My how the tide has shifted

[CajunRage]

When Deggs said this was a "regional team", a buddy and I talked about how this wasn't a 40 win roster. The thought there is 40 wins gets you an at-large (especially with our schedule this year). In my eyes, this wasn't a regional team. And that's not a bad thing. Until the 27th out was made that Sunday in the SBC tournament, we weren't. When we strive to be a regional team, to me, that means an at-large bid. Was Alabama A&T a regional team? Technically, yes. But no one on this board wants to go all in on just winning the conf tourney to claim we are a regional team. That being said, we played postseason baseball for the first time in a while. We breathed a little life back into the fanbase. This roster stuck together and made a run. That alone may save us from some portal departures. This team has work to do, but is definitely headed in the right direction. The foundation has been laid. And when that foundation includes playing in a regional, we have some great things to look forward to.

I have not warmed up to some of Deggs coaching style yet. Bunting with 2 strikes outside of very few situations continues to baffle me. I still find some of the baserunning mistakes more stupid than aggressive. But when you sit back and think about it, in 2014, I trusted Jace to lay down a bunt with 2 strikes. I trusted Adams to take that extra base on instinct. I'd bet we stole 3rd with 2 outs a lot. We'll get there and some of the things that just look plain awful will fade away.

Is it too early to ask if it's baseball season yet?

[Dad04]

I think Deggs comment about being a regional team was publicly professing his confidence in his players and coaches, which is fine. I get it now.

Well said, Jay! Jay commented early in the season, Deggs' problem is he is not Robe. I commented, winning fixes that. No one will ever replace Robe, but problem solved. Dogpiles are good for recruiting. I am so bullish on Deggs ball, I wish I could buy stock.

[JamesTheJeweler]

Imagine coming on a message board to tell people to not have a fan's reaction! LoL! Imagine! Imagine the level of perceived superiority it takes to tell people not to be a fan. Fan is short for fanatic. Please guys....by all means, have your opinions! All of them! Even the ones where you KNOW you're over reacting and will probably regret hitting send. Those over the top takes and reactions are what makes us fans. We can come here and let our hair down. The REAL problem is guys who take things WAY too seriously and like to correct people for being fans. Who like to come here AFTER the fact and wag their finger at you for just being a fan. Don't be that guy. Seriously. I like the variety. The run around with their hair on fire guy and the level headed guy who corrals us back in. So, please.....don't stop being FANS! Let it all hang out, or........be the good Shephard. But please, don't come here with your diatribe how you "knew better". It's not a good look.

[LaCajunsFan]

Thanks Jay.. Love your perspective on these things...

Same here…..and esp looking forward to his thoughts for next year

[CajunVic]

Imagine coming on a message board to tell people to not have a fan's reaction! LoL! Imagine! Imagine the level of perceived superiority it takes to tell people not to be a fan. Fan is short for fanatic. Please guys....by all means, have your opinions! All of them! Even the ones where you KNOW you're over reacting and will probably regret hitting send. Those over the top takes and reactions are what makes us fans. We can come here and let our hair down. The REAL problem is guys who take things WAY too seriously and like to correct people for being fans. Who like to come here AFTER the fact and wag their finger at you for just being a fan. Don't be that guy. Seriously. I like the variety. The run around with their hair on fire guy and the level headed guy who corrals us back in. So, please.....don't stop being FANS! Let it all hang out, or........be the good Shephard. But please, don't come here with your diatribe how you "knew better". It's not a good look.

You just want a board with the biggest cheese eaters. Damn the players, Damn the Coaches, we just want to eat cheese.

And don't come here and tell me how to eat my crow. I will have is just as I desire and in most instances with a cheese topping.

[JMV JustMyView]

Let's face it. Some of you guys weren't being fair to Coach Deggs and this team. Last year some felt Deggs was the problem when, in fact, there were chemistry issues that had to be addressed, along with the coaching staff. And, even after that, there were some who freaked out about some of the guys (three in particular) that left. It was Deggs' fault.

No, it wasn't.

This team didn't get out of the gate as fast as hoped. Hood and Brock got off to slow starts, not unexpected since it was their first season as starters in D-1. TRob's slow start was unexpected but he had a great second half. DeBarge hit a wall, also not unexpected when scouting reports get out on freshmen. And, Marusak missing 15 games was a huge blow.

But it all came together with the offense. Guys like Lada, Willis and Brandon had significant contributions off the bench. Rincones proved to be nails defensively and even had a clutch hit or two.

And, no one complained....not in that dugout. Incredible chemistry on this team, very similar to 2000 and 2014.

My biggest criticism about this board has always been the same. Many of you don't understand the game that well. I laughed at some of the criticism as far as in game threads were concerned but didn't comment because, well, baseball.

You simply can't look at this game with the same attitude you do about football. If you were ready to mutiny when we lost to Nicholls, then you're part of that group. Baseball is a great equalizer. Nicholls played .500 ball this year. They weren't St. Peters. And, on any given night, it can happen. It did. That's baseball.

Those four games (see: Troy) were, in my opinion, a blessing in disguise. When you play 56, four is just a blip on the radar screen.
This team learned from that adversity and played awfully good ball the rest of the season. There were a couple of individual games that were frustrating (see: ULM and App), but the body of work was awfully good.

I'm not going to say I expected us to win the league tournament, but I'm sure as hell not surprised they did.

This was one of the more satisfying baseball seasons for me. I loved being around this group of young men.

Matt Deggs can flat out coach. He's not anywhere close to Robe as far as in game coaching is concerned. That doesn't make him wrong (and that was a problem for some of you, but understandable.)

I'm going to do a separate post on the future. Then I'm going away for a while. The older I get, the more exhausted I am at the end of the season, both mentally and physically. I'm going to decompress. 63 nights in hotels and the better part of 10,000 miles driving has taken its toll.

And, I'm not thinking about football until at least mid July.

God bless. Geaux Cajuns!

Looking forward to your future post.

[RaginDave]

Looking forward to your future post.

Odd vague post, assuming you are referencing that Jay is mistaken on much of his information?

[ZoomZoom]

The best thing to happen to UL baseball is a Deggs lead team made the tournament. This should move Deggs going forward out of Robe’s shadow when coming to evaluating the team’s performance.

The “36” coincidences at the SBC tournament…just shows there will always be angels in the outfield and everything will be fine. Time to move forward and trust Deggs and not measure him against a legend. Robe would expect nothing less.

[JMV JustMyView]

Odd vague post, assuming you are referencing that Jay is mistaken on much of his information?

I was referencing him saying he was sending a post on the future of the team. That post is what I am looking forward to.

[Rainman66]

We all voluntarily come to this site, because we are fans of the Cajuns. Good, bad and outlandish opinions happen regularly. Trolling and threads going on massive tangents are a daily occurrence.

There are tools to mute folks who disrupt your enjoyment of the site, but ultimately we all come here willing and if things become such that for any person, it is not enjoyable to visit, the remedy is simple, don't use the site.

Though not perfect, I think this is a great place for 'real' and 'unreal' Cajun fans to bond and have fellowship.

Geaux Cajuns !!