Pesoli, Fields will not return to UL basketball

[NewsCopy]

Two members of the University of Louisiana men's basketball squad with remaining eligibility, forwards J. T. Fields and Lucian Pesoli, will not return to the Ragin' Cajun program this year. UL coach Robert Lee said Thursday that neither had fulfilled responsibilities required to remain with the team. "They didn't do the things they needed to do," Lee said. "We require our guys to do certain things to be a part of our program, not just basketball." Pesoli had two years of eligibility remaining and Fields had one. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[CajunKahouna]

Swami says it's going to be a L O N G basketball season! I sure hope Lee's recruiting picks up soon.

[Cajunsmike]

Coach Lee had said he did not expect Forrest to be eligible until the 2nd semester. This article makes it appear he is eligible. Baton Rouge Advocate had an article a couple of weeks back also saying he is eligible. I wonder what the true story is there. I also wonder what Dison can do to get eligible. Maybe he can take another class in the fall which will constitute a core and be eligible in the second semester. If anyone knows the details of this please advise as I don't. Finally, someone supposedly in the know said they did not think Barksdale was coming back. Dan's article says otherwise. Very few people are truly in the know on this stuff as things change.

[CajunRed]

Although I have nothing against Pesolit, Fields or Barksdale... they all seemed to be pretty good people, their basketball talent was very limited and were not in a position to help us if our goal is to try to distance ourselves from the rest of the also-ran "mid-majors". I would add to that group... Turner and Hart.

I just as soon take my chances with the transfers that sat out, plus the young talent that was signed this offseason.

I will close with the question I am now posing for the 3rd time and have yet to have someone name such a player... WHICH OF OUR RETURNING PLAYERS FROM LAST YEAR (particularly those I've mentioned) WOULD ANOTHER COACH IN THE SUNBEST OR ANOTHER MID-MAJOR SAY ABOUT... "WOW, I'd REALLY like to have THAT guy?"

[Tripple Threat]

Although I have nothing against Pesolit, Fields or Barksdale... they all seemed to be pretty good people, their basketball talent was very limited and were not in a position to help us if our goal is to try to distance ourselves from the rest of the also-ran "mid-majors". I would add to that group... Turner and Hart.

I just as soon take my chances with the transfers that sat out, plus the young talent that was signed this offseason.

I will close with the question I am now posing for the 3rd time and have yet to have someone name such a player... WHICH OF OUR RETURNING PLAYERS FROM LAST YEAR (particularly those I've mentioned) WOULD ANOTHER COACH IN THE SUNBEST OR ANOTHER MID-MAJOR SAY ABOUT... "WOW, I'd REALLY like to have THAT guy?"

I'll take a stab...kind of...my question to your question is another question. Would another coach in a mid major say that about a player unless that said player could take them to the next level? I don't believe there are more than a handfull of players who could do that. No, I can't name them. No one knows who they are, they're a secret. College basketball, in my opinion, is now leaning back towards a team oriented concept. That's why the mid majors are making the NCAA tournament a hell of lot more interesting. Hopefully Coach Lee and his staff have formed a team of natural talent, coachability, and the appropriate size for what they need. Maybe it will take a couple of years to build a base here at UL and maybe it's coach Lee who will have the patience to develop the squad and maybe UL and it's fans will have the patience allow the team to develop rather than expect a couple of SEC or other Major transfers to bring UL to the brink of success, but not quite over the top. I love this sport because after some hard work and team oriented coaching a small number of players can go a lot further than expected. Chance, is a great thing for college basketball. I'm anxious to see what Coach Lee will do with some young players who are willing to be coached and if Coach Lee can bring the best out of inexperience. I didn't expect to ramble, but there it is.

[DestinCajun]

Swami says it's going to be a L O N G basketball season! I sure hope Lee's recruiting picks up soon.

Probably but I went ahead and renewed my tickets anyway. Love those Cajuns!

[Xlettrman]

I'll take a stab...kind of...my question to your question is another question. Would another coach in a mid major say that about a player unless that said player could take them to the next level? I don't believe there are more than a handfull of players who could do that. No, I can't name them. No one knows who they are, they're a secret. College basketball, in my opinion, is now leaning back towards a team oriented concept. That's why the mid majors are making the NCAA tournament a hell of lot more interesting. Hopefull Coach Lee and his staff have formed a team of natural talent, coachability, and the appropriate size for what they need. Maybe it will take a couple of years to build a base here at UL and maybe it's coach Lee who will have the patience to develop the squad and maybe UL and it's fans will have the patience allow the team to develop rather than expect a couple of SEC or other Major transfers to bring UL to the brink of success, but not quite over the top. I love this sport because after some hard work and team oriented coaching a small number of players can go a lot further than expected. Chance, is a great thing for college basketball. I'm anxious to see what Coach Lee will do with some young players who are willing to be coached and if Coach Lee can bring the best out of inexperience. I didn't expect to ramble, but there it is.

Finally...the voice of wisdom

[CajunKahouna]

I'll take a stab............. Hopefully Coach Lee and his staff have formed a team of natural talent, coachability, and the appropriate size for what they need................

I doubt it,........... but I do wish I shared some of your optimisim.:o

[MiamiCajun32]

I doubt it,........... but I do wish I shared some of your optimisim.:o

Last year's recruiting class was a total dissaster. Not just because it was not a good one, but because Lee recruited players he proclaimed would help Cajuns go far in NCAA tourney, only to flop completely. Then Lee blames it on the players by cutting them all loose, with little or no explanation for most. Have you ever seen a program offer scholarships and then take them away for so many players, just one year into the coach's and university's committment to them (most of these transfers turned down scholarships at other schools to go to UL?

I was happy that Lee brought back Southall and gave him a final chance, which worked out well for the player and coach. However, that move by Lee makes the idea that he is cleaning house for some ethical reasons a bit hard to swallow. Seems like he is just throwing these players' careers under a bus because he would rather go in a different direction. It is too bad that these players and their parents did not know that Lee thought of this as an option when he was recruiting them with full scholarships committed until their playing eligibility is over.

Even if all these players were bad apples and were not following team rules (doubtful), if so many players are cutting up then it falls on the head coach, no doubt. Responsibility for such a disgrace of having the majority of a 1A team out of control of course falls on the head coach.

But most disgraceful of all is Lee blaming the players he is cutting loose and thus hurting their chances for catching on with any other program, including the ones they had turned down scholarships to come to UL (at Lee's persistance).

I give Lee a very small chance of turning things around. The program is in a state of dissaray because of his poor leadership and now I doubt that he will suddenly be able to turn things around.

And just because so many people have a high opinion of Lee and think he is a great guy does not change the fact that the program is in dissaray and an embarrassment with regards to either one or the other: a) a team that was so out of control that majority had to be cut loose from scholarships; and / or b) a team that made a mistake in recruiting with a number of players and then cut them loose, not honoring the scholarship committment and then blaming the players, proclaiming they have character problems and broke team rules.

[Clutch0364]

Even if all these players were bad apples and were not following team rules (doubtful), if so many players are cutting up then it falls on the head coach, no doubt. Responsibility for such a disgrace of having the majority of a 1A team out of control of course falls on the head coach.

DOUBTFUL lol...so the times they were suspended throughout the year didn't give it away that they were breaking team rules?

[Cajunfever]

Last year's recruiting class was a total dissaster. Not just because it was not a good one, but because Lee recruited players he proclaimed would help Cajuns go far in NCAA tourney, only to flop completely. Then Lee blames it on the players by cutting them all loose, with little or no explanation for most. Have you ever seen a program offer scholarships and then take them away for so many players, just one year into the coach's and university's committment to them (most of these transfers turned down scholarships at other schools to go to UL?

I was happy that Lee brought back Southall and gave him a final chance, which worked out well for the player and coach. However, that move by Lee makes the idea that he is cleaning house for some ethical reasons a bit hard to swallow. Seems like he is just throwing these players' careers under a bus because he would rather go in a different direction. It is too bad that these players and their parents did not know that Lee thought of this as an option when he was recruiting them with full scholarships committed until their playing eligibility is over.

Even if all these players were bad apples and were not following team rules (doubtful), if so many players are cutting up then it falls on the head coach, no doubt. Responsibility for such a disgrace of having the majority of a 1A team out of control of course falls on the head coach.

But most disgraceful of all is Lee blaming the players he is cutting loose and thus hurting their chances for catching on with any other program, including the ones they had turned down scholarships to come to UL (at Lee's persistance).

I give Lee a very small chance of turning things around. The program is in a state of dissaray because of his poor leadership and now I doubt that he will suddenly be able to turn things around.
And just because so many people have a high opinion of Lee and think he is a great guy does not change the fact that the program is in dissaray and an embarrassment with regards to either one or the other: a) a team that was so out of control that majority had to be cut loose from scholarships; and / or b) a team that made a mistake in recruiting with a number of players and then cut them loose, not honoring the scholarship committment and then blaming the players, proclaiming they have character problems and broke team rules.

How do you know the players who were cut did not get an explanation? Were you involved in those meeting with those players?

Coach Lee understands that you don't build a program with JUCO players. You build it with quality high school players. He also understood that there was alot of high school talent available this year. He also understood that other schools in Louisiana did not have alot of scholarships available. He made the decision to go after those players. Considering the lackluster play of some of the returning players last year(Turner, Pesoli and Fields), it is not suprising that they are not on scholarship anymore. It wasn't about their skill level, it was about the desire to play. None of the above listed players showed a desire to play team ball last year.

[MiamiCajun32]

How do you know the players who were cut did not get an explanation? Were you involved in those meeting with those players?

Coach Lee understands that you don't build a program with JUCO players. You build it with quality high school players. He also understood that there was alot of high school talent available this year. He also understood that other schools in Louisiana did not have alot of scholarships available. He made the decision to go after those players. Considering the lackluster play of some of the returning players last year(Turner, Pesoli and Fields), it is not suprising that they are not on scholarship anymore. It wasn't about their skill level, it was about the desire to play. None of the above listed players showed a desire to play team ball last year.

If you give out scholarships, and the student athletes show up for practice and make their grades, then you honor the scholarships. If there is a bad apple here and there, it is one thing, but to think that so many players were bad apples, despite some great coaching and leadership by RL, is not logical. All of the players that are being let go and who are having their scholarships taken away are players that were pursued by other D1 universities' basketball programs, but I guess all these guys decided simultaneously to start not caring about playing basketball anymore (after all they had all been excelling and having a strong desire to excel in the sport for a number of years, so I guess it was time for all of them to just stop caring). No, I think it was a lack of leadership last season and a sell out this season. Name me one other program that ever cut loose so many players. Just doesn't feel right... I think the program will be back on its feet in about 4 years, after some mediocre seasons coming up, but only if RL is either gone by then or dramatically improves in his ability to lead a program.