Did LA Tech do the right or wrong thing?

To fill you in, Lee Fletcher is an LA TECH uber-fan. His latest post is printed below in its entirety because of continuity sake. We apologize for doing so ahead of time. Our take on his piece will follow:

Rupp Did the Right Thing: Tech Basketball Stronger With Changes In Place
Lee Fletcher
Louisiana Tech report
http://www.latechreport.com/index.php
May 24, 2008

Louisiana Tech basketball was noted in recent media stories about players who are no longer on the team.

Sometimes additions by subtraction can be the best moves one can make when faced with a set of circumstances.

In fact, in this case it is obvious the Louisiana Tech Basketball program is stronger today than it was before the recent changes. The entire story is one that probably will never be told or fully understood.

Here is our perspective. Coach Rupp did the right thing. Period.

How did we get here? Well from some careful research this is not the first time there was a revolving door from recent years past.

The higher standard had to be set and met. The higher standard is needed in every sport and is being put in place and enforced thank goodness.

Many of us have been really concerned for some time about what actually happened to our entire athletic program.

It is obvious that the same devolution happened in other sports at Tech in the past five years namely football, baseball and women's basketball.

Now we can clearly see that things were held together with masking tape and smoke and mirrors at times. So it is not surprising that things were unravelling before our very eyes over the last few years and changes had to be made to save the ship.

Enter Coach Rupp and a much-needed new direction.

Coach Kerry Rupp made it clear that he wanted a team made up of players that would be outstanding in the class room, on the court and in the community. This set of higher standards was clear (and necessary) from the very first press conference. This set of higher standards was communicated constantly and reinforced with the players before the first practice or scrimmage.

Coach Rupp did the right thing in this case by sticking to the higher standard. The higher standard needed to be set and in place a long time ago. The standard that serves everyone equally with an open and stated set of requirements on both ends from day one. These rules and benchmarks have not changed and were communicated up front to everyone involved.

In fact, the background info on this story line is full of speculation which can be both true and untrue depending on the specific case in question. The truth is that the program is stronger today than it was before. The background on what players were doing what is one that needed to improve and has moved in that direction.

One thing is clear in that we wish the players well but we cannot allow the standard to be compromised. The rules were set and in place for all the world to see and understand.

Those rules are being enforced which is exactly what many have called for over the years past and have now gotten. This will only help the program over the long haul and move us one step closer to where we want to be.

An interesting note is that coaches all over America move players off their roster when faced with the same circumstances and no one really says much.

In this case, this set of actions is exactly what had to be done. This set of actions was appropriate based on adhering to a standard that everyone knew and agreed to going in so there really were no surprises no matter what you hear, in our view.

Keep this in mind...there are always more sides to the story.

One final thought in the form of a question..Do you really think a coach will [there seems to be a word missing here and it probably is 'let'] a player go or move them off their team when the player was performing up to the standard in the classroom, on the court and in the community?

For far too long there were too many looks the other way on some of the discipline issues and sketchy decisions on signing players that maybe should never have been here in the first place...

Thank goodness those days are behind us...Tech Basketball and Tech Athletics is stronger today with changes in place.

OUR TAKE: Fletcher deserves credit for his taking a stance on this week's dropping of four player from the Bulldog roster. It's curious that he refers to the institution of higher standards in the classroom, on the court and in the community by Coach Kerry Rupp and, zeroing in on one of those specific categories, what if the student commitments in the classroom and in the community were just fine and acceptable but it became a matter of their talent not measuring up?

It appears Fletcher's ultimate measuring stick is that he feels the men's basketball program is stronger and better, period.

But what about the commitment the university made to these student-athletes? Especially if that the 'sins' of these four players were simply not being skilled enough?

Plus, Fletcher makes no mention of the timing of all this. Was when it was done to the benefit of Louisiana Tech men's basketball, for the players, for both, for neither side?

And as for higher standards, what is Rupp being held to? Is it a win at all costs philosophy that cannot be compromised?

Is this truly what had to be done?

And that these actions came as no surprise?

Did Rupp wait until now to determine the academic progress of this group of kids and, seeing it was good, dumped them because their academic standing wouldn't negatively effect the school APR OR did he dump these guys because their academics were substandard and they failed to keep up their commitment?

Granted, there are more unknowns than knowns here and areas that Rupp and LA TECH cannot address publicly without an invasion of privacy. But there's a 'smell' about all this and the odor appears to be emanating more from the Bulldog men's basketball program.

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Here's a few members of The News Star staff weighing in on what took place at LA TECH:

Our Sunday morning take on the world of sports
Staff report
The News Star
May 25, 2008

...Tech coach Kerry Rupp cut three players last week, including two from local schools. Shouldn’t he have done this earlier to give the kids more options?

It’s expected that new coaches will remake a program to their own goals and standards. But since when did we start tossing kids in the trash when we’re done with them? College athletics, unfortunately, is no longer about college athletes. — Nick Deriso

There will be long-term repercussions for this cold-hearted act. Good luck recruiting in West Monroe or Ruston from now on. — Paul Letlow

Absolutely. To wait until they can’t sign anywhere else is quite a slap in the face and then some, if you ask me. — Tabby Soignier

This isn’t the first time nor will it be the last that college athletes have lost their scholarship. Regardless of the situation, as a parent this is always disappointing and disturbing. Hopefully, things will work out for these young men and all will someday earn a degree. — Keith Prince