Why not Weber?

[Midmajor??]

I look at the Gonzaga's, Dayton's and Wichita State's and have to ask, Why not Weber?

They're not in Power Conferences. They play a lot of Freshman and Sophomores. What is it that our program is missing? Weber fans are happy winning the BSC and getting a chance to play in the tourney....... For the Dayton's and some other mid majors thats minimum expectations.

Is it coaching? Fan base, geography?

Why has Weber not taken the next step?

 

[sapokama]

I look at the Gonzaga's, Dayton's and Wichita State's and have to ask, Why not Weber?

They're not in Power Conferences. They play a lot of Freshman and Sophomores. What is it that our program is missing? Weber fans are happy winning the BSC and getting a chance to play in the tourney....... For the Dayton's and some other mid majors thats minimum expectations.

Is it coaching? Fan base, geography?

Why has Weber not taken the next step?

Try doubling or tripling it's athletic budget. Wichita State had an athletic budget of over $23 million in 2013. Dayton and Gonzaga's athletic budgets are not reported because they are private institutions although I would guess they would be around or greater than that number. And none of these 3 schools are burdened with a football program.

Weber State's athletic budget in 2013? Just over $12 million, which is in the bottom half of the Big Sky.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/schools/finances/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[n.ogdencat]

I look at the Gonzaga's, Dayton's and Wichita State's and have to ask, Why not Weber?

They're not in Power Conferences. They play a lot of Freshman and Sophomores. What is it that our program is missing? Weber fans are happy winning the BSC and getting a chance to play in the tourney....... For the Dayton's and some other mid majors thats minimum expectations.

Is it coaching? Fan base, geography?

Why has Weber not taken the next step?

Try doubling or tripling it's athletic budget. Wichita State had an athletic budget of over $23 million in 2013. Dayton and Gonzaga's athletic budgets are not reported because they are private institutions although I would guess they would be around or greater than that number. And none of these 3 schools are burdened with a football program.

Weber State's athletic budget in 2013? Just over $12 million, which is in the bottom half of the Big Sky.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/schools/finances/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Not just budget, but none of those schools have football teams. Basketball is king!

 

[SWWeatherCat]

I look at the Gonzaga's, Dayton's and Wichita State's and have to ask, Why not Weber?

They're not in Power Conferences. They play a lot of Freshman and Sophomores. What is it that our program is missing? Weber fans are happy winning the BSC and getting a chance to play in the tourney....... For the Dayton's and some other mid majors thats minimum expectations.

Is it coaching? Fan base, geography?

Why has Weber not taken the next step?

Try doubling or tripling it's athletic budget. Wichita State had an athletic budget of over $23 million in 2013. Dayton and Gonzaga's athletic budgets are not reported because they are private institutions although I would guess they would be around or greater than that number. And none of these 3 schools are burdened with a football program.

Weber State's athletic budget in 2013? Just over $12 million, which is in the bottom half of the Big Sky.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/schools/finances/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Not just budget, but none of those schools have football teams. Basketball is king!

What is it you're applauding? That it's a money game and Weber can't compete with even half of their own conference? Or something else?

 

[n.ogdencat]

I look at the Gonzaga's, Dayton's and Wichita State's and have to ask, Why not Weber?

They're not in Power Conferences. They play a lot of Freshman and Sophomores. What is it that our program is missing? Weber fans are happy winning the BSC and getting a chance to play in the tourney....... For the Dayton's and some other mid majors thats minimum expectations.

Is it coaching? Fan base, geography?

Why has Weber not taken the next step?

Try doubling or tripling it's athletic budget. Wichita State had an athletic budget of over $23 million in 2013. Dayton and Gonzaga's athletic budgets are not reported because they are private institutions although I would guess they would be around or greater than that number. And none of these 3 schools are burdened with a football program.

Weber State's athletic budget in 2013? Just over $12 million, which is in the bottom half of the Big Sky.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/schools/finances/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Not just budget, but none of those schools have football teams. Basketball is king!

What is it you're applauding? That it's a money game and Weber can't compete with even half of their own conference? Or something else?

I'm applauding the comment by PA. He brought up a great point and I was applauding that.

Hate to break it to you. Weber is not a money maker. We could do better, but the administration refuses to make changes. Marketing is atrocious and our AD is fine with that. So...

 

[SWeberCat02]

According to Bovee, the program's goal has been the Sweet 16 by 2016. I'd like to know what they've been doing to achieve that goal.

 

[Itiger]

According to Bovee, the program's goal has been the Sweet 16 by 2016. I'd like to know what they've been doing to achieve that goal.

Looks like the program is in reverse since that goal was made! I think the athletic budget cry is a joke. The focus has to be on basketball budget! I haven't heard anyone say that financially we don't have this and that's why the program is not progressing! We have a great arena, our coach is the top paid coach in the BSC and we don't seem to have a problem recruiting! Is the issue that we still fly coach?

Happy to hear at least Bovee has a goal, still a chance to achieve it next year!

 

[oldrunner]

I agree, youngguns. The budget is not the most significant problem. It might make it a little easier to advance the program with more resources at our disposal, but it wouldn't be an automatic top 25. There are a lot of teams with bigger budgets than ours, who don't do as well as we do.

My feelings are that we just have to keep chipping at it, and working toward that goal. You build success on top of success. I still believe that we will get there. Maybe sooner than a lot of you think.

 

[sapokama]

According to Bovee, the program's goal has been the Sweet 16 by 2016. I'd like to know what they've been doing to achieve that goal.

Looks like the program is in reverse since that goal was made! I think the athletic budget cry is a joke. The focus has to be on basketball budget! I haven't heard anyone say that financially we don't have this and that's why the program is not progressing! We have a great arena, our coach is the top paid coach in the BSC and we don't seem to have a problem recruiting! Is the issue that we still fly coach?

Happy to hear at least Bovee has a goal, still a chance to achieve it next year!

With all due respect youngguns, I believe you are showing your age and inexperience. The more money you have, the more financial resources you have for recruiting, advertising, building and training facility upgrades, coaching salaries, etc. We all want to have the run that FGCU had a few years ago, but they have not made the NCAA tourney since. Its true that money is not everything (you still have to know how to properly manage it and get the most out of it) but it is extremely important. It's extraordinarily rare for Mom and Pop store to become Walmart overnight.

Eastern Washington is a school with a similar budget who has managed a solid athletic year in several fall and winter sports. It's the kind of year that Weber should be striving for every year. Regardless, in the grand scheme of things, Eastern's year has been a solid year by the Big Sky conference and FCS standards; but not by major, or even high mid-major conference standards. I hate to say it, but the Big Sky is no longer a conference that is just a step below the former WAC or MWC or WCC in basketball. The Big Sky conference is now several steps below these conferences. It is a low major conference, and you can't expect to be Dayton/Gonzaga/Wichita State with continual NCAA tournament success while in a low major basketball conference with a low major budget.

In my opinion (and take it for what it is worth because I am a professional at something other then college athletics) I see three things that have really hurt Weber State basketball:

1) I know this will not be popular on this board, but keeping the football team in the 90's really hurt basketball. The football team has never be truly good, and football is very expensive for a school. I saw something posted on this board that in 2007, football used nearly 25% of the budget. If they dropped the football program, I don't know if that saved money would have been put into the athletic budget or not (and my guess is it wouldn't have), but it might have shown more of a commitment to basketball similar to what Gonzaga has.

2) I read an article when the conference realignments were going crazy a few years back in which Doug Fullerton stated that when BYU and Utah were leaving the WAC, the WAC approached the Big Sky to merge as conferences. Fullerton stated that the Big Sky university presidents were against the merger and he felt that it was a huge mistake by the university presidents. (I wish I could find the article, but it has been 3 or 4 yrs and I can't locate it). That might have aligned Weber with a conference that was interested in something more that just football.

3) Since Weber's last NCAA tournament win, there has been a HUGE influx of teams who have entered D1 basketball. As a result, worthwhile D1 recruits for mid and low major schools are fewer a further between. There are not many Damian Lillard's or Steve Nash's out there in the low major schools.

I want Weber State basketball to succeed as much as anybody, and I also want to see wins over bigger schools like BYU or Utah; however, because of our conference alignment and it rapid decline, those wins now are the exception rather than the rule.

I sometimes feel that on this board we are kind of like an uneducated patient going into a doctor's office telling the doctor what is wrong with them and how to treat them. We, as fans, just don't have all the insight or knowledge as to what is really going on (and you can include this post in that also). Sorry for the long rant.

 

[n.ogdencat]

According to Bovee, the program's goal has been the Sweet 16 by 2016. I'd like to know what they've been doing to achieve that goal.

Looks like the program is in reverse since that goal was made! I think the athletic budget cry is a joke. The focus has to be on basketball budget! I haven't heard anyone say that financially we don't have this and that's why the program is not progressing! We have a great arena, our coach is the top paid coach in the BSC and we don't seem to have a problem recruiting! Is the issue that we still fly coach?

Happy to hear at least Bovee has a goal, still a chance to achieve it next year!

With all due respect youngguns, I believe you are showing your age and inexperience. The more money you have, the more financial resources you have for recruiting, advertising, building and training facility upgrades, coaching salaries, etc. We all want to have the run that FGCU had a few years ago, but they have not made the NCAA tourney since. Its true that money is not everything (you still have to know how to properly manage it and get the most out of it) but it is extremely important. It's extraordinarily rare for Mom and Pop store to become Walmart overnight.

Eastern Washington is a school with a similar budget who has managed a solid athletic year in several fall and winter sports. It's the kind of year that Weber should be striving for every year. Regardless, in the grand scheme of things, Eastern's year has been a solid year by the Big Sky conference and FCS standards; but not by major, or even high mid-major conference standards. I hate to say it, but the Big Sky is no longer a conference that is just a step below the former WAC or MWC or WCC in basketball. The Big Sky conference is now several steps below these conferences. It is a low major conference, and you can't expect to be Dayton/Gonzaga/Wichita State with continual NCAA tournament success while in a low major basketball conference with a low major budget.

In my opinion (and take it for what it is worth because I am a professional at something other then college athletics) I see three things that have really hurt Weber State basketball:

1) I know this will not be popular on this board, but keeping the football team in the 90's really hurt basketball. The football team has never be truly good, and football is very expensive for a school. I saw something posted on this board that in 2007, football used nearly 25% of the budget. If they dropped the football program, I don't know if that saved money would have been put into the athletic budget or not (and my guess is it wouldn't have), but it might have shown more of a commitment to basketball similar to what Gonzaga has.

2) I read an article when the conference realignments were going crazy a few years back in which Doug Fullerton stated that when BYU and Utah were leaving the WAC, the WAC approached the Big Sky to merge as conferences. Fullerton stated that the Big Sky university presidents were against the merger and he felt that it was a huge mistake by the university presidents. (I wish I could find the article, but it has been 3 or 4 yrs and I can't locate it). That might have aligned Weber with a conference that was interested in something more that just football.

3) Since Weber's last NCAA tournament win, there has been a HUGE influx of teams who have entered D1 basketball. As a result, worthwhile D1 recruits for mid and low major schools are fewer a further between. There are not many Damian Lillard's or Steve Nash's out there in the low major schools.

I want Weber State basketball to succeed as much as anybody, and I also want to see wins over bigger schools like BYU or Utah; however, because of our conference alignment and it rapid decline, those wins now are the exception rather than the rule.

I sometimes feel that on this board we are kind of like an uneducated patient going into a doctor's office telling the doctor what is wrong with them and how to treat them. We, as fans, just don't have all the insight or knowledge as to what is really going on (and you can include this post in that also). Sorry for the long rant.

SW...I am once again applauding a post. :clap: :clap: :clap:

Weber has potential...but to reach that potential work has to be done that isn't being done. The future for the Cats is in its student body. Now is the time to be building bridges and creating plans to really get more out of the student body. Crazy students, believe it or not, really do improve atmosphere, which becomes more fun to attend with and be a part of the overall game experience. Thousands of USU fans now became attached to the university because of the Spectrum experience. In Grad School at USU, I went to a game and sat on the very last row, because that was the only one available. They, the other students, got mad at me and the other Grad students I was with, because we were sitting during introductions. My point...Why not at Weber? It will take some organization and drive, but can be done. The Administration has to get behind the movement. That is what USU did, and that is what Weber needs to do. Those crowds have resulted in millions of $$$'s worth of donations, fans, season tickets, support, license plates...you name it. YOU SELL THE BRAND AND THE PRODUCT through the atmosphere you create, and simultaneously, you also create a home court absolutely feared by opponents. Not only that you build fans willing to donate to and buy into your product. USU and Weber were very close in the late 90s, but they took off in the 2000s and have definitely create space between the two schools. Weber is floundering.

Fan development, to me, and I may be alone in this regard, is something that marketing should be striving for. It isn't just billboards and bus wraps, but atmosphere and environment; dare I say even generational understanding.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

... Its true that money is not everything (you still have to know how to properly manage it and get the most out of it) but it is extremely important. It's extraordinarily rare for Mom and Pop store to become Walmart overnight. ...

Of course money is obviously helpful in building a consistently strong program, but as you stated, it's true that money isn't everything. I would argue that less money is needed to compete in the basketball universe than in football and don't even entertain the thought that the lion's share of the football money would be thrown at basketball if Weber dropped the program. I can't argue that Weber isn't a "Mom and Pop store," however, they don't have to become a box store to have the kind of success we want, even expect them to have. They just need to excel in a comparable market (i.e. one of the best "Mom and Pop stores.)

The BSC's only path to the NCAAs is obviously to win the conference and it's unfortunate all D1 teams don't play on a level field. I just don't ever see the NCAA sending less teams from the "power" conferences to allow more participation from ALL conferences even though every year we see deserving teams left out from the one team conferences while watching the "power" conference 5-7 seed teams going down early. This is just a not-so-subtle way of monopolizing the recruiting power and money making ability for the few. This has little to do with the school's budget, rather the money the NCAA thinks it can generate from/for the more popular teams-- popularity it helped manufacture. :wtf:

I don't ever see the NCAA forcing "power" conference teams to play OOC road games, thus manufacturing more wins, appeal, and money for these conferences. Again, I don't see this handicap leveled on the low/mid-majors and their ability to compete better with the "big boys" coming from their smaller budgets, rather another way to develop and strengthen preferred classes. It's mind boggling to me how the NCAA can get away with being so exclusionary in the name of money. Then there's Dayton. They just all of a sudden get to be a host site for the "First Four," where 8 lucky teams get a cheapened NCAA Tournament experience. This is great for Dayton for the exposure but especially when then get a home game in the tournament like this year. :wtf:

Much could be argued about the teams and budgets noted, but Weber has enough to achieve a higher level of success, that's possible within the BSC. I realize another 100+ private schools are not included in the listing and chances are that most of them will have considerably higher budgets than Weber, but I don't see that as something keeping them from becoming a nationally respected program capable of consistently making the NCAAs and occasionally making some noise. For example, USU & Wichita St. have the same budget. One has been a decent program but has never really established themselves as a "power" program, and the other has risen to that level of recognition and helped drag their conference with them. Neither school is going to be in the top 3rd of budgets in the country. Both schools have had very good coaches, solid recruiting, and established recognition by being able to schedule and often beat highly recognized and traditionally strong teams. Both schools have been effective in competing in their conference and fortunately have been in conferences that get more than one team into the tournament.

Yes, I say there are more important things than just money for Weber to be able to consistently compete and take more steps towards national strength and recognition. :nod:

 

[weberwildcat]

I don't think Gonzaga or Wichita are good schools to compare Weber to. Unless the question is, how did they get to where they are today and what would it require Weber to do to get there.

Student section and attendance

One obvious thing to me that stands out is Gonzaga and Wichita average a full student section. How did they do that? Did it used to be empty? When was the last time Gonzaga or Wichita had a home game that wasn't sold out?

2014 attendance DI ranking:
36. Wichita State 17 games, 182,452, 10,732 (17 sellouts)
68. Weber State 16 games, 109,340, 6,834 (60% capacity)
87. Gonzaga 15 games, 90,000, 6,000 (15 sellouts)

2014-15 Weber home attendance:
95,601
14 home games, 6,829

Wichita has the highest winning % in all of DI for the past 5 yrs. In 2011 they won the NIT tournament. In 2013 they reached the Final 4 of the NCAA Tournament. Last 10 years show every game sold out.

School ranking in its home state

Weber, Wichita and Gonzaga are all the top school in their respective conferences. MVC and WCC can get more than one team in the tourney, Big Sky can't.

Washington has 7 milllion people. Gonzaga is #3 behind UW and WSU and EWU is their Weber.
Kansas and Utah both have under 3 million people. Wichita Stat is #3 behind KU and KSU and Weber is #4. I don't think any of this is news to anyone but my point would be regarding school popularity and competition for recruting. This is a struggle for Weber and we have no answer for it.

Neither Weber or EWU can get top in-state recruits. I have no clue about Gonzaga or Wichita but I am sure we can guess they both can get in-state recruits that aren't walkons.

What would it be like in Utah if there was no NBA team or no BYU or USU? There as to be some better schools to compare us to. Unless GU/Wichita are our 10 yr plan. They are similar to Boise State football.

 

[sapokama]

Sir Velo, I agree with everything you said. We can't compare ourselves to Wichita State and Gonzaga right now. And in reality, when you start comparing Weber State to other schools in the low mid major conferences, Weber comes out very favorably. I would also like to see increased student support, but regardless, Weber State truly is one of the elite programs in the low mid major conferences. For that matter, so is Montana. It may be a hard pill to swallow, but Weber is in a low mid major conference, and unfortunately I only see the Big Sky getting worse unless there is a major shift in the conferences and school alignments in the west and Midwest. I've got to believe that the Montana schools will be leaving the conferenceas soon as they get the right offer, which will only weaken the conference further. And when larger programs start paying their athletes (without violating NCAA rules, of course) that will only further divide the haves from the have nots.

As for single handedly improving a conference? That would seem more and more difficult to do as more bad basketball teams get added to the Big Sky.

I want to see Weber improve their program and be able compete with elite high mid majors like Wichita State as much as anybody, but I am also a realist (or pessimist?) and know that's unlikely for the foreseeable future. Regardless, I will continue to support the athletic dept and the school both In spirit and financially, because for me, Weber is more then just a basketball team, it's a community that has left a lasting positive impression on my life.

 

[Da Bears]

I think the reason Weber will never be more than a mildly successful low major program is basically lack of ambition and Leadership.

I've never heard a program that focuses so much on what it can't do versus what it can! Its either money, geography, religion, conferences, coaches, talent or history, but what ever it is we have an excuse for why we can't improve our position within D1. Oh, I forgot one its because we're young too!

I was mildly impressed that Bovee had a plan to reach The sweet 16 by 2016. Would've been even more impressed if he laid out a blue print on how we're going to make it happen. Lets face it, Bovee has a charmed life! Football program that frankly is happy just to be competitive in a game. Woman's Basketball program that hasn't performed well and now a Men's Basketball program thats headed in the wrong direction. He's been able to captain an athletic program that frankly has developed a reputation for losing. I know, he uses twitter, but if you look at all the failures it just doesn't add up! If you look at the prior years of success of Weber Basketball, there is just no reason at all why the program isn't positioned better today than lack of leadership.

I love the comments about a lack of marketing effort for the Weber State programs.... its another clear sign that the athletic department is inept and that the Weber State leadership doesn't have a clue as to how to take the program to the next level. The lack of student involvement is going to exacerbate the issue in the future, because if you look at who attends a Weber State game, its fans from the glory years. There's no pipeline to reinvigorate the fan base for the future because the administration just doesn't get it! If Football is the drag on the athletic program, do a study, verify the issue and develop a plan of action. But its sad to send a team out there that losing by 30 was a victory before Hill came to the university.

Weber State is at an interesting crossroads...... if I was Rahe, I would be working like heck to get the team respectable so that I can plot my departure. its obvious that the goal isn't to just win. its to win just enough to keep the current fans comfortable. Say what you want about BYU or even Utah, but they are focused on doing the right things to win, not just today, but tomorrow too. BYU holds their leadership accountable for building successful programs and in a couple of years, they will join a conference to help them get to an even higher level. its because they have a mission and a strategy on how to get there. Utah, developed and executed a plan to turn around athletics and its working brilliantly. We can give you 100 excuses on why we can't do the same. years move on and other schools ( USU and Utah) make the moves to improve, but we hold on to those same excuses! USU made a coaching change, not because Stew couldn't coach, but because they felt Stew couldn't get them to the next level! risky, but thats leadership!

I'd like our students to be rabid about WSU athletics. I'd like our fans to make the Dee a place that teams hate visiting because the fans are passionate about their team. I think the students apathy is a sign of other problems within the athletic leadership thats going to have a negative impact for many years to come.

Nobody is holding anybody accountable and I'm not sure that anybody really cares! its great to just be OK!

 

[catscratched]

Holy crap, I'm getting depressed reading this thread. Can somebody, please, say something positive? :yikes:

 

[Itiger]

Scratched,

I don't find it depressing, but I like the honesty. I think we have the opportunity to take the program to a higher level, but realize that everyone doesn't agree, but would like some conversation on what a higher level would look like! What are the administrations aspirations for the athletic department?

As a student, no one talks about Weber States sports or talk about attending games. We have 25,000 students and although we don't have a strong campus life, you'd think that sports would be a big part of who we are at Weber State! its actually the opposite. Its tough to go to away games and see our teams get hammered by students. But when they come to the Dee, the demographic is more middle aged than student represented.

We don't get inundated with Weber athletics.... in fact it sounds like crickets on campus! its sad and I'm not sure why the administration is doing more to talk up athletics. My ears are still ringing from the USU game! their fans were crazy! I thought they contributed to the teams resurgence. Is it marketing or culture?

 

[weberwildcat]

The idea of players being able to get paid in college I think is awesome. I support ed O'Bannon and think the players deserve it but...

At the same time it depresses me as I wonder if it would ruin college sports for ever for the small schools and conferences like weber and big sky. I have no clue what it would mean or do to WSU.

 

[Webergrad02]

The problem goes a step higher than Bovee. Norm Tarbox is the VP over athletics. From my vantage point his intentions are rather self serving. Have you ever noticed that the last name of the person singing the national anthem is Tarbox about 50% of the time? When was the last time there was a student bus to Pocatello, Logan or Provo? Yet there was a charter plane full of the administrations families going to the Bahamas to the Paradise Jam.

I am not sure why the student leaders just don't care. How can a state school 50 miles up the road have one of the best student sections in the country and we can't get 50 students to a game. I am afraid to see what happens when Maddawg & Kiltman leave. We need a change of attitude and culture. If maybe the administration cared that the students aren't coming the students would care too.

You can count on one hand the number of people at Wildcat Club functions under the age of 50. If kids don't care to support the program while they are in school, then the chance of them supporting the program when they leave is very low.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

If you look at the prior years of success of Weber Basketball, there is just no reason at all why the program isn't positioned better today than lack of leadership.

Very true, and not just in basketball. Unlike these other schools in the conversation, very much including Montana and EWU, Weber never seems to be able to build on its successes. Instead, after a very successful season Weber often seems to have a reset. I guess more excuses can be thrown at that, like Weber's coaches are frequently poached but opportunity to build and strengthen athletics never seems to be capitalized on.

I love the comments about a lack of marketing effort for the Weber State programs.... its another clear sign that the athletic department is inept and that the Weber State leadership doesn't have a clue as to how to take the program to the next level. The lack of student involvement is going to exacerbate the issue in the future...

Depressing, but true. This is the root of what is so frustrating about Weber's inability to build and take the next step. They really need some sharp minds running the department which I don't believe they come close to having. Weber is still a commuter school and probably always will be to a certain degree. Weber will always have the struggle of being the "small school" of the Big 5, that are so geographically close. Weber is in a metropolitan area but struggles with not being in a "college town," or being engrained into its own community. Too many students want to save money by living at home to use Weber for generals and/or undergraduate studies, then attend the school they actually want to attend-- how can that not be a recipe for apathy? Weber needs innovative administrators who care, have a plan, and are able to address these challenges instead of being satisfied with being "just Weber."

Weber State is at an interesting crossroads...... if I was Rahe, I would be working like heck to get the team respectable so that I can plot my departure. its obvious that the goal isn't to just win. its to win just enough to keep the current fans comfortable. Say what you want about BYU or even Utah, but they are focused on doing the right things to win, ...

Nobody is holding anybody accountable and I'm not sure that anybody really cares! its great to just be OK!

Interesting. I'd want Rahe held just as accountable as anyone. Despite the universities unique challenges, it's still possible to be successful and build upon that success. I don't see making the NCAAs (or beating UM as the case may be) once every 5-7 years as something to hang my hat on, especially with the resources and history of the program. It tough to compare and almost impossible to compete with a powder-puff conference member like the pukes and despite ESPN's love with BYU, I wouldn't say the Bronco era of FB is the kind of success that Cougar fans expect. I think some of their successes and what they've both been able to develop with their athletics has had a very significant boost from the PACx affiliation and ESPN, something completely out of the realm of reality for Weber or the BSC.

 

[Da Bears]

I read my post again to see where i could've been more positive about the future of athletics at Weber State and I stand by my previous post. Its not that I don't love the University and value its impact on the community, its just that I think the impact could be greater.

I just hope that the University's leadership has a long term strategic plan to truly improve Athletics...... which will in turn impact other areas. The only word that I can come up with when I think of Leadership of our Athletic Department is Rudderless!