(09-23-2016 07:04 AM)runamuck Wrote:  

(09-23-2016 01:59 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  If it makes you feel better, UTA will have 15 next year.

only new one I know of is women's golf which makes 13..what else has been added. are you counting wheel chair basketball

men's and women's cross country, indoor and outdoor track are six sports...

The article says Bruno is giving athletics 4 million bucks. This would be a shot in the arm....if it happens.

Hope an announcement is made when it happens. Forgive me for being skeptical. This is Nick Bruno we're talking about.

It has happened. Carry on.

(09-23-2016 08:40 AM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  It has happened. Carry on.

Film at 11, I suppose???

Sent from my SCH-I545 using CSNbbs mobile app

(09-23-2016 08:40 AM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  It has happened. Carry on.

Is this a one time thing, or is it going to be annual???

Our understanding is that it is annual. Part of it was salary increases to the football staff. I believe Viator is making more than Berry and his staff is making more than Berry's staff. Due to Title IX, we should see similar increases throughout the rest of athletics.

That increase is the max allowable under state law. We were never contributing the max allowable under Bruno. So, this is a big commitment by him. If Louisiana schools could use more student fees like the rest of the SBC, all state schools that are not LSU would have bigger budgets. We don't, so we have to generate revenue however we can at ULM while we work to increase private donations. So far, our AD has worked his butt off and has dramatically increased our private donor revenue.

(09-23-2016 08:25 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  The article says Bruno is giving athletics 4 million bucks. This would be a shot in the arm....if it happens.

Hope an announcement is made when it happens. Forgive me for being skeptical. This is Nick Bruno we're talking about.

It has already happened for this years budget. Bruno said when Viator was hired that he wants to get our budget to middle of the pack of the SBC in the next few years. The $4 million sure helps.

(09-22-2016 09:05 AM)nsavandal09 Wrote:  I wonder how much of this is related to the massive losses Louisiana is taking from the price of oil. This spring there was a lot of talk about how they may shut down athletic departments or even consolidate some of the smaller colleges.

All fear tactics used by Louisiana politicians forever. Scare the people into massive tax increases instead of simply cutting across the board. Our constitution makes it hard to cut most programs, but it is doable. Education and medical benefits are the only things that can be cut with a simple majority vote.

(09-22-2016 11:14 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Ok, first of all, let's get off the idea the email may be a fake. It was the result of a FOI request.

And, if you believe the explanation about the 400K and not being able to pass it on to fans, then you look at what that implies: The school's athletic budget can't handle the hit. If that isn't a sign of real financial trouble then there is no such thing as a sign.

If the $400,000 price ticket was too much, then the AD and the president were foolish for letting it happen in the first place.

In the email Wickstrom says there hasn't been six home games in about 15 years. You finally get it done and then decide you can't afford to get it done.

If I'm Matt Viator, I'm pissed right now.

But that brings up something else: It is past time for ULM to either make a serious commitment to athletics or give up the ghost. I do NOT believe the current president really cares whether athletics succeeds or fails, despite his posturing (that is just my opinion, but I'm not the only one who has it.)

Time to fish or cut bait.

People with UL ties should never question the intentions of the ULM president as long as we have the president we have, a man who is not honest with his own fans with regards to athletics, and tier one academic growth.

Jay we need to stay out of ULM business, and worry about why we cannot get the Alden report plan into serious motion.

(09-22-2016 04:27 PM)CajunAmos Wrote:  

(09-22-2016 03:02 PM)HoustonCajun Wrote:  

(09-22-2016 09:05 AM)nsavandal09 Wrote:  I wonder how much of this is related to the massive losses Louisiana is taking from the price of oil. This spring there was a lot of talk about how they may shut down athletic departments or even consolidate some of the smaller colleges.

That needs to happen. Look at LA Tech, ULM and Grambling. Tech has about 12,000 students and Grambling has only 5,000, yet they are only about 5 miles apart. 30 miles away is ULM with 9,000 students. The 3 schools should be consolidated as sparsely populated North Louisiana doesn't need 3 universities within such close proximity. And, there is also Northwestern State in Natchitoches which is only 70 miles from Ruston with 9,000 students. So much wasted duplication. Create 1 major university in North Louisiana and have the other 3 as feeder schools and NOT FBS programs. Grambling and NSU are already FCS.

You might have trouble with Northwestern as I think it's the oldest public school in the state.

Northwestern is the oldest in the ULS. LTUR, then us a couple years later in that order.

(09-22-2016 03:02 PM)HoustonCajun Wrote:  

(09-22-2016 09:05 AM)nsavandal09 Wrote:  I wonder how much of this is related to the massive losses Louisiana is taking from the price of oil. This spring there was a lot of talk about how they may shut down athletic departments or even consolidate some of the smaller colleges.

That needs to happen. Look at LA Tech, ULM and Grambling. Tech has about 12,000 students and Grambling has only 5,000, yet they are only about 5 miles apart. 30 miles away is ULM with 9,000 students. The 3 schools should be consolidated as sparsely populated North Louisiana doesn't need 3 universities within such close proximity. And, there is also Northwestern State in Natchitoches which is only 70 miles from Ruston with 9,000 students. So much wasted duplication. Create 1 major university in North Louisiana and have the other 3 as feeder schools and NOT FBS programs. Grambling and NSU are already FCS.

Forget about consolidating Grambling with anyone, they are a HBU, and the state has signed a decree with the federal government to maintain both Grambling and Southern Baton Rouge for as long as the sun rises in the East.

(09-23-2016 10:25 AM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  Our understanding is that it is annual. Part of it was salary increases to the football staff. I believe Viator is making more than Berry and his staff is making more than Berry's staff. Due to Title IX, we should see similar increases throughout the rest of athletics.

That increase is the max allowable under state law. We were never contributing the max allowable under Bruno. So, this is a big commitment by him. If Louisiana schools could use more student fees like the rest of the SBC, all state schools that are not LSU would have bigger budgets. We don't, so we have to generate revenue however we can at ULM while we work to increase private donations. So far, our AD has worked his butt off and has dramatically increased our private donor revenue.

I wonder if anyone has calculated the costs of eliminating state athletic funding but allow schools to add athletic fees.

(09-23-2016 10:52 AM)Arrowhead Wrote:  

(09-23-2016 08:25 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  The article says Bruno is giving athletics 4 million bucks. This would be a shot in the arm....if it happens.

Hope an announcement is made when it happens. Forgive me for being skeptical. This is Nick Bruno we're talking about.

It has already happened for this years budget. Bruno said when Viator was hired that he wants to get our budget to middle of the pack of the SBC in the next few years. The $4 million sure helps.

It would be nice to see ULM get back to where they were in the mid-'80's, early '90's when they were getting W's with Pat Collins and Dave Roberts in FB, Mike Vining in MBB (the school may still be the SLC's leader in winning percentage), Linda Harper in WBB, Wilson Campbell and Mark Tichenor in mens tennis, Luis Castro-Malaga in womens tennis, Smoke Laval in baseball and Rosemary Holloway-Hill in softball.

Had there been a commissioner's cup back then, you guys definitely would have been in the running. Now it just seems everything is suffering to try and make football work.

Well, Keith Richard has stabilized basketball. We made the CBI finals two years ago and finished 2nd in conference last year. I do think Viator is the guy to turn around football too. Definitley not sold on our baseball coach and this is his last shot to turn it around this year.

(09-23-2016 10:25 AM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  Our understanding is that it is annual. Part of it was salary increases to the football staff. I believe Viator is making more than Berry and his staff is making more than Berry's staff. Due to Title IX, we should see similar increases throughout the rest of athletics.

That increase is the max allowable under state law. We were never contributing the max allowable under Bruno. So, this is a big commitment by him. If Louisiana schools could use more student fees like the rest of the SBC, all state schools that are not LSU would have bigger budgets. We don't, so we have to generate revenue however we can at ULM while we work to increase private donations. So far, our AD has worked his butt off and has dramatically increased our private donor revenue.

All ULS schools can use a student athletic fee. The catch is it must be voted on by the students. Administrators fear that a student fee would limit the GF transfer which to my knowledge wouldn't.

No university has managed to get one passed.

(09-23-2016 12:59 PM)Arrowhead Wrote:  Well, Keith Richard has stabilized basketball. We made the CBI finals two years ago and finished 2nd in conference last year. I do think Viator is the guy to turn around football too. Definitley not sold on our baseball coach and this is his last shot to turn it around this year.

Like your AD but wish he'd quit applying for everything.