up like that we are helping ourselves for a possible future jump after CUSA. Only a few years ago SWC broke down and pieces merged with the Big 8. We need a similar breakdown and that breakdown to suddenly put is in the national picture.
If Memphis departs, our biggest competition would be MTSU (the florida schools aren't ready and Troy is in a small market just like us...eWAC could get us the nod over troy). If UTEP departed, UNT would be our biggest problem....again, I would hope eWAC would pull through for us.
Redividing CUSA wouldn't be a big deal...move Tulane to the east with the old CUSA schools...they'd love it.
Time is your friend. Impulse is your enemy. -John Bogle
I read the attached thread and see that many feel that C-USA is not changing anytime soon, but I am not so sure about that. Last week head coach of West Virginia Rich Rodriquez said on his radio show that the Big East would like to add at least one more football school to make scheduling easier with the 12 game season. The one name that continually comes up is East Carolina. WVU has had a long running series with East Carolina and I think there are already some unofficial talks, about this possibility happening sooner than later. If that happens there will be an opening. C-USA will certainly want to keep their championship game which means they must have 12 teams.
Some think Marshall would go to the Big East, but as long as WVU is in the Big East that will NEVER happen.
If ECU accepted a football only, Tech would have quite a few people to win over. Namely, Memphis and USM. I think Marshall and UAB are teams that we could convince to vote for us. But, we need to have very detailed plans not only of our facility improvements, but of what we plan to do to raise our budget. I believe a 3/4 vote is required...that's 9 votes. If USM and Memphis voted against us, we would need every remaining school to vote for us.
Probable Yes votes:
Tulsa
UTEP
Rice
SMU
Tulane
Possible yes votes:
UAB
Houston
Marshall
UCF???
No way in ____ votes:
USM
Memphis
Time is your friend. Impulse is your enemy. -John Bogle
Thanks UTEPDude.Hi, as a UTEP fan I would like to say that I always thought of Louisiana Tech as a great conference mate of ours back in the WAC. Hopefully one day UTEP and LT will be conference brothers once again.
With that being said, UTEP did have a horrible budget earlier this decade but definitely not during the past couple of years and not even in our last year in the WAC. UTEP's budget during our last year in the WAC was $21 million, Louisiana Tech's was $11 million. Our newest totals are rumored to be close to the $30 million range. We did have a much larger metro population and our facilities are really nice, plus our attendance isn't too shabby in either Fball or Bball.. we have 2 bowls and 3 post season basketball tourny appearances in the past 4 years.
http://www2.indystar.com/NCAA_financial_reports/
I honestly would love to see Louisiana Tech back in the same conference with UTEP, we had some great battles and a good respect there between our schools. LTU has some catching up to do in facilities and such but after seeing you guys move forward in a few of your articles, I think you guys are doing pretty good, and if C-USA ever needs to add another member it might just be LTU moving up to C-USA.
I would also like to add that as a UTEP fan I would like to see NMSU, Louisiana Tech, Troy, or North Texas as a new member of C-USA and if it ever came down to expanding.. since we have a history with NMSU and LT...I'm not sure who I would prefer.. both seem like they are moving forward and adding to their facilities so that would be a tough choice, but if it was between LT and the other Sun Belt schools (Troy, NT, MTSU, Florida schools) it would definitely be LT.
Good luck bulldogs!
I was way off. I wonder what year I was looking at. Maybe it was our first year in the WAC. I'm not sure but I thought I saw a year when our budgets were very similar and we were only slightly behind yours. I knew they weren't close right now though.
Also thanks for the kind words.
You may not be as off as you think BigDog...UTEP was selected to go to CUSA before their last year in the WAC. Their last year in the WAC is when they started to really turn things around on the field...I'm guessing that helped their numbers quite a bit.
Time is your friend. Impulse is your enemy. -John Bogle
JL, if I'm not mistaken, UTEP was voted in on a 6-5 vote. So I don't think 9 votes are required!
I will admit that the 3/4 thing was told to me by a CUSA fan. He could certainly have been wrong. The convinced some UNT guy that every CUSA program has to have a $20,000,000 budget...somebody needs to get that memo to USM, UAB, and Marshall.
Time is your friend. Impulse is your enemy. -John Bogle
I think I remember hearing this. If I remember correctly, the Eastern CUSA schools wanted us out more than the western CUSA schools wanted us in.
I know it makes sense geographically but right now I feel like the WAC is a better football conference.
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