Cajun hoops has issues to resolve
September 21, 2003
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. - Have you got your season tickets yet for Ragin’ Cajun basketball?
Come to think of it, it’s hard to know what games to plan for when the schedule hasn’t been finalized for 2003-2004.
It’s also hard to be excited for contests at the Cajundome when you’re not sure who you’ll be able to see on the court.
Coach Jessie Evans still has some work to do before his UL Lafayette squad can think about contending for a Sun Belt Conference crown.
As revealed last week, the first order of business is to get players in classrooms and study halls, and get them eligible to compete this season.
Evans and the athletic department disagree on how many players are in academic jeopardy, but the fact remains that a significant number of players are on a wait-and-see basis.
That’s not a good situation for Evans, who’s in the final year of his contract.
There are certain Cajuns for whom college is a challenge. Either by their academic background or by their own capabilities, they are tested to perform in the classroom.
Yet some of those Cajuns work hard just the same, putting in the time and effort to overcome their shortcomings.
You can pull for athletes like that. They deserve your respect and support.
There are other Cajuns who could easily get their classwork done, who have the native intelligence to survive in the college world, yet don’t seem remotely interested in it.
Those athletes are cheating you. They’re cheating the university. They’re cheating their coaches. They’re cheating themselves.
Those are the athletes who make you wonder why you bother to renew your season tickets.
They make you wonder if you couldn’t find something else to do on a winter night.
If they can’t get themselves across campus for a class, why should you stir from your easy chair and visit the Cajundome to see them?
What a waste.
There are hundreds of people who would love to back the Cajuns, if they thought they were getting an honest product on the court.
But they get the sneaking suspicion that they’re being duped when they shell out their money, and that’s never good for a program.
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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com <!--
Now, assuming a few of those problem children become eligible and that Evans can put together a fairly competitive squad, the home schedule still remains less than thrilling.
So far, you’re looking at Cajundome contests against McNeese State, Houston and Loyola of New Orleans, in addition to the normal home slate in the Sun Belt Conference.
Evans says it’s hard to get teams to trade off series and come to the Cajundome, because they’re afraid they’ll lose, and that may be true.
On the other hand, if one or two of those academic lightweights can’t come through, it might be a great time to play the Cajuns.
It may not be a wonderful time to see them, though.
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