The Book: 2006-2007 Ragin' Cajuns Basketball

[MiamiCajun32]

You wouldn't get excited about a win over the Florida Gators? Are you serious? It's really becoming difficult to take you serious...and I'm not speaking tongue and cheek! In one breath you state that you've been a Cajun fan for 27 years...later you state that you wouldn't get excited if the "struggling" Cajuns beat the best team in the Country? You have got to be kidding me....Man...you don't make any sense to me! Either your a true fan or not...you need to make up your mind! Quit trying to justify your negativity directed towards the program...please!

Yes, I would be excited if the Cajuns beat any ranked team. But I would not be excited at the end of the season if the Cajuns were 10-20, but beat one great team. I was speaking in terms of the entire season, not one game. That was my point. No need to criticize every word I write and take things out of context.

By the way, I am a Gator too because that is my alma mater, but when the Cajuns rarely play the Gators in any sport I always pull for the Cajuns, even if I am a bit quiet about it if I am at the game.

I hope the Cajuns get to play the Gators in New Orleans as a #16 seed against the #1 seed Gators. It is not out of the realm of possibility, but it would be a blow out and that would not be Lee's fault. The talent and experience level on that team is amazing and the chemistry is even better. The sunbelt is so bad this year that the Cajuns finally playing more as a team just may be able to take out three sunbelt teams at home when it counts. Then, perhaps the season can be salvaged. Otherwise, it is two terrible seasons in a row....

[MiamiCajun32]

If you go to the game Thursday vs. FIU, make sure you come up and say hello.

Doubleheader. Men play first at 530 (Eastern Time)

Probably not going to be able to make it unfortunately. Scheduled to be out of town for work, but that may change. Will you be broadcasting any Cajun baseball games at FIU or FAU this year? Would be great to meet up....

[RonMexico]

No problem.... Thanks. I only read first post yesterday and responded. I certainly want the Cajuns to win. I am a big fan. I am not like the few posteers on this board that really seem to pull against the Cajuns and gloat when things go bad. Let's see if the Cajuns can continue this roll against sunbelt and win the tourney at home. It would not be shocking to happen.... Surprising yes, but it is not unreasonable to think about.

No doubt you are a big fan. Heavens knows we need as many as we can get!!!



L'Ronte'

[Cajunsmike]

Yes, I would be excited if the Cajuns beat any ranked team. But I would not be excited at the end of the season if the Cajuns were 10-20, but beat one great team. I was speaking in terms of the entire season, not one game. That was my point. No need to criticize every word I write and take things out of context.

By the way, I am a Gator too because that is my alma mater, but when the Cajuns rarely play the Gators in any sport I always pull for the Cajuns, even if I am a bit quiet about it if I am at the game.

I hope the Cajuns get to play the Gators in New Orleans as a #16 seed against the #1 seed Gators. It is not out of the realm of possibility, but it would be a blow out and that would not be Lee's fault. The talent and experience level on that team is amazing and the chemistry is even better. The sunbelt is so bad this year that the Cajuns finally playing more as a team just may be able to take out three sunbelt teams at home when it counts. Then, perhaps the season can be salvaged. Otherwise, it is two terrible seasons in a row....

Cajuns are playing as a team now because young guys are figuring out their roles. For example Lago had 0 turnovers in 24 minutes last night while Millsap had another double double. This took longer than we would have liked but it was not surprising considering point guard is a crucial position and Millsap did not have any preseason practice. The end of this season is setting us up for the future. The way it has gone is pretty much the way the folks in the know expected it to go. I am a little surprised we have gotten to 9 wins considering the way things were going in late December. I kept thinking 7 was the most we would have due to the 95 team. Remember the 95 team made great progress in 96, they only won 7 in 95, and had little additions in 96. We are bringing in some help

[BirdofParadise]

Probably not going to be able to make it unfortunately. Scheduled to be out of town for work, but that may change. Will you be broadcasting any Cajun baseball games at FIU or FAU this year? Would be great to meet up....

Yep. Coming to Miami for the FIU series Mar. 30-Apr. 1.

[Ewhite]

Don't ya just love winning!

Yes I Do....

[RCAJUN90]

If coach Lee can get us into the tournament and make so noise and maybe win it all my opinion of him will change. I thought his team showed some promise early in the season. What do we have to do to make it in?

[RaginDave]

If coach Lee can get us into the tournament and make so noise and maybe win it all my opinion of him will change. I thought his team showed some promise early in the season. What do we have to do to make it in?

I don't think we are going to win the tournament, but the end of this year is building for 2008 not 2007. Think about this, next year we are adding Grandango and Bloom, who will be starters when they walk in the door. The fact that, I assume Marcus Barksdale comes back and the growth of players like Milsap, Gray, Wallace, Hebert, etc, etc, etc.

If we finish this year with double digit wins, I will be happy, considering we were 2-12 at one point.

[Cajunsmike]

If coach Lee can get us into the tournament and make so noise and maybe win it all my opinion of him will change. I thought his team showed some promise early in the season. What do we have to do to make it in?

All 13 teams in the SBC make it into the conference tourney. The top 3 teams get a bye into the quarterfinals at the CajuDome. The other 10 teams play first round games at campus sites. The five winners join the three with byes for the quarterfinals. Right now we are trying to improve our seeding to play at home in that 1st round which will be on Feb. 28.

[BrockMeaux]

I don't think we are going to win the tournament, but the end of this year is building for 2008 not 2007. Think about this, next year we are adding Grandango and Bloom, who will be starters when they walk in the door. The fact that, I assume Marcus Barksdale comes back and the growth of players like Milsap, Gray, Wallace, Hebert, etc, etc, etc.

If we finish this year with double digit wins, I will be happy, considering we were 2-12 at one point.

Not to mention the real possibility that 3 of our top recruits from this past class become elligible: La'Ryan Gary, Damon Forest, and Randal Daigle. We're losing Adam James and Ross Mouton, but we're going to be seriously talented next year if everybody takes care of their classroom business. That's why I've never been overly concerned with this year's results. Lee blew the program apart in order to build it the right way, and we're going to be world beaters in 3 years if everything stays on schedule.

[RCAJUN90]

Not to mention the real possibility that 3 of our top recruits from this past class become elligible: La'Ryan Gary, Damon Forest, and Randal Daigle. We're losing Adam James and Ross Mouton, but we're going to be seriously talented next year if everybody takes care of their classroom business. That's why I've never been overly concerned with this year's results. Lee blew the program apart in order to build it the right way, and we're going to be world beaters in 3 years if everything stays on schedule.

I hope you are right. Sunbelt basketball as a whole it at its lowest point I can remember. We use to be the teams the big boys didn't want to play. It seems we have slided down a bit. We shouldn't have to rebuild in the Belt just reload.

[MiamiCajun32]

I hope you are right. Sunbelt basketball as a whole it at its lowest point I can remember. We use to be the teams the big boys didn't want to play. It seems we have slided down a bit. We shouldn't have to rebuild in the Belt just reload.

There is no reason whatsoever that the Cajuns' players and coaches should think that they don't have as good a chance as any other team to win the sunbelt tourney. They have won 4 in a row in conference play and are playing the tourney at home, which is a huge advantage in this conference. That is the good news. Cajuns probably have a better shot of winning the tourney and going to the big dance this year than in prior sunbelt seasons when they were "rebuilding" and very solid 20+ win team, but with almost no chance to beat the best team in that particular season (usually was Western Kentucky). This team is capable of beating every team in the conference at home, even if some breaks are needed against the top teams.

The bad news is that the sunbelt is very low right now, with no team even remotely close to being competitive on a national level (being at least a top 40 team). I am hard pressed to think of more than a few Cajuns teams in past 25 years or so that would not have won the sunbelt this year. It is that bad....

If I were re-seeding the conference tourney based on recent play in sunbelt and home court advantage for Cajuns, then why would Cajuns not be in top 4 seeds, with legitimate chance? Why not?