Although relatively new to this forum, I'm distressed at some of the recent comments regarding men's basketball. A line such as "...we're not gonna win it, so let us enjoy the ride while it lasts..." sends a cold shiver down the spine. Has LSU basketball reached a satisfaction level that good enough is great? It seems like this type of thinking allowed the AHD (Archer/Hallman/DiNardo) years to roll unchecked for 10+ years in football. Are LSU fans willing to let the successes in football, baseball, track, and women's basketball carry the championship banner and everything else runs as "good enough"? Coach Brady brought LSU from death's door and made a tremendous run in just three short seasons. Now in year eight, Brady has posted the second winning SEC record during his tenure and people are suggesting a long-term deal as reward for good play over a six-week period. Brady deserves great credit for cleaning up the academics, but LSU still falls short under new NCAA guidelines. Comments regarding transfers does not change the fact LSU lags below mandated levels. Brady is a competent coach, maybe perfect if we are going to accept “good enough”. LSU looks well stocked for incoming talent, as did the program in 2003-04, but well-stocked does not translate into championships (Roberts, O'Neal, Jackson, Singleton…). Coaching plays a large part into the equation. Championship coaching, in most cases, does not have break down situations that seem to plague the 2004-05 LSU Tigers. Antonio Hudson, after four years under Coach Brady, in game 26, intentionally fouls after begin trapped at mid-court, in a situation that an intentional foul was the last thing needed. Alabama, down the stretch, put pressure on the offense, it did not respond, and required a huge break tip-in to rescue victory. If that’s OK, “good enough” makes folks happy. I buy season tickets to basketball and make the 70-minute haul west on I-12 regularly. I want LSU to reach heights that Kentucky regularly soars in. I believe LSU can have coexisting powerhouses in basketball and football. I believe LSU basketball needs a coach that will blow the door off of “good enough”. Two winning conference records in eight years aren’t “good enough” for this goal. It isn’t “good enough” to warrant a new, long-term contract for John Brady. It’s galling to think that Saturday afternoon, that besides cheering for a Tiger victory to insure 1st place in the West, we’re forced into “Go State, Go State”.
I'm rather indifferent to the Brady situation. He's a good coach but somehow manages to not make it. My one grief is this: you're criticizing for people having to pull for MooU.... but the same thing happens to every team, no matter what the sport. Unless you're ranked #1 and have an undefeated season, making it to a big dance... or just jumping higher in the rankings always requires some degree of luck. Just look at our 2003 championship season, for instance. ESPN listed a giant web of a chain of events that had to happen for LSU to make it into the BCS championship game. We lucked out and it happened. This isn't the only time we've ever had to pull for other teams to knock out common opponents. Please don't take this as me attacking you or your stance, because I respect your opinion.
Good post, but let's be honest... We do not have the horses on the roster right now to win the national championship. Illinois, Kansas, UNC, and Wake Forest have to be the favorites to reach the Final Four simply because they have the most talent in the country. Hell, probably every single player on the UNC roster is an NBA prospect right now. Can we say that for ourself? No. Looking only at the SEC, can you say that either John Brady is a better coach than Tubby Smith (no) or we have better players right now than either Kentucky or Alabama? (no, no). People have to be honest with themselves, and I don't think you are. Don't disagree with anything said in the last paragraph. Alabama's players are better than LSU's right now. Let's see what happens after next year. Agreed, but you're not being honest with yourself: Basketball at Louisiana State University might be #3 at best in terms of importance some years, depending on how good the baseball team is. You are not going to get a top-flight coach at this university because of that and that alone. The elite coaches (Self, K, Calhoun, Boeheim, R. Williams) are at schools where basketball is far and away #1 and has been for a long time. The best we can hope for is to get a second tier coach at LSU along the likes of K. Sampson at OU, Eddie Sutton at O. State, your boy at Southern Miss, etc...
Isn't that "Go State" cheer, like, the most unoriginal school chant in the history of the world? Nice job, Moo U. What, it take you like 30 seconds to come up with that one...LOL.
