A Simple Q for Robert Lee

[ZuluCajun]

Coach, what was your benchmark for this years team ? ,And if you fail to reach those benchmarks again, will you ever conceed to the fact that it is time to let someone else give it a shot ?

[RiverRanchMan]

_ Coach, what was your benchmark for this years team ? ,And if you fail to reach those benchmarks again, will you ever conceed to the fact that it is time to let someone else give it a shot ? _

As bad as this team is, I think his "benchmark" would be a .500 record. However, I am sure he knows he is gone after this year baring a miracle post season appearence. I can't believe he would think he is entitled to a contract extension after taking the pride of the university to it's worse 5 year stretch in history.

[UL_Cajuns]

If Coach Lee cares at all about UL Basketball, he should resign immediately. How many years do you think it will take to get UL back up to an NCAA/NIT tourney team year in and year out? This year has been the lowest of the lows.

[SlappyCajun]

_ If Coach Lee cares at all about UL Basketball, he should resign immediately. How many years do you think it will take to get UL back up to an NCAA/NIT tourney team year in and year out? This year has been the lowest of the lows. _

1 to 2 years depending on if we make the right hire.

Remember that LaRyan, Daigle, Brandon Dison, Travis Bureau, Raymone Andrews, Javon Mitchell, Colby Batiste and Grandigo will all be back next year.

Plus we are supposed to have a talented juco guard coming in and a high school kid from Florida. The cupboard is not bare. With a couple of more pieces they may be picked to win the west next year.

[RiverRanchMan]

_ 1 to 2 years depending on if we make the right hire.

Remember that LaRyan, Daigle, Brandon Dison, Travis Bureau, Raymone Andrews, Javon Mitchell, Colby Batiste and Grandigo will all be back next year.

I think you just figured out part of the problem.

[SlappyCajun]

_ I think you just figured out part of the problem. _

No, I don't think those guys are the problem. We are the most talented team in Louisiana, except maybe Louisiana Tech.

It's not the players. It may be the way they are playing right now, but its not talent....

[RiverRanchMan]

_ No, I don't think those guys are the problem. We are the most talented team in Louisiana, except maybe Louisiana Tech.

It's not the players. It may be the way they are playing right now, but its not talent.... _

Coaching is the biggest problem. But the coach did recruit these guys and with a statement like that, you just lost all credibility

[CajunZ1]

_ Coaching is the biggest problem. But the coach did recruit these guys and with a statement like that, you just lost all credibility _

Your perspective is tiresome.

[zephyr]

_ Coaching is the biggest problem. But the coach did recruit these guys and with a statement like that, you just lost all credibility _

I don't think you are understanding what is being said. He's actually agreeing with you that the coaching of this team is the biggest downfall. What is wrong with his statement? Why don't you prove your credibility and support your statement. All he said was that with some coaching changes a hopefully a different attitude, the returning players can have some success. I don't get these statements about "Well this coach is the one who recruited them so they can't be any good".

[RiverRanchMan]

_ I don't think you are understanding what is being said. He's actually agreeing with you that the coaching of this team is the biggest downfall. What is wrong with his statement? Why don't you prove your credibility and support your statement. All he said was that with some coaching changes a hopefully a different attitude, the returning players can have some success. I don't get these statements about "Well this coach is the one who recruited them so they can't be any good". _

Have you been to any games? Everything you said is true. But I have a hard time believing the talent level on this team is NCAA tournament quality.

[Cajunsmike]

_ Have you been to any games? Everything you said is true. But I have a hard time believing the talent level on this team is NCAA tournament quality. _

Talent on the team is overrated in my view. Biggest problem is lack of ability to finish plays inside.

[zephyr]

_ Have you been to any games? Everything you said is true. But I have a hard time believing the talent level on this team is NCAA tournament quality. _

Yes I have, which makes me think your statement doesn't have much merit. First off, do you know what talent is? The reason we're talking about their talent is because they haven't realized their potential yet which is exactly what you are talking about. The potential to improve and contribute. Batiste is not what I would define as talent. Why? Because I think he has the greatest room for improvement as he's not very good but I don't think that he has the tools to truly improve much beyond the player that he currently is. Guys like Gradnigo, Bureau, Mitchell and Andrews have not only a lot of room for improvement but the tools necessary to realize that opportunity and become very solid players. Gradnigo's ranking out of high school was one inidcator of his "talent" as he was a highly thought of product. Nobody argues that Gradnigo and Bureau have been disappointments in more ways than one. That doesn't mean that they still can't develop into premier players with some hard work and coaching. Both guys can play multiple positions, shoot the ball well from the outside, are very athletic and could be very tough defensive players with their length and athleticism if they worked hard enough at it. Mitchell has a high ceiling because is a true post player with a lot of eligibility remaining and with some good coaching, could be one of the best post players in the conference.

Again, nobody is arguing with the fact that these guys have not played well but to me and many others, these guys have the ability to be very solid players and that is exactly what "talent" is. Whether they reach this level and become the players that we think they can is up to them and hopefully a new coach.

Also, when he mentioned that they could win the West next year, we're not exactly talking about the Big East here. The SBC has been fairly down the past couple of years and the West is not exactly a beast of a conference. We won the West while all of these guys were freshmen. Why is it hard to think that they couldn't win it as Seniors with hopefully a lot more experience and better coaching?