(09-14-2017 11:13 AM)eager eagle Wrote:  

(09-14-2017 09:39 AM)DETLTU Wrote:  

(09-14-2017 12:14 AM)BeagleUSM Wrote:  

(09-13-2017 08:50 PM)deb025 Wrote:  Whoever made this Tech / ULM thread was trolling and I'm not mad because it's fun to do that every now and then.

Not trolling. I'm just curious. You guys played every year from 1953-1991 and some in the late 90s and then the series abruptly ended. We as a conference talk about P5 teams ducking us scheduling, but you guys won't play a G5 team that's like 30 minutes down the road. Feel like it'd be a great game for North Louisiana. Just looked it up and the largest crowd ever at Joe Aillet was for a Tech/ULM game. To me, it seems like a natural rivalry.

What's the latest on the Tech/ULL series? That going to get started up again soon?

There are actually some rumblings that we may make a deal with ULM soon. I suspect that will happen before another deal with ULL.

The problem with ULM and ULL is it holds us back and elevates them. The last ULL series worked out really well for us because ULL had done enough to elevate themselves that the games didn't bring us down or lift them up. There is a feeling in Monroe that "if Tech can do it, we can do it". We often refer to them as "Me too U". Tech replaces their field turf, ULM replaces theirs. Tech gets a videoboard, ULM gets a videoboard, Tech builds an endzone complex, ULM builds an endzone complex. We build a new pressbox, .... well ULM hasn't gotten there yet. They have put quite a strain on their resources to "keep up with Tech". For a long time, Tech would face political opposition to any improvements unless the folks at ULM could find a way to do whatever Tech wanted to do at a half step behind.

For years Tech has wanted to make their own destiny without being tied to ULM and ULL. It's the reason we joined the WAC and the reason we are where we are today.
I don't think ULM/L will ever completely accept separation but I think we have done enough to isolate ourselves from any major negative effects of playing them. I suspect a 2 game series with ULM will happen within the next 4-5 years. We still need to make the deal work out for us. The first game should be in Ruston as it will be the best attended.

A word of caution to USM. You will get their best effort. Like it or not, you are a proxy for us this year and if they can beat you it will feel almost as good to them as beating us would.

The first sentence in your second paragraph answers the original question best of all. La Tech, according to one of their recent athletic directors, is an elite team and elite program, and my words now will do nothing they think will enhance the ULL program.

The reason for this is that Tech is located in the wasteland between Monroe and Shreveport. They have no tv stations, only 6-7 legitimate motels, only a rag for a local newspaper, no airport, small town, etc. They are mostly a commuter school and pulling in fans has been a historical problem. If ULM should, in any possible way, become able to field a representative team then the Monroe market would belong to them putting Tech in a bad spot. Shreveport is an LSU, Texas, and Arkansas hotbed and if Monroe became fully ULM then lights out.

In summary, ULL is Techs greatest nightmare.

Idiot, Tech is not a commuter school and Ruston does have an airport. Just two examples of your many lies.