The Book: 2006-2007 Ragin' Cajuns Basketball

[Cajunsmike]

I wonder why the Australian kid bothered to spend over a year at UL, waiting for his chance to play, and then just walking off... Was he kicked off the team? Again, another a highly touted point guard gone.

I thought going into this season that the Cajuns would struggle a lot in the post, but would have stellar point guard play. Guess not. I also guess that Woodfox was never really a threat to make it back for his sophmore year.

Seems like it is a bit silly to even make it newsworthy when a particular player signs out of high school or transfers because the odds are against any particular one player actually playing one minute.

I don't recall the Australian point guard (Darroughs) being that highly touted. From the practices I saw, he did not stand out either negatively or positively.
I suspect the reason he is not returning is he was not asked back due to the belief that the two freshman (Daigle and Leggo) are better than him, leaving no room for another point guard

[Clutch0364]

I could have named Webber, Rose, and perhaps picked Howards name out of a list but I would have missed Kink and Jackson.

I wish that group would have stayed together for 4 years but Wbber left early for the NBA.

[Cajunsmike]

There are three professional players from last year's team. Three players that at a minimum can land on a European team and one already has (the third best). Further, we had two "blue chip" newcomer transfers who played horribly, but for whatever reason where rated very highly by the experts at such ratings and they were highly recruited (we out recruited Maryland for the point guard).

The team played very very badly until the end when things finally started coming together. A couple of decent players quit the team early on.

Just seems like coaching was the problem. Eventually the head coach has to take responsibility. And even if the team was not as talented as has been suggested by the experts and also the professional teams that are interested in three of those players, the Cajuns last year were at the very least one of the most talented teams in the sunbelt, a very weak conference.

The team you saw was disorganized and did not have a long range shooter or experienced veteran play maker at the point that could take over and make up for the disorganization on offense.

I hope it was just an anamoly and we don't have more of the same this year, especially with a team that is much less experienced and much less talented.

I don't know how many games you saw last year, but coaching was not the problem. Living in Miami, you probably did not see as many as you would have like. Having seen many games, coaching was not the problem last year, execution and lack of talent was. None of the three players who have talent could shoot consistently. Chris Cameron's injury played a part in that lack of shooting. After the three seniors, no one stepped up except for Ross Mouton late in the year. How do you know our recruiting is only serviceable. We have the top rated class in both Louisiana and the SBC. I agree this year will be a rebuilding one, however I expect we will be successful soon after.

[paulpaul2]

Coach Lee said on the radio the other day that Maurice, Valentino, and Turner all had the opportunity to return. Have you heard that they are passing on the opportunity?

My understanding is, and this is from a VERY close source to the team is that Val, Mo, Fields were all sent letters informing them that they will not be on scholarship, now i know what coach lee says to the public but what someone says and does are two different things. Ed Turner will be back but he will be a walk on he will not be on scholarship, as for Josh Darragh he will not be back as he was not offered a scholarship, he paid his own way last year as he was told he would be on scholarship this year, once he went back to Australia he was also told he wont be on scholarship and he cannot afford to pay 14k to come to school again.

Even if coach lee says he asked all the guys back the numbers dont make any sense he will have
Mouton
James
Hebert
Daigle
Wallace
Gary
Dees
Turner
Frost
Lago
Millsap
Johnson
Milson

Thats 13 players there, all with the exception of Turner should be on scholarship unless the are ineligible, i believe after the penalties from NCAA and grades we only have 11 available for next year anyway, now you tell me where there wil be any room for Fields, Barksdale, Hart or Darragh. I am almost 100% sure this will be the 13 man roster next year.

[MiamiCajun32]

My understanding is, and this is from a VERY close source to the team is that Val, Mo, Fields were all sent letters informing them that they will not be on scholarship, now i know what coach lee says to the public but what someone says and does are two different things. Ed Turner will be back but he will be a walk on he will not be on scholarship, as for Josh Darragh he will not be back as he was not offered a scholarship, he paid his own way last year as he was told he would be on scholarship this year, once he went back to Australia he was also told he wont be on scholarship and he cannot afford to pay 14k to come to school again.

Even if coach lee says he asked all the guys back the numbers dont make any sense he will have
Mouton
James
Hebert
Daigle
Wallace
Gary
Dees
Turner
Frost
Lago
Millsap
Johnson
Milson

Thats 13 players there, all with the exception of Turner should be on scholarship unless the are ineligible, i believe after the penalties from NCAA and grades we only have 11 available for next year anyway, now you tell me where there wil be any room for Fields, Barksdale, Hart or Darragh. I am almost 100% sure this will be the 13 man roster next year.

Seems a bit disingenious, to say the least, to take away scholarships from any player that is meeting his end of the bargain (going to classes and practice). Josh Darragh really got screwed and manipulated if the above is true. Turner may finally play to his potential this year and be one of the top 3 players on the team but he will be paying his own way.

[Clutch0364]

My understanding is, and this is from a VERY close source to the team is that Val, Mo, Fields were all sent letters informing them that they will not be on scholarship, now i know what coach lee says to the public but what someone says and does are two different things. Ed Turner will be back but he will be a walk on he will not be on scholarship, as for Josh Darragh he will not be back as he was not offered a scholarship, he paid his own way last year as he was told he would be on scholarship this year, once he went back to Australia he was also told he wont be on scholarship and he cannot afford to pay 14k to come to school again.

Even if coach lee says he asked all the guys back the numbers dont make any sense he will have
Mouton
James
Hebert
Daigle
Wallace
Gary
Dees
Turner
Frost
Lago
Millsap
Johnson
Milson

Thats 13 players there, all with the exception of Turner should be on scholarship unless the are ineligible, i believe after the penalties from NCAA and grades we only have 11 available for next year anyway, now you tell me where there wil be any room for Fields, Barksdale, Hart or Darragh. I am almost 100% sure this will be the 13 man roster next year.

Gary is ineligible and is paying his own way in school right now. Hebert was never on scholorship unless he was offered one this year. And you can add Brandon Dison from Houston to the lineup because he became eligible and excepted a scholorship.

[Clutch0364]

Mouton - scholarship
James - scholarship
Hebert
Daigle - scholarship
Wallace - scholarship
Gary - prop
Dees - scholarship
Turner
Frost - scholarship
Lago - scholarship
Millsap - scholarship
Johnson - scholarship
Milson - scholarship
Dison - Scholorship

that would mean Barksdale and Hart would be walk ons like Turner

[Cajunsmike]

Mouton - scholarship
James - scholarship
Hebert
Daigle - scholarship
Wallace - scholarship
Gary - prop
Dees - scholarship
Turner
Frost - scholarship
Lago - scholarship
Millsap - scholarship
Johnson - scholarship
Milson - scholarship
Dison - Scholorship

that would mean Barksdale and Hart would be walk ons like Turner

When you said Frost, did you mean Forrest?

[Cajunsmike]

Seems a bit disingenious, to say the least, to take away scholarships from any player that is meeting his end of the bargain (going to classes and practice). Josh Darragh really got screwed and manipulated if the above is true. Turner may finally play to his potential this year and be one of the top 3 players on the team but he will be paying his own way.

When Coach said Turner, Barksdale, and Turner all had the opportunity to come back, he was not lying. All it meant was that all three guys could choose to paytheir own way. Apparently, Turner has agreed to while the other guys have chosen not to. Perhaps, they could not afford it.

[Clutch0364]

When you said Frost, did you mean Forrest?

yes forrest I just copied and pasted but yes forrest.

[MiamiCajun32]

When Coach said Turner, Barksdale, and Turner all had the opportunity to come back, he was not lying. All it meant was that all three guys could choose to paytheir own way. Apparently, Turner has agreed to while the other guys have chosen not to. Perhaps, they could not afford it.

I guess it may be part of the major college athletics landscape, but I don't think it is right to take away scholarships from players who have performed academically and shown up to practice every day. If a coach makes a mistake on a player, then he should not be able to just release the player the following season. What is a guy like Barsksdale supposed to do now? He chose the Cajuns instead of Maryland and other suitors, but now I guess his career is just about over? Does he lose another year of eligibility if he transfers even though he had his scholarship taken away?

What player in their right mind would even consider transfering to Lee's program if precedent shows that they may lose their scholarship the following season?

If there are academic and / or other outside problems, that is one thing, but if a player is making the grades and showing up to work every day, why take their scholarship away?

If the Cajuns somehow had an amazing recruiting class next year would Lee simply cut loose one or more of the new freshmen, players that he has given a four year commitment to?

[Turbine]

What player in their right mind would even consider transfering to Lee's program if precedent shows that they may lose their scholarship the following season?

You just honed in on my biggest fear.