Cajuns lose replacement for Lee and SBC basketball gets better

[TillmansNumber1]

As the basketball program begins to faulter under the leadership of Robert Lee, the general's firing seems eminent (twenty wins to thirteen to eight in three seasons). The Cajuns haven't given Lee an extension -- there's no reason to -- and it will be difficult for Lee to recruit on only two years. The numbers of wins have gone down and so has attendance.

Just two days ago, the Cajuns lost out on a great replacement for Lee: Ronnie Arrow, now the former head coach at TAMU Corpus Christi (Monday, Arrow was hired as coach at South Alabama, a school in the Sun Belt). With no local interest, no conference, few home games and no presence on any type of TV, Arrow turned TAMUCC, an independent, into a .500 team almost immediately. In eight years at TAMUCC, the Islanders were 134-91 (average of 16-10). Then, in TAMUCC's first year in the Southland Conference, Arrow had the team at 24-6, with an rpi of 82 or so, which should've given TAMUCC a thirteen. The committee gave TAMUCC a fifteen, but the Islanders lost to Wisconsin by only 10 points.

Oddly enough, no one took notice until Pelphry left USA for Arkansas. But, Arrow was quickly hired by South Alabama after they lost Pelphry.

USA, where Arrow was a coach for 8 seasons before being fired, like Jesse Evans, for making postseason tournaments too many times, called and hired Arrow. Arrow made the tournament twice with USA and once with TAMUCC and would've been a perfect hire for the Cajuns. He's not really going anywhere -- he's not that young -- but he's proven, which can't be said for Lee.

With Arrow's hiring and scheduling, there's no doubt USA is the team to beat in the SBC. Mobile, Alabama isn't the easiest place to recruit to and the Jaguars will always be the fourth most important program in Alabama (UA, AU, UAB), and yet they're now the team to beat. If Authemant or Walker had pulled the plug on the Robert Lee experiment, couldn't this have been UL? Couldn't the Cajuns, once the proud program of the Sun Belt when Evans was at the top, have returned to prominence?

Couldn't the Cajuns have signed Ronnie Arrow to be the new coach?

At USA and TAMUCC, Arrow won twenty games often, against tough schedules, which generated a high enough rpi to get a thirteen or a fourteen seed. More important, Arrow accomplished this with players he recruited. Lee's good season came from Evans' players.

Once the Lee experiment is over, Dr Authemant and David Walker need to look to head coaches from smaller conferences. Instead of hiring an assistant with no experience -- like Lee -- they must hire a proven head coach, with proven results. The Cajuns must look only to head coaches with the ability to reach the NCAAs or the NIT, the ability to win more than 50% of their games and the ability to play relatively close games against an schedule crafted to give the team the highest possible RPI.

The Cajuns have to improve the basketball program; after all, with the hiring of Arrow, a proven coach with years of success, the SBC just got a lot tougher.

[CajunRed]

_ As the basketball program begins to faulter under the leadership of Robert Lee, the general's firing seems eminent (twenty wins to thirteen to eight in three seasons). The Cajuns haven't given Lee an extension -- there's no reason to -- and it will be difficult for Lee to recruit on only two years. The numbers of wins have gone down and so has attendance.

Just two days ago, the Cajuns lost out on a great replacement for Lee: Ronnie Arrow, now the former head coach at TAMU Corpus Christi (Monday, Arrow was hired as coach at South Alabama, a school in the Sun Belt). With no local interest, no conference, few home games and no presence on any type of TV, Arrow turned TAMUCC, an independent, into a .500 team almost immediately. In eight years at TAMUCC, the Islanders were 134-91 (average of 16-10). Then, in TAMUCC's first year in the Southland Conference, Arrow had the team at 24-6, with an rpi of 82 or so, which should've given TAMUCC a thirteen. The committee gave TAMUCC a fifteen, but the Islanders lost to Wisconsin by only 10 points.

Oddly enough, no one took notice until Pelphry left USA for Arkansas. But, Arrow was quickly hired by South Alabama after they lost Pelphry.

USA, where Arrow was a coach for 8 seasons before being fired, like Jesse Evans, for making postseason tournaments too many times, called and hired Arrow. Arrow made the tournament twice with USA and once with TAMUCC and would've been a perfect hire for the Cajuns. He's not really going anywhere -- he's not that young -- but he's proven, which can't be said for Lee.

With Arrow's hiring and scheduling, there's no doubt USA is the team to beat in the SBC. Mobile, Alabama isn't the easiest place to recruit to and the Jaguars will always be the fourth most important program in Alabama (UA, AU, UAB), and yet they're now the team to beat. If Authemant or Walker had pulled the plug on the Robert Lee experiment, couldn't this have been UL? Couldn't the Cajuns, once the proud program of the Sun Belt when Evans was at the top, have returned to prominence?

At USA and TAMUCC, Arrow won twenty games often, against tough schedules, which generated a high enough rpi to get a thirteen or a fourteen seed. More important, Arrow accomplished this with players he recruited. Lee's good season came from Evans' players.

Once the Lee experiment is over, Dr Authemant and David Walker need to look to head coaches from smaller conferences. Instead of hiring an assistant with no experience -- like Lee -- they must hire a proven head coach, with proven results. The Cajuns must look only to head coaches with the ability to reach the NCAAs or the NIT, the ability to win more than 50% of their games and the ability to play relatively close games against an schedule crafted to give the team the highest possible RPI.

The Cajuns have to improve the basketball program; after all, with the hiring of Arrow, a proven coach with years of success, the SBC just got a lot tougher. _

this is BIZARRE!

[SlappyCajun]

I'd like to welcome Ronnie Arrow's grandomother. "Tillman's Number" to the board. Great post. We are all proud of Ronnie. I guess the rest of the Sunbelt should forfeit now that Ronnie is in the league.

PS. Is Ronnie free to Baptize my child?

[Zeebart21]

Thanks for wasting 3 minutes of my time with this garbage.

Z.

[Jeaux]

3 minutes? I read the first two paragraphs and that was enough for me. I just can't see where Ronnie is gonna be the savior of this program. He was given eight years at CC. Some people can't even survive a two year struggle so why would any future coach wanna come here. I swear we are our own worst enemy.

[Cajunsmike]

_ As the basketball program begins to faulter under the leadership of Robert Lee, the general's firing seems eminent (twenty wins to thirteen to eight in three seasons). The Cajuns haven't given Lee an extension -- there's no reason to -- and it will be difficult for Lee to recruit on only two years. The numbers of wins have gone down and so has attendance.

Do you have the funds to buy out Lee and offer a replacement a decent salary. That would have cost at least a half million dollars. I don't think you do and the university does not have it either. As far as recruiting goes, that is not much of a concern now as the squad is so young, it is basically set for the next four years. We do need to bring in a post player and I am a little concerned we have not been able to bring one in as of yet. Lee was given assurances before last season that he would be retained no matter the record due to the youth of the team. Now, that was last year. Lee himself has said another season like last year and someone else will have the job.

[CajunKahouna]

_ As the basketball program begins to faulter under the leadership of Robert Lee, the general's firing seems eminent (twenty wins to thirteen to eight in three seasons). The Cajuns haven't given Lee an extension -- there's no reason to -- and it will be difficult for Lee to recruit on only two years. The numbers of wins have gone down and so has attendance.

Just two days ago, the Cajuns lost out on a great replacement for Lee: Ronnie Arrow, now the former head coach at TAMU Corpus Christi (Monday, Arrow was hired as coach at South Alabama, a school in the Sun Belt). With no local interest, no conference, few home games and no presence on any type of TV, Arrow turned TAMUCC, an independent, into a .500 team almost immediately. In eight years at TAMUCC, the Islanders were 134-91 (average of 16-10). Then, in TAMUCC's first year in the Southland Conference, Arrow had the team at 24-6, with an rpi of 82 or so, which should've given TAMUCC a thirteen. The committee gave TAMUCC a fifteen, but the Islanders lost to Wisconsin by only 10 points.

Oddly enough, no one took notice until Pelphry left USA for Arkansas. But, Arrow was quickly hired by South Alabama after they lost Pelphry.

USA, where Arrow was a coach for 8 seasons before being fired, like Jesse Evans, for making postseason tournaments too many times, called and hired Arrow. Arrow made the tournament twice with USA and once with TAMUCC and would've been a perfect hire for the Cajuns. He's not really going anywhere -- he's not that young -- but he's proven, which can't be said for Lee.

With Arrow's hiring and scheduling, there's no doubt USA is the team to beat in the SBC. Mobile, Alabama isn't the easiest place to recruit to and the Jaguars will always be the fourth most important program in Alabama (UA, AU, UAB), and yet they're now the team to beat. If Authemant or Walker had pulled the plug on the Robert Lee experiment, couldn't this have been UL? Couldn't the Cajuns, once the proud program of the Sun Belt when Evans was at the top, have returned to prominence?

Couldn't the Cajuns have signed Ronnie Arrow to be the new coach?

At USA and TAMUCC, Arrow won twenty games often, against tough schedules, which generated a high enough rpi to get a thirteen or a fourteen seed. More important, Arrow accomplished this with players he recruited. Lee's good season came from Evans' players.

Once the Lee experiment is over, Dr Authemant and David Walker need to look to head coaches from smaller conferences. Instead of hiring an assistant with no experience -- like Lee -- they must hire a proven head coach, with proven results. The Cajuns must look only to head coaches with the ability to reach the NCAAs or the NIT, the ability to win more than 50% of their games and the ability to play relatively close games against an schedule crafted to give the team the highest possible RPI.

The Cajuns have to improve the basketball program; after all, with the hiring of Arrow, a proven coach with years of success, the SBC just got a lot tougher. _

Thanks for a great post - you hit a bullseye!!!

[AstroCajun]

Some people can't even survive a two year struggle so why would any future coach wanna come here. I swear we are our own worst enemy.

Ding, Ding, Ding!!! We have a winner. You nailed it.

[AstroCajun]

USA, where Arrow was a coach for 8 seasons before being fired, like Jesse Evans, for making postseason tournaments too many times, called and hired Arrow. Arrow made the tournament twice with USA and once with TAMUCC and would've been a perfect hire for the Cajuns. He's not really going anywhere -- he's not that young -- but he's proven, which can't be said for Lee.

Yeah, but Arrow couldn't keep Brian Hamilton from switching to the Cajuns.

[MiamiCajun32]

_ Do you have the funds to buy out Lee and offer a replacement a decent salary. That would have cost at least a half million dollars. I don't think you do and the university does not have it either. As far as recruiting goes, that is not much of a concern now as the squad is so young, it is basically set for the next four years. We do need to bring in a post player and I am a little concerned we have not been able to bring one in as of yet. Lee was given assurances before last season that he would be retained no matter the record due to the youth of the team. Now, that was last year. Lee himself has said another season like last year and someone else will have the job. _

The funds problem is causing a lot of long-time fans to just not count on cajuns winning tradition any more and to just stop worrying abou it. After all, why worry about the funds problem when there is nothing that can be done about it. We have been fortunate to have not had situations before like this where a new coach may have to be replaced so soon, but there are no funds to buy him out. Hopefully, Lee can turn things around. If not, it is like bashing your head against the wall to care so much about the funds problem. Lee is not going anywhere for the next year or two, win or lose.

[diggler]

_ The funds problem is causing a lot of long-time fans to just not count on cajuns winning tradition any more and to just stop worrying abou it. After all, why worry about the funds problem when there is nothing that can be done about it. We have been fortunate to have not had situations before like this where a new coach may have to be replaced so soon, but there are no funds to buy him out. Hopefully, Lee can turn things around. If not, it is like bashing your head against the wall to care so much about the funds problem. Lee is not going anywhere for the next year or two, win or lose. _

All I know is we better find a big man because what we have will not cut it.

[Zeebart21]

The funds problem is causing a lot of long-time fans to just not count on cajuns winning tradition any more and to just stop worrying abou it. After all, why worry about the funds problem when there is nothing that can be done about it. We have been fortunate to have not had situations before like this where a new coach may have to be replaced so soon, but there are no funds to buy him out. Hopefully, Lee can turn things around. If not, it is like bashing your head against the wall to care so much about the funds problem. Lee is not going anywhere for the next year or two, win or lose.

None of this stuff is new information. Thats why the original post that started this useless thread is so bizarre.

Z.

[MiamiCajun32]

_ None of this stuff is new information. Thats why the original post that started this useless thread is so bizarre.

Z. _

I think it is just fine to keep the terrible state of the basketball program in our thoughts, even in the offseason. Keep the pressure on.... Even if it won't matter because administration will do nothing and / or can do nothing. I have never seen a proud program from any university, at any level, fall so far so quickly and without some type of scandal. In any event, the fall of cajuns basketball is certainly worthy of discussion, even if it is not as fun to talk about as the Cajuns baseball / softball teams' chances of making the world series this year ;-)

[CajunRed]

[QUOTE=miamicajun32]



As I posted earlier... what a bizarre and useless thread!

[BrockMeaux]

Uhhhhh..........fourteen? Pickles? Navajo? I don't know what the answer is!