WBB coaching talk ...

[BayouBaller]

I am serious CajunRef, especially when the program is floundering. Sometimes it takes more than a budget when you invest in your human resources.

[Turbine]

Turbine,

Coastal Carolina's Kimbel Arena (http://www.goccusports.com/facilities/kimbel-arena.html) appears to be much bigger and nicer than EKL - AND IT HAS SIX HOOPS HANGING FROM THE CEILING! When watching the miserable shooting for this team I could only wonder how many shots you can get in practice with only two goals in EKL. Were they rolling out more that we knew nothing about? Check out the men's facility. Do you think Bob Marlin could be successful with a limited practice facility?

But really, is that the commitment to excellence UL is striving towards? The Big South Conference?

Kind of setting the bar low don't you think? Maybe I am unrealistic, but I am thinking more about building a program that can compete with The Louisiana State University.

Thanks for the link I was going off of an article I had read that said Kimble Arena sat 1000.

You are right that is nicer (much) than EKL.

[OLF82]

Most athletic directors have a short list of prospects they would recruit for any vacancies. It appears Garry Brodhead has been at the top of Scott's list for quite some time. There is a lot to be said about hiring somebody that knows and respects the university community. Garry's run on the McNeese staff would be something we would all hope could be replicated at UL when he moves to the next seat.

But, he will need our support.

Butts in the cheap seats at EKL are nice, but that gym is an embarrassment to any Division I basketball program starting with the phony picture of fans in the stands on the scoreboard wall. If we want to be big time, then build the women a big time practice facility with more than two hoops in it and play all home games at the Cajun Dome. Let's start filling up a facility that is similar to what the Lady Cajuns will be playing in when they play on the road.

At the end of the day, the most important element of building a successful program is recruiting. Once you get them to LALA the program will need support to keep them here in the off season for classes, training, and employment. All big time programs have big time summer jobs for the student athletes in their academic field of study.

Finally, even Garry Brodhead will need support from the athletic department. He has never been a Division I head coach. I hope Scott gives him the same support he has provided to our whirling dervish football coach. Errol Rogers might have had a lot of shortcomings, but I feel his failure had a lot to do with the absolute lack of supervision, structure, and support from Mr. Walker and Mr. Farmer.

For some reason, I feel Coach Brodhead will get more. Unfortunately the ones that have suffered through this painful ordeal have been the players who in my mind have laid it all on the line for UL. Thought they did not win a lot of games, I pray UL will make sure they are a part of the university and athletic legacy they signed up for. Every one of them was a winner when they got here. UL needs to take some shared responsibility for how infrequent the scoreboard lit up in favor of the Ragin' Cajuns.

Garry Brodhead can have a lot to do with that!

While I hope the program grows exponentially under Brodhead and necessitates a larger venue, I have to disagree Earl K. Long is an embarrassment. It is a unique place with great history that provides powerful home court advantage. However, as earlier stated, I hope we are able to regain the success and pride in the program that forces a move.

I'm very glad you mentioned the players. As one who attended almost every home game, I can tell you they played their butts off. I hope the players who played so hard for the last 5 years for our university know that they are appreciated and are part of the family. They ARE all winners.

To Errol Rogers and his staff, thank you for also being part of the family. Things didn't work out as hoped, but I appreciate your efforts. Good luck to all of you in future endeavors.

Congratulations, Coach Brodhead. Welcome home.

[DaddyCajun]

Welome to UL again coach Brodhead, and thanks for choosing Louisiana!

[VObserver]

I guess we can agree to disagree. It all started in the beginning when Errol was selected in the first place. Somebody needs to take responsibility for that mistake. When it became apparent he had many short comings the athletic department leadership did nothing to improve his abilities to lead the program. If this were a business, he would have been counseled then put on a strict performance plan to reverse what has been long discussed on this board. Instead, Scott Farmer EXTENDED HIS CONTRACT when the old one expired. This is not the leadership I would expect from an athletic department committed to excellence.

Hiring someone is simple. Giving them the training and motivation necessary to be successful and retained when they are is the mark of a highly productive operation. And if it does not work out, you need to cut your losses and move on. That did not happen for the women's basketball program in a timely manner.

I KNEW when he was hired that Rogers could not coach. I was familiar with his body of work in both HS and AAU coaching, and knew he could not win with equal or lesser talent against any competent coach.

If you have been paying attention [and I know you have], you know that I was also very unhappy when Rogers' contract was extended. I was not happy even though I knew why it was extended. That being said, I am more than just a little sure that Scott was not happy doing that either, but felt backed into a corner on it.

In any event, that is history now, not news.

I have been very consistent in my support for the WBB program. I firmly believe that the WBB program here can be more successful than men's basketball. There is a lot of interest in girl's basketball in middle and high schools in the area, and several local or near local programs draw as many or more fans for their girls as for their boys. [Iota, Notre Dame, Vermilion Catholic, Teurlings] Fans at that level should translate to fans at this level, IF we have a winning program.
I believe that if we have 3 seasons with 20 or more wins and have a venue that will hold them we can average 2-3 thousand fans for WBB. I believe that Brodhead can move us in that direction.

[Parrott]

If not true, this would be a sick April Fools joke. If true, it's a smart decision. He was ignored by former hiring "experts" because he did not have collegiate experience. He went out and got some. Now watch as he proves those ding-bats wrong.

I have a pretty strong track record when it comes to posting such news to stick with the facts. I have no interest in misleading people with my posts. Thanks!

[LFTCajun]

I have a pretty strong track record when it comes to posting such news to stick with the facts. I have no interest in misleading people with my posts. Thanks!

Any time I hear/read a big announcement on 4/1, I take it with a grain of salt (and a smile). Were it not for the fact that it was you who tipped us off, I would have taken it as an April Fool's joke. Your name alone gave the announcement credence.

FWIW

[Parrott]

Any time I hear/read a big announcement on 4/1, I take it with a grain of salt (and a smile). Were it not for the fact that it was you who tipped us off, I would have taken it as an April Fool's joke. Your name alone gave the announcement credence.

FWIW

Thank you. That's my intent!