TexasTerror

I'll be honest -- this is not the coach I was hearing is heading to Lamar. You guys still have another on way... ;D

Just about that time, Central Arkansas wanted to move up from Division II (bringing another football team with it), and independent Texas A&M-Corpus Christi wanted a home (conveniently, it also had a solid men’s basketball program). That feels like a long time ago...wonder what happened there!

Better me than UNLV... I'm following another lead related to the Cardinal football team on another front as well...may be awhile.

I wonder who it is... Best of luck, Coach...surprised it took Woodard this long to hire a guy with SLC experience.

Those distance education numbers are what 'fluffs' up your numbers. We were talking about it elsewhere -- think on KatFans at one point. SHSU budgets for a 3% increase or thereabouts on a yearly basis, or at least have for some time. Will be interested to see if Lamar can maintain a nice average increase for a few years...

Come on now. You should know that good ole TT is taking care of you... [Hidden Content]

Nope. They are a few years off as they do not have core members who are qualified to even get that conference working towards the qualification for auto-bids. Outside of UT-Pan Am, the other schools in the conference (unless Chicago State comes in) are not even full Division I members! Basketball is very far off. If they get the right affiliate members for baseball and softball, it would not be too long there...

Smart move if you ask me... These schools were already in a scheduling alliance and pretty much playing each other as is. Now, they have a conference and can play for championships. It may never get to the auto-bid point, but these schools have a home for a few years until they move on and if anything, being in a league may help their chances for an at-large in some of the non-revenue sports... Also, athletes can get academic and athletic rewards from the conference, who will also help with compliance, signing days, etc. For non-revenue sports, look for them to approach things differently. Basketball will be the only sport you see a true home-and-home. Look for volleyball to probably have two tournaments (round robin format) -- one in the north, one in the south -- where you play quite a few conference matches on one trip. Could see the same in softball. All of this coming when most programs are in their conference schedules across the country. Championship events in all sports...good stuff here.

SLC has media days in Houston next week for football, July 21 and 22. Any clue if Lamar will be represented? Figure it makes sense for the Cards to get some pub in Southland circles re: their new football team and talk about the future...can't recall if Southeastern La. showed up before they hit the field, know they showed up the years they were not playing SLC slates, but playing football.

Don't forget that we lost Shamir McDaniel as well... Deluis Ramirez was pretty solid for SHSU last year. He was third in points at 9.2 ppg last year. Also had 4.6 rpg. Kats will look for Ashton Mitchell to step up. He averaged 4.1 apg -- fifth in the league. We'll see how our mix of transfers and our big freshman -- Autuan Bootle -- get into the mix of things. I think it may be 2009-10 when the Kats are back in the top three. We won't fall off a great deal, but not a championship caliber team.

The Sun Belt needs to decide what it wants to do... Both Denver and UNO have a few more years to get their SBC sports intact or get the boot. Denver will probably not be able to get to 15 SBC sports, so they'll be out of the conference. Both the SBC and Denver hopes this takes care of itself in some form or fashion, as in Denver going to the WCC or WAC. UNO will stick, as they are just on waiver due Katrina and are progressing (up to 9 this coming year, 12 the following year). Lamar would make sense in the Sun Belt -- but I think the league looks to an institution like a Georgia State and possibly even a Texas State-San Marcos (over picking Lamar) considering the Bobcats are within a drive of UNT.

Well, there's 65 teams that make the NCAAs, 32 that make the NITs and 16 that make the CBI...so, you are not good enough for that! There are what, over 330 (think it's 336) in Division I basketball, so you are better than over half...that can't be that bad!

And from the looks of it...they have one team that they are ranking higher than Lamar, which is SFA (not announced, but that's their SLC pick). Trying to think if this is the first time that the conference has had two teams ranked amongst the top 144 by this group...think it is. [Hidden Content]

Most of these schools had home-and-home agreements as is for hoops through that United Basketball Alliance or whatever it was called. This is a good thing for the schools and will help them with their transition. For all things considered, they are still "independents" in some rights, especially considering an automatic bid is far off -- but atleast they have awards, conference titles and such to play for. Look for schools to join up in softball (Idaho St, Weber St, Northern Colorado) and baseball (Northern Colorado) that are without homes. Figure we'll see this in other sports as well...

Wanted to post this link here as it relates to forthcoming changes to the FCS landscape that will have an impact on the Southland Conference and ultimately, Lamar football, since all these changes are coming down as you guys are entering our subdivision... [Hidden Content]

UNLV...you really want Lamar to be the next ULM and LaTech? Two programs who since ULM moved from the SLC to the SBC and La Tech, from the SBC to the WAC...have seen their premier programs fall flat on their tail? You don't hear about Lady Techsters WBB anymore, do you?

If you go FBS, don't cut your band...Nevada had to do so to save $$$. Bet if they stayed FCS and did not suffer hemorrhaging of the $$$, that they would not have to do this... 2014 is the next wave of massive realignment if you ask me. Will Lamar be ready? Could a San Marcos shake-up in their move to FBS hurt the chances of TSUS sisters SHSU and Lamar? [Hidden Content]

UNLV... Considering a moratorium is in place and there's no way around it -- unless Lamar was already in the Sun Belt, C-USA or what not -- Lamar has to wait and see what comes of the new rules that it will take to FBS. Heck, Lamar may not even be eligible if they have rules such as 20k attendance or 30k stadium....which would be impossible to obtain unless there were large upgrades...

I am hearing that Southeastern Louisiana is discussing a contest with Lamar. SLU's openings are 9/11, 9/18 and 9/25. They have already filled the 9/4 date with Southern Miss. That is a year they have three SLC home games, so they are desperate for at least two home games in their remaining three openings. Other possibilities that are out there for Lamar are: GEORGIA STATE SOUTH ALABAMA Below are the current games on SLC schedules that I know about... 2010 McNEESE STATE 9-11...at Missouri 9-18...SOUTHERN SAM HOUSTON STATE TBA...at Western Illinois TBA...Gardner Webb (2009 or 2010) SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 9-4...at Southern Mississippi

For you Memphis fans... [Hidden Content] Doneal Mack averaged seven a game and led Memphis in three's made this past season. He was ranked 47th nationally coming out of high school. He'll have two years left at UNO starting in 09-10.

So, you guys want a 'body bag' schedule of all big name institutions with pretty much all of those on the road? There's a way to get to 20 wins and have an impressive schedule with some big names. Can't load up on all those big name schools. That's more of the Nicholls State route as they have budget numbers to meet. SLC needs to limit the numbers to two or three games a season that won't be returned (guarantee games). The coaches are working on ways to improve the conference's RPI to put us in a better position to do this...

Lamar is heading to Lafayette... On Thursday, Ragin' Cajun coach Robert Lee said the team has agreed to play Lamar in Lafayette and Houston in Houston next season. [Hidden Content]

One would have to believe they could build a pretty strong athletic program if they did things right... [Hidden Content]

McTailGator, Lamar enters the SLC in 2011, so they would definitely get McNeese. The SLC slate is set for 2011 and 2012. Everyone (as in the athletic departments) have it already. Not sure how it lays out, but the SLC had to put that thing out in order to allow schools to fill their OOC slates appropriately without impacting conference games. Four home, four away. Each week, a different team gets a bye. Gary Laney confirmed that the schools have the schedules...assuming McN and LU will hook up the final week of the season.

Still a limit though. I believe 63 scholarships spread out over 80-something kids.