observation

[bigearl]

I stop myself short of saying, "I GIVE UP." I mean what needs to be done to make these kids understand that in order to be a STUDENT ATHLETE, you must be a STUDENT. I am at a loss for words after hearing this news. How do you guys think this affects Evans' extension? Just imagine what we'd be like if all of our potential talent, just once, actually panned out.

[CajunCharlie]

The problem as I see it,Earl, is that some of these athletes were big "studs" in high school. They coasted through on their athletic ability, were not pushed to perform academically, did whatever the hell pleased them, were not disciplined and had super egos. They were not made to establish realistic goals for their future. They believe they wiil wind up in NBA, and no one has told them the reality of successfuly doing this. They are not prepared for a higher education, nor for the self discipline it requires for to succeed at the University level. They are lazy, self centered and believe that their indiscretions will be overlooked, as they were in high school.
The other side of the picture is an athlete like Antoine Landry who has set realistic goals for his future by having a double major, and disciplines himself to succeed in school and on the court. I believe all of us would like all scholar athletes to be of this character and ambition. Unfortunately, we are unrealistic in our desires or wishes. There will be casualties, and that is what we are seeing presently.

[bigearl]

WOW, Chuck, couldn't have said it better myself. I totally agree with everything you just said and I believe whole-heartedly that this is the root of our problem. What really gets me is not only how this affects us as fans, but it affects players like Ross Mouton, Adam James, Foster, etc. The younger guys who could benefit from some veteran leadership and could use another year or two of learning before being pushed into the starting lineup. If the season started today, do you realize what our potential starting lineup would look like?

Cameron-C
Hamilton-PF
Foster-SF
Mouton-SG
Mitchell-PG

SCARY!!!!!!!! That's not to mention who comes off of the bench. Your guess is as good as mine on that. I applaud Jessie for handling business and getting these types of "cancers" off of our team, but it's got to start sooner. These guys should never step foot on this campus if there is a history of this kind of behavior. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF, boys and girls. Get used to it.

[CajunCharlie]

Earl, some more observations about today's news. Please note that Jesse used the word "suspended" without embellishing on its meaning. Having spent four years in the Pentagon I look at word intent very carefully. He did not reveals any parameters to this action. So, neither myself and many others, know what will happen to these young men. The second observation is that, I feel, someone on the coaching staff has led Jesse to this decision. If I am correct and had to guess who that was, I would say Jimmy R. Williams. He is an old friend of Jesse, and was hired this year. I have observed him on the sidelines at the games and he seems to be in constant communication with Jesse. Regardless of whether I am right or wrong, the action taken was needed and a step in the right direction for establishing discipline and authority.

[CajunRebel]

The more and more I look at this the more and more I think this news is positive rather than negative.

But until we learn exactly whats goin on here, it's probably best that we stop speculating so much. I hope that our group of insiders will get busy so we could find out though. There are so many different senarios that could be playing out right now that it really doesn't do anyone any good to read too much into this.

But on the other hand, we are on a message board. That's what we do. So who knows?

[bigearl]

Charlie,
I don't quite understand what you meqn by someone led him to this decision, explain....

[CajunCharlie]

By that I mean Coach Williams, I believe, convinced Jesse that the coddling of his athletes is not only detrimental to the team, as you pointed out, but also has a negative effect on the public. Jesse is, or wants to be considered, as an athletes coach. Consequently, he is not a disciplinarian. Yes, he occassionaly sits a starter due to being late for practice, missing a team meeting, etc.,but this latest event is much more drastic. Someone might say that Dr A put the pressure on Jesse, and he did, but Jesse taking this action at this time of the school year is out of character. I believe Jimmy Williams pointed out to Jesse: (1) strike while the iron is hot; (2) do it now and we could possibly straighten these two out scholatically and change their mindset; (3)doing it now will enforce the message you gave in the team meeting; (4) this action does not change your feelings about being an player's coach. To the contrary it shows that you care about all your players. You want them to understand the need for an education and you want them to succeed.

Strictly conjecture on my part, Earl, but I don't believe that I am too far off the mark.

[bigearl]

I totally agree with you and your story makes a lot of sense. I'd love to see both of these guys get their act together and get back next year. With these two, I think we are the Sunbelt favorites again, without these two.... who knows; but it doesn't look good. I have no ill feeling for Coach Evans. Without a doubt he made the right decision. I just wish these players were intellegent and mature enough to grow up and realize what it is that they are doing to themselves, and to everyone else involved in the Cajun Basketball program, including the fans.

[CajunFanatic91]

This is BS!!! It's unfair to the fans, the team the University!
I hope they don't come back, make an example out of them. We need to recruit players who aren't total retards!!