(03-04-2023 04:38 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  P5 schools are legally obligated to spend a ton of money on women's basketball. That was the ballgame for Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, etc.

I think Old Dominion could be more a cautionary tale about what happens to a basketball school when football operations take over.

If I had to guess on La Tech? Joining the WAC. They weren’t the same after the move. They made the tournament a few times after joining, but they weren’t the same kind of team.

One major that dropped off was Penn State. There’s a bit of a challenge with how to navigate post-Rene Portland. A program that needed a massive culture change that has yet to rebound from that.

(03-04-2023 10:00 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(03-04-2023 09:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-04-2023 03:10 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Could be coincidental timing but Louisiana Tech joined the WAC around the same time Barmore retired (Barmore's last season was Tech's 1st season in the WAC). That will kill recruiting. I thought UConn in the AAC was terrible.

In Barmore's only year in the WAC, Louisiana Tech lost in the 1st round of the NCAAT for the first time in 10 years.
In 12 years in the WAC, Tech missed the NCAA's 5 times and only made it past the 1st round twice (made the Sweet 16 both times).

Yes they did make it to the more geographically friendly Conference USA but by then the program had fallen too far behind to recover. It also doesn't help that women's basketball is more popular today than in Barmore's day and the P6's can do a better job recruiting top talent while the Louisiana Techs just can't keep up (same thing happened to UNLV on the men's side).

Joining the WAC hurt but not for the reason you've guessed. It was the other way around.

Barmore hated the travel. Might have stuck around longer otherwise. But I don't think trips to Hawaii instead of Jonesboro hurt our recruiting per se.

As has been stated here several times, it was the SEC and Big 12 spending more money on wbb. We might have delayed it a little bit by keeping Mulkey or hiring better to replace Budke or maybe somehow keeping Barmore around a little longer, but it was inevitable.

Hawaii's just one WAC destination. Boise? Fresno? Reno? (At least there's casinos).

Early on it wasn't as bad as Rice, SMU, Tulsa, and UTEP were still in the WAC. But in 2006 they all left for Conference USA and they were replaced with Utah State, New Mexico State, and Idaho, Louisiana Tech was the only Central Time Zone team left.

The travel was difficult in the WAC. Not disputing that.

But I don't think it affected recruiting.

What hurt recruiting was 1. losing Mulkey and 2. BCS tv money that couldn't be spent on labor.

(03-03-2023 10:18 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(03-03-2023 10:15 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Tyler Summit impregnated and married a player.

Umm, they sucked by then. What happened before that?

Oh, 100%. But it’s one of the craziest college sports controversies ever. Supposedly Pat Summit was so far into dementia at the time that she didn’t even know.

I just looked at his IG and the two started a family and coach HS together.

See, I think the WAC move would hurt recruiting. Not that women’s basketball drove the athletic department, but, let’s be honest, wbb was not considered like at all when they made the move. That says someting to kids: we value other sports more than what was working just fine.

(03-04-2023 10:21 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  See, I think the WAC move would hurt recruiting. Not that women’s basketball drove the athletic department, but, let’s be honest, wbb was not considered like at all when they made the move. That says someting to kids: we value other sports more than what was working just fine.

Once again, when we joined the WAC SMU, Rice, and Tulsa were all members. And the WAC had some decent wbb play.

Like most conference decisions it was made because of football but I really don't think it's the cause of recruiting dropping off. We didn't lose those kids we used to get to CUSA or SB schools, they started going to LSU and Baylor and Arkansas and A&M.

In 1995, Shreveport had a much more appealing appearance compared to its current state in 2023. As time passed, the city's buildings aged and were unable to keep up with the effects of inflation and economic downturns. The lack of affordability led to a stagnant housing market, causing homes to age rapidly. As a result, even relatively new homes built over a decade ago now appear as though they are four decades old, and the maintenance of these properties has been difficult for older generations, leading to an exodus of younger generations.

(03-04-2023 11:28 PM)Pastasevensamurai Wrote:  In 1995, Shreveport had a much more appealing appearance compared to its current state in 2023. As time passed, the city's buildings aged and were unable to keep up with the effects of inflation and economic downturns. The lack of affordability led to a stagnant housing market, causing homes to age rapidly. As a result, even relatively new homes built over a decade ago now appear as though they are four decades old, and the maintenance of these properties has been difficult for older generations, leading to an exodus of younger generations.

It’s fascinating. Shreveport was destination-ish back at the turn of the century. That can be seen in how attractive the Independence Bowl was back then.

Ruston is an hour from Shreveport though.

Have you been asleep for the last few decades? When the $P5 started pouring MONEY into women's BB--it was OVER for the most part for other schools. Sad but true.

another example--- WKU Lady Hilltoppers:

NCAA FINAL FOUR-- 1985, 1986, 1992(runner-up)

Sweet Sixteen-- 1993, 1995

1998-present, only TWO NCAA tourney wins.

(03-03-2023 10:14 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  Whatever happened to La. Tech's basketball program? They used to be a power.

nm

(03-05-2023 12:00 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Have you been asleep for the last few decades? When the $P5 started pouring MONEY into women's BB--it was OVER for the most part for other schools. Sad but true.

another example--- WKU Lady Hilltoppers:

NCAA FINAL FOUR-- 1985, 1986, 1992(runner-up)

Sweet Sixteen-- 1993, 1995

1998-present, only TWO NCAA tourney wins.

(03-03-2023 10:14 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  Whatever happened to La. Tech's basketball program? They used to be a power.

You guys act like it's all about money in women's bball. That's true to an extent, but not nearly the extent that it is in football. Tennessee has been a decent team since Pat Summit retired, but nothing at all like the juggernaut they were when she was there. They're averaging 10 losses a season for the past 5 years, they're going in the wrong direction. Why did they let LSU hire Mulkey? You can explain that away b/c LSU has similar resources, but then why didn't they get Auriemma after Summit retired?

(03-05-2023 08:17 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(03-05-2023 12:00 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Have you been asleep for the last few decades? When the $P5 started pouring MONEY into women's BB--it was OVER for the most part for other schools. Sad but true.

another example--- WKU Lady Hilltoppers:

NCAA FINAL FOUR-- 1985, 1986, 1992(runner-up)

Sweet Sixteen-- 1993, 1995

1998-present, only TWO NCAA tourney wins.

(03-03-2023 10:14 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  Whatever happened to La. Tech's basketball program? They used to be a power.

You guys act like it's all about money in women's bball. That's true to an extent, but not nearly the extent that it is in football. Tennessee has been a decent team since Pat Summit retired, but nothing at all like the juggernaut they were when she was there. They're averaging 10 losses a season for the past 5 years, they're going in the wrong direction. Why did they let LSU hire Mulkey? You can explain that away b/c LSU has similar resources, but then why didn't they get Auriemma after Summit retired?

Because Tennessee doesn't have way more money than LSU. If one rich team is better than another, sure, let's talk coaching and culture building and strategy.

But 3 national championships can't buy us coaches, off field staff, or players. At least not the ones we used to get that go to A&M or LSU now.

The same happened to national power Old Dominion University.

The real question we are asking is "What happened to the former Fresno State University coach Stacy Johnson-Klein?" Her Linkedin profile says she is coaching the Oklahoma Storm.

(03-05-2023 08:40 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2023 08:17 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(03-05-2023 12:00 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Have you been asleep for the last few decades? When the $P5 started pouring MONEY into women's BB--it was OVER for the most part for other schools. Sad but true.

another example--- WKU Lady Hilltoppers:

NCAA FINAL FOUR-- 1985, 1986, 1992(runner-up)

Sweet Sixteen-- 1993, 1995

1998-present, only TWO NCAA tourney wins.

(03-03-2023 10:14 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  Whatever happened to La. Tech's basketball program? They used to be a power.

You guys act like it's all about money in women's bball. That's true to an extent, but not nearly the extent that it is in football. Tennessee has been a decent team since Pat Summit retired, but nothing at all like the juggernaut they were when she was there. They're averaging 10 losses a season for the past 5 years, they're going in the wrong direction. Why did they let LSU hire Mulkey? You can explain that away b/c LSU has similar resources, but then why didn't they get Auriemma after Summit retired?

Because Tennessee doesn't have way more money than LSU. If one rich team is better than another, sure, let's talk coaching and culture building and strategy.

But 3 national championships can't buy us coaches, off field staff, or players. At least not the ones we used to get that go to A&M or LSU now.

That doesn't explain Auriemma though. He's either the best or 2nd best coach in the history of women's basketball, and Tennessee could have certainly paid him a lot more than UConn.

Well let's see who the top 25 teams are right now for WBB

South Carolina
Indiana
Utah
LSU
Maryland
Stanford
Iowa
Virgnia Tech
UConn
Notre Dame
Villanova
Texas
Duke
Ohio State
Gonzaga
Oklahoma
Michigan
North Carolina
UCLA
Colorado
Arizona
UNLV
Iowa State
Middle Tennesee
South Florida

19/25 are from the Power Five conferences, 3 are traditionally very strong MBB programs (and share many facilities with WBB), and 3 are mid-major teams.

Why aren't La Tech and ODU powers anymore? Cause we don't have to money to compete with the top anymore. P5 and monied programs have come in and pushed the competition out.

Politics got involved. Kim Mulkey didn’t get the deal she wanted from then Tech President Dan Reneau. He didn’t think she would walk and she got a great offer from Baylor. Some influential alums were tired of being known for women’s basketball primarily and forced the whole situation. And we dropped like a lead balloon.

(03-05-2023 08:53 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(03-05-2023 08:40 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2023 08:17 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(03-05-2023 12:00 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Have you been asleep for the last few decades? When the $P5 started pouring MONEY into women's BB--it was OVER for the most part for other schools. Sad but true.

another example--- WKU Lady Hilltoppers:

NCAA FINAL FOUR-- 1985, 1986, 1992(runner-up)

Sweet Sixteen-- 1993, 1995

1998-present, only TWO NCAA tourney wins.

(03-03-2023 10:14 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  Whatever happened to La. Tech's basketball program? They used to be a power.

You guys act like it's all about money in women's bball. That's true to an extent, but not nearly the extent that it is in football. Tennessee has been a decent team since Pat Summit retired, but nothing at all like the juggernaut they were when she was there. They're averaging 10 losses a season for the past 5 years, they're going in the wrong direction. Why did they let LSU hire Mulkey? You can explain that away b/c LSU has similar resources, but then why didn't they get Auriemma after Summit retired?

Because Tennessee doesn't have way more money than LSU. If one rich team is better than another, sure, let's talk coaching and culture building and strategy.

But 3 national championships can't buy us coaches, off field staff, or players. At least not the ones we used to get that go to A&M or LSU now.

That doesn't explain Auriemma though. He's either the best or 2nd best coach in the history of women's basketball, and Tennessee could have certainly paid him a lot more than UConn.

Geno and pat were the 2 highest paid in their time. Now its geno and Staley around 3 mill a year. UT was already losing money on the lady vols due to her salary.