Hail Techsterland....HAIL BARMORE!!!

[TNT]

Good Morning Bulldog Land.....I come in peace but I'm always primed for a fight with those who attack and disparage LSU or its coaches. There is one exception, in the coaching ranks, and I will mention NO names! ;~D BTW...how is Leon Barmore holding up in retirement?

IMO...this man is the best collegiate Women's Basketball Coach in the world. Let me rephrase that, Leon Barmore is the BEST Women's Basketball Coach in the world. What he has accomplished at Louisiana Tech has always been the source of great wonder and marvel. I certainly believe that Louisiana Tech is worthy of such a man, but one has to believe that "major bucks" were thrown at him to entice his defection. He was unswerving in his loyalty. That...mes amis...is incredible loyalty. Furthermore, with the talent he brought to Ruston...he was never outdone. Granted...Texas, Tennessee, Stanford, UCONN, Old Dominion and others had many more resources and a huge recruiting budget compared to Mr. Barmore....but he never shirked nor flinched when he encountered them. Many people believe and have believed that he landed "comparable talent"...but this is not so. Leon just outsmarted and outcoached people. His talent was good but not always great. The greatest assemblage was when he had Mulkey, Lawrence, Rodman , Kelly (her latter years) and others......after that he never had that "real full compliment". He just did the Leon. As a Louisiana resident and native....I always took great pride when Da Techsters represented our state. I knew we'd be OK, respectable and would be the "best we could be". I even cheered for Leon when he came up against "G". You gotta have what it takes and you gotta have a clue on how to "win significantly"! Lastly, I like Leon's stance vis-a-vis the feminists and Title IX. UH HUH!! ;~)

PS...Don't NOBODY go lying on my football coach though..UH UH

[dawg80]

Well, you'll get no arguments from any of us, Leon is a legend.

However, Kurt Budke is doing fine in his own right. Now 19-2 in his first year as headcoach. Da Techsters march on!

I like Nick Saban. I had a chance to speak with him twice, both briefly (he's a very busy man). He wants to WIN, and does whatever it takes to get that done. If Saban will stay at LSU for awhile, like 10+ years, he can build a winning program and become a national power (not there yet). If he leaves for greener pastures (the NFL?) then LSU will be back at square one again.

Louisiana is a megapower in high school football. One of the top 5 states in producing football talent. Too much of that talent continues to go out-of-state. That hurts LSU and Tech.

I wish our coaching staff can get over whatever ails them. They have NOT done a good job, IMO. We have the players to compete and be successful.

I'll be in Tiger Stadium come November. Let's us know where you'll be tailgating, we'll stop by to say hi.

[TNT]

Kurt Budke is indeed maintaining the "Barmore Standard"...I should have added that opinion. Mr. Budke obviously had a "great track record" in his previous stints as HC.

When yall come down for the game next year...I'll let you know our coordinates. Actually, I "work" on game days. BUT...I'm in the environs and will give you an "assist" at that time.

BTW...I fully expect those "Roundball Dames" who rule the NCAA WBB Roost to put LSU and Tech on a "collision course". I'm not real sure about your team's prowess this year...as I rarely see them on TV (did catch part of the victory over Texas Tech)...but anyhow Mz. Gunter seems to have a "potent team" this year. I should say Mr. Starkey (ass't) has a good group. But that's a "whole other story". Look for the "Da Dames" to try to eliminate one or the other as soon as they can. I don't think "men coaches" are "fair haired" in their eyes...LOL Just an opinion from my "jaundiced eye corner here." But Sir...I "do believe" I am right on that view.

Did I digress? UH HUH...Budke is an outstanding coach and look for Tech to continue marching. Dunno what got in Gunter's "bonnet" but she seems to be "hustlin' and bustlin'" here lately and seems to be recruiting like she really wants to keep her job. Will you guys get upset if we come after Barmore, Budke or Mulkey-Robinson? Jusssssssssssst kidding.......I think the feminists are working on "G's" replacement already..UH HUH ;-D

[RXDAWG]

I tend to agree with you on LSU and TECH meeting in the tournament. A part of that chance may be determined by how each team is ranked at the end of the season. If the "powers that be" have anything to do with it though, they will meet in the tournament!

[Gooddawg]

You think he'll be a candidate at lsu after Brady gets the can or after Gunter retires?

[StrayDawg]

Many people believe and have believed that he landed "comparable talent"...but this is not so. Leon just outsmarted and outcoached people. His talent was good but not always great.

This is a great point. While attending Tech I worked for a few years at a Chevron station where Leon used to gas up. He sometimes used the full service pumps so I would get to BS with him while we waited. Once (I believe it was prior to the 95-96 season) he stopped in and I asked him how he thought his team woule be during the upcoming season. He sort of crumpled his face and said, "Awww, 'bout .500". As I walked back to start the pump I remember thinking, "Wow that sucks!".

But, he was just being modest Leon. That year (and I'm not positive that it was 95) the Techsters wound up with 30 wins, a conference championship, and went deep into the tourney.

[TNT]

Absolutely....I have watched, in anguish, how he has schooled Ms. Gunter in one "primetime game" after another. If he was competing with "equal talent" he was going to prevail. IMO..Mr. Barmore instilled a "sense of urgency" in his player. He did this particularly well with his "post people". Furthermore, he was an absolute "brilliant tactician". He'd adjust and got his players to "understand" the adjustments. If he had been able to get the talent of Pat Summitt's Vol Teams, and remember that Barmore's percentage easily exceeds Summitt's, he would easily have outclassed her. Summitt, IMO, payed "as much homage" to Mr. Barmore.

Question: Is he a native of Ruston? I was always awed by his loyalty. Does anyone remember the year that the Japanese National Team retained his expertise to work with the J.National Women's Program? At that juncture, with all the dollars they could have thrown at him, I thought he'd go national and reap the dividends of his brilliance. He returned to Ruston and continued to groom his fabled Lady Techster Teams. I don't doubt you folks understand his legendary greatness...but I hope you realize the very "uncommonness" of this man. I'd love to meet him and have a long chat. I bet he's a riveting "raconteur". BTW...why do I get the impression that his health failed him? Did I imagine that or did he have serious bouts with his health?

Finally, in the Feminist Scheme Of Manipulation, Mr. Barmore was always sublimated into the "Title IX Cloud Of Noxious Gases"!! His expertise and dominance was always ignored, IMO, by the "spur weilding cowboy wannabes who garner the headlines in women's basketball". IN FACT...Mr. Barmore has more "basketball coaching expertise in his hangnails" than most of these "testonerized heifers" have in their entire being. It has been shameful how "flash in the pan feminazis" have been elevated above this great coach. I may sound a bit "jaundiced" but I'm really savvy about what has happend in Collegiate Women's Sports And Title IX.
This law, intended to ensure fairness for girls and women, was totally manipulated by the Feminists (i.e. Carter's administration first and virulently moreso in the Slick Willy Administration Of Lies). Sorry folks...didn't mean to write a catharsis/lecture...but I did give yall more about Leon than you may want to know. I don't doubt that he would refuse to comment on the "hijinks of the hauteur driven heifers".......but IMO he was SIMPLY THE BEST! I have always envied his leadership but was always proud that he and his teams represented Louisiana marvelously. Can anyone believe that he made about 100 grand less than that HC we have here at LSU? UH HUH

[StrayDawg]

TNT,

Yes, Coach Barmore is from Ruston (played at Ruston High) and yes, I agree that all things being equal, Leon would win the national championship every year. He could simply coach the pants off of anyone.

As far as his health is concerned, he fainted during a few games, but he always claimed that it wasn't a health issue. He said it came from too much yelling and standing up too fast from his "squatted" position that he kept during most games.

From watching him on the bench, you would have thought that he didn't know anything about the game sometimes. He just kept that blank look on his face half the time.

I also agree 100% about the feminist movement that has kept Leon from the acclaim he deserves.

If you ask me, the real shame is that his assistant coach, Nell Fortner, being named coach of the Olympic team while Leon has never been given serious consideration. Real shame.

Don't take this the wrong way because I love talking about how important Leon is and has been for Tech, but let's move this discussion to the "basketball" section.

Leon's bio:

http://www.latechsports.com/ladytech...more-bio2.html

Leon's Retirement:

http://www.latechsports.com/082202a.html