I understand your concern, but when you said that LSU "pours millions of dollars into the arms-race that is college athletics", that is simply false. You make some valid points there. My degree and my paycheck are both from LSU so believe me I can identify. Most of us are very familiar with the financial issues facing LSU. Whatever the athletic department is able to give to the university is great as far as I am concerned. However, there is no way in the world it will make a truly measurable and sustainable difference. Our athletic department certainly can't resolve the major issues facing our university. Ahh, but you see it IS great. No money is being diverted from MY pockets to support the athletic program. In fact some money has been diverted from the Athletic program to support some of my colleagues. In fact that's not only great, that's AWESOME!
Let me finish by adding I'm as guilty as they come and would be lying if I told you I went to LSU for the academics. I guess my rant should be directed more at the donors who pour millions into the arms-race, and not the school itself. I just wish we took pride in more than athletics sometimes. Things like "2nd best weight room!" are trivial in the face of real numbers like "50th out of 50 in public education". But it wouldn't be Louisiana without mis-allocation of resources, now would it?
Guilty here as well to some extent. But for those of us like you and I, we fall in love with everything that embodies LSU. And we want the best for the university (academics). We will always strive for improvement. But *I* would be lying if I said the positive review of our weight room didn't make me happy. Sure it can. But I'm not holding my breath.
And you hit on what I was going to say..... your ire should be at donors, not the institution. No way is athletics going to turn money down, nor should they. They are doing their job by being the best they can, and if they can be self sustaining, good for them. More ire should beat the state for not funding academics when they have the luxury of a self-sufficient athletics dept that is not creating a political problem in funding.
But USL, La Tech, UL Monroe, etc need to use some of that state funding to pump money into their athletic departments. :angry:
My daughter just chose LSU over offers from 3 pac-10 schools. There is something to say for the entire college experience, including the athletic programs that kids love to be associated with. Here at Arizona the kids used to camp out overnight for bball tickets and they take pride in the basketball program and the facilities, just as the kids at LSU take pride in the football program...etc. They are forever linked. Also, the stae budgets in AZ, CA, OR, WA, or in just as bad of shape. EVERY state in the nation is seeing cuts in K-12 and higher education. Please jump off the soap box if you think it is just LSU dealing with this mess. Also keep in mind that the tuition at LSU is still WAY more affordable than any state school out West. LSU is a great University, however, times are tough and it is not easy to get a job holding any college degree in your hand. In short it is not an LSU problem, it's a USA problem!
You realize that if we had boxing this time of the year, we'd be talking about who's using it....not how it's ranked. It's painful after baseball waiting for football. I'm off to the explain your handle thread. opcorn: (more than 70 days....sheesh....the oil spill hasn't even gone on that long yet.)
