Another Baseball Defection

[Ballfan]

Matthew Lackie has decided to leave the team and transfer to Navarro JC..This hurts as bad if not worse than Les Smith leaving..Lackie throws 90+ and had the potential to be a week-end starter

[BrudaCajun]

My baseball feelings are hurt. Good luck to him

[wcd35]

Nice, our 2 best freshman from last year are gone. Anyone else want out?

[bballholic]

Damn, things don't sound too promising for next season. I really miss the days when Louisiana was putting 3-4 teams into Regional action. Will Robichaux get another pass if the team fails to make the post-season?

[rgncjn12]

_ Matthew Lackie has decided to leave the team and transfer to Navarro JC..This hurts as bad if not worse than Les Smith leaving..Lackie throws 90+ and had the potential to be a week-end starter _

At this rate we wont have enough guys to have a FallBall World Series. Maybe we can check the guys in Section A, see if they have an eligibility left. I hear there is a soft throwing lefty sitting up there.

[Frenchie35]

It seem that the players know more about what's going on that the fans do. And decisions are being made to jump ship now rather than later for whatever reason. In my opinion I believe that problems exist to cause these defections. Could be wrong though.

[anhil8tor]

I'm sure Robe will right the ship. No need to worry guys he is the greatest coach we have ever been blessed with.


*Takes another sip of kajun kool aid*

[Ballfan]

_ It seem that the players know more about what's going on that the fans do. And decisions are being made to jump ship now rather than later for whatever reason. In my opinion I believe that problems exist to cause these defections. Could be wrong though. _

That is the case for sure..Robe has pi_ _ed-off alot of players the last two years because of the way he has handled things

[USLJim]

_ Damn, things don't sound too promising for next season. I really miss the days when Louisiana was putting 3-4 teams into Regional action. Will Robichaux get another pass if the team fails to make the post-season? _

Robe, will not be a loser, he and the staff will fix this. As for him being at UL, YES IN DEED. The man has too much class. The Season hasn't started yet, let's see what the staff picks up to replace Lackie
Hey, he ain't Smoke, and by that, I mean, from what I read and heard, smoke wasn't personable, Robe is.

[bballholic]

_ Robe, will not be a loser, he and the staff will fix this. As for him being at UL, YES IN DEED. The man has too much class. The Season hasn't started yet, let's see what the staff picks up to replace Lackie
Hey, he ain't Smoke, and by that, I mean, from what I read and heard, smoke wasn't personable, Robe is. _

I have no doubt that he will right the ship, but I'm not sure it will be next season. Attrition plays a role in every sport, and losing 2-3 guys really isn't all that uncommon. However, it does sting to lose a few guys that seemed to have had nice potential. Having 1-2 down seasons isn't the end of the world, but it starts to become a concern if you have go 3+ seasons without making the post-season at a school like UL that has great fan support.

As far as Smoke is concerned, he knew the game of baseball but your assessment of him is very accurate. A couple of my friends played under Smoke and he wasn't a great motivator either. He was lazy (look no further than his appearance) and this attitude rubbed off on the players. That is why Paul M came in and cleaned house getting rid of some very talented players with poor attitudes.

[cajun4life]

_ Robe, will not be a loser, he and the staff will fix this. As for him being at UL, YES IN DEED. The man has too much class. The Season hasn't started yet, let's see what the staff picks up to replace Lackie
Hey, he ain't Smoke, and by that, I mean, from what I read and heard, smoke wasn't personable, Robe is. _

Jim, if we lose any more quality players and they can not be replaced then what? If Robe fails to make post season play again and shows improvement from the last two years you would be right. He will get a pass, but if he fails to get to postseason play and the team is plus or minus 2 games above or below .500 ball then some questions needs to be raised.

We have already allowed basketball, which was our showcase sport to fall into the doldrums of crap, then they will do the same with the next reputable male sport we have.

If this administration allows successful programs to fail due to loyalty to a coach, then we have the wrong athletic administration in place. College athletics is a business and we are failing at it. Robe is a great person, coach and mentor, but if he fails at his job regardless of previous success he should be put on notice and given a timeline to get the program back to regional prominence. If he fails to do so he needs to be let go, like I said it is a business. You either get the job done or you don't.

[Dad2]

Whipple staying at a D-2 in Kansas. Also so were keefer and fontenot both got hurt playing summer ball sure hope they are not out for the fall. Our top two hitters coming back got hurt not good.

[zephyr]

_ I'm sure Robe will right the ship. No need to worry guys he is the greatest coach we have ever been blessed with.


*Takes another sip of kajun kool aid* _

LOL

[zephyr]

_ Jim, if we lose any more quality players and they can not be replaced then what? If Robe fails to make post season play again and shows improvement from the last two years you would be right. He will get a pass, but if he fails to get to postseason play and the team is plus or minus 2 games above or below .500 ball then some questions needs to be raised.

We have already allowed basketball, which was our showcase sport to fall into the doldrums of crap, then they will do the same with the next reputable male sport we have.

If this administration allows successful programs to fail due to loyalty to a coach, then we have the wrong athletic administration in place. College athletics is a business and we are failing at it. Robe is a great person, coach and mentor, but if he fails at his job regardless of previous success he should be put on notice and given a timeline to get the program back to regional prominence. If he fails to do so he needs to be let go, like I said it is a business. You either get the job done or you don't. _

My opinion has always been that once you raise the bar in your particular sport and establish a certain success level within your program, you should be held more accountable for when things go bad. I'm not an anti-Robe guy as I feel he has done some great things here but I'm also on board for people out there to question what has happened here the past couple of seasons especially the one two years ago when expectations were through the roof and that team fell flat on its face. Football and basketball seem to be evaluated through a stern eye and I think baseball should as well.

However, I do not feel that Robe is in any fear of losing his job for a while and the reason to me is simple. This university is using all of the private funds secured through the RCAF and other avenues to work on athletic program refurbishments and renovations for the upcoming years. We have other coaches on the "hot seat" already and you can't use state funds to buy these coaches out of contracts if you are not happy with performance so that leads us to the fact that due to budget issues and upcoming facility improvements, there is no chance that Robe would have to worry about job security.

[cajun4life]

_ My opinion has always been that once you raise the bar in your particular sport and establish a certain success level within your program, you should be held more accountable for when things go bad. I'm not an anti-Robe guy as I feel he has done some great things here but I'm also on board for people out there to question what has happened here the past couple of seasons especially the one two years ago when expectations were through the roof and that team fell flat on its face. Football and basketball seem to be evaluated through a stern eye and I think baseball should as well.

However, I do not feel that Robe is in any fear of losing his job for a while and the reason to me is simple. This university is using all of the private funds secured through the RCAF and other avenues to work on athletic program refurbishments and renovations for the upcoming years. We have other coaches on the "hot seat" already and you can't use state funds to buy these coaches out of contracts if you are not happy with performance so that leads us to the fact that due to budget issues and upcoming facility improvements, there is no chance that Robe would have to worry about job security. _

I agree. I just think that with the introduction of the RCAF the coaches and FANS have higher expectations to meet.

This is especially true for the fans. We got what we asked for so now it is time to pony up the dough and demand that we improve.

[bballholic]

_
This is especially true for the fans. We got what we asked for so now it is time to pony up the dough and demand that we improve. _

Pretty bad time to expect much of donors. I just read an article last night about athletic programs across the country that are struggling big time.

[ManAboutTown]

Robe is moving on. The writing is on the wall fellas. Some of us are looking at this situation backwards. Tony doesn't need this university; but i would argue that ul does, in some regard need him. Remember the post season interview he gave to katc? Mark my words guys.. Robe is already gone.
igeaux.mobi

[cajun4life]

_ Pretty bad time to expect much of donors. I just read an article last night about athletic programs across the country that are struggling big time. _

Programs across the country are experiencing what we have gone through for 30 years. Any additional funding will help UL. I honestly believe that if UL were to push a serious grass roots effort and encourage alumni that have chosen to support LSU to donate a small sum of money $1000 per year or less we will be in better finacial shape than we have ever been.

For two or three generations UL has allienated the alumni, fans and local businesses with disregard for their opinion or money. If they wish to embrace the community and aggresively seek outside funding they can come close to doubling its current budget. Or at least get to close to $20 million per year.

[Ballfan]

_ Robe is moving on. The writing is on the wall fellas. Some of us are looking at this situation backwards. Tony doesn't need this university; but i would argue that ul does, in some regard need him. Remember the post season interview he gave to katc? Mark my words guys.. Robe is already gone.
igeaux.mobi _

I think he is gone also but the baseball program did fine when he wasn't here and it will do fine if he leaves..

[ManAboutTown]

I think he is gone also but the baseball program did fine when he wasn't here and it will do fine if he leaves..

I'm with ya. Maybe some fresh meat would do us some good, which is hard to say because i am a huge robe guy. I just find it funny that ppl are forgetting that he doesn't have a lifetime contract at ul. Isn't in funny that all of the defections are young players? Being the classy man that tony is, it would not suprise me if he called those guys in, and laid his future plans out on the table; which we all agree would be the right thing to do. But we'll see, i supposed.
igeaux.mobi