This Article Will Raise Some Dander & Some Eyebrows

[MeanGreen61]

An old subject, but it will always be around because of Tech's location. If they even ask, would the Sun Belt even say yes ?

Guest column:

Time for Tech to come back to the Sun Belt?

By George Hollier

The (Opelousas) Daily World

Call it a tale of two conferences.

A decade ago, Louisiana-Lafayette's Ragin' Cajuns women were a perennial also-ran while Louisiana Tech University's Lady Techsters were a nationally-ranked basketball power.

My, how times have changed. The once-proud Tech program is a shadow of its former self. For the first time in 20 years, the Lady Techsters are not a part of "March Madness," having been left out after falling in the quarterfinals of their conference tournament.

The Lady Techsters now find their program parked squarely behind LSU, Louisiana-Lafayette and Tulane in women's basketball. Wondering how something like this happened? Some lay the blame on a decision to leave the Sun Belt Conference to join the Western Athletic Conference.

Seven years ago, the Sun Belt announced it was adding football as a conference sport. Tech did not want to be a part of that league and opted for an invitation to join the WAC where their athletic teams would compete against universities that are thousands of miles away.

Since joining the Western Athletic Conference, Tech's overall athletic program has suffered. Why? Many folks in this part of the state, especially ULL fans, say they know the answer: separation.

Tech's modus operandi in the past decade has been about "separating" itself from the rest of the state schools by associating with universities in far-flung locales.

While Tech's athletic budget increased as a result of joining the WAC, most of that revenue has probably been eaten up by travel expenses. The cost of flying non-revenue teams to places like Fresno, Honolulu and Boise are prohibitive in an age of rising fuel costs.

Tech isn't much different than most mid-major athletic programs. Football generates revenue while nearly every other sport loses money. Yet, football at Tech isn't the money maker it ought to be.

The Bulldogs have struggled the last few seasons and three months ago fired football coach Jack Bicknell III. Blue tarps cover huge sections of unsold seats at Joe Aillet Stadium.

Meanwhile, the Ragin' Cajuns travel to less exotic but also less-expensive destinations like Dallas, New Orleans, Monroe, Mobile and Little Rock.

In most cases, those trips are a fairly cheap bus ride, and that's just fine with a guy like ULL president Ray Authement, who is known far-and-wide for fiscal conservatism.

Having turned down an invitation to the WAC seven years ago makes Authement look like a genius today. The Sun Belt is a top 10 women's basketball conference and most other conference sports are doing well, too. Even Sun Belt football, which was the butt of many jokes in its first couple of seasons, is getting props.

Football in the Sun Belt is so competitive now that winning the conference is no easy chore and SBC teams are regularly beating teams from what used to be more highly-regarded conferences, including the WAC.

Maybe it is time for the folks in Ruston to throw in the towel and realize that "separation" has occurred, but just not in the way they originally intended.

And maybe it is time for these prodigal sons and daughters to return home.

MONROE NEWS STAR ARTICLE

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...011/1006/SPORTS

Edited March 19, 2007 by MeanGreen61

[UNTLifer]

The only people getting a rise out of this article will be La Tech supporters. Hollier makes excellent points as to why Tech should be in the SBC and gives the SBC props for improving across the board.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---What a pity----perhaps the Belt is like an old-girl friend....... now that they ran off and sowed their oats elsewhere do we really want them back???

Besides we now have 13 basketball members, 9 football members.. do we really want or need them??? They are no longer all that outstanding at anything either. It is too bad that the green pastures of the WAC have turned brown.... the Texas members of the WAC ran of and left them and now they are 1000's of miles away from their conference mates... which is no longer much better (if any) than the Belt is or will be shortly..

Perhaps if the CUSA readjusts than LaTech maybe someone to look at by us and them.

[Mad Hatter]

Good Article. I've got 2 thoughts after reading it:

1) Makes perfect sense for them to move back to the Belt.

2) There's no way that they'll ever do it.

[GMoney]

I've heard (from pretty good insiders) that La Tech will NEVER go back to the SunBelt. Two main reasons (1) They feel like they have an advantage in recruiting over ULaLa and ULaMon by being in a "perceived" better conference. If they come back to the Belt that is instantly gone! (2) Maybe not known to many here, but LaTech has a small pocket of some pretty wealthy and powerful boosters. These boosters have made it known that if LaTech goes back to the Belt, they're gone! LaTech may struggle financially to stay in WAC, but they also can't afford to leave.

LaTech may struggle financially to stay in CUSA, but they also can't afford to leave.

Sorry, I meant WAC which is of course why they're stuggling financially (travel, no interest, west coast time zones etc.).

Edited March 19, 2007 by GMoney

[NT80]

LaTech may struggle financially to stay in CUSA, but they also can't afford to leave.

LaTech is in the WAC but would love to be in CUSA, just like UNT would. That is why LaTech will stay in the WAC for now, thinking when there is readjustment again that it's an advantage for them to move up from the WAC, with support of their old WAC buddies, vs trying to move up from the SBC against UNT, ULL, et al. Will an opening occur before LaTech bankruptcy does?

Edited March 19, 2007 by NT80

[UNTLifer]

I've heard (from pretty good insiders) that La Tech will NEVER go back to the SunBelt. Two main reasons (1) They feel like they have an advantage in recruiting over ULaLa and ULaMon by being in a "perceived" better conference. If they come back to the Belt that is instantly gone! (2) Maybe not known to many here, but LaTech has a small pocket of some pretty wealthy and powerful boosters. These boosters have made it known that if LaTech goes back to the Belt, they're gone! LaTech may struggle financially to stay in CUSA, but they also can't afford to leave.

I have heard the same thing from some La Tech alums.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

I do agree with GMoney's assessment but let me add my opinion to their situation.

On the first main reason....it is true that they do consider themselves to have a recruiting advantage over the two ULs by being in a better conference. Make no mistake, the WAC is a better conference but only as long as it can hold onto Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, and Nevada. If they lose one or more of those they will implode. Then LaTech will be forced to turn to the Sun Belt.

The big money donors do not want LaTech in the same conference with UL-Monroe since they are in competition in a very small market. Grambling could also be included in that mix. I believe that LaTech would join the Belt when New Mexico State, Utah State and Idaho begins getting shares of the NCAA distribution were it not for ULM.

[GrandGreen]

I believe La Tech AD has stated that La Tech would not return to the Belt under any circumstances. If it were my decision they would never have the option of returning to the Belt. One team in North Louisiana is enough.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

I believe La Tech AD has stated that La Tech would not return to the Belt under any circumstances. If it were my decision they would never have the option of returning to the Belt. One team in North Louisiana is enough.

I also believe that was the LaTech AD's statement and I further agree that one team in North Louisiana is enough. But, if the WAC ceases to exist where would they go? I don't think that they would last very long as an independent.

[UNTLifer]

I also believe that was the LaTech AD's statement and I further agree that one team in North Louisiana is enough. But, if the WAC ceases to exist where would they go? I don't think that they would last very long as an independent.

Southland?

[MeanGreen61]

I don't think that they would last very long as an independent.

But.........they are the Notre Dame of Ruston !

[UNTflyer]

LaTech is in the WAC but would love to be in CUSA, just like UNT would.

I used to be one who dreamed of UNT going to C-USA... now I wonder if the MWC would be better.

[NT91]

I used to be one who dreamed of UNT going to C-USA... now I wonder if the MWC would be better.

Me too!

[NM Green]

I would love to go to the MWC. The MWC offers outstanding basketball programs and possesses strong football tradition. TCU still needs a travel partner, don't they?

Basketball powers like UNLV, New Mexico (again soon), Utah (again soon), SDSU, Air Force, BYU coming to Denton would be awesome! Our program is stronger than TCU's and the Frogs don't appear to be getting better any time soon.

In football we could line up against established programs and have a metroplex rival to boot. Obviously the natural choice is for the MWC to go after Boise or Nevada, but as long as TCU is hanging out East without a travel partner and Houston shows no interest in going west, I have to believe that another year of national exposure might get us some glances.

I would still like to join CUSA if the opportunity came our way, but we are already in a Southern league that is rapidly closing the gap. Also, deep down I have always been a bit concerned about joining a league with a bunch of privates. The programs that do get me excited in that league are Houston, UTEP, Marshall, Memphis and Southern Miss.

I must say that as time goes by I do get fired up when we line up against MTSU, Troy, La La and Arkie State. We are starting to forge some Sun Belt history with these programs. In basketball I have always looked forward to thsoe battles with Western Kentucky and even South Alabama.

Bring on the MWC and keep on building the Belt! Options are good!

GMG

[NM Green]

La Tech like SMU's blind pride will take their program into oblivion. Their once proud programs are shells of their former selves and the big boosters will go their graves knowing they never had to interact with their leper brothers.

More power to them.

GO MEAN GREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CorinthEagle]

My wife is an alum of Tech so we get their alumni newsletters. The current edition has the "Tech 2020" plan for upgrading their athletics, etc... It's going to be interesting to see if they can pull it off. Of course to all of us it makes sense for them to join the Sunbelt, but I think if it was reversed and we were in the WAC with a team that had just played in a BCS bowl we might feel the same as they do now.

[Baby Arm!]

I keep trying to figure out why the LA Techies have such a to-good-for-you attitude. I've looked at their campus, facilities, location, history, etc and I can't see anything that would justify such a superiourity complex. At least at SMU they can point to a nice campus, their academics, and even though it was years and years ago they actually had some glory days as a national player...so one could at least understand where they get their disillusionment from. But with La Tech....I just don't get it.

La Tech fans seem to be content funding their program on the coat tails of it's conference mates. First they had the tournament money from the teams that left the conference, now they get an infusion of cash from Boise States BCS appearence. (The WAC won the lottery with Boise last year-- they cant count on putting a team in the BCS every year) I wonder what they plan on doing when that money runs out?

Edited March 22, 2007 by Baby Arm!

[FirefightnRick]

BabyArm, I just noticed your description under your avatar.

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor Eagle?!

Rick

[VideoEagle]

I wonder what they plan on doing when that money runs out?

It’s really simple: they pray it doesn’t. Boise bought them one more year or they would be facing loses next year. Now, they have one more year.