Denver vs Louisiana

[DestinCajun]

Guys who seem to be the ones who are more advanced are the high school guys. It seems we should go with Daigle, Bureau, Gradnigo, Gary, and Johnson. That would not work against most teams in the nation that have more size. However that could work in the Sun Belt. Those guys along with Roberson brought us back.

The major contributors you list are all second year players with the exception of junior, Tyren Johnson. Roberson has some good basketball skills and moves so he likely has his best basketball ahead of him. I'd like to think all the Cajuns have their best basketball ahead of them.

I have great respect for what they do at Denver but I would not trade their talent or their game for the Cajuns. What I saw was probably about the best Denver can do but the Cajuns were probably at 60% (for whatever reasons) at what they can do. I speaking figuratively with that 60% number, of course, but my point is we have a lot of room for improvement and they don't. Will we see? I sure hope so.

[Cajunsmike]

The major contributors you list are all second year players with the exception of junior, Tyren Johnson. Roberson has some good basketball skills and moves so he likely has his best basketball ahead of him. I'd like to think all the Cajuns have their best basketball ahead of them.

I have great respect for what they do at Denver but I would not trade their talent or their game for the Cajuns. What I saw was probably about the best Denver can do but the Cajuns were probably at 60% (for whatever reasons) at what they can do. I speaking figuratively with that 60% number, of course, but my point is we have a lot of room for improvement and they don't. Will we see? I sure hope so.

If people don't like Tyren Johnson as our post guy, keep in mind that Batiste has been starting most games there recently and he is also a sophomore. Regardless, the rotation needs to be cut down. If Batiste starts, you come in with Johnson, Roberson, and either Lago or McCoy off the bench depending on the matchup. Those are the guys that need to play the most and others will just have to contribute in practice and support.

[MiamiCajun32]

_ What did he have to rebuild? We were an NCAA tourney or close to it for most of this decade under Jessie. There was nothing to rebuild...just reload.

It was Coach Lee's decision to "rebuild" using no transfers and JUCO's. He wanted to "rebuild" using high school players. Well, I see a couple transfers this year and I'm sure Coach Lee won't turn down some transfers. _

Of course, before Lee decided to go with high schoolers he was trying to bring in JUCO transfers and declared after his first recruiting class that Cajuns would be sweet 16 team that year. Uh oh, did not work, was a dissaster, so Lee switched to high school players and a very disciplined no nonsense program where he was quick to kick players off team. Uh oh, did not work so he is now ok with players showing no respect to him at a game as long as they still want to run the point the next time out. Still has no sense of running an offense. Has no real plan for Xs and Os. Just throw some talent on the floor and let them figure out how to win. That is what worked his first year when team coached themselves after all.

[MiamiCajun32]

_ Our only signee for this year is from the high school ranks. Granted he is at a prep school now but he will have four years of eligibility. He is an inside guy named Mitchell who played at St. Martinville. Guys who seem to be the ones who are more advanced are the high school guys. It seems we should go with Daigle, Bureau, Gradnigo, Gary, and Johnson. That would not work against most teams in the nation that have more size. However that could work in the Sun Belt. Those guys along with Roberson brought us back. All those guys came from high school. I admit the transfers are not as good as I projected them to be. That includes the guys from the JC ranks and from UNLV. No one is satisfied right now-be it fan, administrator, coach, or player. That does not mean the staff will be changed no matter how many times people call for it here. They will be here through season end and maybe through next year as Coach Lee has one year remaining on the contract after this season and that will be a factor. If the season turns out to be a complete disaster, it may be considered. _

The transfers are just fine, but they have to be coached some.

[Just1More]

That was the first game I've made this year (watched many others on either TV or streaming). Denver is grossly undertalented compared to the Cajuns. They are coached up about as good as any team I've seen... super solid defense (again, with extremely little overall athleticism). That motion offense is a thing of beauty. I really feel for that club that they have such a lack of leapers and track stars but play excellent basketball. We would be honored to have 5 and 24 on our squad from a fundamentals and tenacity perspective. I'm afraid they'd end up having to leave the program... not enjoying playing college "pick up" games. They probably came out of high school programs that had a coach that played fundamentals... and that would not cut it at UL.

The only out for our coaching staff is that we may have recruited players that have limited ability to be coached. Otherwise, we are horribly, horribly coached. I cannot get over the dichotomy of the two teams I watched yesterday. One is in continuous motion offense, almost always yielding open looks... if not a layout. I am not joking... our offense is laughable if not painful to watch. I used to get furious to see one of our guys opt to jack a 3 as a result of no offense... now I prefer it. I'm scared like a 4 year old schoolgirl at a Halloween haunted house when we start dribbling and leaping around like tree frogs inside the 3-point line. It is chaos personified.

Our successes (like that Denver win) are on pure adrenalin "I am a better athlete than you" basketball. Yes... we edged out a win. It was "exciting"... especially for people who don't know basketball... just like thrills. It was also easily... easily a loss. Robert Lee had better stop pretending he is coaching these guys on offense and just let someone else do it. The guys sitting around me at the game... including myself... could not help but clap when Denver beautifully mastered a backdoor lay-up... playing really good basketball. I have to hand it to some Cajun fans... we will show respect for even an opponent who plays like a champion - even when they are not.

For anyone coming to the rescue of Robert Lee or our basketball team... save it... if you think they are a good "team"... you are stoned out of your mind. They are athletes... a bunch of individual athletes. I would like to see what they could do if Bobby Knight ran them thru 5 practice sessions. I would like to see if these young men would respond to real coaching. Again, save defending this team... I watched very carefully at how we came down the floor... one guy trying to dribble his way to an open shot - not - and 4 other guys standing around ready to catch a bus.

Robert has a small reprieve because we won this one. He had better get some basketball basics brought into this program. Hammer on us "fan coaches" all you want... but I know street basketball when I see it. It gets you nowhere in a hurry. Adrenalin will not be on the Cajuns side in away games (LSU was an exception for obvious reasons).

Coach Lee, let someone else run the offense and just hang in there as a motivator... please.

[CajunNation]

Very astute analysis my friend.

I watched some of the game on TV at work yesterday. If it weren't for Denver, I would have watched a lot less.

I used to be a college basketball junkie. Watching Denver yesterday reminded me why I loved the game as much as I did.

Just spitballing here, but if we were to somehow get a guy like Coach Scott from Denver(or Scott himself) to run the Cajun program, I just might cry.

[CajunConnection]

During a timeout I saw the Denver coach hollering at his players to run the offense and no one on one.

CC

[Clutch0364]

_ During a timeout I saw the Denver coach hollering at his players to run the offense and no one on one.

CC _

Ours get yelled at for not playing one on one basketball sarcasm off I honestly believe we have the worst men's and women's basketball coaches in the country.

[CajunDawgPound]

_ Come on guys Lee is still rebuilding from what Evans left us. It takes awhile
to rebuild from the ground up. Tonight was just a case of us coming out
flat after an almost win at LSU. You're not going to pull shots out your
butt every night. Please be patient it's not like we missed 30 shots in a row.
15 tops. _

Let's seE...... FROM THE GROUND UP? Perhaps Lee should rebuild HIMSELF from the ground up. Last night was the very WORST coaching exibition I have ever seen --- here or ANYWHERE.

As for Scott Farmer, we all had hopes that he would come in and build a program that we had never seen before. After his interview at half-time, all bets are off. He was either smoking something or he hasn't a clue. We have coaching deficiencies needing to be addressed in almost ALL Sports and he seems to think we are in GRETA SHAPE! Pehaps he held his breath too long when he was a young swimmer?

1. Football - Michaeal Vick created a hero - he would make our readership look good too!
2. Basketball - A HS coach at best. Terrible floor coach
3. Wom Basketball - See #2, but worse
4. Soccer - Beware of those who play loud music during practice. Title IV or bust!
5. Volleyball - Too soon to rate - a token sport here because of title IV
6. Track - see #3 above
7. Baseball - What has happened at the Tigue since Wade left?
8. Softball - It take two to tango -- And we hang our collective hats on Softball?
9. Golf & Tennis -- just hanging on. Good folks running the programs

We should rank #2 in the state in most of the above --- but do in [U]only[U] one. The rest are mid to low vs. state rivals.