LMU vs Bakersfield

[Deleted]

These are dark days for LA. Speechless.

[lmu08]

Is it time to start bringing out the paper bag faces yet?

[Deleted]

If we get blown out by Portland on ESPNU with about 100 horrified fans in the stands. Yes.

[lmu08]

haha ill be there... paper bag in hand just in case....

[ironlions]

This is pretty much rock bottom.

With LMU's campus, location, and academics there is no reason why we shouldn't have a better program. Look at a school like Xaiver, and Villanova and Gtown and of course the Zags.

The schools adminstration and athethic department need to get their head out of their asses and hire a big name coach. Please stop spending money on palm tress and fountains...

Go Lions

[Guest]

Ironlions,

You are clueless. Xavier and G'Town and Nova and the Zags are HIGH MAJOR programs with HIGH MAJOR budgets and facilities.

Your argument for why LMU should be good is exactly why they are not. ACADEMICS. Do you remember a guy by the name of Allen Iverson at G'Town?? You probably don't remember that G'Town was the only school that would admit him with his criminal record from high school. Read up on some articles on AI and how John Thompson was the only coach who took a chance on him. You think the Zags big man Heitvelt (spelling??) would still be on LMU's campus after being caught dealing drugs... er I mean, accidentally being in the same car as them... er.... and maybe he would... I dunno...

LMU makes their athletes be successful on and off the court. That is a wonderful quality to have. But expectations should be different unless you drastically change other aspects... facilities etc.

It's not coaching... it's the institution... Four coaches in a row who have failed. Figure it out. Cough Administration Cough.


And baseball? Have they won the WCC any time recently??? Or gone to the College World Series??? I honestly don't know, I don't follow them. I know they avg. 100 people at their games. Yeah they won their division... that has four teams in it... but c'mon, college basketball is a multi million dollar business that is far more lucrative than baseball... no comparison. every conference gets a Million plus $$$ for each conference representative. When a team goes to the college world series they lose money. It's a fact, look it up. So if you're going to make fun of them figure out who pays for your budget.

[Guest]

no comparison. every conference gets a Million plus $$$ for each conference representative. When a team goes to the college world series they lose money. It's a fact, look it up. So if you're going to make fun of them figure out who pays for your budget.

correction:

******every conference gets a Millions plus $$$ for each conference representative in the NCAA Men's basketball tournament.

[ironlions]

Guest,

Should we blame the administration for letting Bakersfield, basically a D2 school, score 98 points on us.


Maybe me calling for a bigger name coach was a bit out of line...I'm a eternal optimist when it comes to LMU. I believe that we have so many assets and don't see why can't build a successful program. I still believe in Coach T but a loss like this pisses me off.

Go Lions

[lionspride]

Guest said:

It's not coaching... it's the institution... Four coaches in a row who have failed. Figure it out. Cough Administration Cough.

GUEST: Explain your theory on how it is not the coach, but the administration that prevents LMU Men's Basketball from succeeding and pulling out a .500 season. A majority of our players are lacking the skills to play at this DIVISION I level. The coaches recruit players. Coaches are not getting it done. Maybe they are good at the Xs and Os, but their recruiting and strategy are lacking. Sure there are a couple of quality players, but given RT's inability to bring in talent....I find the coach is the most critical aspect to the program. Are you telling me that St. Mary's [in that band box they play in called McKeon Pavilion (arguably the worst venue in the WCC) and isolated in the southern hills of the Bay Area (arguably the worst location in the WCC for exposure) and a university that does not have the financial status of LMU] can recruit QUALITY players, coach them, and post a winning record and LMU cannot just because of the ADMINISTRATION. You are sadly mistaken and providing excuses for where the program currently is.

Guest...a board response to this would be nice. That is if you can back it up with substance and not pulling excuses from the air. Scoreboard does not lie. We are 3-13 and been run out of the gym from effectively 2 Division II schools. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. No matter what (if any) support administration provides to a coach, a DIVISION I coach and his team should consistent out play and win DIVISION II schools. The fact is we have lost and LOST in a MAJOR fashion to Division II schools this year.

[Guest]

I agree with you that the coach should be help responsible. How is LMU in a better spot than St. Mary’s for as you say “WCC exposure.” LA is an awful sports town for mid-major colleges. Go to a Cal State Northridge (who has a better record than you) and you’ll see 400 fans at their games. UCLA doesn’t fill Pauley and they are No. 5 in the country!!!! If LMU does .500 like you project they are still the eight page in the sports section… if that.

The institution is referring to the standards and dedication to winning. Not how pretty the campus is… At a school where the general student body’s weight room is nicer than the athletes… is that a true commitment to winning in athletics??

The coach is a critical aspect but can only do so much. I am just saying that RT is the 4th coach in a row to struggle… So when does it become the institutions problem??

LMU is in a better location than Albuquerque, New Mexico… yet New Mexico is waaay better than LMU. Hmmm, they pay their coach a multi-million dollar contract and their top assistant $1 Million. But LMU has better academics… New Mexico can get more kids in. But LMU has the beach… who give’s a sh*t, college student-athletes don’t have enough time to go to the beach anyway. But you want LMU to be competitive with a WAC/Mountain West program/High WCC type program. Than make a true mid-major commitment to winning. For LMU to win they need to be able to compete with the New Mexico’s and the San Diego State’s of the world for players. They cannot do that! Fact is, is that LMU isn’t a very easy place to recruit to. Why would an LA kid want to go to LMU??? A place that gets NO media attention and 800 people at their games? A program that has been above .500 only like three times with the last four head coaches (overall not WCC).

You tell me Lionspride why LMU should be able to recruit those types of players??? HOW??

If they can’t get them in why recruit them?

[ADG'99]

alert2 said:

If we scratch in the WCC I'm knocking on Husak's door.

Maybe Husak is part of the problem, not part of the solution. From all accounts he is a very honorable guy, and yes graduation rates are high and there have not been any scandals, BUT look at the last few coaching hires. Charles Bradley? A DISASTER Steve Aggers? Underachiever, poor recruiter. I thought Rodney Tention was a step in the right direction since he at least has some D-I experience, but now (obviously) I'm not so sure. Maybe the key is not to beat down Husak's door, but to go to Lawton. Then, maybe these numbers would improve too wcc-challenge.org/ .

[ironlions]

So what is your solution Guest?

[lionspride]

Guest said:

LMU is in a better location than Albuquerque, New Mexico… yet New Mexico is waaay better than LMU. Hmmm, they pay their coach a multi-million dollar contract and their top assistant $1 Million. But LMU has better academics… New Mexico can get more kids in. But LMU has the beach… who give’s a sh*t, college student-athletes don’t have enough time to go to the beach anyway. But you want LMU to be competitive with a WAC/Mountain West program/High WCC type program. Than make a true mid-major commitment to winning. For LMU to win they need to be able to compete with the New Mexico’s and the San Diego State’s of the world for players. They cannot do that! Fact is, is that LMU isn’t a very easy place to recruit to. Why would an LA kid want to go to LMU??? A place that gets NO media attention and 800 people at their games? A program that has been above .500 only like three times with the last four head coaches (overall not WCC).

You tell me Lionspride why LMU should be able to recruit those types of players??? HOW??

If they can’t get them in why recruit them?

You are comparing APPLES TO ORANGES. I was comparing St. Mary (WCC) to LMU (WCC). The have close to the same exposure, similar structure, finances, etc. TELL me WHY, Guest, that we are DEAD LAST in the WCC. Tell me WHY we cannot recruit better basketball players than our competition with similar challenges that our program faces. Tell me why and NOT compare apples to oranges.

[lionspride]

adg99 said:

alert2 said:

If we scratch in the WCC I'm knocking on Husak's door.

Maybe Husak is part of the problem, not part of the solution. From all accounts he is a very honorable guy, and yes graduation rates are high and there have not been any scandals, BUT look at the last few coaching hires. Charles Bradley? A DISASTER Steve Aggers? Underachiever, poor recruiter. I thought Rodney Tention was a step in the right direction since he at least has some D-I experience, but now (obviously) I'm not so sure. Maybe the key is not to beat down Husak's door, but to go to Lawton. Then, maybe these numbers would improve too wcc-challenge.org/ .

ADG'99 - Agree that everyone is responsible, but the coach is the one directly responsible for recruiting. Husak may be the problem. I truly believe the answer is to send letters to Lawton. Not that Husak needs to be fired immediately, but Lawton needs to assess the situation and plan for the future and know that the supports are not happy.

As such, I encourage students, alumni, supports of LMU Men's Basketball to send a letter to Lawton. We need to follow up with him on his 2007 convocation comments on having our athletic programs "finish #1 or #2 in conference" every year.

For those that don't have the time or creative talent to write an original letter (hand written probably makes the most impact), I would encourage over the next few days that we post a FORM letter for fans to "copy, paste, print, sign, and mail."

Let's be professional, express concern, and demand greatness for our Athletics Department. We need a commitment from him and for him to know that we are simply following up on his 2007 convocation comments (can be replayed at i.lmu.edu/main/ under "President Speeches").

Talking Points for letters: MORE FUNDING to the Athletic Department would greatly help. Having the renovation and new offices as a priority on the CAPITAL BUDGET of LMU would assist. Lawton can only make those calls. Emphasis on Men's Basketball. As Men's Basketball goes so does the Allthetic Department revenues. All angles need to be exhausted.


Address to:

Robert B. Lawton, S.J.
President
1 LMU Drive, UH 4844
Los Angeles, CA 90045

Or e-mail: [e-mail]

Or Call: [phone]

[Guest]

Husak fired?? So is he inept in only hiring basketball coaches?? All of his other sports are doing well??

Anyways,

I'm not comparing apples and oranges. LMU's top prospects often go to the Mountain West and WAC. So I am comparing LMU to programs you expect them to recruit against!!!!!!!!! For LMU to win the WCC or even get into the top three they need to beat those programs for players. St. Mary's can compete with those programs because they can get those kids into school!!!!!!!!!! How many times do I have to write this.... If LMU can't get a kid in, they can't recruit them. LMU has MUCH HIGH STANDARDS for the general students and the general student body than St. MARY's!!!!!!!!

Lower your standards and see what happens. Or just cheat... its what they did to get Bo and Hank. Didn't they have access to a beach house???

The other answer that you guys want to hear about in regards to LMU as an institution is to pump waaay more money into the gym. Renovate Gersten and build baseball and softball and soccer their own fieldhouse and get them out of the way. Open up more space for offices and training rooms etc. Your lockerrooms are awful.

So when LMU is competing against those schools for players explain how I'm comparing apples and oranges again??