In the past I've been somewhat in favor of it if we could get the financial backing we need from the community. However I don't think this is the right time. If our women's basketball program stays at a high level, and our men's move to a higher level of competence for a good period of time, it might be feasible to look into football.

But we would have to be in a position to hire a good coach and be competitive right off the bat, which is pretty tough to do. So for now, I say build basketball to a level where we can compete with higher mid major conferences, build our identity, and maybe years from now, football might be an option. But not in the foreseeable future.

(07-17-2015 10:46 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  In the past I've been somewhat in favor of it if we could get the financial backing we need from the community. However I don't think this is the right time. If our women's basketball program stays at a high level, and our men's move to a higher level of competence for a good period of time, it might be feasible to look into football.

But we would have to be in a position to hire a good coach and be competitive right off the bat, which is pretty tough to do. So for now, I say build basketball to a level where we can compete with higher mid major conferences, build our identity, and maybe years from now, football might be an option. But not in the foreseeable future.

I'd like to see one here, but I just can't see it being successful enough to make it.

The timing seems pretty good with War Memorial, though. If we could get some local recruits, we could use them to build some community backing. No doubt it would be expensive, but I feel like we've got some good momentum with the women's BB team and volleyball and the excitement over Coach Beard. We could at least get the ball rolling so that when our men's team starts winning, people would immediately take our football team seriously.

The availability of War Memorial Stadium has always been a big plus in my mind. You make some good points. But we need a sugar daddy to step up and put up the money, and I'm not sure one exists that would have that much interest in Trojan football. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Chasse can come up with someone who could and would put up that sort of cash. Like Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State. That's what we really need to have a thriving football program. But until that happens, let's just enjoy what's going on with basketball. Football would be icing on the cake.

(07-20-2015 10:00 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  The availability of War Memorial Stadium has always been a big plus in my mind. You make some good points. But we need a sugar daddy to step up and put up the money, and I'm not sure one exists that would have that much interest in Trojan football. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Chasse can come up with someone who could and would put up that sort of cash. Like Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State. That's what we really need to have a thriving football program. But until that happens, let's just enjoy what's going on with basketball. Football would be icing on the cake.

How many Boone Pickens in Arkansas? And if there were a lot, they'd most likely be a hog lover.

(07-20-2015 10:50 AM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(07-20-2015 10:00 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  The availability of War Memorial Stadium has always been a big plus in my mind. You make some good points. But we need a sugar daddy to step up and put up the money, and I'm not sure one exists that would have that much interest in Trojan football. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Chasse can come up with someone who could and would put up that sort of cash. Like Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State. That's what we really need to have a thriving football program. But until that happens, let's just enjoy what's going on with basketball. Football would be icing on the cake.

How many Boone Pickens in Arkansas? And if there were a lot, they'd most likely be a hog lover.

How about them Clintons and Walmart folks....?????

(07-20-2015 02:18 PM)Mr. Basketball Wrote:  How about them Clintons and Walmart folks....?????

Years ago when Newell was here and the program was rolling, Clinton who was governor at the time, came to a lot of games. The Walton's I suspect keep most of their money in NW Arkansas, and I would suspect that they may be hog fans. Plus the fact that the Clinton's are New Yorkers now, and they may follow New Jersey Tech.

Don't know of any rich Little Rock folks other than the Stephens' family, and they have already done more than their share.

My acquaintances are more likely to be hundredaires than billionaires.

I can see why Little Rock alums might like to have a football team so they could root for their alma mater. But with their games in LR, the Hogs probably have had the loyalties of that market sewed up long since. Been there too long for folks to change gears. I just think it would be a very expensive exercise in futility, and would relegate basketball to an asterisk. I have no way of knowing that, but that is my best guess.

I went to graduate school at the University of New Orleans where they played club football, which acts independently of the university's athletic department. The players and coaches go out and raise their own money, etc. They were still playing club football when I left in 2012, but the students on campus like it. It adds something special to the campus feel. Here's a nice article about it from 2009 in the Times-Pic, and there's a Little Rock Trojans mention.

http://www.nola.com/uno/index.ssf/2009/0...m_gro.html

It's also a nice way to gauge interest--from both the players' and community's perspective.