UL BASKETBALL: How did we get here?

[NewsCopy]

 When the NCAA introduced the Academic Progress Rate in 2003-04, Robert Lee was starting his eighth season as an assistant coach for the UL men's basketball team.

The APR was created as part of an academic reform package under the direction of current NCAA president Myles Brand. It was supposed to measure how well schools retained student-athletes, kept them academically eligible and eventually graduated them using a scale of 1 to 1,000.

That new legislation at inception, though, actually raised more questions than it provided answers.

"At first, I definitely didn't understand everything about it," said Lee, who recently completed his fifth year as UL's head coach. "I'm not sure how much any of us knew about the APR.

The rest of the story

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • March 29, 2009

[KACajun]

"At first, I definitely didn't understand everything about it," said Lee, who recently completed his fifth year as UL's head coach. "I'm not sure how much any of us knew about the APR.”

-It seems to me like Walker & Lee had did not understand the ramifications of their actions in 05.

“Despite the low APR score, Lee said he would do it again if he had the chance.”

-Lee obviously thinks he made the correct decisions, APR penalty & losing record be damn…

[TuffGuy84]

“Despite the low APR score, Lee said he would do it again if he had the chance.”

OF COURSE HE'D DO IT AGAIN! His F$#@ up in 2005 kept his ass from getting fired in 2009.

[Just1More]

Josh, you are doing an excellent job of covering UL athletics. You also have done a great job of covering this APR issue. No doubt, you are digging deeper than anyone in our local media has either ever attempted or accomplished in as long as I have been around. I find it extremely unfortunate that at your time in Lafayette and at the DA you have been faced with an abundance of low class UL athletic department issues to report on. That sincerely troubles me. You have professed not to be judgemental (biased) in your reporting (and I believe you)... but I cannot help but think how poorly you regard our university's athletic system.

I would like to offer a veer in perspective to this APR issue. I think some have gotten stuck on some initial misunderstandings among fans and critics about the retention of Robert Lee. The money and race thought threads were only proposed due to a lack of understanding this APR issue. Now that many of us understand the magnitude of our past stupidity in men's basketball, it only makes sense that we must retain Robert Lee. When my brain gets access to the facts, I rarely get stuck on any emotional preconditioning.

However, in concluding that we have to retain Robert Lee, this leads me to contemplate a couple of other issues. I have continuously stated that our president and athletic department owes the constituency a huge public apology. The reason for the public apology is not to ridicule them. It is to re-establish the ORDERING. There is no reason whatsoever to maintain large public university athletics other than to cater to the sporting interests of the alumni, students and friends of the university. Otherwise, there is no reason to bother with it. You only have an athletic department staff for that singular reason. Otherwise, we could just reward high school athletes with scholarships and be done with it.

I far too often hear how "we fans" just want to win games. No indeed. I want all of the great and wonderful things that come from a stellar university that I am affiliated with. I love the academic prowess, the squeaky clean reputation, and a thriving athletics department. I am sick and tired of having anyone, reporters and/or the university place me in the seat they claim I demand. I do not demand "winning" where I might turn around and have to forfeit in public humiliation. No fan is proud of cheating to win. We want to know why we cannot both win and be a proud, intelligent, clean academic institution.

The missed news in all of this APR discussion is why we find ourselves losing to our peers right now (currently the SBC). Are they not in this APR situation... are they all retaining coaches with this excuse... are they about to go down? And why not? You mean to tell me that their AD has them winning and graduating athletes? How so? The "great news" is that 40% of the other national universities are in APR trouble. This means that, in short order, we will be one of the 60 percentile that will be out of APR trouble, watching our peers get no post season play, and pick up the bounty that results. Right? Please keep the scorecard on this one. We will review it in a couple of years.

The bottom line is that some of the same people that got us into this APR mess are still around running the show. They are excusing this big APR "IRS rules" as a baffling new concept... graduate athletes or get in trouble... hummm... never heard of it. I want the public apology. The ORDERING needs to get re-established. The ORDERING is accountability to the constituency (the fans at-large). Who do they think they operate the athletic system for? A few local boosters, brother n laws, and themselves? The only time I see the fans at-large as a bunch of ignorant village idiots is when the lead village idiot misinforms them. This is the same group that hired Jessie Evans? Glenn Cyprien? Robert Lee? APR?!

You mentioned "transparency". That is a joke. Transparent reporting of the APR? Isn't that Dave Walker's forte? The guy's head is so far into the rule book he forgets how to play the game. We have thousands of fans who are intelligent people and know how an athletic department can step it up, be supported cleanly, recruit and retain good student-athletes, challenge for championships, and not force local reporters to always find themselves reporting on low class issues. Are we measured by some local yocal who peed in Dr. Authement's kool-aid year's ago. I thought that was over?

Please do not allow any future discussions with this athletic department staff to go the way of "I see... it's all in the numbers and it all makes sense... we are making the right decision... despite what fans think... we are making the right decision... once again... the great UL AD knows best... once again." Fans need to stop being treated like one big bulb of unhappy insignificants. How about interviewing a bunch of us and writing our stories from time to time? You wouldn't believe how fast Dave Walker will want to speak with you again.... maybe even Dr. Savoie.

Josh, anyone can report what they saw at the scene of the accident and listen to the school bus driver give all the reasons why he was a hero for telling the kids to hold on tight and why he was smart to buy his vodka at the cheaper store and that he saved the schoolboard money by taking a short cut across the pasture. Yes, "it was cheaper to keep her". But... why are WE always in these situations? Please don't let these guys escape the accountability to their constituency. Unless you just want to fill in box scores, I see that as much your responsibility as the UL beat reporter as any other. Thanks Josh!

[Parrott]

The transparency I meant was in DW answering my questions. He could have ducked them, but instead he answered them.

I believe these stories once again prove that I'm ready and willing to ask tough questions on this beat. People do have to remember that I'm not responsible for the answers they give.

I report the facts, and let you make your own judgments.



igeaux.mobi

[CajunFreak]

_ Josh, you are doing an excellent job of covering UL athletics. You also have done a great job of covering this APR issue. No doubt, you are digging deeper than anyone in our local media has either ever attempted or accomplished in as long as I have been around. I find it extremely unfortunate that at your time in Lafayette and at the DA you have been faced with an abundance of low class UL athletic department issues to report on. That sincerely troubles me. You have professed not to be judgemental (biased) in your reporting (and I believe you)... but I cannot help but think how poorly you regard our university's athletic system.

I would like to offer a veer in perspective to this APR issue. I think some have gotten stuck on some initial misunderstandings among fans and critics about the retention of Robert Lee. The money and race thought threads were only proposed due to a lack of understanding this APR issue. Now that many of us understand the magnitude of our past stupidity in men's basketball, it only makes sense that we must retain Robert Lee. When my brain gets access to the facts, I rarely get stuck on any emotional preconditioning.

However, in concluding that we have to retain Robert Lee, this leads me to contemplate a couple of other issues. I have continuously stated that our president and athletic department owes the constituency a huge public apology. The reason for the public apology is not to ridicule them. It is to re-establish the ORDERING. There is no reason whatsoever to maintain large public university athletics other than to cater to the sporting interests of the alumni, students and friends of the university. Otherwise, there is no reason to bother with it. You only have an athletic department staff for that singular reason. Otherwise, we could just reward high school athletes with scholarships and be done with it.

I far too often hear how "we fans" just want to win games. No indeed. I want all of the great and wonderful things that come from a stellar university that I am affiliated with. I love the academic prowess, the squeaky clean reputation, and a thriving athletics department. I am sick and tired of having anyone, reporters and/or the university place me in the seat they claim I demand. I do not demand "winning" where I might turn around and have to forfeit in public humiliation. No fan is proud of cheating to win. We want to know why we cannot both win and be a proud, intelligent, clean academic institution.

The missed news in all of this APR discussion is why we find ourselves losing to our peers right now (currently the SBC). Are they not in this APR situation... are they all retaining coaches with this excuse... are they about to go down? And why not? You mean to tell me that their AD has them winning and graduating athletes? How so? The "great news" is that 40% of the other national universities are in APR trouble. This means that, in short order, we will be one of the 60 percentile that will be out of APR trouble, watching our peers get no post season play, and pick up the bounty that results. Right? Please keep the scorecard on this one. We will review it in a couple of years.

The bottom line is that some of the same people that got us into this APR mess are still around running the show. They are excusing this big APR "IRS rules" as a baffling new concept... graduate athletes or get in trouble... hummm... never heard of it. I want the public apology. The ORDERING needs to get re-established. The ORDERING is accountability to the constituency (the fans at-large). Who do they think they operate the athletic system for? A few local boosters, brother n laws, and themselves? The only time I see the fans at-large as a bunch of ignorant village idiots is when the lead village idiot misinforms them. This is the same group that hired Jessie Evans? Glenn Cyprien? Robert Lee? APR?!

You mentioned "transparency". That is a joke. Transparent reporting of the APR? Isn't that Dave Walker's forte? The guy's head is so far into the rule book he forgets how to play the game. We have thousands of fans who are intelligent people and know how an athletic department can step it up, be supported cleanly, recruit and retain good student-athletes, challenge for championships, and not force local reporters to always find themselves reporting on low class issues. Are we measured by some local yocal who peed in Dr. Authement's kool-aid year's ago. I thought that was over?

Please do not allow any future discussions with this athletic department staff to go the way of "I see... it's all in the numbers and it all makes sense... we are making the right decision... despite what fans think... we are making the right decision... once again... the great UL AD knows best... once again." Fans need to stop being treated like one big bulb of unhappy insignificants. How about interviewing a bunch of us and writing our stories from time to time? You wouldn't believe how fast Dave Walker will want to speak with you again.... maybe even Dr. Savoie.

Josh, anyone can report what they saw at the scene of the accident and listen to the school bus driver give all the reasons why he was a hero for telling the kids to hold on tight and why he was smart to buy his vodka at the cheaper store and that he saved the schoolboard money by taking a short cut across the pasture. Yes, "it was cheaper to keep her". But... why are WE always in these situations? Please don't let these guys escape the accountability to their constituency. Unless you just want to fill in box scores, I see that as much your responsibility as the UL beat reporter as any other. Thanks Josh! _

Wow, you could not have said it any better. The local media and some diehards still don't get it! The anger so many of us fans stems from so much more than just this fiasco... Josh I believe is doing his best but if he really would like to cover the issues from every angle I'd suggest that he interview a couple of the well informed long standing fans that have seen it and heard it all before.

[Just1More]

_ The transparency I meant was in DW answering my questions. He could have ducked them, but instead he answered them.

I believe these stories once again prove that I'm ready and willing to ask tough questions on this beat. People do have to remember that I'm not responsible for the answers they give.

I report the facts, and let you make your own judgments.



igeaux.mobi _

I totally agree. There are many options in your assignment and you are being a determined professional. And you are going to get a great deal of respect for that. Whether you like it or not, I see you as a valuable gateway in getting more out of this administration. I do not want you to do anything to alienate them. I want more interviews and tough questions. You could not include being openly disrespectful and keep that opportunity going.

When you say that you report the facts, you don't necessarily have to title that fact finding mission with "UL made the right decision" or the like. That is an opinion. The fact is that UL has to make a lot of decisions that could currently be "required", only because they made bad decisions in the past.

You are not required to make this administration's ineptness look more appealing by virtue of the immediate APR/Lee unappealing, yet perhaps required decision. Anyhow... keep up the good work... just do not let these public servants in the UL administration try to baffle you with their "I had run the ship into the reef to avoid the storm because we didn't have enough fuel to get to the port where the fish get sold to buy the peppers that we trade for the repair of our missing rudder"... hummmm.... same BS all over again. They run the armada and decide what waters the fleet is going to navigate. They can't read a map and don't know what a compass is. They need our help. That requires a creative RCAF and some testicles. Stay on top of things... like you are.... Thanks Josh!

[J-Town Cajun]

_ The transparency I meant was in DW answering my questions. He could have ducked them, but instead he answered them.

I believe these stories once again prove that I'm ready and willing to ask tough questions on this beat. People do have to remember that I'm not responsible for the answers they give.

I report the facts, and let you make your own judgments.

igeaux.mobi _

Thanks Josh, you have done a fine job!

[geo_cajun]

_
When you say that you report the facts, you don't necessarily have to title that fact finding mission with "UL made the right decision" or the like. That is an opinion.

I agree with a lot of what you have said, but to be fair, Josh has only said about a thousand times that he did not come up with that title. Perhaps you can find another example.

[KACajun]

_ I agree with a lot of what you have said, but to be fair, Josh has only said about a thousand times that he did not come up with that title. Perhaps you can find another example. _

The body of the story supports the title used even if Parrott didn't author the title. I apologize, that was wordy...

[Just1More]

_ I agree with a lot of what you have said, but to be fair, Josh has only said about a thousand times that he did not come up with that title. Perhaps you can find another example. _

Ummm... after I wrote what I did, I later found in another thread where Josh stated he didn't pick the title. I cannot help it if people on here generate 8 threads on the same subject. The DA article title was totally in line with the tone of Josh's article. Big surprise the DA title master optioned for such a title. Oh, and I did not write Josh's name in my post just now... my proper name generator selected it... it's smart and figures these things out, like the DA title master.