Eagles turned around - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jan 2, 2006

Eagles turned around

Date: Jan 2, 2006

j.t. smith wrote:

Eustachy has the Eagle program turned around now. They have won several in a row.

Eagles lost 82-87 tonight to McNeese State, after leading by 17 points with 10 minutes to go. After winning two in a row against big time opponents (West Florida and Spring Hill), they go and lose to a low level team like McNeese. I too thought it was turned around, until tonight.

Date: Jan 2, 2006

Spring Hill? What's that?

Date: Jan 3, 2006

http://hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060103/SOUTHERNMISS/601030305/1050

McNeese rallies to beat USM

The University of Southern Mississippi men's basketball team gave away a chance to reach .500 for the first time since winning its season-opening game against Lamar....

...Southern Miss displayed a new rotation in which freshmen Craft, Travis Hall and Donatas Visockis all saw early and extensive action.

The sight will be a familiar one as forwards Kendaris Pelton and Shaun Simpson are no longer with the team. Pelton is transferring and Simpson has left because of personal reasons, but is not expected to return.

That leaves just 10 players, nine on scholarship, on the team....

..."We finally got guys that don't belong out of here," Eustachy said....

Date: Jan 3, 2006

Outside Observer wrote:

Spring Hill? What's that?

According to its website, Spring Hill College in Mobile is the third oldest Jesuit college in the country and the fifth oldest Catholic college in America. Located in Mobile, Spring Hill is an NAIA school & member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. During a basketball game, approximately one third of one percent of the student body is actually on the court playing.

Date: Jan 3, 2006

info wrote:

http://hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060103/SOUTHERNMISS/601030305/1050

The sight will be a familiar one as forwards Kendaris Pelton and Shaun Simpson are no longer with the team. Pelton is transferring and Simpson has left because of personal reasons, but is not expected to return. That leaves just 10 players, nine on scholarship, on the team.... ..."We finally got guys that don't belong out of here," Eustachy said....

Now, this quote is disturbing, highly unprofessional, and really bad for the athletic program. According to the USM Sports Web page, Eustachy is in his second year at USM, and both of these college Juniors are community-college transfers in their first year of playing basketball in Hattiesburg. Doesn't that mean that the very coach who recruited them from somewhere else, is now the same person "poor-mouthing" them?

I can't imagine that any college coach would want to have this attitude spread around the region, because this "bulletin board material" would do anything but help your recruiting efforts. If the Eagles "have turned around" I doubt this will be for anything but a one-year "stopgap" effort.