Observations from the basketball game...

[Cajunsmike]

Cool. BTW... those games are Jan 10 (Thurs) and Jan 12 (Sat).

Thanks for the correction on dates.

[moorecajun]

I'm calling BS on this. I was in the student section years ago when we had some of Jesse Evans' teams. Does the student section as a whole leave something to be desired? Sure. But the student section - and the general crowd as a whole - has NEVER shown up before mid-January. I don't know why, but I feel like I'm taking crazy pills when I hear people talk about the lackluster crowds at basketball games early in the season. In the decade plus that I've been regularly attending sporting events at UL as a student and alumni, our crowds have ALWAYS been sparse early in the season for basketball, and that doesn't depend on wins and losses. I've watched Robert Lee's teams lose to NAIA schools in front of an empty arena, and I've seen Jesse Evans' teams crush big-name schools pre-New Years in front of that same empty arena. The students are out of school, and once we're in session again their numbers will pick up a lot, and the Peppa Pit guys will do a great job leading them. And once we get into mid-January, the general crowd will start filling in as well, probably to the tune of about 3,500 per game. That crowd will obviously grow if we win more, but the point I'm making here is that early season attendance and crowd participation at this point is nothing new, and it has nothing to do with our players or coaches. It's simply the habits of the market we live in.

I agree with you on this ... I really don't remember any crowds of size before the new year, generally after conference play and the spring semester starts.

Also, a problem we have NEVER had before we have now had TWO YEARS IN A ROW! Any guesses?

Yep. We have always looked to basketball to help us get over the football blues ... now we are still talking football, bowl games, bowl game attendances, recruiting, etc. AND the national signing day is early in February; non of this is helping basketball attendance ... only their winning will get them noticed now.

But, for the record, I think they are a tremendously better squad (and better to watch also) than last year's team. You can see they are short on depth, but the starting five has some talent AND I think Coach Marlin is doing a great job using the other guys to fill in time (read Aaron LeBlanc). I am concerned about the attrition but if Matt Moss is the only one this year we may be able to put that behind us. I agree with Cajunsmike; MM should have been a redshirt this year but we needed bodies; he just wasn't capable of playing defense and got pretty dissapointed in PT ... not too much you can do about that.

[CajunAmos]

I have to say I don't see guys hanging heads or moping when they are taken out of games. They all appear to be attentive and the team unity seems to be good.

[anhil8tor]

I have to say I don't see guys hanging heads or moping when they are taken out of games. They all appear to be attentive and the team unity seems to be good.

I see a group of guys that hustle and work well together. I can't wait to get some depth.

[Boomer]

If there is a home game for the big recruiting week end----WE NEED people there to impress the recruits!!! Remember HUD's storming the court that first year??? Plan a biggie!!!! What is our date again???

[Cajunsmike]

If there is a home game for the big recruiting week end----WE NEED people there to impress the recruits!!! Remember HUD's storming the court that first year??? Plan a biggie!!!! What is our date again???

Our next Saturday game is Jan. 12. I don't know how many or if any recruits will be there then but I don't think it will be many. Some visits are set and most of those will be on Jan. 19 and Jan. 26 when there are no home basketball games.

[Boomer]

Thanks CM--Damn poor timing----I can remember back when you could introduce the visiting recruits----Big advantage to have 10K cheering as they say your name!!! Don't think that our competitors will have many at their games however!!!

[SlappyCajun]

Thanks CM--Damn poor timing----I can remember back when you could introduce the visiting recruits----Big advantage to have 10K cheering as they say your name!!! Don't think that our competitors will have many at their games however!!!

We are competing against Nebraska for Cethan Carter and LSU greyshirt a for several others, I don't think we can pound our chest about attendance.