Butch Pierre

[Cajunsmike]

If this University can't buy out Lee's contract than we are in more trouble than most think on here. Exactly how much would it take? Is this University that poor? Latech didn't hesitate in dumping the ladytechters coach when they had enough. And thier salaries should be somewhat in line with each other. So your gueston, "can we afford to fire Lee after this season?.....Can we afford to not fire him. Only fan attendance will be the gauge to that question............

From what I understand, a buyout would cost the university 150 thousand dollars.

[beavis11]

Can we afford NOT to fire him.

Say the average ticket price is $10. Next season's attendance will certainly decrease by 1000 fans or so with Lee back. So let's guesstimate :

$10 x 1000 x 12 home games = $120,000 lost (maybe more, maybe less)

If it takes 175000 to buy out Lee, then you're only down $55000.

Now if you hire an up and coming, energetic coach and create fan excitement again, you will actually make a lot more than you will lose!!!
As the saying goes, you have to spend money to make money !!!!

Savoie,Walker, & Farmer - the ball is in your court (PUN intended) because it surely isn't in Lee's.

[ljr3721]

_ Can we afford NOT to fire him.

Say the average ticket price is $10. Next season's attendance will certainly decrease by 1000 fans or so with Lee back. So let's guesstimate :

$10 x 1000 x 12 home games = $120,000 lost (maybe more, maybe less)

If it takes 175000 to buy out Lee, then you're only down $55000.

Now if you hire an up and coming, energetic coach and create fan excitement again, you will actually make a lot more than you will lose!!!
As the saying goes, you have to spend money to make money !!!!

Savoie,Walker, & Farmer - the ball is in your court (PUN intended) because it surely isn't in Lee's. _

Wow, I was just going to post EXACTLY what you did.

I agree 100%. We can't afford not to. This program is still salvageable...after another year of Robert Lee, we'll be starting from scratch just like we did with football after Baldwin.

[zephyr]

_ Pierre's fundamental theories on how to win games is very appealing. Good defense, smart half court offense, utilizing the big men, and of course, recruiting. It's a completely perpendicular direction than we are headed now, and it's something that the good teams that we are used to around here did when they were on top.

The concern about his lack of D1 experience has merit, but I thought Butch showed promise in his short opportunity at LSU. I was almost certain they would offer him the job. But you know LSUA&M@BR.. they had to make a splash.. _

My number one candidate jumped from Dennis Felton to Butch Pierre a couple of weeks ago. He deserves the job and this type of job is perfect for him. A solid recruiting base, young talented players, and he is much more focused on fundamental basketball which is why I guess he's always been a good assistant at bigger schools. I think Butch likes the area and I'm fairly certain he'd give it serious thought if offered or interviewed. We are not going to get a guy with tons of D-1 wins and championships here due to our offering salary but someone who is younger and needs a good head job to jumpstart their career could do very well here.

[rhineaux]

_ My number one candidate jumped from Dennis Felton to Butch Pierre a couple of weeks ago. He deserves the job and this type of job is perfect for him. A solid recruiting base, young talented players, and he is much more focused on fundamental basketball which is why I guess he's always been a good assistant at bigger schools. I think Butch likes the area and I'm fairly certain he'd give it serious thought if offered or interviewed. We are not going to get a guy with tons of D-1 wins and championships here due to our offering salary but someone who is younger and needs a good head job to jumpstart their career could do very well here. _

If he's that good of a coach, then why has he not been given a chance by anyone yet?

Personally, I'd rather someone who has more of a pedigree, i.e. tutored under a great coach. While Travis Ford may be a great coach one day, I don't consider John Brady and Marty Fletcher to be great mentors. That not only becomes important in terms of game planning and such, but also in learning how to deal with off the court issues as well.

[Turbine]

My criteria:

Last stop winning head coaching experience. Preferably DII or DIII


igeaux.mobi

[LsuULfan]

_ My criteria:

Last stop winning head coaching experience. Preferably DII or DIII


igeaux.mobi _

Not sure coming from that level you bring the necessary recruiting ability. I know they have to recruit and work hard to do it-but different level of players. Think you are better off with a Felton or a Pierre or more likely an up and coming asst from a D1 program.

[4LSU]

In all honesty, I sorta felt bad for Butch.

Butch did some good things for us and I both thank him for his effort and wish him well, but , right or wrong, I was in the camp that wanted a experienced HC who had proven himself a tad in a respected basketball conference. It might come back to bite me in the butt, but I didn't think we could go with an unproven guy as Butch at this time.

Is there a dilemma for your administration, even with the understanding that football and basketball were at different levels when the past changes were made, in releasing a coach working in his 4th yr who has made the post season with a .470 winning percentage and keeping a coach headed into his 8th season with a .390 winning percentage and no post season play. I'm no expert on the SBC, but isn't it generally viewed as a stronger basketball conference than football? I'm not suggesting what needs to be done, but looking with an uneducated eye and wondering.

Whatever the direction your powers that be decide on, good luck.

[Cajunsmike]

_ Not sure coming from that level you bring the necessary recruiting ability. I know they have to recruit and work hard to do it-but different level of players. Think you are better off with a Felton or a Pierre or more likely an up and coming asst from a D1 program. _

I agree with the Turbine philosophy. If the guy is winning at another level, he is showing coaching ability. You hire good recruiters as assistants to supplement that guy and you move your program forward. Taking assistants from high level D1 programs with more resources is not necessarily a good fit here. That was the philosophy for hiring whe Nelson Schexnayder was AD. That is not the philosphy of the current athletic administration. I am not saying either is right or wrong-just that they are different. If folks haven't noticed, Southland Conference basketball is on par with the SBC this year. Taking someone from that league is not that much of a step down.

[Cajunsmike]

_ Butch did some good things for us and I both thank him for his effort and wish him well, but , right or wrong, I was in the camp that wanted a experienced HC who had proven himself a tad in a respected basketball conference. It might come back to bite me in the butt, but I didn't think we could go with an unproven guy as Butch at this time.

Is there a dilemma for your administration, even with the understanding that football and basketball were at different levels when the past changes were made, in releasing a coach working in his 4th yr who has made the post season with a .470 winning percentage and keeping a coach headed into his 8th season with a .390 winning percentage and no post season play. I'm no expert on the SBC, but isn't it generally viewed as a stronger basketball conference than football? I'm not suggesting what needs to be done, but looking with an uneducated eye and wondering.

Whatever the direction your powers that be decide on, good luck. _

Basketball will have it's fourth consecutive non winning season this year while football has had one losing season in the last four. That is why there is not as much frustration with football as there are with basketball. I don't think the administration sees a dilemna as a result. Therefore There are a lot of reasons for the basketball struggles that are not necessarily related to Robert Lee's coaching ability. However, he is the man ultimately responsible and he of course has to bear the criticisim as a result.

[jllanclos]

As much as it pains me to say it, Turbine is spot on....this time

[AstroCajun]

_ As much as it pains me to say it, Turbine is spot on....this time _

And as much as it pains me to say it, I wish basketball season was over already so these discussions can be more than just theoretical.

[CajunCanaille]

_ Not sure coming from that level you bring the necessary recruiting ability. I know they have to recruit and work hard to do it-but different level of players. Think you are better off with a Felton or a Pierre or more likely an up and coming asst from a D1 program. _

I'm on board with you. Getting a guy from a lower level is just a step up from getting a guy from high school. D 1 basketball is a different animal. I would prefer an up and coming D1 asst. Whether that's Pierre or not is another question.

Here is a section of his profile. This gets me onboard for Pierre.

"Pierre has made a mark in coaching everywhere he has set up shop. He has also built and established a reputation throughout the country of turning losing into winning at each institution he has worked at throughout his career."

I don't know about you but we fall under this category.

Link:
http://www.okstate.com/ViewArticle.d...&Q_SEASON=2008

[Cajunsmike]

_ I'm on board with you. Getting a guy from a lower level is just a step up from getting a guy from high school. D 1 basketball is a different animal. I would prefer an up and coming D1 asst. Whether that's Pierre or not is another question.

Here is a section of his profile. This gets me onboard for Pierre.

"Pierre has made a mark in coaching everywhere he has set up shop. He has also built and established a reputation throughout the country of turning losing into winning at each institution he has worked at throughout his career."

I don't know about you but we fall under this category.

Link:
http://www.okstate.com/ViewArticle.d...&Q_SEASON=2008 _

Getting a guy from the Southland Conference is completely different than getting someone from high school. A Southland conference team (Northwestern State) beat Big Ten contender Iowa in the NCAA tourney in 2006. A guy who has succeeded in the Southland will likely do so in the Sun Belt.

[Just1More]

When it happens... I'd like to see this athletic department do a national search (and include Butch Pierre and others) just to see how we are different from the past. This would be an indication of overall seriousness towards our major athletics programs. We have to consider what it will take to retain and improve our current players' attitudes along with our desire for a really solid coach. I'm just not in the mood anymore for long term program building hype and the "wait til next year" philosophy.

I want it good and I want it now! I deserve it!