Smoke is simply in the unenviable position of following the legend, Skip Bertman. LSU's next football coach will face a similar problem--and to some extent, John Brady suffers from having followed Dale Brown, although he didn't bring in a NC. I'll be at the Houston game next Sunday, though, and I can't wait to see this team in person!
Smoke knows baseball. I saw a sac bunt that moved 2 runners ito scoring position yesterday. They ended up scoring. I love the way he plays small ball. I prefer watching his teams to Skip's.
Yes and no!!!! Yes it is very very hard to follow a legend especially with the success Skip had. But Skip also left the program on top and loaded. I think there is no doubt that LSU is the #1 PROGRAM in the nation at this time and should be for years to come. Imagine Smoke going to a highschool to recruit a kid. Smoke: I'm Smoke Leval and I want you to play baseball for me" Kid: "Baseball for you, where?" Smoke:" LSU" Kid: "LSU!!! DID YOU SAY LSU? WHERE DO I SIGN?" Following a legend can be tough but with a program like LSU's it has its perks also.:geaux: :lsug:
No, it's more than that. Bertman is a great coach. Smoke is not a great coach. At least he hasn't shown me yet. I mean he knows some baseball but he makes some stupid calls and non-calls. Plus I'm not so sure he has the intangibles, like being able to motivate they guys at the right time. Smoke was not even Bertman's first choice. He wanted Wells.
I wasn't overly thrilled when Smoke was hired and was pretty unhappy his first season but he hasn't done too bad overall. Remember this is Smokes first head coaching job at a legitimate baseball school. He will make mistakes but lets see if he learns from them. We will know in a couple of years if he was the right choice or not. He looks to have a really solid team so far this season that is playing at a much higher level than LSU usually performs at this stage of the season. As for Wells being the first choice I'm not so sure. He was my first choice but remembering the talk at that time I'm not so sure he was first on Skips list.:tigerbase :tigerbase :tigerbase :tigerbase
All Smoke has done in his first 2 years is put LSU in the Super Regional and Omaha ... ain't it awful?
I also would like for LSU to be great at gorilla ball and small ball. I remember, one year in Omaha, being lectured ad nauseum by the ESPN guys on Long Beach State and "how to manufacture a run." Excrutiating, but also a necessary part of the game.
Hey guys.....is WWL broadcasting any games on the radio? Other than internet it's the only LSU station that I can pick up in Ohio. So far, I haven't heard any games on WWL.
Anyone that doesn't like Smoke at this point is nuts. The fact that he did go to a small schoop and build a good program is a plus if you ask me. I can't read Skip's mind so I won't guess as to whether or not he wanted Smoke or Wells but he did want him, he's here and the Tigers have been to a super regional and a CWS. Also, we can't play old gorilla ball like we use to with the new bats. We'll hit some taters but no one will ever approach the old home run records any longer unless they move the fences in. the only thing that worries me with Smoke is the pitchers thrwoing a little too much but that also worried me with Skip. If we get a good bullpen developed I think we'll see him use his pitchers less.
