Someone challenge me on this plan...

[UNLV]

What kind of success did SHSU have to move up to DI?  UCA?  AMCC?

SHSU moved up as part of a group with fellow schools Southwest Texas and Stephen F Austin in the Gulf Star Conference. That conference was a bunch of Southland rejects who were making the move from Div II to Div I -- they really were. The Southland ended up calling their and their fellow Gulf Star squads up once the Southland lost a few squads in the late 80s...

Should be noted SWT won back to back Div II titles and SHSU was then a strong suit in softball, volleyball, baseball and men's golf.

UCA had a very strong program in football -- Clint Conque was doing all the right things. They timed it just perfectly with the SLC's efforts to expand. I believe it was UCA vs Tarleton St for that spot (as I think the SLC wanted A&M-CC because they had a strong BKB program and was committed to adding football down the road -- atleast, that's what they said). UCA was further along and had an attractive market (Little Rock) and a reach that the SLC wanted to venture to once more...

A&M-CC was an independent and began their program from scratch. Moved quickly, but not as quick as programs like Florida International and Florida Atlantic. Those schools moved very quickly!

So in other words, SHSU moved up before really establishing it self as a DII power.

[Guest abovetherim]

UNLV, be "nice" to our guest. Please. You know he is going to return fire.

[UNLV]

UNLV, be "nice" to our guest. Please. You know he is going to return fire.

Just pointing out the ole do as I say, not as I do.

[Green Menace]

Lamar definitely isn't thinking about joining the WAC.  The idea seems wacky.  Don't know about yall' but I sure do miss the old Southwest Conference.  Things never should have fallen apart like they did.  I'd like to see something similar with strong in-state rivalries.

SMU, UTEP, Houston, North Texas, Rice, Tulsa, Tulane, Louisiana Tech, and either Southern Miss or Arkansas State. This is about as close as you'll get to the old Southwest Conference.  Call it Southwest Conference Lite. ;D

[UNLV]

Lamar definitely isn't thinking about joining the WAC.  The idea seems wacky.  Don't know about yall' but I sure do miss the old Southwest Conference.  Things never should have fallen apart like they did.  I'd like to see something similar with strong in-state rivalries.

SMU, UTEP, Houston, North Texas, Rice, Tulsa, Tulane, Louisiana Tech, and either Southern Miss or Arkansas State. This is about as close as you'll get to the old Southwest Conference.  Call it Southwest Conference Lite. ;D

Let me get my notes out.

Southwest Conference

-------------------------

UAB

UH

NM st

UTSA

UNT

Tulsa

SMU

Rice

La-tech

LU

Tulane

ULL

UH could go Big 12

UAB could tag along with Memphis

[Guest abovetherim]

I don't see Lamar in that list UNLV. What's up?

[UNLV]

I don't see Lamar in that list UNLV. What's up?

3rd from the bottom. LU. 

This is why I think Lamar could make this conference. Lamar will be adding 3 more sports, making Lamar a 16 sport school.

Lamar is already equal or better than most of those schools in other sports. Lamar brings to the table a good size market.

The one negative right now is football. Now if Lamar lands a big name coach and big plans for football, then that negative can

turn positive.

[WOS95]

Lamar is not the type of school that can depend on being invited to the NCAA tournament.  i dont think moving to a "better" conference will help a whole lot. it will help some, by playing better competition.  however, what good what it do if we cant compete with that competition.  i think lamar needs to win their slc conference tournament on a yearly basis, and make some noise in the ncaa tournament on a yearly basis as well.  just getting to the big dance will not get us recognition, but winning some games in that tournament will.  i look at gonzaga, for example i couldn't tell you right now what conference they are in.  but they have established themselves as force in college basketball.  they were an unknown a few years back, but they made the ncaa tournament every year and won some big games in that tournament.   they are no longer cinderella, and i think that exposure has helped them draw some good recruits and stay competitive on a yearly basis.  my point for lamar is win the slc tournament every year, make some noise in the ncaa on a regular basis, and get some national tv exposure by playing and winning some ncaa tournament games.  then if the time is right and we get invited to a better conference than the southland then we should take that next step to playing with the big schools.

[Guest abovetherim]

Easy answer here and it will kill two birds with one stone. Kids like playing in a bigger conference so in some ways it will be easier to recruit some of the athletes who would never look at any SLC school because they don't want to play in front of 300 people at Nicholls State. The other is scheduling and attendance. We will get better opponents in the Montagne Center which will increase our fan base and attendance figures.

[UNLV]

Makes some noise in the tourney you say. The SLC is something like 2-22 in the tourney over the past 20 years.

The talent in the slc is not there for more than 1 win a decade.

[WOS95]

Makes some noise in the tourney you say. The SLC is something like 2-22 in the tourney over the past 20 years.

The talent in the slc is not there for more than 1 win a decade.

i understand that, but as far as lamar is concerned we need to start by winning more games than we have been winning.  im a firm believer that winning fixes a lot of things in any program, regardless of conference. and right now slc or not lamar is not winning enough games to get respect from the rest of the country.  if we join another conference and win 20+ games a year then im all for it, but what happens if we join another conference and become a celler dweller.  as for me id rather be on top of the lowly slc than at the bottom or middle of any other conference.  believe me i agree that eventually we will need to move to another conference if schools like SFA, SHSU, or McNeese move. but for now imo we need to stay in the slc.   

[Guest abovetherim]

SFA is didn't win enough games to get a invite to the NCAA tournament? The thing you aren't think about is they won games on their schedule. They beat OU in Norman and had a RPI in the 40's. The thing is the conference isn't respected for basketball. Obviously, 2-22 seems pretty clear but how may of those loses came as a 16 seed versus a 1 seed. A lot of conferences would have similar records if their only team had to go against one of the 4 best teams in the tournament off the bat.

Staying in the SLC for basketball is not the long term answer. For football, yes we need to stay in the SLC. Unless BT is about to hire the best available coach in DI it is too big a jump from scratch to a FBS conference.

All that stated, within 10 years Lamar really needs to be in a better conference. Nothing against Texas State, UTSA, McNeese State, SHSU and UTA. They all need to do what is best for their schools. The Louisiana schools have some disadvantages regarding $$$$ but Lamar needs to be loyal to their alumni, fan's and supports, then the other SLC member institutions.

I kind of think about this subject like I do the cost of gas. I'm hit at the pump and then again when I purchase anything. Because the vast majority of goods are trucked into the Golden Triangle. The cost is passed down to the consumer. So that gallon of milk is a lot more than it was a few years ago.

Same with being in the SLC, we need to be in the conference for obvious reasons but it is costing us in the mean time.

[UNLV]

Makes some noise in the tourney you say. The SLC is something like 2-22 in the tourney over the past 20 years.

The talent in the slc is not there for more than 1 win a decade.

i understand that, but as far as lamar is concerned we need to start by winning more games than we have been winning.  im a firm believer that winning fixes a lot of things in any program, regardless of conference. and right now slc or not lamar is not winning enough games to get respect from the rest of the country.  if we join another conference and win 20+ games a year then im all for it, but what happens if we join another conference and become a celler dweller.  as for me id rather be on top of the lowly slc than at the bottom or middle of any other conference.  believe me i agree that eventually we will need to move to another conference if schools like SFA, SHSU, or McNeese move. but for now imo we need to stay in the slc.     

Look at this way. Lets rate all recruits 1 to 5. 5 being superstars, 1 being good enough for D1.

The big name conference gets the 4-5's. Midmajors like gets the 3's, some 4's and some 2's.

The low majors like the slc gets the 1's and some 2's and sometimes a 3. How will a team with 1's compete with 5's. As a result, Roc could only do so much before he is working in vein. For Lamar basketball to grow, a higher conference which gets the 3's or 4's is a must. Lamar still has more room to grow however there will be a limit ion that growth in the slc.

[WOS95]

Makes some noise in the tourney you say. The SLC is something like 2-22 in the tourney over the past 20 years.

The talent in the slc is not there for more than 1 win a decade.

i understand that, but as far as lamar is concerned we need to start by winning more games than we have been winning.  im a firm believer that winning fixes a lot of things in any program, regardless of conference. and right now slc or not lamar is not winning enough games to get respect from the rest of the country.  if we join another conference and win 20+ games a year then im all for it, but what happens if we join another conference and become a celler dweller.  as for me id rather be on top of the lowly slc than at the bottom or middle of any other conference.  believe me i agree that eventually we will need to move to another conference if schools like SFA, SHSU, or McNeese move. but for now imo we need to stay in the slc.     

Look at this way. Lets rate all recruits 1 to 5. 5 being superstars, 1 being good enough for D1.

The big name conference gets the 4-5's. Midmajors like gets the 3's, some 4's and some 2's.

The low majors like the slc gets the 1's and some 2's and sometimes a 3. How will a team with 1's compete with 5's. As a result, Roc could only do so much before he is working in vein. For Lamar basketball to grow, a higher conference which gets the 3's or 4's is a must. Lamar still has more room to grow however there will be a limit ion that growth in the slc.

i see your point.   8)

[TradinUp BH]

One word for you, BAYLOR. What has this team done in the past 100 years. They are finally breaking the red headed step child syndrome and making NCAA mens tourney, the women have been good for a couple of years, the track team and baseball team are some what competitive. If LU can get some inside help who knows they could compete with bigger teams.

Rice, U of H, SMU, TCU, Lamar, La Tech, ULL, Baylor, Texas State, SFA, Sam Houston St., UNT