A small but significant glimmer of hope... ODU is ranked #25 this week. Proof that a small school with name recognition in a pitiful conference can compete and that we aren't doomed to the Cheyney State-where-are-they-now category!
|
|
|
|
|
A small but significant glimmer of hope... ODU is ranked #25 this week. Proof that a small school with name recognition in a pitiful conference can compete and that we aren't doomed to the Cheyney State-where-are-they-now category!
Sagarin rankings have ODU at # 13; Techsters at # 127.Originally Posted by DawgGoneMad
Wake me up when either (1) Techsters are ranked in the Top 25; or, (2) we get a new H.C. for WBB.
The key is to install an excellent coach.
________
Mercedes-benz ponton specifications
Last edited by LT; 05-05-2011 at 01:06 AM.
Also, ODU continues to play top level teams, and win a few. I was so hoping that we, and not ODU would be the last small school considered among the top teams. I have said it before, and will say it again, that our administration has really helped to F**K this program over by one, letting Kim go, and imo, more importantly, aligning us with the WAC conference. Oakes walked by where I was sitting the other night, and I so wanted to go off on him, and tell him how to run this program !!!!!!
ODU has remained tough, but went through stretches of not doing well at all. We were the last remaining power house from the old days. ODU has come back, though.
This whole thread bothers me, though. I don't think Tech fans realize that even bcs conference schools (which is only a term for football, but represents what most people call the "big schools") struggle to stay at the top. Money is great, but it does NOT purchase wins. Look at University of Texas. They were powerful in the 80's, invested in their program, have LOTS of money, but are not a top team anymore. Same for Texas Tech, Auburn, UCLA, Southern Cal, etc... There is only ONE team that has consistently been at the top (or close to it) since the early 80's. That is Tennessee. UConn came along in the 90's and has done it, as well.
Most programs have some good years, rebuild, and then have some more good years. We are spoiled. I love the fact that we have a history that spoiled us, but it does hurt our fan's education on what is out there. The fact is that we have remained very tough, even in what WE call the "down years". We win our conference (yes, even last year we shared the title), we get to the tournament (all but one year in our whole entire history - second highest number of times in the country), and we have never had a losing season. 90% of the "big time schools" would LOVE to have what we have. If money determined the winner, I can give you a list of who the top 10 programs would be - and it is NOT the ones that you see in the top 10 list now.
It takes time to rebuild something. Ask Dooley and Rupp. We have some awesome top recruits on our team right now. We are building something special again, but you have to hold on. I don't like waiting and want to win now, but I certainly can see the young talent on this team and know the direction they are heading.
Ask yourself if you want to be there when we rebuild this and get back to where we belong. If you do, cheer them on now. This group is going to take us back to being a top 20 team - hopefully, more than that.
As for ODU, go see what was being said about them only 5 years ago. Good thing their fans stuck with them. If you go to an ODU game, you will realize what impresses a recruit - that would be the type of atmosphere you saw last Saturday in the USM game. We have that! Recruits certainly do not want to hear the gloom and doom that some of you seem to dwell on. Have some faith!
and here are the NCAA records. Take a look and see if the top money programs are there even in the last 10 years. We certainly, don't have what we had ten years ago, but I can bet you that a coach from OU or Florida would love to show this to a potential recruit. We are not as far removed as some of you think. The goal right now is get back to the top 25 and build from there. If you give up and just keep repeating to yourself that it is over, THAT is what makes it over. People need to hear our pride again, not our sob stories. If a young girl wants to play on the next level, be a part of one of the greatest WBB programs in history, have a winning record, and have great fans that follow you, Louisiana Tech is STILL the place to make sure of that.
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/1...a-records.html
Hello La Tech fans! I'm a longtime ODU fan checking in. Despite the heated rivalry La Tech and ODU had back in the day, I always cheer for La Tech. We small school have to stick together. ODU and La Tech basically started this sport and they don't get nearly the respect they should. I swear UConn fans think the sport was invented by Rebecca Lobo in 1995!?!
A couple things...
ODU's conference (Colonial Athletic Association) is not "pitiful" at all. The CAA ranked #8 last year in conference RPI and has been a top 10 conference for several years. Last year 4 CAA teams ranked in the RPI top 50. #21 ODU, #26 James Madison, and #29 Delaware all made the NCAA tourney, while #49 Hofstra made the WNIT (HU advanced to the WNIT Elite 8).
ODU does play several BCS schools every year. Sometimes it works (this year ODU has beaten #20 Purdue, #19 Michigan St, and Penn St)...sometimes it doesn't work (last year ODU went 4-7 in non-conference, although they did beat Rutgers). I'm surprised La Tech doesn't play more BCS schools. Win or lose, it really gives a big boost to your RPI and helps with recruiting. Plus, you can't beat'em uless you play'em.
5 years ago ODU was 28-6, ranked #7 in the nation, and advanced to the 2002 Elite 8. ODU beat Georgia, Purdue (at Purdue, stopping the nation's longest home winning streak), and Kansas St (by 30 pts!), before falling to UConn (UConn's undefeated championship season with Sue Bird and Swin Cash). 4 seniors starters from that ODU team were drafted by the WNBA.As for ODU, go see what was being said about them only 5 years ago. Good thing their fans stuck with them.
Obviously, ODU was a power in the 1970's and 1980's (just like La Tech). But since the 1990's, ODU has only had 1 bad year (in 1990-91 ODU went 5-21). Since then ODU has won more than 20 games every year, won 16 straight conference titles (an NCAA record), and made 16 straight NCAA's. ODU has been to the Sweet 16 7 times, the Elite 8 twice, and the 1997 Final Four during that time span.ODU has remained tough, but went through stretches of not doing well at all. We were the last remaining power house from the old days. ODU has come back, though.
I think the key is coaching. Wendy Larry has been ODU's head coach since 1987. Wendy was an ODU assistant for 6 years and graduated from ODU in 1977. She's been very loyal to the school and has turned down several BCS jobs over the years that surely would pay more money. But when she retires (which I hope is 10-15 years down the line), ODU will have a hard time replacing her. It's hard to find people like Wendy or Leon...great coaches who are loyal to their school and not just looking to move up to a "better" job.
Good luck! I'll be cheering for the Techsters!
Thanks for posting odu!
I cheer ODU on, as well. We do play plenty of bcs (a football only term) teams. We were last in the championship game in 1998. Since then, we have had some success (S16's, etc.), but have fell over the last few years. Last year was the first time we have ever missed the NCAA's (we still shared the WAC championship, though). That makes our NCAA record second only to Tennessee. Some of us believe that we are rebuilding, but it is hard to keep positive after a terrible loss last night. We didn't play near to our potential and got crushed by a nobody.
We will rebound, though. We have Mississippi State next up and, then, lsu. Both are at home, but we seem to be struggling more at home lately than on the road.
Good luck on your season.
Well it all starts with getting a coach that has a clue. And Long ain't it.
I have faith, although it's been doused a little bit. While I do think that we can be a good team consistently again, I think our time as a national power are over. ODU is not a national power, imo, but they consistently still play some of the "name" teams, which affect their RPI/SOS, etc. Just look at Tennessee. They are dropping us, cuz of "scheduling conflicts", which is partly true, but I think the biggest reason is the fact that we are no longer a desirable team to play, but they will continue the series with ODU, even though the last time ODU beat them was I believe, in 1997. It loathes me to hear PHS, whom I normally respect, but that respect has been diminished a tad this year with the UCONN issue, and now our series with them, state that we wouldn't want to series to continue because of the 2-1, which, again, may be partly true, but the main reason is that we are not the team we used to be, and just have the guts to say it. One of the areas of concern to me is scheduling. Are we trying to schedule teams from "major" conferences ? We did play Alabama, and are playing LSU from the SEC, but where are the teams from the ACC ? BIG 10 ? BIG 12 ? If we could even schedule some of the mid level teams from these conferences, and of course win some, then I think that would help with RPI, scheduling, recruiting, etc. I know a lot of it has to do with geography, which is another reason for us to get the h**l out of the Whacked WAC !!!!!!!
Actually, our OOC schedule was a good one this year. MState, lsu, Alabama, Tennessee, 2 CUSA teams, WKU, and the other teams that we SHOULD have beat. Having many of those on our home court could have set us up nicely. If we had played to our potential, we would be in the top 25 by now. Even giving up the WKU game and Tennessee games, we would have only 2 losses and could have climbed from there. 4 losses and MState and lsu coming up make it much more difficult now. These two games are going to be extremely tough.
No matter what, though, EVERYTHING comes down to conference play. We have to win the conference tourny to get in the NCAA's.
I can't believe you call NLULM a NOBODY!!! WOW!!
What on earth would you call them. A boil on the butt of society maybe, but otherwise nobody seems to be appropriate.
Well, if NLULM is a NOBODY, then what does that make the Techsters????!!!!!! After all, ULM did WIN........................
Sagarin Overall Rankings through games of 12/11/2007:
NLULM => #147
Techsters => #150
A pair of NOBODYS ??
JOAKESONUS !!!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
