What about just demoting Smoke, making him batting coach or head of recruiting and then just naming Turtle coach... i don't think it will happen, but if it does, I don't think Smoke would stay.
Replacing Smoke would be absurd. I think we should be a much more disciplined hitting team, but I think Smoke has done as good a managing job as anyone else would in our (LSU's) program.
This was posted on another board, by some LSU fan (not my own thought or research) - I thought it was valid in the coaching argument.... While the players play the game, it is a good coach that can inspire their players to play at their highest level. Think back to a couple of years ago when the Marlins were sitting in last place in their division. Jack McKeon takes over, and the Marlins go on to win the World Series over the Yankees. Do you think that is was just coincedence that the players started to play better when McKeon became the manager? The Grizzlies made a huge turnaround when Hubbie Brown stepped in as their new head coach. Whether you want to admit it or not, coaching plays a HUGE role in how the athletes perform as a team on the field. The coach isn't responsible for a player making an error or throwing a bad pitch, but the coach is responsible for the overall play of the team. The one question that I would love for you to answer is this: Why hasn't the core of the team, that won an SEC championship and made a trip to Omaha, improved over the past 2 years? Mestepey, Meier, Determan, Smith, Clay Harris, Will Harris, Liuzza, Gill, Patterson, Sprowl, Stewert are all players that made contributions to the 2003 team. Look at the differences in stats from the 2003 and 2005 seasons. Mestepey 2.59 (2002) 4.97 (ok, he had the injury, so I can see why he hasn't improved) Meier 2.83 4.79 Determan 2.94 1.95 Smith 4.01 2.60 C Harris .332 .366 W Harris .233 .213 Liuzza .312 .246 Gill .304 .325 Patterson .350.369 Sprowl .290 .257 Stewert .297 .250 Of these 11 players, only Determan, Smith, and Clay Harris have made significant improvement. One could argue against Clay Harris improving from 2003 because he was first team all-SEC in 2003 and wasn't in 2005. With all of these players getting experience and maturing over 2 years, why is it that the team hasn't improved? If only one or two players didn't improve, then I could blame it on the players not working hard enough, but when so many players have stayed stagnant or gotten worse, then signs point to coaching being the problem.
There is really no reason why LSU should have promoted Smoke to head coach.. when you have an ELITE program, you dont promote an assistant to head coach.. he was assistant coach for a reason, because he isnt head coach material.. you dont stay an assistant for, what, 11 years? for no damn reason. LSU has the money and the prestige to hire one of the top coaches in the country. Do you think that Cal-Fullerton can pay more than LSU? why not try to lure way their coach http://sports.fullerton.edu/baseball/2005/personnel/horton.html or one of the many top tier coaches from around the country... About the only the that Smoke gets right is this (if he is even involved)...
actually the quality of bat girls has also deteriorated in the years after Skip left, I believe this was due to some of these girls being a little to eager to please a number of the players and one or two of the younger player getting attached... which causes friction among the players.(unsubstantiated)(also not in anyway saying they all were, don't take offense BatGirl). But I also heard some funny, and riske (sp?) stories about some of the "hot" bat girls of the 90's and their interactions with ALOT of the players... damn to be a player on the '96 and '97 teams had to be great rings and cleet chasers a plenty.
Not that I should get worked up over a ULL fan's opinion but, are you a f*cking idiot? First off, Smoke was a head coach when he came back to LSU, so get your facts straight. Second, Smoke was Skip's hand picked replacement. Nobody argued with Skip at the time. Third, Smoke is an elite coach. Maybe you cannot see the forest for the trees, but do you realize how many programs would give their figurative left nut to get a coach with Smoke's record and accomplishments? Finally, Cal State Fullerton got bitch slapped to the losers bracket yesterday by Arizona. Still want their coach?
If Smoke is let go, they better replace him with a premiere, current HC. I'm talking about taking a manager away from a top 5 program.
