MBB G13 Final: Louisiana 73, SLU 72

[Cajunsmike]

The only one close to that status still living in Louisiana (that I know of) is Phyllis Taylor. And she may be worth "only" $700,000,000 or thereabouts. It is my understanding that there are others not living in Louisiana (or the US).

She also is all into LSU due to her late husband. Cares little for any other Louisiana school.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Phyllis Taylor is one.

Tulane,forget her.

[VObserver]

San Diego State and New Mexico St. are historically good at basketball. I would have loved to had NMST in the Sunbelt as a full member. They are probably the closest to a peer in all the ones listed so far.
I have only pointed out some of the differences in the situations of UL and the universities named. I pointed out that some of the teams named are more "mediocre" than UL.
Do you think San Diego state and Butler are peer universities of UL?
I agreed earlier that Nevada has been very good since Mussellmen got there. I also asked the question "Do you think it is solely the coach?"

VO- As a mid-major, you think splitting resources does not have a detrimental effect?

I do not think it has a major effect; mainly because those without football generally put far less money into athletics than those who do. Budget numbers are deceiving, as fixed overhead for having athletics is fairly constant. Football or no football, your AD and staff, training staff, etc. still have to be paid, and if you dont have football revenue, the burden on basketball is much higher.

[VObserver]

Tulane,forget her.

Husband was LSU, I think. She was UL undergrad, Tulane law. May have been him Tulane her LSU, not sure.

In any event, I don't expect she cares much about athletics at any school; TOPS was her baby.

I would still ask her for money every month until she blocked my calls. Lol

[CajunVic]

Husband was LSU, I think. She was UL undergrad, Tulane law. May have been him Tulane her LSU, not sure.

In any event, I don't expect she cares much about athletics at any school; TOPS was her baby.

I would still ask her for money every month until she blocked my calls. Lol

A gift from her to a school that she cares just a little about could be bigger that the larger gifts from some that care a whole lot.

[talktomewillis]

Look I get it. You think finishing in the top 1/3 of the SBC is an accomplishment of some note. Maybe so, but I totally disagree. So it’s not about Bob continuing with his near hits, instead hit the target.

It’s okay to be mediocre, just don’t call it good, or an accomplishment we should be grateful for.

The word "competitive" is the one being used.

If you finish a game or two out of the top two in the league and you say it's not competing then there's nothing that can be done for you.

You'll just be happy being miserable, I guess.

-----------------------------------------------
From here on out it will be hard to be competitive in the league.

Losing one starter to an ACL was bad enough. It's pretty damn difficult to come back from a pair of season ending injuries.

And, yes, Julien would have been starting had he not been injured.

[talktomewillis]

Jay nobody mentioned it because it’s depressing. Injuries suck and I hate it for him because he is one of our most exciting players.

Without Marquetti we won’t win 20 games. The injury excuse will be used again, for a 2nd year in a row. It will also be valid for a 2nd year in a row.

That doesn’t change the fact that we are not getting what we pay for. We spend the most money in the league on basketball and we don’t see the ROI we as fans should expect.

If using injuries is part of analysis as to the performance of the team, it isn't an excuse. It's reality. You don't lose talents like Julien and Marquetti and be the team you would have been. That's just reality.

[zephyr]

San Diego State and New Mexico St. are historically good at basketball. I would have loved to had NMST in the Sunbelt as a full member. They are probably the closest to a peer in all the ones listed so far.
I have only pointed out some of the differences in the situations of UL and the universities named. I pointed out that some of the teams named are more "mediocre" than UL.
Do you think San Diego state and Butler are peer universities of UL?
I agreed earlier that Nevada has been very good since Mussellmen got there. I also asked the question "Do you think it is solely the coach?"

VO- As a mid-major, you think splitting resources does not have a detrimental effect?

San Diego State is not a traditional basketball school and neither is NMSU. They have had some solid teams over the years and they get players who wouldn't go to just any program. Steve Fisher obviously made a name for himself at Michigan and he will go after kids who are academic risks. He also plays a style that isn't for every player being a defensive high pressure team.

I think all of these schools are on one level or another "peers" with UL at least when discussing mid major basketball. I honestly don't care that Butler is in Indiana. There are plenty of crappy teams and programs in the basketball hotbeds. Nevada is able to recruit high level kids all of a sudden to their program. Why do you think that is? You asked if its solely the coach and I'd answer yes. There is some reason that players like Jordan Brown are going there over the UCLA's of the world.

[RaginFan2]

San Diego State is not a traditional basketball school and neither is NMSU. They have had some solid teams over the years and they get players who wouldn't go to just any program. Steve Fisher obviously made a name for himself at Michigan and he will go after kids who are academic risks. He also plays a style that isn't for every player being a defensive high pressure team.

I think all of these schools are on one level or another "peers" with UL at least when discussing mid major basketball. I honestly don't care that Butler is in Indiana. There are plenty of crappy teams and programs in the basketball hotbeds. Nevada is able to recruit high level kids all of a sudden to their program. Why do you think that is? You asked if its solely the coach and I'd answer yes. There is some reason that players like Jordan Brown are going there over the UCLA's of the world.

Absolutely agree that the coaches can make a big difference. Players like to play for a winner, and they also like to play for someone who genuinely cares for them as a person & not just a "chess piece".

[Cajunsmike]

If using injuries is part of analysis as to the performance of the team, it isn't an excuse. It's reality. You don't lose talents like Julien and Marquetti and be the team you would have been. That's just reality.

Willis, do you think there is any chance that consideration is given to pulling the redshirt from Julien. I recall hearing he would be cleared to practice next week. I know his preference was to redshirt so as to have four years at 100 per cent health. Don't know if the Marquetti injury changes his view. I doubt it will.

[cajun4life]

If using injuries is part of analysis as to the performance of the team, it isn't an excuse. It's reality. You don't lose talents like Julien and Marquetti and be the team you would have been. That's just reality.

Did UCF use an injury as an excuse to fold against Memphis? Nope, next man up. Did Tua going out stop Bama from beating UGA? Nope, next man up.

Does Stove getting hurt/sick do us in last year? Yep, no depth. Does Marquetti getting hurt do us in? Yep, no depth.

Who’s fault is that? The injury boogeyman? Nope Bob Marlin and his lack of solid recruiting over the long haul. Right now Julian is like the Easter bunny. He may be all world, but we don’t know because he isn’t playing. So you can’t count on a kid who was never intended to play this season as an excuse.

Marlin gets solid character kids in the program. No one will ever say otherwise. But he sure don’t get enough really good basketball players to prove he is worth $600k.

[ULvictory]

If using injuries is part of analysis as to the performance of the team, it isn't an excuse. It's reality. You don't lose talents like Julien and Marquetti and be the team you would have been. That's just reality.

It’s the narrative that will be set, and the goal posts will be moved once again.

With a full healthy team, we would come up short because “it’s hard to win three games in March.” Now, it will be because “player X was injured.”

Look, I feel for Marquetti. That’s never fun to see. But I see where a lot of fans are coming from when they get frustrated with what always seems to be a reason of why we CAN’T do something rather than actually doing it. Against Tech, it was because “Gant got hurt.” But no one seemed to mention the fact that Tech had two starters out. And then, I started to hear “but we’ve beaten them 4 out of 6 times.” Yeah well again, we lost one of those two times when two of their starters weren’t even playing.

Cost has to match quality, and there needs to be a return on what fans are paying for. With the money we invest in this program, finishing in the top 3 every year should be a MINIMUM. People can call me “miserable” or a “pessimist,” but I’m not seeing the ROI. And people who really know me see that I’m a realist. It’s not like I’m just picking on basketball for _____s and giggles.