The thing that gets me is that that "third rate paper" used to be a simple, respectable, LOCAL paper. Then, they go out and hire some fresh LSU graduate to head the sports section, and he starts to write about subjects which have NO place in a newspaper with a circulation of ~30,000. We get the Advocate down here, that's what most people read when they want news on LSU--they don't want some third rate paper telling them third rate news about LSU.
Yep, back-to-back top 8 finishes is definately mediocrity. Too bad our basketball program haven't reached that level yet. Get ready Miles ... you'll be called mediocre if you finish in the top 8, but don't win it all.
I hate to be the guy that goes against LSU baseball, but...NCAA baseball is a complete different thing than football or basketball. LSU was at the top of baseball just five-seven years ago. Now we are just happy with a CWS appearance. I am not saying we are mediocre now, but we are on that path. In football if we finish in the top 8 that is great because every University in the country wants to be there. In basketball if you make it to the Elitle Eight it is great becuase every University in America wants to be there. We would be kidding ourselves if we said that every University in america strives to be in the Top 8 in baseball. They just don't. A select few are considered elites in college baseball. It has been a while since we earned the praise of being an elite in baseball. Stop living in the past. Two and done in the CWS is not mediocre, but what happens when in two-five years we are 0-2 in the supers. We are already slowly moving further back in the polls every year, what leads you all to believe that will automatically stop.
We've been happy just to reach Omaha the past 18 years. However, using your thinking, Florida State needs to stop playing baseball. They've been to Omaha 17 or 18 times and have yet come home #1. Texas won it's 5th CWS three years ago and they had been going to Nebraska since tom Landry was a player. The difference is the elevation of the game, more and more schools see a chance to play big time baseball. When Rice hired Wayne Graham, from a JUNIOR COLLEGE that took kids who could barely spell r-i-c-e, that was the big move in this part of the country. Texas responded by hiring Augie from Cal St-Disneyland and the Big XII was now in full swing chasing the crown. If you go into the SEC, Vandy and Tennessee are two schools that have invested in their programs in search of the Omaha grail. 25 years ago UNO and Tulane were the only teams seriously looking at baseball as a revenue sport. Now just about every team sees baseball as the one sport money can be made with minimal investment. LSU baseball isn't fading, LSU just has more weak kneed fans.
For you to even hint at the fact that LSU baseball is not slipping is the most homeristic (if thats a word) comment I have ever heard. Just admit that LSU baseball is not where it once was. It is fading. All dynasties must fade. I love LSU baseball as much as the next guy, but I live in reality. You can spin it any way you want, LSU baseball is not on the up and up, its on the downside. All of my comments are based on LSU as of now. If they go out and turn things around this year it should help in recruiting, but if they stay on their current pace the future is not looking to be great (NC), it is looking mediocre (Regionals).
It's not me who is living in the past. I understand that dynasties come and go. I understand that what LSU baseball accomplished in the 90s won't happen again, or at least not anytime soon. College baseball has grown tremendously over the last 10-15 years. There are many more universities putting resources into baseball, thus more options for high school players to choose from. With only 11.7 schollies and more schools to choose from, no one team will dominate the sport again. Winning 5 NCs in 10 years is history! I understand all the frustrations of going 0-2 in Omaha. But let's be honest, those who want Smoke gone wouldn't be happy if they went 1-2, 2-2 or 3-2. They are the ones who are living in the past and expect to win it all on a regular basis ... like we did in the 90s. Ain't going to happen anymore...
i agree with what you're saying--except the end. LSU baseball is fading, relative to the competition. no one knows if smoke isnt as good as skip or the field is just too different. regardless, lsu baseball is fading.
