Louisiana vs Cal Irvine

[ZoomZoom]

Only time when we were a mid-major was during the Shipley years.

Ah, that's the tricky part of all this. The phrase "mid major" wasn't used in the 70's. During Bobby P.'s time, were we not independent part of that time?

[CajunT]

Those accomplishments don't make you a mid major power. Winning league championships and NCAA appearances do.

One title. Thirty years. We've never been a mid major power

In pure definition of modern mid-majors today, we are not. During the Paschal era we were a quality mid- major with good wins and 6 post season tournaments in 8 years. Today,UL is a low mid-major.

[CajunT]

Only time when we were a mid-major was during the Shipley years.

There are high mid -majors, quality mid-majors and low mid-majors imo. We were a quality mid -major during the Paschal era with some quality wins.

[Just1More]

Those accomplishments don't make you a mid major power. Winning league championships and NCAA appearances do.

One title. Thirty years. We've never been a mid major power

Ok. But were we a mid major - mid power?

[Just1More]

There are high mid -majors, quality mid-majors and low mid-majors imo. We were a quality mid -major during the Paschal era with some quality wins.

I should have waited to read your response. You nailed it. We weren't a PMM... but if you break it down to HMM, QMM, and LMM... we were a QMM with Paschal. Quality Mid Major.

I think we're now a FMM. A Fishy Mid Major. We can bait the hook, we can catch some small throwbacks all day long, but when we get a big one on the line... our line breaks. When we miss out on the big offshore tournament, we aren't that bad in a cane pole pond tournament. We don't end up with the biggest stringer... but we catch enough to stink up a skillet. Yep... we are a FMM.

[ManAboutTown]

I should have waited to read your response. You nailed it. We weren't a PMM... but if you break it down to HMM, QMM, and LMM... we were a QMM with Paschal. Quality Mid Major.

I think we're now a FMM. A Fishy Mid Major. We can bait the hook, we can catch some small throwbacks all day long, but when we get a big one on the line... our line breaks. When we miss out on the big offshore tournament, we aren't that bad in a cane pole pond tournament. We don't end up with the biggest stringer... but we catch enough to stink up a skillet. Yep... we are a FMM.

This guy...
Brilliantly hilarious.

[RaginFan2]

I should have waited to read your response. You nailed it. We weren't a PMM... but if you break it down to HMM, QMM, and LMM... we were a QMM with Paschal. Quality Mid Major.

I think we're now a FMM. A Fishy Mid Major. We can bait the hook, we can catch some small throwbacks all day long, but when we get a big one on the line... our line breaks. When we miss out on the big offshore tournament, we aren't that bad in a cane pole pond tournament. We don't end up with the biggest stringer... but we catch enough to stink up a skillet. Yep... we are a FMM.

You are spot-on, J1M! Perhaps your finest allegory! And funny too!

[California Cajun]

I think past success during the Shipley and Paschal eras (although Paschal did not win an NCAA Tournament game) leaves fans confused about what we are and what we can reasonably expect. We get criticized for expecting what we've seen in the past. Perhaps someone should enlighten us. We aren't down on the players. Someone tell the fans what the problem is if there is one.

[Oiler]

It all boils down to coaching. Marlin is a good guy, but he's a very, very average coach. Things are about as good as they're going to be as long as Marlin is our head coach.

[Just1More]

It all boils down to coaching. Marlin is a good guy, but he's a very, very average coach. Things are about as good as they're going to be as long as Marlin is our head coach.

34% of the outcomes we're subject to that compare unfavorably to our past are due to a trend that reduces the ability of programs/conferences of our status from rising up and out of that status. 66% of what compares unfavorably to our greatest efforts of yesteryear is our coaching/recruiting.

Coach Marlin is a solid man, running a clean program. He's a good to very good defensive coach. He's a fair to good offensive coach. He's not an across the board good recruiting head coach. I think his offensive coaching is hampered by his recruiting limitations. Talent is king in basketball. I think he can identify talent as good as anyone. I don't think he has the personality to recruit better than he has. I'd like the school to either help him know what he needs to add to his recruiting staff, or force a recruiting person on him as a condition of him keeping his job. The alternative to that is to cut him loose.

But the 34% fact in paragraph one, and the difficulty of finding a better replacement should not be taken lightly. We also have to consider that our AD doesn't get all that cranky about mediocrity, and will play a big part in selecting Marlin's successor.