Very Good Article

[KFDM COOP]

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17673336&BRD=2287&PAG=461&dept_id=583964&rfi=6

[Tiger90]

Good article, but the problem I see is Lamar can not stop living in the past.  Everytime anything positive in regards to basketball is spoken they always have to talk about the late 70s and early 80s.  The game has changed dramatically since then.  Eligibilites and scholarship requirements have changed.  Those glory years have dictated the whole sports program including the ultimate demise of football.  While we enjoy good high school basketball in the area, the university has done little to bring in "local" flavor to help keep the community interested.  Even Jim Gilligan does this in baseball.  You look at Northwestern and you had/have the Hancock kids from Kountze playing integral roles.  You look at Sam Houston a few years back with Silsbee's own Eddie Fobbs who plays professional ball overseas and tries out for NBA teams.  Those teams have had success.  To be honest this area is not that high on university basketball.  This area is football country.

[JMay]

I agree definately with keeping the local players at home.  Maybe with Coach Roc, who seems to be a great recruiter he can convince the local kids to stay out home, because as of now they are jumping at the chance to play elsewhere.  Keena Young at BYU.  A couple of WB kids left to play out of state, we even lots the kids from Central's State Semi team to Southland Schools.  Keeping them home is a start to building back the "large" fan base.  Large fan base = 4500 a game average attendance.

[tvc184]

Being in the top 20 in basketball will keep some of the local players at home. If I was a top local player in any sport, why would I live at home when I could go to a big time program and be out of the house on my own. It is hard to get a young adult to stay at home when they are at that age of stepping out on their own. Only a winning program could even have a hope of competing with the highest recruited local players.

[Cardinal Fan]

Being in the top 20 in basketball will keep some of the local players at home. If I was a top local player in any sport, why would I live at home when I could go to a big time program and be out of the house on my own. It is hard to get a young adult to stay at home when they are at that age of stepping out on their own. Only a winning program could even have a hope of competing with the highest recruited local players.

LU baseball may not be Top 20 program at this time but Coach Gilligan some how seems to keep a few locals including some very talented players from Nederland. If he can do it, I see no reason Coach Rock can't do the same with a winning basketball program. Like you mentioned that is really the key to having talented players want to play for you. However, if Coach Rock can't keep the locals then he'll just recruit the best available on a national scale. He is very well known in the college basketball coaching community. Lamar is lucky to have him!

[tvc184]

LU baseball may not be Top 20 program at this time but Coach Gilligan some how seems to keep a few locals including some very talented players from Nederland. If he can do it, I see no reason Coach Rock can't do the same with a winning basketball program. Like you mentioned that is really the key to having talented players want to play for you. However, if Coach Rock can't keep the locals then he'll just recruit the best available on a national scale. He is very well known in the college basketball coaching community. Lamar is lucky to have him!

Maybe not at the moment but Lamar has been a top ranked team and competes on an even basis against the best teams in the country in baseball. Look how many Lamar players have signed pro contracts in baseball. That is not the case for basketball.

I agree with you on the recruiting by Roccaforte. He will get the best players that he can and is reported to be a great recruiter. I think given time, he can build a winning program.

[Cardinal Fan]

Believe me, I know how good LU's baseball team is. I remember freezing while watching the Cardinals beat the University of Texas 15-3 at Vincent-Beck. I also remember a the year Rice won the NC, LU was the only ball-club to beat them twice.

Let's be patient with Coach Rock and see what happens. I think you'll like the results. BTW, last season Lamar had three players sign professional contracts headed by Alan Daniels who is making over $200,000 overseas.

[UNLV]

J'Covan Brown, he has the red carpet at LU, will he stay?