For Cajuns round-ball, where's the love?

[NewsCopy]

The Ragin’ Cajun basketball team has played the four most exciting home games of any stretch in recent history, and the fan response has been an overwhelming ho-hum. That’s just by the numbers, of course. The support group (it’s difficult to call ...

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[Boomer]

Something has got to be wrong--Had to have more than that---been to nearly all the games and there had to be more than the amount given!!!!------ I think some showed up late and weren't counted!!!!

[RaginScotsman]

I like the intensity. However, we should not need "Hud" like motivation to get fans to these games. We've been a winner in basketball before and are showing signs of climbing the ladder once again. Let's get out there and support these guys. They deserve better and all of us on this site know it. Anyway, it's nice to see articles getting out there calling out the other fans, but sad that these scoldings are necessary.

[wgwillis]

I know I would go if I didn't live 4 hours away but I have noticed the same thing from a distance. The question is why and I am not sure except to say it doesn't seem we have recovered from the Lee era which essentially destroyed our program. Here is a guess:

1. Actually we should be the dominant program in this league and we are not. Right or wrong many fans expect more even though, right now, we do not deserve more.

2. We do not have the right overall chemistry because we are:

a. Not playing as a team i.e. excessive, I am sorry but, stupid amateurish turnovers.
b. Inability to capitalize on success i.e. can not put games away when we have the chance.
c. Yeah the games are close, but sometimes unnecessarily too close because of inconsistency missed easy layups.
d. We lost to Lamar to easily which is old rival that marks the true progress of our team i.e. NOT Yet ready.
e. We do not have a every game closer.

2. I could go on but I think it simply means, in a nutshell, the fans are not true believers yet. They will show up when they become believers again or Marlin gets to a tournament.

I really wish I could because none of these reasons would stop me if I could go.

[wgwillis]

I know I would go if I didn't live 4 hours away but I have noticed the same thing from a distance. The question is why and I am not sure except to say it doesn't seem we have recovered from the Lee era which essentially destroyed our program. Here is a guess:

1. Actually we should be the dominant program in this league and we are not. Right or wrong many fans expect more even though, right now, we do not deserve more.

2. We do not have the right overall chemistry because we are:

a. Not playing as a team i.e. excessive, I am sorry but, stupid amateurish turnovers.
b. Inability to capitalize on success i.e. can not put games away when we have the chance.
c. Yeah the games are close, but sometimes unnecessarily too close because of inconsistency missed easy layups.
d. We lost to Lamar to easily which is old rival that marks the true progress of our team i.e. NOT Yet ready.
e. We do not have a every game closer.

2. I could go on but I think it simply means, in a nutshell, the fans are not true believers yet. They will show up when they become believers again or Marlin gets to a tournament.

I really wish I could because none of these reasons would stop me if I could go.

[MetryCajun]

I know I would go if I didn't live 4 hours away but I have noticed the same thing from a distance. The question is why and I am not sure except to say it doesn't seem we have recovered from the Lee era which essentially destroyed our program. Here is a guess:

1. Actually we should be the dominant program in this league and we are not. Right or wrong many fans expect more even though, right now, we do not deserve more.

2. We do not have the right overall chemistry because we are:

a. Not playing as a team i.e. excessive, I am sorry but, stupid amateurish turnovers.
b. Inability to capitalize on success i.e. can not put games away when we have the chance.
c. Yeah the games are close, but sometimes unnecessarily too close because of inconsistency missed easy layups.
d. We lost to Lamar to easily which is old rival that marks the true progress of our team i.e. NOT Yet ready.
e. We do not have a every game closer.

2. I could go on but I think it simply means, in a nutshell, the fans are not true believers yet. They will show up when they become believers again or Marlin gets to a tournament.

I really wish I could because none of these reasons would stop me if I could go.

Great post. I feel the same way. I will make the last game this season... Not because of the teams play, but because I love UL basketball. The team, as constructed now, is not SBC championship caliber. I think most of our fans know this and will do something else until they start winning or we find a player who can deliver consistently good performances.

[Cajuns71]

My wife and I travel 100 miles to go to the games---the same solid group are at all the games---with all the other activities in today's world I understand the decrease in atttendance and also believe with more consistant winnng att. will be up. At the beginning of the year I felt that the chemistry was not there but thought that it would improve when all the parts fell into place. The kids play hard---the younger athletes still have a way to go in maturing on the court, but have potential---but the ONE THING that has lost games for us is poor free throw shooting. Last night I watched the Loyola-Iona game and was surprised by the difference in free throw shooting for the better. We're so close that just improvement in that one area would push us over the hump. Yes I realize that ball integrety would help a lot also as would consistant 3-point shooting, but just improving free throw accuracy would be the 2-3 points we lose the game by.

[CajunRed]

It's very easy for me travel wise because my wife and I are only 10 miles away, but we still have "the love" for Cajun roundballers...and we WILL continue to be at EVERY game.

Coach Marlin will slowly get us back on track, but it will take a couple more classes to get us the kids we need to get us more wins, which will reestablish our program to where we've been in the past.

[UL_Cajuns]

Although I did go to to the UL vs. UALR game.

Heres a good excuse:

We are a Football school now.

Sound familiar?

LOL!

[CajunRed]

Although I did go to to the UL vs. UALR game.

Heres a good excuse:

We are a Football school now.

Sound familiar?

LOL!

That deserves a chuckle.

[Bandwagon King]

My wife and I travel 100 miles to go to the games---the same solid group are at all the games---with all the other activities in today's world I understand the decrease in atttendance and also believe with more consistant winnng att. will be up. At the beginning of the year I felt that the chemistry was not there but thought that it would improve when all the parts fell into place. The kids play hard---the younger athletes still have a way to go in maturing on the court, but have potential---but the ONE THING that has lost games for us is poor free throw shooting. Last night I watched the Loyola-Iona game and was surprised by the difference in free throw shooting for the better. We're so close that just improvement in that one area would push us over the hump. Yes I realize that ball integrety would help a lot also as would consistant 3-point shooting, but just improving free throw accuracy would be the 2-3 points we lose the game by.

I plan on attending tonight's game, but have been fighting the flu off & on since I got back from that stupid cruise. There are several good observations on this thread, but this is the biggest one IMO. The free throw shooting which won them several games last year is not as good this season. That along with not having that guy who can rally the fans, not having a great looking home schedule, & the fans having to get used to supporting multiple succesful sports are all parts of growing pains that UL must deal with. Again, this may sound like excuse making, but when a fan base has been pushed away from a program for so long as this one has been, it's like watching a dog that's been abused get used to dealin with people again. It takes time for a trust factor to be rebuilt. Winning games like Thursday night's goes a long way in doing that.

[GeauxCajuns]

i believe it has something to do with starting 7-9 or 8-10 with a couple of those losses should have been wins. I think Lafayette would show up in droves if we start the season off 11-2 or 10-3 as opposed to .500 ball. I know he has to find chemistry and shuffles the line up a whole lot early in the year, but because of that the team suffers losses it shouldnt. I make most games, and it owuld be alot easier to say to a buddy who doesnt go..."you going to the cajuns game tonight, the team's 11-2" as opposed to..."you going to the game, they're 7-8." we start with a pretty easy schedule and i dont think its to much to expect a better start then sub .500 13 to 14 games in. That's just my opinion.