Baseball Coach or Life Coach

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Originally Posted by CajunVic

That south Louisiana culture is less likely to apply to football?

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This is a football crazy area and we have diehard fans who tailgate and make a great pregame atmosphere. Our football team has never been able to keep their part of the bargain. Congrats to Robe and company for making baseball must see in the heart of football country.

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Originally Posted by CajunRage

Winning culture by any coach is the point I’m making.

Outside of the SEC, even national champion teams don’t bring in more than a couple thousand. Robe would not have the same attendance in Corvallis, Oregon. Therefore, it’s a lot more with where he’s winning than that he’s winning.

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Boulanger had 4 regional teams and nowhere close to the attendance.

23 pages and have we figured out if Robe is a life coach or baseball coach?

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Originally Posted by lifetimecajun

23 pages and have we figured out if Robe is a life coach or baseball coach?

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I forgot that was the thread????

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Originally Posted by ULvictory

"Being held accountable" means criticizing when the goals aren't reached. That doesn't automatically call for a firing. Take this year for example. We missed a regional for the second year in a row and our batting average was in the bottom 15 of ALL Division 1 programs. That's not our standard. So, that means accountability comes in to where we start raising our eyebrows and questioning what's going on.

Yes, it is true that everyone has his/her own standard, but there's a level of rationality that comes with that. I highly doubt that people will call for Robe's firing if we don't make Super Regionals every season. If so, they need to get their heads checked.

I admire your support for the baseball program because I am the exact same way. I'm at just about every home game. I love the atmosphere, I love the Tigue, and I love clapping and singing along to "Centerfield." But in my view, I don't think a laisez-faire approach to our shortcomings may be the best way. Excusing underachievement and telling them to "take their money elsewhere if they don't like it" is how complacency and apathy take over a program. And that's when the success starts to decrease. Again, there are fans out there with unrealistic expectations. But those same fans fill up seats, chip in the coaches salaries, and create that atmosphere that we brag about every year as well.

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This! Coaches eventually fire themselves, it happened with Hudspeth, Robert Lee and Bustle. Accountability is not a derogatory word, but simply the end result of not getting the job done when all the tools were provided for a successful season. I had the opportunity doing the radio show and got to know Coach Robichaux pretty well, having conversations off the record a number of times. I trust his process and his experience to make the changes necessary to get this program back to it's potential. At times successful coaches have to tweak their processes, Coach Sabin speaks about it all time.

I love the game of baseball, and I love going to Russo Park and watching my favorite college team. The songs, food, conversation and all the happenings around the game day experiences are simply the byproduct of a good program, not the the other way around. If someone goes to Russo Park because they enjoy all of the above experiences and making it a family event, and baseball is secondary to that Culture, that is their right. But I'm not interested in, or care to hear their lecture about being a fan. I go to watch a quality program play quality baseball. I'm now paying a premium to support that program and I expect results for the cost. That cost is now on par with a number of quality college programs across the country, it is not just a social event. Athletics are not charities, there is an expected return on investment.

We have different levels of fan interest and different levels of investment. I love the passion of our fans base and our culture. At times some fans go overboard in expressing their frustration and need to look at the larger picture. The one thing I will never accept is complacency and apathy. I watched 25 years of it under Dr. Authement and I have no plan to watch it again. We have the right people in place to be successful long term. Let's focus on the big pitcher and stop with this not the type of fan we need nonsense.

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Originally Posted by CajunT

That cost is now on par with a number of quality college programs across the country, it is not just a social event. Athletics are not charities, there is an expected return on investment.

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Bingo!

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Originally Posted by CajunT

This! Coaches eventually fire themselves, it happened with Hudspeth, Robert Lee and Bustle. Accountability is not a derogatory word, but simply the end result of not getting the job done when all the tools were provided for a successful season. I had the opportunity doing the radio show and got to know Coach Robichaux pretty well, having conversations off the record a number of times. I trust his process and his experience to make the changes necessary to get this program back to it's potential. At times successful coaches have to tweak their processes, Coach Sabin speaks about it all time.

I love the game of baseball, and I love going to Russo Park and watching my favorite college team. The songs, food, conversation and all the happenings around the game day experiences are simply the byproduct of a good program, not the the other way around. If someone goes to Russo Park because they enjoy all of the above experiences and making it a family event, and baseball is secondary to that Culture, that is their right. But I'm not interested in, or care to hear their lecture about being a fan. I go to watch a quality program play quality baseball. I'm now paying a premium to support that program and I expect results for the cost. That cost is now on par with a number of quality college programs across the country, it is not just a social event. Athletics are not charities, there is an expected return on investment.

We have different levels of fan interest and different levels of investment. I love the passion of our fans base and our culture. At times some fans go overboard in expressing their frustration and need to look at the larger picture. The one thing I will never accept is complacency and apathy. I watched 25 years of it under Dr. Authement and I have no plan to watch it again. We have the right people in place to be successful long term. Let's focus on the big pitcher and stop with this not the type of fan we need nonsense.

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Great 'big picture' post.

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Originally Posted by Turbine

Great 'big picture' post.

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.....One factor that has been left out in the firing or retention is the cost of termination by the school and the money made available by state retirement pay.....can anybody give us the retirement package after years and the percentage amount? I have heard that at about 40 years it is almost full pay.....any on here know?

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Originally Posted by Boomer

.....One factor that has been left out in the firing or retention is the cost of termination by the school and the money made available by state retirement pay.....can anybody give us the retirement package after years and the percentage amount? I have heard that at about 40 years it is almost full pay.....any on here know?

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40 years is full pay unless you add your spouse to plan, where it gets reduced. Retirement pay does not effect the athletic department, but does burben the state retirement plan. Coaches are probably some of the highest paid state workers, but most are not like Robe where they spend their entire career in one state and get 40 years.

Jake Geatreau might be available after this year. He’s at miss st but there is sure to be a change in staff after this season.

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Originally Posted by CajunAmos

Boulanger had 4 regional teams and nowhere close to the attendance.

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I can attest to the attendance, been there with the other 75 fans.....looking back it is hard to imagine the change in the support that has occurred. I believe with a winning ball club, regionals and supper regionals each year and an occasional CWS the fans would be hanging in the pines to see the Cajuns play ball....

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Originally Posted by Frenchie35

I can attest to the attendance, been there with the other 75 fans.....looking back it is hard to imagine the change in the support that has occurred. I believe with a winning ball club, regionals and supper regionals each year and an occasional CWS the fans would be hanging in the pines to see the Cajuns play ball....

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Attendance has steadily risen through the Boulanger years and the Robe years. It made a big jump post Omaha, as it should have. Another attendance boost factor has been the hosting of regionals.

Now the park itself is an attendance draw.

Yeah, there were a lot less people in the stands in the late 80's/early 90's, but we still had more than our peers and no support from the administration.

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Originally Posted by CajunNation

Attendance has steadily risen through the Boulanger years and the Robe years. It made a big jump post Omaha, as it should have. Another attendance boost factor has been the hosting of regionals.

Now the park itself is an attendance draw.

Yeah, there were a lot less people in the stands in the late 80's/early 90's, but we still had more than our peers and no support from the administration.

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Yes, and no facilities or funding either. People can rip Bo if they want, but he put people back in the stands with good teams and against some quality teams that came to Lafayette. He put UL back on the map period.

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Originally Posted by CajunT

Yes, and no facilities or funding either. People can rip Bo if they want, but he put people back in the stands with good teams and against some quality teams that came to Lafayette. He put UL back on the map period.

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I think the Bo years have to be put in the proper perspective. He took over a terrible program, victimized by a washed up, alcoholic coach. He signed good players and brought an exciting brand of baseball to Lafayette. He won conference titles (now, to be fair, it wasn't a great conference) and got us to regionals. His 1991 squad was very very good. He ran somewhat of an outlaw program, discipline wise, but honestly, that's part of what made his teams fun to watch.

Now, the reality is he didn't do it honestly, especially in his final years. He was trying to parlay this job into the head job at Oklahoma and was devastated when he didn't get it. I think that was what led him to do some things he shouldn't have done. Even with probation, however, he left the program in better shape than when he found it.

Now, I'll part ways with you on his scheduling practices. In 1994 he won 49 games and didn't get a sniff at regional play, mainly because more than 20 of those wins were against non D-1 competition.

Robe hasn't played more than ten or so his whole career.

I don't think I'm being unfair to Bo at all with this post.

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Originally Posted by talktomewillis

I think the Bo years have to be put in the proper perspective. He took over a terrible program, victimized by a washed up, alcoholic coach. He signed good players and brought an exciting brand of baseball to Lafayette. He won conference titles (now, to be fair, it wasn't a great conference) and got us to regionals. His 1991 squad was very very good. He ran somewhat of an outlaw program, discipline wise, but honestly, that's part of what made his teams fun to watch.

Now, the reality is he didn't do it honestly, especially in his final years. He was trying to parlay this job into the head job at Oklahoma and was devastated when he didn't get it. I think that was what led him to do some things he shouldn't have done. Even with probation, however, he left the program in better shape than when he found it.

Now, I'll part ways with you on his scheduling practices. In 1994 he won 49 games and didn't get a sniff at regional play, mainly because more than 20 of those wins were against non D-1 competition.

Robe hasn't played more than ten or so his whole career.

I don't think I'm being unfair to Bo at all with this post.

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I think for the most part we are in agreement. But let me make two counter points.

1) While you point out Bo won 49 games in 1994 and didn't sniff regional play, it's also fair to say while Coach Rob has never had a season with close to that many wins and not make a regional, he has had a few that the record was good enough, but he feel short because of #SOS or RPI. I don't have them in front of me, but I'm almost certain that was the case.

2)While your point concerning the schedule in 1994 and conference strength is fair, he did play teams like Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Texas , Clemson, LSU, Houston in other years. And let's be honest, was the SBC great once FIU, FAU, WKU and MTU left? Without the recent addition of Coastal Carolina, the SBC would not be in the same breathe as when those programs were in the conference.

I don't think Coach Rob would give back any of those years he won in the SBC minus those programs.

I think the "life coach" market shrinks dramatically away from baseball.

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Originally Posted by Turbine

I think the "life coach" market shrinks dramatically away from baseball.

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Every now and then, you'll find coaches in football and basketball who read life books. Take Phil Jackson for example. Former Laker players still laugh to this day at some of the stuff that man used to make them read. But hey, the man won championships like it was a hobby.

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Originally Posted by lifetimecajun

Jake Geatreau might be available after this year. He’s at miss st but there is sure to be a change in staff after this season.

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Think they make changes to a staff that has saved the season after Cannizaro was fired?

I think we should look into Cannizaro or Jeff Willis as our hitting coach

I don't think Jeff Willis is an option. He is the Head Baseball Coach AND Athletic Director at LSUE. I can't see UL paying him as an assistant coach enough money to pull him away from Eunice. It is also my understanding that his wife is from Eunice and is happy to live in her hometown. You know what they say, "if mama is happy, everybody is happy"!!!!

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Originally Posted by Duggie35

I don't think Jeff Willis is an option. He is the Head Baseball Coach AND Athletic Director at LSUE. I can't see UL paying him as an assistant coach enough money to pull him away from Eunice. It is also my understanding that his wife is from Eunice and is happy to live in her hometown. You know what they say, "if mama is happy, everybody is happy"!!!!

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What is the going rate for a quality hitting coach at a D1 university like UL?

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Originally Posted by Duggie35

I don't think Jeff Willis is an option. He is the Head Baseball Coach AND Athletic Director at LSUE. I can't see UL paying him as an assistant coach enough money to pull him away from Eunice. It is also my understanding that his wife is from Eunice and is happy to live in her hometown. You know what they say, "if mama is happy, everybody is happy"!!!!

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We don’t need to be hiring a mid level juco coach either

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Originally Posted by no1cajunfan

What is the going rate for a quality hitting coach at a D1 university like UL?

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I have no idea.

I’d take Cannizaro but he’d prob be just like Deggs. Stay 2 maybe 3 years then he’s gone. I suppose we’d have that problem with any hitting coach who comes in and has success.

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Originally Posted by no1cajunfan

What is the going rate for a quality hitting coach at a D1 university like UL?

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If Robe is making $200K, I would think $75K-100K each for the two paid assistants would be reasonable.