The Jerry Baldwin Saga: 1998-2020

[CajunBoudin]

The funniest thing about this thread is that a couple people have resorted to name-calling. But I'm almost positive not one of you would ever call me those same names to my face.

In fact, I'd be shocked if that ever happened. _

Well, I will make it a point if I ever run into you to call you a UL salad tossing _______.

[CajunFreak]

_ Joshua... I am not personally attacking you or anyone else. I just want one question answered... How can we be so sure that by keeping Lee we are in the clear with the APR issue. Will it not shock anyone that we have decided to keep a lame duck coach and players decide to transfer anyway and we find ourselves taking the APR hit anyway. Why is this question not being asked & answered. If the answer is that we are certain that will not occur then I might have a little patience with this decision. But I have been a Cajun fan long enough to just expect that we will be stuck with Coach Lee and feel the pain of the APR hit anyway.

I thank you in advance for covering this side of the issue in a future writing! _

Josh, I would like to make it clear that I feel you have done a great job reporting about the Cajuns since you have been here. With that said, will this be one of the questions asked if you are ever given the opportunity? And if you are continually stonewalled by this administration will you be the one to call them out on it?

Waiting for a response...

[Parrott]

_ Well, I will make it a point if I ever run into you to call you a UL salad tossing _______.

Well, that says more about you than it does about me.

[Parrott]

Josh, I would like to make it clear that I feel you have done a great job reporting about the Cajuns since you have been here. With that said, will this be one of the questions asked if you are ever given the opportunity? And if you are continually stonewalled by this administration will you be the one to call them out on it?

Waiting for a response...

That will be the first question I ask this week. And if I am continually stonewalled by the adminstration concerning those questions, I will make that known.

Again, and this is not directed at you CajunFreak, just because my opinion sided with the administration this time doesn't mean that will always be the case. My opinion happens to match their actions. Those who think otherwise know nothing about me or how to do my job.

[Hammer58]

_ Does anyone else think that the Baldwin situation has played a role here? On the heels of that fiasco, could the university risk the negative publicity and consequences of firing two
black head coaches? _

I find myself in rare agreement with our new Attorney General, America is a bunch of cowards when it comes to discussing race. Race should not be an issue here. Just as its shouldn't be an issue in hiring it should not be an issue in firing.

Who cares about the negative publicity? On the flip side of that argument, did we garner a whole lot of positive press or additional local support, if any at all, when we had Baldwin as our head coach at a time the national media was decrying the lack of minority head coaches in D1A? Not much that I recall. Did that same national media rush to put UL games on TV to showcase Baldwin and his team? Nope. Was there a huge rush of the local top talent minority players rushing to sign with UL due to Rogers and Lee being our head coaches? Nope. Did Big Dave push for these players to come to UL because we had his pal Robert Lee as head coach? Not that I recall. In fact I recall listening to his show and he hyped the top players for Brady at State and mentioned also rans that might be a "good fit" for UL. So if we don't get any upside for making the hires that happen to be minorities why should we get or be worried about any negative consequences for firing incompetent or underperforming coaches that happen to be a minority?

[RCAJUN90]

_ I find myself in rare agreement with our new Attorney General, America is a bunch of cowards when it comes to discussing race. Race should not be an issue here. Just as its shouldn't be an issue in hiring it should not be an issue in firing.

Who cares about the negative publicity? On the flip side of that argument, did we garner a whole lot of positive press or additional local support, if any at all, when we had Baldwin as our head coach at a time the national media was decrying the lack of minority head coaches in D1A? Not much that I recall. Did that same national media rush to put UL games on TV to showcase Baldwin and his team? Nope. Was there a huge rush of the local top talent minority players rushing to sign with UL due to Rogers and Lee being our head coaches? Nope. Did Big Dave push for these players to come to UL because we had his pal Robert Lee as head coach? Not that I recall. In fact I recall listening to his show and he hyped the top players for Brady at State and mentioned also rans that might be a "good fit" for UL. So if we don't get any upside for making the hires that happen to be minorities why should we get or be worried about any negative consequences for firing incompetent or underperforming coaches that happen to be a minority? _

Can't believe that would be the real reason but after Baldwind I guess it could play a factor. UL needs to get over it and do the right thing.

[CajunNation]

I'm not down on Josh for selling out the fans and choosing the administration. UL fans have never had anyone at their side and never will. That has always been obvious to me......

There used to a pretty darn good play by play man for UL that was on our side....he ain't the play by play man no more.

[zephyr]

_ People who are content with the status quo are IMO the problem not the solution. I'm not trying to win or lose anything I just simply want some questions answered by the people in charge. _

I am not content with the status quo and I really don't want Lee around anymore than you. However, I try to look at things logically and after I receive more facts, I can at least understand why the decision was made because its unfortunately the one with less risks financially and to other sport programs in the dept. However, many here are looking for that person to blame. Maybe down the road we'll see that D. Walker was being "accountable" for the future of the dept. I will not say now for sure because I think it is hard to call for sure.

[zephyr]

_ 1-did walker have influence on lee's changing course after his second year?
2-did lee (walker) knowingly put the entire athletic department in jeopardy, when they chose this path?
3-what is the guaranty that these players won't leave the program if lee stays?
4-why did it take so long to make this decision?
5-How many games won will give lee a new contract?
6-what does Lotief, Robe, and Bustle think about a bunch of 19 & 20 year old basketball players having this much influence over their teams postseason future.
7-How does walker think this decision will negatively impact the RCAF kickoff? _

What has Lee's "path" done to lower the APR or endanger it in any way? What path are you referring to? Just curious.

[CajunZ1]

He got us in this mess by dismissing half the team 3 years ago. Regardless of how right or wrong that was, it's why we are where we are

What has Lee's "path" done to lower the APR or endanger it in any way? What path are you referring to? Just curious.

igeaux.mobi

[KACajun]

_ What has Lee's "path" done to lower the APR or endanger it in any way? What path are you referring to? Just curious. _

Maybe the reason you’re not more ____ed is because you don't understand what really happened? Lee got rid of half of the team after his second year, leading UL down the PATH of APR sanctions. My question is; did he do this knowingly and did Walker influence his decision? I have many more questions but I'll start there.

[KACajun]

_ KACajun, in the time I've been here I've shown that I'm willing to ask tough questions and demand answers.

Look at Robe and baseball last spring.

Look at Bustle back in the fall.

Look at Lee during the open-door/closed-door practices and player issues this basketball season.

Just because I haven't touched on some of your questions yet doesn't mean I don't plan to. I think some of you forget that I'm also trying to cover baseball and other UL sports, too. There are only so many hours in a day. David Walker has been unavailable for comment for the past few days after this decision was made on Friday. He was out of the office before 3 p.m. Friday. Tough to do much else when he's gone home for the weekend.

This week offers a great chance for me to ask some of those tough questions. There are some questions I will ask until the answers are provided.

And cm'on, CajunBoudin. No need to call people cats in this thread. _

You have written great stories about UL and you are correct about asking the tough questions, but today IMO you are completely off the mark. How can you come to the conclusion of "despite fans' frustrations, UL did the right thing"? You said yourself you haven't even asked the man in charge of this fiasco a single question about what happened. IMO this is lazy reporting, you are entitled to your own opinion and you have the platform to share that opinion with the masses, from here on out I will dismiss your opinion as unsubstantiated. Also, I have zero problems telling you all of this in person; I’m not hiding behind ____!!!!

[Turbine]

_ You have written great stories about UL and you are correct about asking the tough questions, but today IMO you are completely off the mark. How can you come to the conclusion of "despite fans' frustrations, UL did the right thing"? You said yourself you haven't even asked the man in charge of this fiasco a single question about what happened. IMO this is lazy reporting, you are entitled to your own opinion and you have the platform to share that opinion with the masses, from here on out I will dismiss your opinion as unsubstantiated. Also, I have zero problems telling you all of this in person; I’m not hiding behind ____!!!! _

Not fair

[TheRaginCajun06]

The university will see how the fans feel next year when the attendance is the worse than last year. We as fans have a voice. If the university saved money by keeping Lee they will lose money on attendance. Only the free UL student ID's will be there and not eating or drinking a thing.

We just added another 2-3 years on top of the damage to rebuild our basketball image!

This will never be a basketball town. You can fit 10,000 in that Cajundome if you really wanted to.

[CajunFreak]

_ That will be the first question I ask this week. And if I am continually stonewalled by the adminstration concerning those questions, I will make that known.

Again, and this is not directed at you CajunFreak, just because my opinion sided with the administration this time doesn't mean that will always be the case. My opinion happens to match their actions. Those who think otherwise know nothing about me or how to do my job. _

Thanks Josh!