Long Beach State Sports : Re: it

Oh I rant...
There is a local issue with us and broader issue with NCAA.

First, You need motivated donors who are proud of the university and where it is headed. The combination of the most coddled/least prepared students in history, the take over of educational institutions by socialist activist, and the leadership that continues unchecked spending along this ideology have changed what the liberal education is, or even how our state operates.

Few older alums relate to the present day generation or education that is being given. They didn't expect the state to provide anything but opportunity, which LB had done for all applicants for decades.

Athletics, where competition and merit of results are standard, can't relate to the rest of campus. Jane stopped supporting, and we were basically rudderless through her AD debacles and caving to pressure from a vocal few who needed a target. I mean it when I say not one of my classmates or teammates agreed with getting rid of the 49er name. Nor did any older alumni that I spoke with. Only activist who want to tear down "whiteness" (see president of CSUSacramento quotes) and legacy institutions that they say represent it wanted Pete/49er name gone. (It doesnt matter that these institutions have given more minorities and underprivileged opportunity than any other time in recorded history, in a state that )

It would take a bold stand similar to how SDSU's president squashed the attack on the Aztec name for me to get excited about athletics future. I do think that athletics is a huge part of the history of our university, and athletes pursuit of education while simultaneously maximizing their performance athletically represents the peak of our abilities as humans. Even if you could get me excited about the university and athletics direction, the other influence might topple it anyways.

Paying athletes might eliminate athletics or most our sports before any effort to transform it can happen.

In 2032, the NCAA basketball contract is up. If athletics makes it that far, we probably end up some form of lower tier anyway that doesn't get access to the P4. I think I'm slowly coming around to being fine with that, as the university leadership is basically forcing that anyways.

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The only thing that will save us is to save us from NIL and NCAA will have to do it. A new division between the semi pro leagues and division 2 where can pay players much less. Chances are we will lose the UC schools in the future. Cal Poly just built the Madden center that CBS television also donated to.

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There is room for a mid-major to do well, and even excel, in the new NIL environment, especially one that does not have football (it allows for those $$ to focus on BB). It takes vision, some creativity and entrepreneurship, risk and faith.

Unfortunately, Long Beach State has none of those right now. The problem is that Athletics got put into receivership when Conolley decided she couldn't deal with it anymore, and Athletics is being allowed to die a slow painful death.

The new President doesn't seem to have any experience dealing with Athletics, but let's hope he understands the value it brings and will at least insist that if we do it, we do it a greater level of competence and pride.

Previous Message

Nowadays to be a Division 1 athletic program it takes money and lots of it! My opinion of the future of LBSU athletics is a sad one but looks like it will happen. Unless we get some great coaches our basketball programs will probably never recover. To continually restock a whole program at the mid-major level, and have coaches in place that can't really coach is a toxic situation. Baseball presently is bordering on a lower level. While both volleyball programs and softball are doing fairly well they are not money makers. (except LB Men's Volleyball) I would think in the not too distant future we will probably be Division 2 in everything but Men's Volleyball! It doesn't take much money to compete, there are only 37 teams playing it, and when it doesn't leak the Pyramid is one of the finest facilities and floors to play on. That's just one mans opinion. What do other people out there think?