Then Courtney Simmons and the Grambling State women’s basketball team went down 100-54 at SEC power LSU On Sunday, the Tigers coach candidly discussed economic inequality in college athletics.
Asked if Power 4 conference opponents will prepare Grambling for SWAC play after the 46-point loss, Simmons noted that no matter how much situational experience is gained, it’s not helpful to play and, more importantly, lose.
“I don’t know that (playing Power 4 opponents) really prepares you for the conference schedule,” Simmons said. You have to be careful when playing so many Power 5 games because there is something called confidence. And losses like this can kill the confidence of SWAC kids.”
To date, in a non-conference gameGrambling is 2-7 with four losses to Power 4 opponents Arizona, California, LSU and Oregon State by an average of 23 points per game. Grambling has a Power 4 game at Louisville before the SWAC conference begins.
Simmons, that’s who In his second year at Grambling and leads a team favored to win the SWAC, explained that he’s not used to being loaded into big conference contests every night for compensation.
“I’m not as experienced as, say, (coach) Carlos Funchess, in the South (where) they’re going to schedule after 11 non-conference games, 10 of those games will be Power 5 conferences, and they’re going to get $40,000 a piece,” he said.
“Nothing about it prepares you for SWAC play. sounds good to say, but these are money games…no one is going to sit in a press conference and say these are moral victories. this is not real life”
What about Courtney Simmons #shoutout Can learn from 46 point loss #GramFam pic.twitter.com/Y6gJcbgN0l
— Jeremy Bryant 🎥 (@tvtimewithJB) December 9, 2024
But their children are used to it. I’m the only team in the league that doesn’t acquire (recruit) other SWAC players. So most of my team for my kids came from the Sun Belt. And these guys are like, wait a minute.
It’s just a matter of not killing their confidence as we prepare for SWAC play and not losing our first two league games because we’re so used to kicking our feet in the non-conference.
Simmons explained that for almost all mid-majors like Grambling State, these kinds of games are a necessary evil to survive. According to the latest collegiate financial figures Provided by USA TodayGrambling State athletics generated $11.3 million in total revenue compared to LSU’s $199 million.
“So nothing about that prepares you for SWAC play. It sounds good to say, but these are money games, Simmons said. “We play these games to make money so we can survive and that’s how it is in our league. That’s all. Because I’d rather not play at LSU again, but they paid us well to come here and lose. And so, unfortunately, with the dynamics and the situation we’re in financially.
