FIGHT ON EXPLORERS

Great win against the DUKES.  Keep it up and take down those Owls with that traitor of a coach!!!

Fran Dunphy was never going to be the coach here, and has nothing to do with the state of the La Salle program or the athletic department. We have a coach, we had a coach when Dunphy went to Temple. I haven't always been thrilled with everything he's done, but this program is a lot better off than it was when he took over and continues to improve. 

As for today's game, Temple caught La Salle at a low point on Saturday, coming off a huge loss to UMass and the shots weren't falling (and the defense was worse than usual). But the Explorers looked good and they looked confident against Duquesne today, so don't expect Temple to have such an easy win this time. Fight on Explorers!

"Another loss, another losing season. Thanks Dr. Tom, your doing a great job. "

How can you call this season a losing season?  They were picked to be dead last in the league...did anyone actually expect LaSalle to be where they are today?  You say blame Dr. Tom, but he wasn't the reason LaSalle b-ball was so far down in the dumps.  Was he involved in the rape scandal 4 years ago?  It takes most programs 10 years to come back after the team is torn apart like that.  As far as I'm concerned Dr. J Giannini is doing an incredible job.  When's the last time you saw a bunch of kids pull together like that?  Giannini is creating that family atmosphere in the team that attracts the fans and prospects.  Losing D. Harris will be a huge loss...but as Rodney Green showed everyone last night, he's the leader of the team.  With the incoming freshman class and transfers coming in, LaSalle has nothing but good things coming in the future.  They should be right there at the top with Xavier, Temple, and St. Joes's next year.

As for Fran Dunphy, you're all morons for calling him a traitor.  Yes, he graduated and coached at LaSalle, but he was at Penn for years and became a Philly and Big-5 legend coaching there.  It's only right that he replaced another great Philly legend in John Chaney two years ago at Temple.  Even if Dunphy was interested in coming back to 20th and Olney, LaSalle made the right choice in sticking with Giannini.  He's already proven that he can bring in a talented group of guys that can play together. 

Now to the arena discussion...the renovations to the Hayman Center and Tom Gola Arena were just completed in the summer of 1998.  Until the LaSalle fans learn to support the team and actually show up to games, there's no chance it will be renovated/replaced anytime soon.  Having such a small arena, one would think, we should have a massive home court advantage with the loud and crazy fans...but nobody shows up.  LaSalle fans can make that place one of the most difficult places to play in the A-10 if they wanted to.  When and if the LaSalle fans can contnue to fill up the place, then I can see a need for a change in the arena. 

As for the Big 5, all Big 5 games should be played at the Palestra.  I'm not sure why they're played there sometimes and sometimes not...it makes no sense to me.  Also, Villanova can suck it up and play there too.  It always pisses me off that they think they're so much better than the rest of the Big 5 and can do whatever they want.  They're not even located in Philly, they're in the 'burbs with sticks up their ass driving around in beamers and jags spending daddy's money. 

Not exactly, the two coaches who were fired knew about the allegations before they came out and said nothing, that's why they were fired. Its not the idea that their players might have raped someone, it was the cover-up. But after this last season, that's all in the past. La Salle basketball is recovering and that's due to the players and to coach Giannini, not Tom Brennan. But people will start to show up, because the team will finish next season much better than this year.

I started this thread so let me try to end it.  The comments above show part of the reason for a lack of support.  We beat outselves up more than we beat up the opponents!

First, as to Brennan.  I've met him and he seems OK and very business like.  He's trying but he has a small budget and he's trying to grow the school's sports profile.  Many have tried in the past and many have failed. It's just that I hear he is a little tough to get along with and a little pushy. Just rumor.

Second, the arena.  There is room on campus but there is no money.  I think it's partially a "if you build it they will come thing."  You need a showplace and the Gola is not it.

Third, Dunphy.  TRAITOR!!!  When all the bad stuff went down a couple years ago, Frannie was approached about the coaching job.  Here was a chance for him to come back to his alma mater and save the day.  A real hero potential postion.  At the time he said, "oh I'm not going anywhere, I like at Penn, blah, blah, blah."