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The costs is not what kills us -
Its the travel and TIME assoicated with the travel for all sports except football -
That and the apathy of the fan base of not having regional foes and the ability to travel to atleast SOME away (conference) games -
That's why the WAC is not a permanent long-term solution
''Don't be a bad dagh..."
I have no idea about this one way or the other, but can you be more specific? Surely WAC volleyball is better. Softball seems good in the WAC (although I have no clue where it is in CUSA). Memphis is the only good basketball team lately (and in most scenerios that have us in CUSA, they are leaving). Baseball is better I guess, but we aren't really in a position to seek out tougher conference mates there are we? I have no idea on track, and I don't think we offer most of the sports that the former EWAC schools always win at like diving, swimming, and men's tennis.Originally Posted by Ken_Horndawgs
You could be right, but I'm just wondering if you have some more details.
This I can buy - although as a football fan (who actually follows the game somewhat), I'm always disappointed that people can't get more excited about us playing better teams. I guess I understand that someone from North Louisiana would be more likely to know people from SMU or ULL or Southern Miss to talk smack with. And I definitely understand how road trips add to a rivalry (nothing makes you hate a team more than having to deal with their drunken idiot fans).
The best team in Con-USA would be, what, 4th, in the WAC?
But these things change, hopefully we'll get an invitation right as CUSA makes a big upswing in football and b-ball.
Last edited by inudesu; 05-23-2008 at 12:53 PM.
It is a bummer that most scenarios that have us going to CUSA do not include Memphis. I think that would turn out to be great rivilary. Also, I think you would see a 3-4 year reorganization of our athletic department after we join to more closely align with the sports that CUSA supports.
My gut feeling is that Boise eventually leaves, possibly along with one or more of the other frequently mentioned schools (UH, FSU, Nevada). That will pretty much reduce the WAC to Sunbelt status. We need to be gone before then.
Straight from the President of the University.
Time is your friend. Impulse is your enemy. -John Bogle
very well stated
Most evident with our Baseball team this season.
I have been out of the country for a couple of weeks and have not read the board as I usually do, so forgive me if this has been discussed ad nausea, but this is exactly what I have been hearing when I am in the Charleston, WV area about Marshall. This article confirms that the Marshall faithful do not like being in what they call a 'Texas' conference. They miss driving to games, having close geographic rivals, and winning (actually sounds like us).......
When something happens with the Big East (either Memphis, UCF, or ECU jumping) I don't see Marshall staying in CUSA.
DFiH
"It's Good to be a Bulldog"!!!
I agree with Dwayne, the apathy to playing idaho, San Jose, NMSU etc. is what is causing the lack of fan base growth.
Personally, I never understood why we do not have a regular schedule with Tulane. If we could not persuade them to schedule us after the Katrina thing, we never will. Now that DD has the history with SMU, maybe he can work on them, let's try So Miss & Tulane once again, anyone but NLU & USL.
DFiH
"It's Good to be a Bulldog"!!!
I've been following Tech football since 1989 (since joining 1A), and I've never seen the fan base as high as it is right now.
Really! I believe that if Tulane, USM, SMU, Houston, and Memphis were on the schedule every year, we would be consistantly averaging 25K+ Tech fans for home games. Travel expense is not the reason we need to be in CUSA, but quality regional rivals to create interest in the programs.
this is based on past home games with smu and rice? i think not. but you may yet be right because smu will draw more if they make waves with june jones, houston has seemed to be improving, and usm and memphis should be a better draw than smu and rice were in the past.
I was speaking with the parent of a potential player (he is just a sophmore) and one of the things he mentioned as a problem with being in the WAC is that he would have so few chances of seeing his son play at home if he played for Tech. This was just another aspect that I had not really considered. Despite this Tech is still one of their top choices.
Did you mean "on the road?"
T Won,
Not to be argumentative, but to what do you base that statement? Is the season ticket totals greater than ever before? I have not seen or heard a number on that. Are the giving totals greater? I have read that we are not giving enough.
I personally remember the fan base truly charged up prior to the Indy Bowl appearance, the Okla State game in S'port & the Miami game. All three of those games were in S'port and we took advantage of having the locals supporting our cause. The games were also against BCS teams. My point is that they were truly higher than they have been over the last couple of seasons - my opinion.
I just think if we re-join some regional competition (some meaningful teams - Tulane, So. Miss, SMU, etc.) we will see a more 'energized' fan base for Ruston games. More so than playing Idaho, San Jose or even Nevada & Hawaii.
If we went to a Sunbelt school (USL or N Tex) and a CUSA school (So. Miss or SMU) and created a home/home contract with them on alternating years, we can always count on a regional opponent in Ruston that the fans can look to for a 'key/winnable' game each year at home. With DD's decision to play only one 'pay day' game per season, we could possibly have room for two mid-major contracts at home each year.
DFiH
"It's Good to be a Bulldog"!!!
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