Marlin Set To Return ( Retaining Players Paramount )

[CajunVic]

Oh, Kyle, you are so full of crap.

1. This has never been a three bid league since we joined in 1992. It's been a two bid league maybe four or five times in 30 years. And, no one has had an eight seed. WKU might have gotten a nine one time. Eleven is usually the high water mark.

2. What have I "blamed the fans" for? I said there are fans who have acted (and said on this board) that the program is in the pits. I said that wasn't true. UL has the second most league wins 2014-present. And, while I respect those who think it might be time for a change, the facts are what they are. I will admit there has been some slippage the last three or four years. But this program is FAR from the pits.

3. You say we've gone down for five years now. Four years ago we won 27 games and a league championship.

4. Jessie Evans was almost 20 years ago. The game has changed since then and so has the interest in basketball in the deep south. Now we only look at football until almost Christmas and then spring sports take center stage over the last four weeks of basketball.

Basketball is an afterthought for Cajun fans. Nothing is going to change that. Football and spring sports will always be more important.

I, when asked, stated what I would do if it were my decision. And, it was based on what I see could be something really good next year. My personal feelings for Coach Marlin (and they run deep) really didn't have anything to do with my opinion.

I will support Dr. Maggard's decision. He is much more qualified to make the decision than any of us.

You threw a few for a loop here and rightfully so. It is time that someone other then me get on here and set a few of these pompous butts straight. You can see from the response who are reasonable posters here and who deserved to be shocked with this fact filled post. Thanks Jay.

[RedTails]

Basketball is an afterthought for Cajun fans. Nothing is going to change that. Football and spring sports will always be more important.

This is the only part of your post I disagree with. Winning consistently and some trips to the dance can change that.

[KajunKrazy]

Oh, Kyle, you are so full of crap.

1. This has never been a three bid league since we joined in 1992. It's been a two bid league maybe four or five times in 30 years. And, no one has had an eight seed. WKU might have gotten a nine one time. Eleven is usually the high water mark.

2. What have I "blamed the fans" for? I said there are fans who have acted (and said on this board) that the program is in the pits. I said that wasn't true. UL has the second most league wins 2014-present. And, while I respect those who think it might be time for a change, the facts are what they are. I will admit there has been some slippage the last three or four years. But this program is FAR from the pits.

3. You say we've gone down for five years now. Four years ago we won 27 games and a league championship.

4. Jessie Evans was almost 20 years ago. The game has changed since then and so has the interest in basketball in the deep south. Now we only look at football until almost Christmas and then spring sports take center stage over the last four weeks of basketball.

Basketball is an afterthought for Cajun fans. Nothing is going to change that. Football and spring sports will always be more important.

I, when asked, stated what I would do if it were my decision. And, it was based on what I see could be something really good next year. My personal feelings for Coach Marlin (and they run deep) really didn't have anything to do with my opinion.

I will support Dr. Maggard's decision. He is much more qualified to make the decision than any of us.

With you J. The way I saw this team gel down the stretch they could be very special next year if they come out the gate playing that way. I think Bob deserves to coach that team. SAVE BOB MARLIN

[ManAboutTown]

Ok. I’m back. Go ahead…

[ULvictory]

It would take a unique set of circumstances for Louisiana's head coaching job to be more attractive than it is right now.

Agreed.

All of the resources that is there for success is indeed there. Like CajunT had previously mentioned, we need to rid ourselves in the culture of "CAN'T."

-"We are a one bid league. It is hard to win in this conference."
-"Basketball isn't what it used to be down here which is why we have bad attendance."
-"This player got injured, so that's why we lost these slew of games."

This conference is weak, hence our tournament run. There is no reason why we should be finishing below 4th place consistently like we have since 2018. As far as attendance, make the home game attractive. Don't blow big leads and play decent teams at home instead of a bunch of DIII schools that St. Thomas More could beat. I'm not asking to draw 7k per game, but the crowd we saw this season spells "apathy" to what we already expected. Also, we kept hearing the excuse of guys like Julien being hurt for the past 3 years. That was the cost of us losing games, right? Well this past weekend we made the longest run in the tournament without him. That doesn't mean he is not valuable to our team. But don't scapegoat the kid every time we lose to bad teams.

Again, the culture of "can't".....

[ManAboutTown]

Agreed.

All of the resources that is there for success is indeed there. Like CajunT had previously mentioned, we need to rid ourselves in the culture of "CAN'T."

-"We are a one bid league. It is hard to win in this conference."
-"Basketball isn't what it used to be down here which is why we have bad attendance."
-"This player got injured, so that's why we lost these slew of games."

This conference is weak, hence our tournament run. There is no reason why we should be finishing below 4th place consistently like we have since 2018. As far as attendance, make the home game attractive. Don't blow big leads and play decent teams at home instead of a bunch of DIII schools that St. Thomas More could beat. Also, we kept hearing the excuse of guys like Julien being hurt for the past 3 years. That was the cost of us losing games, right? Well this past weekend we made the longest run in the tournament without him. That doesn't mean he is not valuable to our team. But don't scapegoat the kid every time we lose to bad teams.

Again, the culture of "can't".....

You forgot “basketball is dead in the south.”

[CajunEXPRESS]

Could not have been said any better. I think you are correct that WKU was a 9 once, which was an oddity. Normally 11 or 12 was where the SBC used to be. And crap we have never been a 3 bid league and if we were a 2 bid league it has been many years and it was not the norm.

I too, will support our basketball team no matter what decision is made from the administration and the athletic department. I would love to see a change at the top, but it does not mean my support will waiver if Marlin is the coach next year. I agree if the players that could come back next year, come back, specifically Brown, Akuwba, Dalcourt and Williams. And the continued improvement of Joe Charles and Michael Thomas. The big question mark will be Kobe Julien (injuries again), but I think that Isiah Richards will take Dou Gueye spot and be better at it, specifically understanding his role as a backup to the two bigs. I still think we need to make sure we get a true (bigger) point guard, hopefully through the transfer portal and a few other minor tweaks and this team can be really good. But I will let Dr. Maggard make his decision and next November, I will be hoping for a great season in the Cajun Dome.

For whatever it’s worth, I believe UNO had one at large bid.

[ULvictory]

You forgot “basketball is dead in the south.”

Houston, who was a Final Four team last year, will disagree with this.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Oh, Kyle, you are so full of crap.

1. This has never been a three bid league since we joined in 1992. It's been a two bid league maybe four or five times in 30 years. And, no one has had an eight seed. WKU might have gotten a nine one time. Eleven is usually the high water mark.

2. What have I "blamed the fans" for? I said there are fans who have acted (and said on this board) that the program is in the pits. I said that wasn't true. UL has the second most league wins 2014-present. And, while I respect those who think it might be time for a change, the facts are what they are. I will admit there has been some slippage the last three or four years. But this program is FAR from the pits.

3. You say we've gone down for five years now. Four years ago we won 27 games and a league championship.

4. Jessie Evans was almost 20 years ago. The game has changed since then and so has the interest in basketball in the deep south. Now we only look at football until almost Christmas and then spring sports take center stage over the last four weeks of basketball.

Basketball is an afterthought for Cajun fans. Nothing is going to change that. Football and spring sports will always be more important.

I, when asked, stated what I would do if it were my decision. And, it was based on what I see could be something really good next year. My personal feelings for Coach Marlin (and they run deep) really didn't have anything to do with my opinion.

I will support Dr. Maggard's decision. He is much more qualified to make the decision than any of us.

Bob Marlin and ULM’s Richard are one and two all time coaches in total conference wins. I doubt anyone thinks either are top five all time quality coaches. Same with your 2nd total wins in the SBC. Several coaches have gotten bigger gigs in that time. Those schools have generally relapsed into mediocrity or worse.

Under Marlin we had one first place finish regular season and one tournament championship.

It hasn’t been great under this coach.

Finally NEVER is a big word. The only thing making that true is failure to bring multiple NCAA bids by regular season and tournament championships.

If baseball continues to be so incredibly inconsistent it could easily become a memory of it’s former greatness. What’s it been since a super regional or regional.

[SlappyCajun]

4. Jessie Evans was almost 20 years ago. The game has changed since then and so has the interest in basketball in the deep south. Now we only look at football until almost Christmas and then spring sports take center stage over the last four weeks of basketball.

Basketball is an afterthought for Cajun fans. Nothing is going to change that. Football and spring sports will always be more important.

I don't agree with this. And I don't think you can simply state that because things are a certain way right now, they'll continue that way.

There was a time in the past (and not the Bo Lamar era, but 20 years ago), where Cajun Field was empty and people would await the start of basketball season.

Heck we had better football crowds under Hud then we did under Napier (when we were in the top 25 in back-to-back seasons). But I wouldn't assert that's an indicator that Cajun fans don't care about football.

The tastes and passions of fans and people change. And I don't think that anyone can say 10 years from now that Cajun fans will definitely not care about basketball.

In my opinion, all the University can do is try to win as many games as possible in every sport. And I'd also argue that one of the reasons people care about the spring sports here so much is because we had mighty good coaches in those spring sports.

I'm not going to give an opinion on Marlin. That's for Maggard to decide.

[JayWalker]

For whatever it’s worth, I believe UNO had one at large bid.

Yes. 1993. UNO was undefeated in conference and lost to WKU in the finals. UNO got an at large and lost in the first round. WKU went to the sweet 16. WKU got a couple of at large, South had one and Middle had one. That's all I remember.

[ZoomZoom]

You forgot “basketball is dead in the south.”

Actually heard a talking head use that phrase the other night channel surfing. Forgot what game, just laughed and changed the channel.

[Scott Malkinson]

With you J. The way I saw this team gel down the stretch they could be very special next year if they come out the gate playing that way. I think Bob deserves to coach that team. SAVE BOB MARLIN

Ahh yes year 13 will be when Marlin puts it all together.. lol just a reminder some on here were upset we let go of Bustle.

[KajunKrazy]

Ahh yes year 13 will be when Marlin puts it all together.. lol just a reminder some on here were upset we let go of Bustle.

I wasn't upset that bustle got let go and won't be if marlin gets let go. I can assure you the team that hud took over was the best talent that bustle had assembled here. I know he felt that he would have had his best team to date. They would have probably ended up in the same place, at the end of the year, if bustle would have remained coach, as they did with hud.

[ULvictory]

I wasn't upset that bustle got let go and won't be if marlin gets let go. I can assure you the team that hud took over was the best talent that bustle had assembled here. I know he felt that he would have had his best team to date. They would have probably ended up in the same place, at the end of the year, if bustle would have remained coach, as they did with hud.

Oof, not sure about that one. The difference with Hud's first team was the change in mindset. Hud's "rah rah" spiel worked with a bunch of guys hungry to win. Also, the job got to Coach Bustle mentally. I just think the gas tank ran out at the end which played a role in that 3-9 season in 2010.