Expectations

[ZoomZoom]

The topic of expectations has been a frequent discussion over the past several years. Some are of the mindset that expectations are too high while others say the expectations are appropriate and just aren’t being met.

Over the last 22 completed seasons, UL has made at least Regionals 10 times. As you can see below, up until the 2017 - 2021 run it had been since before the millennium when this program missed Regionals more than 2 years in a row.

Of the 10 Regional seasons, 8 of those teams either received an at large bid or were at large level quality. Obviously the landscape is different currently in terms of receiving at large bids. With that being said, I still think 6 of the 8 would have been in the tournament under today’s conditions, with 2002 and 2010 being the exceptions (37 win teams before regionals who got bounced in 2 games of the conference tournament).

It seems to be only the fans who are accused of setting the standard/expectations of the program too high, but I would argue that the fans were not alone in setting this bar. The university made a $15 million+ investment in building a 6,000 seat stadium with luxury suites and a stadium club. That is not an investment made by a program where the expectation is to be in Regionals once every 4 years. That is the investment of a program that expects to be in the postseason consistently and no stranger to hosting postseason play. To this day, the athletic department spends the 2nd most in the conference on its baseball program. We play in a top 3 venue in the conference and draw the 2nd best numbers in the league. Our head coach has never hid from what he believes this program to be and the heights he wants to see it achieve. He has also said in no uncertain terms that he would much rather coach somewhere with expectations as opposed to somewhere without. If the 1999-2000/2013-2016 runs created expectations, the fans are clearly far from the only ones who bought in to them.

• 2000 - CWS
• 2001 - Miss
• 2002 - Regional
• 2003 - Miss
• 2004 - Miss
• 2005 - Regional
• 2006 - Miss
• 2007 - Regional
• 2008 - Miss
• 2009 - Miss
• 2010 - Regional
• 2011 - Miss
• 2012 - Miss
• 2013 - Regional
• 2014 - Super
• 2015 - Super
• 2016 - Regional
• 2017 - Miss
• 2018 - Miss
• 2019 - Miss
• 2021 - Miss
• 2022 - Regional

This season is far from over. Deggs says this is a Regional team, and they could very well prove him right. What they won’t be barring a miracle is an at large team. This marks the 6th straight year of fielding a team that has to win the conference tournament to advance to the postseason. IMO that is a clear step below standards that, again, were not set by just a few loud posters on a message board. Coaches, players, administrators, the media (D1 Baseball and others), and yes…fans believed this program to be something more than what we are now being told is all we can ever and should have ever expected. I disagree with that notion, and I’m not ready to throw in the towel and just say, “well I guess this is it” just yet. It’s a plus to me that we have someone in charge who seems to be unwilling to do this as well. There are absolutely comments that go over the line in in-game threads. That to me is not a clear indication of unattainable expectations for the entire program.

I hope this thread can remain a DISCUSSION and certainly realize there will be opposing points made. The more the merrier. Let’s try and keep it on topic. We don’t care if your best friend’s cousin has a beef with Rando657’s neighbor’s sister-in-law.

GEAUX CAJUNS

I posted something a few weeks ago regarding 2017 forward, pointing out if not for getting hot in the tournament last year, we would have been sitting home since 2016, with a slump not seen since last century. Not a single comment.

Thanks for going deeper.

[Turbine]

I posted something a few weeks ago regarding 2017 forward, pointing out if not for getting hot in the tournament last year, we would have been sitting home since 2016, with a slump not seen since last century. Not a single comment.

Thanks for going deeper.

Was this it?

That was Deggs last year. Cajuns had to win the tournament, RPI wasn’t good enough going into the tournament.

Otherwise UL would be headed to a 7th year since last appearance. As it is, 6 years was the longest drought since first making the tournament in the late 80’s.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loui...ajuns_baseball

[ZoomZoom]

Yup. Link to all the stats. But I should know better, never let stats mess up a narrative, regardless of sport or application.

[CrazyCajun]

If the SBC will now be a 3,4 sometimes 5 bid league then expecting regionals consistently is reasonable IMO. To expect that from a 1 bid league is probably not very reasonable.

[cajun4life]

If the SBC will now be a 3,4 sometimes 5 bid league then expecting regionals consistently is reasonable IMO. To expect that from a 1 bid league is probably not very reasonable.

The SBC was traditionally a 2-3 bid league. It should be a 3-5 bid league now.

[CrazyCajun]

The SBC was traditionally a 2-3 bid league. It should be a 3-5 bid league now.

It fell off of that for a little while before the additions. There was a pretty bad stretch there for the conference, I remember Tony talking about how they discussed it at coaches conference meetings about scheduling to get away from a 1 bid league. Point remains, that if we are in a league that will consistently put 3,4,5 teams in, that it’s not crazy to expect to consistently be one of those teams given our history, financial support and quality teams available to us to schedule.

[JMV JustMyView]

It fell off of that for a little while before the additions. There was a pretty bad stretch there for the conference, I remember Tony talking about how they discussed it at coaches conference meetings about scheduling to get away from a 1 bid league. Point remains, that if we are in a league that will consistently put 3,4,5 teams in, that it’s not crazy to expect to consistently be one of those teams given our history, financial support and quality teams available to us to schedule.

I agree.

[Dad04]

Bonds was a huge loss no doubt out of the bullpen. Not having theut was also a killer as well. We just have not had the quality of pitching that we need this year. I understand getting hit but the walks and hit batters have been real bad. We need a Friday night type of arm next year bad. NIL shell out some money to get one

Speaking Theut.....any word on his elbow....MRI...

[KajunKrazy]

The topic of expectations has been a frequent discussion over the past several years. Some are of the mindset that expectations are too high while others say the expectations are appropriate and just aren’t being met.

Over the last 22 completed seasons, UL has made at least Regionals 10 times. As you can see below, up until the 2017 - 2021 run it had been since before the millennium when this program missed Regionals more than 2 years in a row.

Of the 10 Regional seasons, 8 of those teams either received an at large bid or were at large level quality. Obviously the landscape is different currently in terms of receiving at large bids. With that being said, I still think 6 of the 8 would have been in the tournament under today’s conditions, with 2002 and 2010 being the exceptions (37 win teams before regionals who got bounced in 2 games of the conference tournament).

It seems to be only the fans who are accused of setting the standard/expectations of the program too high, but I would argue that the fans were not alone in setting this bar. The university made a $15 million+ investment in building a 6,000 seat stadium with luxury suites and a stadium club. That is not an investment made by a program where the expectation is to be in Regionals once every 4 years. That is the investment of a program that expects to be in the postseason consistently and no stranger to hosting postseason play. To this day, the athletic department spends the 2nd most in the conference on its baseball program. We play in a top 3 venue in the conference and draw the 2nd best numbers in the league. Our head coach has never hid from what he believes this program to be and the heights he wants to see it achieve. He has also said in no uncertain terms that he would much rather coach somewhere with expectations as opposed to somewhere without. If the 1999-2000/2013-2016 runs created expectations, the fans are clearly far from the only ones who bought in to them.

• 2000 - CWS
• 2001 - Miss
• 2002 - Regional
• 2003 - Miss
• 2004 - Miss
• 2005 - Regional
• 2006 - Miss
• 2007 - Regional
• 2008 - Miss
• 2009 - Miss
• 2010 - Regional
• 2011 - Miss
• 2012 - Miss
• 2013 - Regional
• 2014 - Super
• 2015 - Super
• 2016 - Regional
• 2017 - Miss
• 2018 - Miss
• 2019 - Miss
• 2021 - Miss
• 2022 - Regional

This season is far from over. Deggs says this is a Regional team, and they could very well prove him right. What they won’t be barring a miracle is an at large team. This marks the 6th straight year of fielding a team that has to win the conference tournament to advance to the postseason. IMO that is a clear step below standards that, again, were not set by just a few loud posters on a message board. Coaches, players, administrators, the media (D1 Baseball and others), and yes…fans believed this program to be something more than what we are now being told is all we can ever and should have ever expected. I disagree with that notion, and I’m not ready to throw in the towel and just say, “well I guess this is it” just yet. It’s a plus to me that we have someone in charge who seems to be unwilling to do this as well. There are absolutely comments that go over the line in in-game threads. That to me is not a clear indication of unattainable expectations for the entire program.

I hope this thread can remain a DISCUSSION and certainly realize there will be opposing points made. The more the merrier. Let’s try and keep it on topic. We don’t care if your best friend’s cousin has a beef with Rando657’s neighbor’s sister-in-law.

GEAUX CAJUNS

You should have started in 1999.

[ManAboutTown]

Speaking Theut.....any word on his elbow....MRI...

Saw he was in a sling Sunday afternoon.