Why did everyone hate Marty Fletcher?

[DestinCajun]

_ You guys are making this too complicated. Marty's problem was simply that he struggled against UNO, an instate school that has less resources than we do. Many of those years we only played ten conference games so the 2 against the Privateers were extremely important. Of course no one else was beating Tim Floyd then either. _

Floyd had hosses too. Where he found some of them was quite a story.

[California Cajun]

_ You guys are making this too complicated. Marty's problem was simply that he struggled against UNO, an instate school that has less resources than we do. Many of those years we only played ten conference games so the 2 against the Privateers were extremely important. Of course no one else was beating Tim Floyd then either. _

I think it is complicated.

The football program similarly had a problem against McNeese in the 70s and 80s. We could cite other coaches at UL who were less successful yet not despised by the fan base.

People wanted admission into Marty's private world to satisfy their own need to feel part of something big, but Marty couldn't accomodate them.

I have similarly criticized the UL administration for shutting people out but that's because athletics hasn't been successful. Marty was successful.

[RCAJUN90]

_ First of all let me introduce myself. This is my very 1st post at RP, but I have been reading your post on this forum for at least the last 3 years or more.

I check in with you guys almost everyday just to get the scoop on our UL Cajuns.

Now with my question.

I moved to Lafayette in 1988 when I was 14 years old from Hattisburg Ms.

I have always been a basketball nut. My dad use to take me to the USM Golden Eagle games when I was real little and because of my dads job moved to lafayette.
Well at that moment I became a UL fan because Lafayette became my new home town.

Now the year I left Hattisburg USM had a great BB program, they just won the NIT the same year that I moved.

Then I started getting into UL basketball.

Sidney Grider, Kevin Brooks, Aaron Mitchell was the first team that I was introduced to.
I use to love going to the Cajundome watching those guys play ball. They did not play the best defense in the American South, but they had a high flying offense, and was always at or near the top of the AS standings.

But all I would hear back then is that Fletcher was an outsider and no one locally really embrased him as theres.

He always seemed to be on the hotseat despite the fact that they won 20 games almost every year up until his last season or 2.

I would love to have the days of __ back. It was a joy to watch Sidney Grider hit 65% of his 3 pointers. It was great to see Micheal Allen dominate his competition.

That win in overtime against Kentucty, the tourney win against Oklahoma, the near sweet 16 apperance when they almost beat New Mexico St.

It was a fun time, and all I ever heard was Marty Fletcher had to go.

Why is that?

I would love to have those days back again.
Those were my good ole days.

Jessie Evans was also a good coach in my mind. I would take him back right now.

As for new coaches. If we make a change. Butch Pierre would be my pick. He was Fletcher right hand man. Maybe he can bring back the good times again. _

That was a fun team to watch and I don't like basketball much. Marty has a cushie job today. I wish him the best. http://themwc.cstv.com/staff/staff-d...-fletcher.html

[CharlieK]

Damn, Sidney Grider could shoot.


Marty running was the highlight of my bus trip from Cajun Field to campus.


No defense, no beat UNO. Not hated, just always the feeling that we could do better. So far, not so much.

[Cajunsmike]

_ I think it is complicated.

The football program similarly had a problem against McNeese in the 70s and 80s. We could cite other coaches at UL who were less successful yet not despised by the fan base.

People wanted admission into Marty's private world to satisfy their own need to feel part of something big, but Marty couldn't accomodate them.

I have similarly criticized the UL administration for shutting people out but that's because athletics hasn't been successful. Marty was successful. _

Despite all the points you bring up, if Marty had been above 0.500 against UNO, he would have been accepted here.

[Just1More]

_ Despite all the points you bring up, if Marty had been above 0.500 against UNO, he would have been accepted here. _

We would have accepted Jerry Baldwin if he achieved .500.... but he would have also lost to UNO..... even though they don't have football. Sorry for regressing.

I thought Marty was ok... was snake bit by UNO... but those were pretty good years of Ragin Cajun MBB. I don't think I have ever seen a stranger 3 point exhibition than when Sydney Grider, with his behind the head-over the shoulder 3-point shooting, scorched UNO at the Lakefront one night. They were all over him and he still couldn't miss from anywhere on the floor.

I would take back "MartyBall" right now... yes sir.

[CajunRed]

_ Despite all the points you bring up, if Marty had been above 0.500 against UNO, he would have been accepted here. _

i was trying to avoid this discussion... because i was very hesitant to relive any Marty years... but let me say a couple of things.

First... Marty was an as_... which is why the MOMENT he began to have less than successful years, he could count his friends on one hand.

Second... anyone who thinks we all would have loved Marty if ONLY he had beat UNO is silly. UNO is not that important. Other losses that should not have happened SURELY could not have been overlooked SIMPLY because he might have beat UNO. That doesn't even make sense.

Marty had a few early successful years, then most of us got tired of underachieving... and having to watch UGLY basketball WHILE we were underachieving.

[zephyr]

_ We would have accepted Jerry Baldwin if he achieved .500.... but he would have also lost to UNO..... even though they don't have football. Sorry for regressing.

I thought Marty was ok... was snake bit by UNO... but those were pretty good years of Ragin Cajun MBB. I don't think I have ever seen a stranger 3 point exhibition than when Sydney Grider, with his behind the head-over the shoulder 3-point shooting, scorched UNO at the Lakefront one night. They were all over him and he still couldn't miss from anywhere on the floor.

I would take back "MartyBall" right now... yes sir. _

This shows you how bad it is right now with our basketball program. Marty years were difficult to watch for me and I'm sure many others. I'm a big believer in defense and his teams treated defense like a disease. They were undisciplined and we often had "that" guy who was a great scorer like Earl "the pearl" Watkins, Grider, Kevin Brooks, Michael Allen etc..but I found we didn't really get the team concept down real well. For guys to even think back to those days and say they'd take him back is showing how bad it is right now.

[Just1More]

_ This shows you how bad it is right now with our basketball program. Marty years were difficult to watch for me and I'm sure many others. I'm a big believer in defense and his teams treated defense like a disease. They were undisciplined and we often had "that" guy who was a great scorer like Earl "the pearl" Watkins, Grider, Kevin Brooks, Michael Allen etc..but I found we didn't really get the team concept down real well. For guys to even think back to those days and say they'd take him back is showing how bad it is right now. _

I wouldn't have "Marty" back by any stretch, but with him long gone, I'm reverting to good memories of some exciting basketball seasons. And you are right... it is so bad right now... I'm thinking too fondly of that past.

[California Cajun]

_ i was trying to avoid this discussion... because i was very hesitant to relive any Marty years... but let me say a couple of things.

First... Marty was an as_... which is why the MOMENT he began to have less than successful years, he could count his friends on one hand.

Second... anyone who thinks we all would have loved Marty if ONLY he had beat UNO is silly. UNO is not that important. Other losses that should not have happened SURELY could not have been overlooked SIMPLY because he might have beat UNO. That doesn't even make sense.

Marty had a few early successful years, then most of us got tired of underachieving... and having to watch UGLY basketball WHILE we were underachieving. _

Cajunsmike is about the most knowledgeable basketball fan I know, so when he expresses an opinion I seldom disagree with it. He's also level headed and respectful of other opinions within reason. But I disagree on this subject.

The Fletcher years interest me because I'm a transplant. I attribute the whole thing to a culture clash, and neither he nor the community could make it work. There are places where people like him are liked. When he came I had marginal interest in basketball, and what happened during his watch pretty much killed it. It's interesting to read some these posts reliving some peak experiences we don't see any more, like sellout crowds and national TV. He finished 30 games over .500. If memory serves me correctly, he built Denver into a contender, but was fired and the next coach got the credit.

If there is a change at the end of the season, it's really important to get somebody who can not only evaluate talent and coach, but function in the community.

[ShowDog]

_ This shows you how bad it is right now with our basketball program. Marty years were difficult to watch for me and I'm sure many others. I'm a big believer in defense and his teams treated defense like a disease. They were undisciplined and we often had "that" guy who was a great scorer like Earl "the pearl" Watkins, Grider, Kevin Brooks, Michael Allen etc..but I found we didn't really get the team concept down real well. For guys to even think back to those days and say they'd take him back is showing how bad it is right now. _

I've been following SLI/USL/UL since the 50's. Only Beryl Shipley and Bobby Paschal had disciplined teams. They didn't allow playground basketball crap, and their defenses were unbelievable.

Marty, Evans, and now Lee let these guys run wild. It's pathetic.

[CajunRed]

_ Cajunsmike is about the most knowledgeable basketball fan I know, so when he expresses an opinion I seldom disagree with it. He's also level headed and respectful of other opinions within reason. But I disagree on this subject.

The Fletcher years interest me because I'm a transplant. I attribute the whole thing to a culture clash, and neither he nor the community could make it work. There are places where people like him are liked. When he came I had marginal interest in basketball, and what happened during his watch pretty much killed it. It's interesting to read some these posts reliving some peak experiences we don't see any more, like sellout crowds and national TV. He finished 30 games over .500. If memory serves me correctly, he built Denver into a contender, but was fired and the next coach got the credit.

If there is a change at the end of the season, it's really important to get somebody who can not only evaluate talent and coach, but function in the community. _

That "culture clash" crap always irritates me. I wouldn't care if we hired someone from Mars... if he could come in here... run an ethical program... have kids that are, for the most part, interested in getting educated... and had a winning program.

For any program to grow, or "get to the next level" as we often say, you must first WIN THE GAMES YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO WIN... then win a game here and there that you are NOT suppose to win! To continue climbing up, a program needs to win one or two more games each year on the "not suppose to win" side. (See UTAH football... see GONZAGA basketball... see SOUTH FLORIDA football) That is how ANY program elevates itself.

The problem with Marty is that we might pick off a team every now and then that we were not picked to beat, but then would undo that by losing to two or three teams we had no business losing to! You can't improve a program by doing that year after year!

Oh, and add to that... Marty was an as_ as a person!