Bob's Not As Poor As Reported

[Cajunsmike]

You have to break a few eggs to make an omelette.

*FTR, I never said the stadium would not be built. I never ran down Pres Savoie (in fact, I'm the one that said Savoie's legacy here would be the savior of UL athletics). I am one of few NOT calling for Marlin's head.

Getting SF out of here was crucial to our advancement and bringing to light his many missteps, including his bungling of The Russo Park project is something I'll never apologize for. (Our new AD has been on the job a month and I think the difference is crystal clear).

As far as Hudspeth goes, I was one of many that had this opinion. The issue that happened (not a rumor, in fact, took place) has essentially become a 'he-said he-said', and with little evidence to back up more sinister claims, I have softened on my opinion. New information breeds evolving thought. So for the keyboard cowboys that want to question my "intellect", there's that.

Just to clarify one point on MAT's post. In regards to the comment that he is one of few not calling for Marlin's head. In actuality, only 7 people voted to replace the coach in the recent poll. The minority that advocate doing so have a strong view of the situation and are vocal about it. Outside of this forum, almost no one is proposing this. Now, some believe that shows apathy towards basketball amongst the fan base. That is an interpretative assessment which cannot be proven or disproven. Personally, I believe it is because little was expected this year and that won't be the case next year. Back to his original point, people do change their mind when presented with new data. Hopefully we all have that ability. I am still working on it.

[California Cajun]

Cali, go back and look at some of the earlier posts in this thread. Main issue we have is the reluctance of similar programs to play us home and home which may relate to your point about coaches having job security concerns. UNO was almost forced to play us by state boards and now their coach wants no part of us. He thinks losing to us can hurt his recruiting. Therefore you are right in that the AD needs to step in here. As far as the conference goes, we were 13th amongst all leagues this year. That is much higher than CUSA. We beat their second place team in La. Tech and Georgia State defeated their champion (MT) on the road. Middle Tennessee is actually ranked in some polls. This year's version of Sun Belt basketball was the best it has been in years, including when WKU was in the league. Had UTA won the tournament, they would have likely been seeded 12th. Troy got a low seed due to their overall season. I am not totally surprised they won the league tournament as they had been the hottest team late in the season. They got going that night the refs let them shoot 50 free throws against us and Coach Marlin was thrown out. I expect the Trojans to be tough again next season as their two best players return.

My point is, the SLC team that wants $75k to play us charges that to discourage us to play them. CUSA teams that were in the SBC are the same. We need some Ohio Valley, MVC, and MAC games to help us receive an accurate evaluation. Then we play a power conference team or two at their place for a shot at an at large bid. If the teams from conferences I suggested agree to play, economics won't get in the way.

The way it is now, we don't play the right "sample" of viable schools for a selection committee to give us any postseason chance unless we win the regular season or conference tournament. Some people want Marlin replaced because he doesn't go dancing enough to the NCAAs. It probably discourages recruiting. But I don't think any coach will be capable of giving us enough NCAA or NIT games (and actually win some) unless scheduling strategy changes. I'm thinking the AD and/or consultants with contacts can help craft a bracket busting schedule. I think coaches as a group are an impediment to upgrading a school's status in basketball. Too many want to schedule wins so they can get another job at a school who is already at the next level. Basketball interest is held down because schools don't upgrade over decades except for 1-2 periods of a couple of great years inbetween. These short hiatus periods don't last long enough to permanently take the program to the next level.

[ManAboutTown]

My point is, the SLC team that wants $75k to play us charges that to discourage us to play them. CUSA teams that were in the SBC are the same. We need some Ohio Valley, MVC, and MAC games to help us receive an accurate evaluation. Then we play a power conference team or two at their place for a shot at an at large bid. If the teams from conferences I suggested agree to play, economics won't get in the way.

The way it is now, we don't play the right "sample" of viable schools for a selection committee to give us any postseason chance unless we win the regular season or conference tournament. Some people want Marlin replaced because he doesn't go dancing enough to the NCAAs. It probably discourages recruiting. But I don't think any coach will be capable of giving us enough NCAA or NIT games (and actually win some) unless scheduling strategy changes. I'm thinking the AD and/or consultants with contacts can help craft a bracket busting schedule. I think coaches as a group are an impediment to upgrading a school's status in basketball. Too many want to schedule wins so they can get another job at a school who is already at the next level. Basketball interest is held down because schools don't upgrade over decades except for 1-2 periods of a couple of great years inbetween. This hiatus period doesn't last long enough to take the program to the next level.

Excellent points. As far as scheduling a bracket buster type resume' The SBC is at a huge disadvantage UTA beat #12 St. Mary's, at their place, soundly. UTA was a top 40 RPI team. They did not get a sniff.

LR last year had a few P5 wins, high RPI and would have been NIT bound had they not won the tourney. (That team won in the NCAAs btw).

We could have beaten Minn and Georgia this year, finished top 3 in the league and still, guaranteed we'd have had no chance as an at large. It's just the life of a G5 MBB program in 2017. The only way to change it is to win big for several seasons in a row, land high profile recruits and win in the NCAAs.

[alum81]

You have to break a few eggs to make an omelette.

*FTR, I never said the stadium would not be built. I never ran down Pres Savoie (in fact, I'm the one that said Savoie's legacy here would be the savior of UL athletics). I am one of few NOT calling for Marlin's head.

Getting SF out of here was crucial to our advancement and bringing to light his many missteps, including his bungling of The Russo Park project is something I'll never apologize for. (Our new AD has been on the job a month and I think the difference is crystal clear).

As far as Hudspeth goes, I was one of many that had this opinion. The issue that happened (not a rumor, in fact, took place) has essentially become a 'he-said he-said', and with little evidence to back up more sinister claims, I have softened on my opinion. New information breeds evolving thought. So for the keyboard cowboys that want to question my "intellect", there's that.

fair enough, good post with no name calling. GEAUX CAJUNS

[MelRock]

ACC BIG 10 BIG 12 SEC PAC 12 BIG EAST. It's me again. Looking 4 home & home next year. Pls call me 4 chance 4 QUALITY road win, top 33 RPI pic.twitter.com/zYAZpR3kJn

— Dan Muller (@DanMuller) March 13, 2017

[VObserver]

Poor choice, MelRock. I would be thrilled to death with the ooc schedule Illinois state played this year. 7 games against top 200, 1 non d 1, 4 in 201-300

[MelRock]

Poor choice, MelRock. I would be thrilled to death with the ooc schedule Illinois state played this year. 7 games against top 200, 1 non d 1, 4 in 201-300

Really and what did that get them? The point is the same and again they play FCS football. They played in a tournament in Hawaii, I am pretty sure the one we were dis invited to. Who did they play out of conference that was better than Georgia, Minnesota, Texas Southern or UNO? Look what UTA's RPI got them, fact is both UTA and ISU are playing in the NIT, if that is what you want then be a LTU@Ruston fan.

[ZoomZoom]

It is very noble of Dan Muller to point out the problem. That said, when old Dan move to a P5 program, he will understand such games have serious consequences if lost. Hence, he will convert to job security and not schedule the games he desires today.


_______

Speaking of "cowards" leave your ____ing name whomever red dotted me over this. Oh wait, it's coward.

[Cajunsmike]

It is very noble of Dan Muller to point out the problem. That said, when old Dan move to a P5 program, he will understand such games have serious consequences if lost. Hence, he will convert to job security and not schedule the games he desires today.

Illinois State went 17 and 1 in the Missouri Valley Conference. They did not receive an at large bid due to not winning the conference tournament. The MVC is one of the top mid major leagues in the country. If that does not tell you the difficulty mid majors have today in attracting at large bids, I don't know what will. Scheduling changes won't change that.

[Cajun90]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas.er-5-opponents

Wichita State at 30-4 and gets a 10 seed.

The NCAA baseball and softball committees have done things in the past to diversify their sports. I haven't always agreed with it but they have done it. Basketball seems to go in the opposite direction.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Illinois State went 17 and 1 in the Missouri Valley Conference. They did not receive an at large bid due to not winning the conference tournament. The MVC is one of the top mid major leagues in the country. If that does not tell you the difficulty mid majors have today in attracting at large bids, I don't know what will. Scheduling changes won't change that.

Losing six game isn't getting a mid major a bid. When we (SBC) got at large bids the total loss was four. They lost every important out of conference game.

[Cajunsmike]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas.er-5-opponents

Wichita State at 30-4 and gets a 10 seed.


The NCAA baseball and softball committees have done things in the past to diversify their sports. I haven't always agreed with it but they have done it. Basketball seems to go in the opposite direction.

The linked article does a good job of pointing out another problem mid majors have-being able to improve your schedule without having to play so many non conference games on the road. Committee likes to point out that some mid level P5 teams get in because of a victory over a ranked opponent. Vanderbilt got in with 15 wins this year due to beating Florida. Well if you are not in the SEC, you have no opportunity to beat Florida and definitely not on your home court. The point Cali made about adjusting your schedule so as to be able to garner at large bids is flawed as shown by that example. In today's world, your conference tournament is the most important part of the season for a mid-major regardless if people want to accept it as a fact or not. That is unfortunate as any team can have a bad shooting game which will knock you out. No one is moving to not have the tournament either due to reasons pointed out in another thread. Even the Ivy League has a tournament now. Of course the regular season is important for seeding and a guaranteed NIT opportunity if you win the league. Hopefully the move to use more tools than RPI will help the problem in future years. We will see beginning next season if it helps address the issue.

[Cajunsmike]

Losing six game isn't getting a mid major a bid. When we (SBC) got at large bids the total loss was four. They lost every important out of conference game.

Middle Tennessee would not have gotten a bid without winning the CUSA tourney and they lost five games. Did any mid majors get at large bids this year? I think St. Mary's did but I have not checked the bracket in detail. Keep in mind that UTA soundly defeated St. Mary's on the road in pre conference play. An announcer during the Troy-Texas State game yesterday addressed this issue. He said that college basketball should not allow schools to buy games. His recommendation was that all non conference games should be part of home and home deals. That would help balance the RPI since so much of it is weighted towards schedule and TV schools do not go on the road against non TV schools. That has zero chance of happening of course.

[Cajun90]

The linked article does a good job of pointing out another problem mid majors have-being able to improve your schedule without having to play so many non conference games on the road. Committee likes to point out that some mid level P5 teams get in because of a victory over a ranked opponent. Vanderbilt got in with 15 wins this year due to beating Florida. Well if you are not in the SEC, you have no opportunity to beat Florida and definitely not on your home court. The point Cali made about adjusting your schedule so as to be able to garner at large bids is flawed as shown by that example. In today's world, your conference tournament is the most important part of the season for a mid-major regardless if people want to accept it as a fact or not. That is unfortunate as any team can have a bad shooting game which will knock you out. No one is moving to not have the tournament either due to reasons pointed out in another thread. Even the Ivy League has a tournament now. Of course the regular season is important for seeding and a guaranteed NIT opportunity if you win the league. Hopefully the move to use more tools than RPI will help the problem in future years. We will see beginning next season if it helps address the issue.

One thing they could do is punish P5 teams that make the tournament but have refused to play G5 schools away from home. If they were to start getting seeded lower it would do two things. Give the G5's who make the tournament a slight advantage that they don't normally have and make the P5's reconsider their scheduling.

[ManAboutTown]

Illinois State went 17 and 1 in the Missouri Valley Conference. They did not receive an at large bid due to not winning the conference tournament. The MVC is one of the top mid major leagues in the country. If that does not tell you the difficulty mid majors have today in attracting at large bids, I don't know what will. Scheduling changes won't change that.

I watched Illinois St play 4-5 times this year (betting purposes). They are a very talented, cohesive, well coached and balanced basketball team. They reminded me a lot of Butler. It is a crime that this team is not in he tourney and highlights exactly what I've been saying about the uphill battle that G5 basketball fights. Might be a little bit different this year, but go check out the RPI disparage between SBC and MVC basketball over the last decade.