New "Youth" plan has coach Lee encouraged

[Jason]

_ Exactly. And I think where people get a little blinded by the lights is when they look back at the glory days of Jesse Evans' tenure when we were in postseason play almost every year on nothing but transfers, whereas things have taken longer to develop with Coach Lee and his strategy of recruiting and developing players. Yes, those were fun times under Coach Evans, but what's lost on most people is that success like that with the program Evans ran would be impossible today. Every year we had at least one or two players academically ineligible, guys left early or just didn't graduate, and after they were done here we just moved on to the next set of transfers. If that were happening today, our basketball program would get the axe because the severity of the APR violations would get us very strict action from the NCAA. I'd love to be able to go back just for fun and estimate the APR every year for the basketball program while Evans was here.

We may not get 19 wins next season, but it will be hard to dispute the quality of the players on this team, both in the class room and on the court. The freshmen and sophomores next year will be supremely talented physically, possibly to the point of being the most athletic team in the Sun Belt. Once these guys all pick up the system and start playing together, the sky will be the limit. We're just missing one or two pieces, and the way Lee's recruited will allow us time to fill those pieces in while still maintaining quality starters for years at positions of strength like PG and SG. I've said from day one when Coach Lee got the job, the best years of this basketball program are ahead. I'm looking forward to enjoying the rewards of that faith in the next couple years. _

[DaddyCajun]

I am encouraged with the youth movement! I am sure there will be some fallout, but only the cream rise to the top, hopefully they stay at UL. I would like to see a few more really big men and not so many guards.

DaddyCajun

[Cajun Express]

_ Coach Lee has players who are all eligible. He's signed virtually all Louisiana players. His kids go to class. His kids care about an education. His team no longer has APR problems.

He's already made significant improvements to the basketball program.

Now, you talk about W and L and I understand that's where you were coming from.

But let's not bury our heads in the sand about SIGNIFICANT improvements already made. _

Funny that you mention burying heads in the sand, another thought is a building built on sand will not stand. I like the foundation he has laid, and it is time for people to get off his back and instead cover his back. This coach is too good a person not to give him a 100% backing, even if you are a fair weather fan.

There will be a day that he will be evaluated on the entire program, and ultimately winning will be the test that he has to pass. I cannot for the life of me understand people who do not understand that supporting a coach in a tuff stretch is far more important than to the program than supporting a coach when everything is going well. Where is the loyalty or honor in the latter?

[DestinCajun]

There will be a day that he will be evaluated on the entire program, and ultimately winning will be the test that he has to pass. I cannot for the life of me understand people who do not understand that supporting a coach in a tuff stretch is far more important than to the program than supporting a coach when everything is going well. Where is the loyalty or honor in the latter? _

You get a huge AMEN here!

[RaginFan2]

Funny that you mention burying heads in the sand, another thought is a building built on sand will not stand. I like the foundation he has laid, and it is time for people to get off his back and instead cover his back. This coach is too good a person not to give him a 100% backing, even if you are a fair weather fan.

There will be a day that he will be evaluated on the entire program, and ultimately winning will be the test that he has to pass. I cannot for the life of me understand people who do not understand that supporting a coach in a tuff stretch is far more important than to the program than supporting a coach when everything is going well. Where is the loyalty or honor in the latter?

Thanks, Express, for stating what many of us feel. I think many people mistake loyalty and support during a tough stretch with blindly following the lemmings as they run off the cliff. There does come a time when a change may be needed, but not until you give a coach who is approaching the task in the "right" manner sufficient time to prove or disprove his/her ability to build a successful program. How many of the all-time great coaches would never have had time to develop if they had been terminated after 2-3 years. But that is only if there is measurable progress in the positive direction taking place. Just my $.02 worth.

[CajunKahouna]

Contrary to what appears to be popular belief on this board it ain't how you play the game that counts.

You all seem ready and willing to accept another losing season under RL's leadership (or lack thereof). Not this Cajun fan.

Anything short of a winning season (+) and winning one or two in the SBC tournament this year would be unacceptable. But then again what's happened to our program the last two years is unacceptable.

[BirdofParadise]

_ Contrary to what appears to be popular belief on this board it ain't how you play the game that counts.

You all seem ready and willing to accept another losing season under RL's leadership (or lack thereof). Not this Cajun fan.

Anything short of a winning season (+) and winning one or two in the SBC tournament this year would be unacceptable. But then again what's happened to our program the last two years is unacceptable. _

It isn't all that counts, but it damn sure counts.....especially in today's college athletics.

If you are going to have a successful basketball program, a foundation must be laid.....and the foundation can't be made of sand.

The foundation that Coach Lee is laying is solid. It's based on good people, students who want to do well in the classroom and hard work. Pretty good values if you ask me.

If today's NCAA requirements had been in effect in the past, our basketball program that won plenty of games would have eventually failed. There would have been, not only scholarship reductions because of the APR, but a ban from postseason play and perhaps a reduction in the amount of games that we'd be allowed to play.

And, that's true of Evans, Fletcher, Paschal and Shipley.

Many of those on this board have been whining and complaining about the indoor facility not being completed. And, that whining started nearly a year ago.

Yet, it will be finished in time for the start of practice, and it will be a facility that we'll be proud of.

The same holds true in men's basketball. Now that a firm foundation is being laid, the building will look great AND BE BUILT TO LAST.

But, like everything else in this instant gratification society, it won't be fast enough for some.

[rhineaux]

_ Contrary to what appears to be popular belief on this board it ain't how you play the game that counts.

You all seem ready and willing to accept another losing season under RL's leadership (or lack thereof). Not this Cajun fan.

Anything short of a winning season (+) and winning one or two in the SBC tournament this year would be unacceptable. But then again what's happened to our program the last two years is unacceptable. _

I don't think you are totally accurate here. Take a look back at the previous football coach. I wasn't around on message boards back then, but i would bet that fans around here were pretty upset with what was happening. Now you COULD say that the main difference was that Baldwin was never a fan favorite to begin with, whereas RL is. And, with some folks, the fact that RL is a nice guy who everyone likes may be enough for them, but I do think that they are of the minority. However, with Baldwin, there was no evidence that the football program was improving or was going to start improving. In RL's case, there is a plan. Its a rebuilding plan, and those things take time. Jay is right in that the rebuilding needed to take place becasue of what the NCAA is doing trying to reinforce the "student" in student athlete.

Bottom line, like I said before, I don't think very many people are settling, as you suggest. I think that some people have decided to suppress their short-sightedness, and "want everything now" attitude, in order to allow the plan to play out. I also think that if at the end of the season the team has not made improvements, and that doesn't necessarilly mean just winning, then RL will be the first to say he's not the man for the job. I believe that talent and coaching only go so far, but winning is something else that has to be done by the players. Being it will be a young team without much veteran leadership, they will probably find themselves in some positions at the ends of games and end up not pulling it out.

I didn't get to watch but a few games last year. And from what I can remember reading and from listening to games, the defense was poor, aggression may have been lacking sometimes, shooting was bad, chemistry seemed poor, free throw shooting was a crap shoot, etc...just what i can recall. But even if the team stays competitive, is able to learn from situations they're put in during games, and they improve the areas i mentinoed above, but don't win as many games as we'd like, then the season isn't totally a loss. Sure, it won't help with perception, but it still shows improvement. Especially in college sports, where you can't build with free agency, improvement can't always be measured in wins.

I am not giving anyone a free pass, but if this is what it takes to make the program better for a lot longer, and that is what is being promised to us, then I am willing to wait. Sure it was nice going to the postseason every year, but it also sucked pretty bad that we always lost in the first round. RL's plan may change that, and if it does, then he'll be adored here as long as we can afford to keep him. If it doesn't, then I will be the first to say, he's had his chance now he needs to move on, no matter how much people like him or how nice he is.

[Cajunsmike]

It isn't all that counts, but it damn sure counts.....especially in today's college athletics.

If you are going to have a successful basketball program, a foundation must be laid.....and the foundation can't be made of sand.

The foundation that Coach Lee is laying is solid. It's based on good people, students who want to do well in the classroom and hard work. Pretty good values if you ask me.

If today's NCAA requirements had been in effect in the past, our basketball program that won plenty of games would have eventually failed. There would have been, not only scholarship reductions because of the APR, but a ban from postseason play and perhaps a reduction in the amount of games that we'd be allowed to play.

And, that's true of Evans, Fletcher, Paschal and Shipley.

Many of those on this board have been whining and complaining about the indoor facility not being completed. And, that whining started nearly a year ago.

Yet, it will be finished in time for the start of practice, and it will be a facility that we'll be proud of.

The same holds true in men's basketball. Now that a firm foundation is being laid, the building will look great AND BE BUILT TO LAST.

But, like everything else in this instant gratification society, it won't be fast enough for some.

BOP, I agree with your comments. However, I bet that Coach Lee himself expects a winning season. Therefore, it won't only be fans that will be disappointed if we lose more than we win. Now, I know he is an optimist. I also know you think a winning season may be a stretch as we will have such a young team. The key will be how much the guys who sat out last year will contribute. That is very difficult to project for anyone at this stage.

[BirdofParadise]

_ BOP, I agree with your comments. However, I bet that Coach Lee himself expects a winning season. Therefore, it won't only be fans that will be disappointed if we lose more than we win. Now, I know he is an optimist. I also know you think a winning season may be a stretch as we will have such a young team. The key will be how much the guys who sat out last year will contribute. That is very difficult to project for anyone at this stage. _

Mike, I think a winning season is attainable as well.

It's the posts about anything less than 19 wins is unacceptable that I find unacceptable.

[geo_cajun]

BOP I couldn't agree more, the foundation is being laid, this will be a program that we can be PROUD of. High retention and graduation rates, quality play, and our player to give their all. The wins will come, they just need support. Lets give them a real home court advatage and put 10,000 in the dome every game.

Rhineaux, I have to disagree you because you used too many words, which I don't have time to read. So I just have to assume you are wrong without really understanding the issues. HEADLINES, keep it to headlines.

[CajunKahouna]

HEADLINE: Tired of hearing "the foundation is BEING laid".

How do you define "instant gratification"?