What's wrong with the basketball program?

[California Cajun]

Do we need a big name coach? I honestly don't think one would succeed here at present. He'd win, but with modest success and unless his postseasons were better than one and done crowds would settle at 4-6K announced. So don't hire Coach K if he's over the hill and needs 10 more W's to set another major milestone, you might wind up broke and disappointed.

Are Cajun fans fair weather fans? The Bo Lamar crowd and support base was exterminated during the disasterous transition from Blackham to the Cajundome and the hatred for Fletcher (even though he was successful). This crowd absorbed pain more often than Rasputin was poisoned, so give the Cajun fan high marks for loyalty.

Does a fan have to possess a "true love" for the game to want to attend? I am not a "true" or "knowledgeable" basketball fan but under Shipley and Paschal I really enjoyed myself at the games. Probably the fun was as much watching people around me having a great time as it was the shots, steals, dunks, and wins. It was an intimate gathering of a lot of friends. I sensed that Evans' teams underachieved because of their postseason play, and he kept trying to get other coaching jobs. Lee gave it his best shot and that's all you can ask of a man. I've even tried getting season tickets a few years since my self-described golden years, determining to "learn" to like the game better, but just had to push myself out the door and wasn't successful very often. The last year I had them I didn't attend any games. Now I'm reading that the diehards who love the game and are knowledgeable are having the same motivation problems I had and are dropping THEIR tickets. It must gall them much more than it does me when a player not named Wilt Chamberlain or Shaquille O'Neal can't make a decent percentage of free throws.

What's wrong with the basketball program and how to we turn it around? Honestly, I think the program has been dead for so long that nobody knows what to do. You can't say efforts haven't been made to improve the salaries. Marlin was a successful basketball coach for many years before coming here, so I know he knows how to win. But since coming here, for whatever reason, he's been snake bit. The assistants change, players leave, and knowledgeable fans say the talent isn't anything like it once was. I'm not privy to the details, just know what they add up to in the W-L-E (the latter standing for "entertainment") column. Fans who are students of the game say they want a more exciting style of play.

Can UL regain its former glory in basketball and then some? Yes! They have before in a big way and will again. I will know things have turned around when the marginal fan is able to enjoy the games again. If I knew what to do I'd know a lot more about basketball, wouldn't I?

[ZoomZoom]

CC...you are pretty much on the mark. We must be about the same age too. Only thing I don't see is the rabid fan base coming back. Since the dome opened, the fire just never moved over from the old barn. Nor would it be allowed in this age of PC.

I gave up our season tickets in the early 90's because I was tired of playing the SWAC in all our home non conference games. The drama of Marty moving the bench because of the crowd being too rough on him was a little stupid too. Made me wonder if he could not handle the heat here, my God, get out the kitchen.

My choice to give up the tickets was proven correct the next season. Cajuns v Jacksonville if I remember right. Had a friend ask me to go since he had never been before. About 1:05 or so left, Cajuns up by 5 or so, and disaster strikes. A time out.

I tell my friend the Cajuns will lose this game. I'm furious I came back, same old stuff. Oh course, up 5 with the ball, all those around me think I am nuts. Time passes, here comes overtime and the predicted loss.

So, all those around me look at me, asking how I knew. "Simple," I replied. "Marty called a time out and tried to coach".

To the Marty apologists, even a blind squirrel finds a nut eventually.

[I_Bleed_RED]

CC...you are pretty much on the mark. We must be about the same age too. Only thing I don't see is the rabid fan base coming back. Since the dome opened, the fire just never moved over from the old barn. Nor would it be allowed in this age of PC.

I gave up our season tickets in the early 90's because I was tired of playing the SWAC in all our home non conference games. The drama of Marty moving the bench because of the crowd being too rough on him was a little stupid too. Made me wonder if he could not handle the heat here, my God, get out the kitchen.

My choice to give up the tickets was proven correct the next season. Cajuns v Jacksonville if I remember right. Had a friend ask me to go since he had never been before. About 1:05 or so left, Cajuns up by 5 or so, and disaster strikes. A time out.

I tell my friend the Cajuns will lose this game. I'm furious I came back, same old stuff. Oh course, up 5 with the ball, all those around me think I am nuts. Time passes, here comes overtime and the predicted loss.

So, all those around me look at me, asking how I knew. "Simple," I replied. "Marty called a time out and tried to coach".

To the Marty apologists, even a blind squirrel finds a nut eventually.

I believe we could have those types of crowds return. Maybe not the same intensity as when we were in Blackham because that was just so much more packed in. But what gives me hope is the crowds we had during that big winning streak during Marlin's first year. All it took was a winning streak to get the fans to start coming back. If we have an exciting team that can win (especially at home), then we can get some very good home crowds imo.

[CajunRed]

When the program begins producing wins again, the crowds will return...maybe slowly at first, but they will return. Until then, though, crowds will probably get worse.

[anhil8tor]

When the program begins producing wins again, the crowds will return...maybe slowly at first, but they will return. Until then, though, crowds will probably get worse.

Yup.. 10K in the dome at the end of our wins streak two years ago tells you the fans will come.

[duggie85]

I know I'm in the minority, but I think Marlin is doing a pretty good job. Over the last 2 years, if our guys could have made free throws in last 5 minutes of games, Marlin would easily have 15-20 more W's. In 2011 alone, I think we lost roughly 10 games by less than 5 points??? Why?? Couldn't make free throws....

[Turbine]

I know I'm in the minority, but I think Marlin is doing a pretty good job. Over the last 2 years, if our guys could have made free throws in last 5 minutes of games, Marlin would easily have 15-20 more W's. In 2011 alone, I think we lost roughly 10 games by less than 5 points??? Why?? Couldn't make free throws....

+1

[Cajunsmike]

+1

There is another factor at work here. Attendance in college basketball other than at the premium programs is down nationwide, especially in the south. The entertainment aspect may come into play here. Note, NBA TV viewership is up. I think the declining college interest has to do with how physical and low scoring the games have become. In the recently completed NCAA tournament there were several games in which one team had less than 20 points at half and less that 50 points overall. Games in the 60's for the winning team were the norm. Fortunately the Final 4 games were entertaining. Still, this situation indicates some rule changes may be needed to get interest back up. That goes for here and everywhere else. Yet, if the refs called all the fouls they see it would be a free throw shooting contest for a while. Eventually the players would adjust and the games become a little more free flowing again.

[ULtimateCajun]

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not as into bball as I was a few years ago...with no crowd and an inconsistent performance on the court its just not all that entertaining. When you add the huge revolving door of players coming and going it makes it hard to support the players when you see them for one season. I hope it gets turned around because ul bball used to be one of my favorite ul seasons. Just tough to get excited right now. I think this team we have now can be really good next season....hope I'm right.

[cajunfan79]

Also a winning football team carrying interest into January can't help either. How often before the last two years could we say that?

[I_Bleed_RED]

Also a winning football team carrying interest into January can't help either. How often before the last two years could we say that?

meh, I think you're reaching a little there. It may slightly affect attendance at the very beginning of the season but really it has little to do with our down numbers.

[Frenchie35]

I know I'm in the minority, but I think Marlin is doing a pretty good job. Over the last 2 years, if our guys could have made free throws in last 5 minutes of games, Marlin would easily have 15-20 more W's. In 2011 alone, I think we lost roughly 10 games by less than 5 points??? Why?? Couldn't make free throws....

I made the same remarks in the past and was told they didn't lose it at the FT line. If they make their jump shots in the game they win. So we lose by 4-5 points and shot 50 % at the line, tell me who wins the game. We have lost so many game because of poor FT shooting. That's my opinion and I am sticking to it. And yes I was there at blackham during the hay days of the fifties and sixties. That was basketball at the finest. Damn I'm old and enjoying it to the fullest.........