re: What's the story with LA Tech?

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LA Tech thinks they’re the equivalent of an AAC school, when really they’re just a Sun Belt school. Now the Sun Belt is leaving them behind and it’s too late for them to swallow their pride and accept who they really are. It’s the mentality of Tech people that’s screwing them over right now.

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I am a Tech grad, fan, and my money still goes there and this is likely right. I think that they would fit well in SBC have for a while honestly.

Hell, NSU is having to double up with McNeese, SELA, and Houston Baptist because everyone fled the Southland like it was Wuhan Flu

Louisiana Tech got caught in the numbers game.

Endowment
Athletic budget
Media market
Airport facilities
Student athlete funding

None of that fits the AAC profile. Heck, it barely fits the SBC profile.

Louisiana Tech has done just fine on the field and court the last 10 years or so….but money talks and the mouse network won’t let LaTech at the table with the new AAC.

Here is the big problem for UL, ULM, etc. LaTech has been put in this corner before…several times since the 80s. Nothing gets their administration and boosters more involved than a good challenge.

It may be too little too late though. If you put Louisiana’s planning and leadership in Ruston, LaTech easily goes to the AAC.

The Ruston boys thought that good manners, a slap on the back and some sweet tea and fried chicken would do the trick. They were never in the discussion.

Neither was USM….that is why you saw the quick bolt to the SBC. USM has had some bad years recently…but they saw the dam bursting and hopped on the SBC boat.

Tech was caught naked in the shower

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Maybe the bigger issue is the University of Louisiana System that oversees all the colleges outside the LSU and Southern system. Contraction and consolidation has been needed for a long time, and for reasons other than their Athletic Departments.

Maybe sports is what will finally get the ball rolling. We have too many universities in this state.

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I've never heard the UL system people take a position on consolidation. Every time it's brought up... it's the politicians and the HBCU types that go nuts.

You have to think a consolidated LA Tech and Northwestern, with a larger size, might be a more attractive conference target.

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From the USM perspective, I don't think it's a colossal step up for them in terms of building a championship program, but of building regional rivalries and sparking fan interest again. With UAB leaving, LaTech was their only regional opponent. Now they're surrounded by conference mates.

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Sounds like that just welcomes even more negative recruiting against them.

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Tech would do well to realize the same thing. Tech may deserve better but what they are selling, no one is buying.

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I think NOW they realize that but there's nothing they can do if an invite from SBC isn't forthcoming. Personally I think it would great if they played ULM, ULL, and USM every year.

For a school of Tech's stature (I think they are a known brand), I would certainly hope their president and AD weren't caught by surprise at all of this. If you're a Tech booster and fan, I would want to know what did they do or attempt to do to better LA Tech in all of this

You would think, but I doubt it. For example, North Texas has been positioning itself for more than a year to prepare for the inevitable realignment movement. Was only a matter of time before a simple move like Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC would set off a massive chain reaction

But Tommy was canned for stating publicly that the ruston admin knew that summit was banging at least one of his players, and they did nothing to stop it until it all became public.

He was not let go because of that infamous video, or anything else wacky he did. Outting the admin was a bridge too far.

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Tech thinks they’re too good to play ULM, which is nonsense. ULM wants to play Tech but Tech is too good to play ULM, yet no one wants them to join their conference.

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Hey wizard of smart, Tech/ULM was scheduled to be played in Indy Bowl last season but ULM cancelled due to Covid.

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Tech/ULM was scheduled to be played in Indy Bowl last season but ULM cancelled due to Covid.

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Definitely the same as saying, “We’re too good to play ULM, and too good to play in the Indy Bowl, so we’re gonna wait for a bid to a better bowl game.”