coachacola

Woodard was hired at $140K and his assistants make around $60K a year.  I'm sure he'd get a nice bump in salary if Lamar joins the WAC so for that reason alone I'm guessing he'd be for the move. Looking at the Equity in Athletics website, here's average men's head coach salaries for the remaining WAC schools: Utah State $189,667 La Tech $131,453 Idaho $87,164 NMSU $160,378 SJSU $201,366 SLC schools Lamar $84,760 (including Woodard's $140K salary) Texas State $89,044 (will jump up with Fran's new salary) UTSA $100,268 (including Coker's $200K salary) The men's golf team already travels around the country for tournaments so it shouldn't be effected by the move.  The Montagne Center really only needs a new scoreboard.  Renovations to Vincent-Beck are already scheduled to happen soon.  The big item is expanding the football stadium.  That can probably wait a few years but that will cost a lot.

[quote name="1KatKiller" post="948017" timestamp="1295019635"] Looks like a good schedule. I believe that Texas St. & UTSA will NOT count as conference games since they are leaving the conference. I KNOW that they will not be eligible for the play-offs. [/quote] If Lamar accepts an invite to the WAC then they'll be in the same boat as Texas State and UTSA.

The WAC is meeting tomorrow in San Antonio.  I'm guessing if Lazeek is right then that invite will be coming quickly.

From the UTSA sports blog on mysanantonio.com: [quote]Proposal 2010-100 was adopted Thursday by the NCAA’s Legislative Council, which will allow the WAC to remain an FBS/Division I league as it is currently composed. Provided, of course, it doesn’t continue to hemmorage members, which likely will remain a concern for the forseeable future. But for now, the league can at least breath a little bit easier after the contunity clause that required conferences to maintain a core membership of six schools for at least five years was abolished. In its place, conferences must have “seven active Division I members” – all of which sponsor men’s basketball, and six that sponsor at least five other sports, including football. So if the WAC can retain its impending lineup of UTSA, Texas State, Louisiana Tech, Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State, San Jose State and Denver (men’s basketball), it will retain its valuable automatic NCAA tournament berths, perhaps the biggest key to its future survival. “It was tailored so it wouldn’t disenfranchise anyone,” said Steve Mallonee, a member of the legislative council and the NCAA’s managing director of academic and membership affairs. “Everybody currently meets the requirements. (The WAC) is taking steps to add members. Let’s hope they’re successful and they can continue on.”[/quote] Is an invite for Lamar coming soon? [Hidden Content]

[quote name="bigred360" post="947563" timestamp="1294945361"] Doesn't sound like Riley visited Lamar. Oh well, I can wait to play the Cowboys in Provost Umphrey next fall. [b]BTW, I'm hearing more rumors about the WAC and Lamar officials.[/b] [Hidden Content] [/quote] Come one, don't be a tease.  What are you hearing?

Coach Roc's coaching abilities have been in question since day one.  You would think after 5 years he'd at least improve a little in that category but appears that this old saying is true:  You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Here's another reason to join the WAC:  I doubt BCG would ever agree to coach in the SLC, but if Lamar joins the WAC then maybe he wouldn't mind that so much.  I think somebody would have to open up their wallets to get him here but who knows.

Roc is doing his best to imitate the 2008 season.  Lamar was also 7-8 and 1-1 in conference play at this point when they reeled off that 11 game win streak.  I just don't see it happening this year.

[quote name="bobbymcgee" post="947302" timestamp="1294897804"] Roc is a hometown guy and the people in power love him. He is not going anywhere. Can't coach is way out of a paper bag but is good at kissing the right butts. We can lose the rest of the games and Roc will come back next year. [/quote] So the powers that be are saying "Screw you fans, we like having a butts kissed by this guy!" so we're keeping him?  That would be so insulting and pathetic if true.

[quote name="AJ25" post="946708" timestamp="1294845839"] [quote author=coachacola link=topic=78316.msg946656#msg946656 date=1294841942] [quote author=UNLV link=topic=78316.msg946389#msg946389 date=1294796290] La Tech forum is screaming angry about Lamar joining the WAC. It sicken them to have Lamar in the same conference with the great La Tech. [/quote] The fans on the Sun Belt forum are always saying how arrogant La Tech fans are so that's not surprising.   La Tech really hasn't been very competitive against all those western schools, probably due to such long travel distances.  With more regional schools joining the WAC (with weaker sports) La Tech should be one of the top schools in the conference.  I seriously doubt they'll be joining CUSA unless a lot of top teams leave that conference as well. [/quote] I have a big problem believing travel has anything to do with preventing success.. If big programs can win after flying across the country to play, so can everyone else. LA Tech is just over powered in the conference. They will be top contenders for a conference title in every sport once the conference is made up of more regional teams. [/quote] I think it's a combination of travel and lack of money.  La Tech has one of the smaller budgets in the WAC.

[quote name="UNLV" post="946389" timestamp="1294796290"] La Tech forum is screaming angry about Lamar joining the WAC. It sicken them to have Lamar in the same conference with the great La Tech. [/quote] The fans on the Sun Belt forum are always saying how arrogant La Tech fans are so that's not surprising.  La Tech really hasn't been very competitive against all those western schools, probably due to such long travel distances.  With more regional schools joining the WAC (with weaker sports) La Tech should be one of the top schools in the conference.  I seriously doubt they'll be joining CUSA unless a lot of top teams leave that conference as well.

A little bit off subject, but did anyone notice that even lowly bowls like the ones the Sun Belt and MAC teams go to were on ESPN with no other bowl games on while the FCS championship game was on ESPN2 with the Cotton Bowl starting just an hour later?

[quote name="LamarFanatic" post="945325" timestamp="1294648714"] what does pomeroy have for the mens game coach. i say ladies by atleast 20 and the men get it done at home as well by 7 [/quote] Pomeroy predicts a 78-77 loss. [Hidden Content]

It's probably a toss up between SFA, McNeese and Lamar.  The SLC seems to always lay a big goose egg in the first round of the FCS playoffs so he'll probably just cares about getting on a team that can win the conference, not win the national championship. Maybe because Todd Dodge is from SETX that will influence his son.  Having great crowds with the possibility of playing in the WAC for year may also help.  And thinking more down the road, if Lamar does join the WAC, that means higher pay for the coaches.  I don't think Whitten will stay around long term, so having Riley on the team and moving to the WAC could open an opportunity for Todd Dodge to coach at Lamar in the future.

So far this year Lamar is duplicating the 2008 season.  They were also 7-7 at this point in 2008 before they started tearing up the conference.  The Southland is weak this year so it's possible they can win a lot of conference games before fading at the end.

[quote name="LAZEEK" post="944792" timestamp="1294526597"] So after a 24 pt road conference win y'all are back to loving the Cardinals and Roc is "The Answer"!!!!! :D :D :D [/quote] Nothing wrong with loving the Cards after a big win, even if it was against a crappy team.

Central Arkansas is one of the worst teams in the country and there's a good chance Lamar will lose this game.  I think that says it all about the state of the basketball program.

[quote name="LAZEEK" post="944604" timestamp="1294505440"] Roc wont allow the assistants to help out........they assistants are smarter than him and he does not want others to see that!!!! [/quote] I think the secret is out.  ;D

[quote name="LAZEEK" post="944302" timestamp="1294454952"] With LU likely moving into a big (bigger) conference we need a real coach.......a name coach.  LU is pushing for football to be big and it is time to do the same with hoops.  I say bring in BCG!!!!! [/quote] If Lamar joins the WAC then the chance of getting BCG increases from 1% to 5%!

Bad idea.

[quote name="geezer" post="944089" timestamp="1294443874"] Denver left the Sunbelt so there is an opening there.  Also, and I am no Sunbelt fan they went 2 & 1 in this years bowl games. [/quote] The Sun Belt commissioner hasn't said a word about adding another school.

Last night ESPNU had a WAC women's basketball game on.  The SLC hardly ever gets any type of conference game shown on the ESPN networks.  Even when ESPN negotiates a new contract with the WAC it'll be a lot more than what the SLC gets from ESPN, which is nothing.

Another thing to consider is the football coaches' salaries.  Texas State just signed Fran for a reportedly $350K/year and the payroll for the assistants will run around $800K/year.  Contrast that to Woodards $140K (?) a year plus around $350K/year for assistants.  Can Lamar afford to double that in the coming years?

[quote name="TexasTerror" post="943758" timestamp="1294407434"] [quote author=AJ25 link=topic=78316.msg943658#msg943658 date=1294370352]You guys talk down on the WAC, but no other conference is going to offer LAMAR a spot.[/quote] That is why TXST and UTSA are going WAC. UTSA, particularly, wanted a better conference. Had no other options... [/quote] Terror, do you know if SHSU has any plans to talk to Benson next week?  Sounds like the WAC will be talking to multiple schools again.

I think if Lamar joins the WAC then they'll be able to attract better coaches, depending of course if Lamar also coughs up more cash.

[quote name="puddin tane" post="943599" timestamp="1294364746"] read and educate yourselves on the WAC..automatic bids, etc... [Hidden Content] [Hidden Content] joining for the sake of joining aint the answer...neither is the wac but let's forget for a moment the WAC is in trouble (google [b]"WAC in danger"...[/b]atendance-sucks "big FBS schools will come to Beaumont...."  who did the remaining WAC schools get to come to their place? SJSU?-- uc davis and so utah Idaho? N Dakota and UNLV New mex? San Diego St. i am not against a FBS move , but the WAC has no potential rivalry with lamar..whos been to utah or idaho?  we need to stay on this side of the US...sooner or later, we hook up with the sunbelt..or whatever its named after it re-organizes..one or both of the florida schools will bolt soon don't drink the WAC kool-aide [/quote] The Sun Belt has no openings.  Why do you think Lamar will get an invite to it anytime soon?  You want to wait until all the good teams leave the Sun Belt then join up?  There's a lot of eastern teams that want to go FBS like Jax State, Georgia State, Georgia Southern and others.  The Sun Belt would probably invite those teams before inviting Lamar.  Why wait 5 or 10 years for an invite that may never come?