(10-09-2012 05:50 PM)LifetimeTopper Wrote: (10-09-2012 05:32 PM)CajunAmos Wrote: Not sure is you're responding to my post, but I was looking at it as a monetary situation. I don't think we should be looking at bowls where we'll lose a million dollars just because the bowl may be thought to have a "bigger name". When we get to the point where we can drop a million and not feel the hit, that would be the time to look at bowls that are long travel times.
As long as UL was able to have a decent turnout in Mobile, Houston, etc, the financial hit would be minimal and could even potentially be a profit. And even if there was a minimal cost, it could be viewed as an investment to show the desirability of UL to other conferences, tv networks, etc. If you could minimize the loss (or turn a small profit), and in turn get a much larger tv deal or even an invite to a conference with more revenues, then it would be a good investment for the program.
The Cajuns need to go to the bowl that best serves UL, not the conference, not potential future pie in the sky tv deals.
IMO there would be several huge differences in going to Mobile or Houston vs New Orleans. Mobile, Bama Gulf Coast, and West Florida
gulf Coast do not have lots of UL alumni, but Houston does, probably more than New Orleans.
Houston is just about two more hours for the fan to drive than New Orleans, and that would really impact bowl day fans. Same for Mobile.
Now when it comes to money? I think there is a huge difference between a little profit and a little loss. Example five dollar profit vs five dollar loss is ten bucks, so in reality there are not any small losses vs small profits, and there is a huge difference between a large profit and a small loss.
Fan appeal? Really no contest, Mobile or Houston in January vs New Orleans near Christmas. Really New Orleans anytime is a better fan day experience.
Now I agree if things are pretty much equal Mobile vs Houston then the team might consider doing what is best for the conference, but even here we see Houston as a much stronger city for UL than Mobile.
We are putting a lot of cart before the horse. UL needs to win every game they are favored in to even get to seven wins. Doing this with a guy who has started one game in three years seems a bit of a challenge at best. We have no real second backup at that position.