Men's Basketball News

[Cajunsmike]

Give it a couple of years. There's a "rebel" in the tiger den corner bar that will slam the Johnny Jones critics... and remind them that he recruited and coached Simmons up to the first pick in the draft. Just give it a couple years.

Rebel: "You have to credit Johnny for having the vision to set up the family connection and get him here."

Critic: "And look what he did with him. Nothing."

Rebel: "But he recruited him and developed him into a first round draft choice! Oh... but Jones sucks ****!"

Simmons would have been a first round draft choice had he been allowed to go to the NBA from HS.

[zephyr]

Give it a couple of years. There's a "rebel" in the tiger den corner bar that will slam the Johnny Jones critics... and remind them that he recruited and coached Simmons up to the first pick in the draft. Just give it a couple years.

Rebel: "You have to credit Johnny for having the vision to set up the family connection and get him here."

Critic: "And look what he did with him. Nothing."

Rebel: "But he recruited him and developed him into a first round draft choice! Oh... but Jones sucks ****!"

The top level guys in the college business are guys that can go out and get the players they need to fit their system. These guys can be 5 star player types or they can be guys that are vetted carefully and somewhat go under the radar but still become big contributors. It sometimes depends on multiple factors. These same top level guys are also excellent in game coaches and developers of talent. That's basically what coaching is in a very general nutshell.

On lower levels of coaching, you tend to have guys who may recruit well but are sometimes or often criticized for coaching decisions. This is the type of guy that Jones is. Great recruiter but questionable coach.

Then you have guys like Marlin who are considered excellent in game coaches although some here would probably disagree or question that about him and its warranted. However, he's not a good recruiter and this is generally acknowledged (except for Rebel). Unfortunately for us, we can't attract players to this program out of high school that are considered really good talents so they may grow in our program and help distinguish it. I'm not sure we will ever have that coach that can do both but its frustrating to say the least.

[Just1More]

The top level guys in the college business are guys that can go out and get the players they need to fit their system. These guys can be 5 star player types or they can be guys that are vetted carefully and somewhat go under the radar but still become big contributors. It sometimes depends on multiple factors. These same top level guys are also excellent in game coaches and developers of talent. That's basically what coaching is in a very general nutshell.

On lower levels of coaching, you tend to have guys who may recruit well but are sometimes or often criticized for coaching decisions. This is the type of guy that Jones is. Great recruiter but questionable coach.

Then you have guys like Marlin who are considered excellent in game coaches although some here would probably disagree or question that about him and its warranted. However, he's not a good recruiter and this is generally acknowledged (except for Rebel). Unfortunately for us, we can't attract players to this program out of high school that are considered really good talents so they may grow in our program and help distinguish it. I'm not sure we will ever have that coach that can do both but its frustrating to say the least.

Is Jones considered a great recruiter? My info has it that most LSU talent is the product of Collis Temple's work. Regardless, I am of a similar mindset. Basketball epitomizes team sport. And if you cannot recruit a "team"... but are successful here and there with a great individual player... the results are generally unspectacular. Marlin is in the "build a team" term in his tenure. He's shown he's got some coaching ability. He needs to build a team. I'm all in favor of him accomplishing that. But to credit him for a couple of great players over the past many years... does not a team recruiting coach make.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Marlin is a prime example of the Peter Principle in coaching. He's graded up from lowly beginnings to the top in the SLC. Now at UL he's maxed out and is building a retirement legacy instead of a championship legacy.

[Big Buds]

Marlin is a prime example of the Peter Principle in coaching. He's graded up from lowly beginnings to the top in the SLC. Now at UL he's maxed out and is building a retirement legacy instead of a championship legacy.

Hey now, building a retirement legacy is a big deal within our administration.

[Big Buds]

How about Ed Turner the transfer from Pitt. Lol...he was supposed to be the savior after all of Evans guys graduated/left the program. You never know what your going to get.

[RedCajun]

Is Jones considered a great recruiter? My info has it that most LSU talent is the product of Collis Temple's work. Regardless, I am of a similar mindset. Basketball epitomizes team sport. And if you cannot recruit a "team"... but are successful here and there with a great individual player... the results are generally unspectacular. Marlin is in the "build a team" term in his tenure. He's shown he's got some coaching ability. He needs to build a team. I'm all in favor of him accomplishing that. But to credit him for a couple of great players over the past many years... does not a team recruiting coach make.

Jones got some pretty highly rated guys to go to UNT. One of them was a 4 or 5 star power forward that never seemed to live up to the hype, but he got them there out of high school

[Just1More]

Jones got some pretty highly rated guys to go to UNT. One of them was a 4 or 5 star power forward that never seemed to live up to the hype, but he got them there out of high school

Not saying he didn't get recruits at UNT. But the recruiting at LSU for years now has been through the efforts of Collis Temple. I hold the head coach responsible for the complete outcome. If a head coach turns over every aspect of the program over to other people, is only a figurehead, but succeeds... he's a successful head coach. By the same token, if something, anything, isn't producing success... the head coach is at fault. Time usually clues interested fans into the strengths and weaknesses of certain head coaches. I think this forum has fairly accurately identified Marlin's strengths and weaknesses. He needs to build complete teams. And I think his overall ability to recruit (or get someone who can) and sustain a cohesive team, has been lacking. The high and low points are balancing out to mediocre. My belief is that it shouldn't be that difficult to build a great starting 5, well balanced team, at UL.

[Turbine]

Early on Marlin had a lot of garbage perception press to overcome in recruiting at UL

Now with Elfrid and Shawn signing contracts, he simply MUST parlay that into a great recruiting tool today.

I always felt Stokley failed to use Jake and Brian as a recruiting tool.

Kids can relate to a player stepping up to the next level, sometimes more than a programs overall success.

jmo

[Zeebart21]

Early on Marlin had a lot of garbage perception press to overcome in recruiting at UL

Now with Elfrid and Shawn signing contracts, he simply MUST parlay that into a great recruiting tool today.

I always felt Stokley failed to use Jake and Brian as a recruiting tool.

Kids can relate to a player stepping up to the next level, sometimes more than a programs overall success.

jmo

Turb, the fossil pulled the recruiting funds away from Stoke. He couldn't do a darned thing. The guy was nails. Sadly the fossil was afraid of success.