Well... I am also not real happy with how our team is playing either but I am realistic. We should win 2 out of the next 3 and get a bye in the SEC and be in the tournament. It would not surprise me to see this team not win another game either. Would I be disappointed, yes! Would I blame the coaching staff, you bet I would. I would also put blame on the players also. College basketball is much different than football. If you lose 2 in a row in football, throw in the towel and the season is done as far as a NC goes. In basketball, we play in the toughest conference in America... so say the writers et al. I still think the ACC is always going to be traditionally the better top ended basketball conference. You wont see many of those top teams contending for a football NC very often either. Anyhow.. some points to make.. Rick Pitino (of whom I would love to coach LSU) has the same record in a much weaker conference.. Lute Olsen lost 2 in a row and one was at home without his star player. Coach K lost a McDonalds All American this year because of lack of playing time.. Do I want to go to the final 4 every year.. of course... People fail to realize how lucky LSU was to get to the final 4 the 2 times we did. In 81 we had the regionals in NO.. last time that has happened for a team to get that advantage.. the NCAA saw it as a huge advantage for LSU.. then in 86.. we are a 13th seed and host the 1st 2 rounds.. that has never happened since then in the NCAA tournament that a team was able to host especially a low seed like that.. Huge advantage.. Getting to the final 4 should be a priority as well as making the elite 8 or sweet 16. If you ask anyone with knowledge of basketball it was a joke that Dale was unable to get past the second round with SHAQ, Stanley, and CJ. All college basketball coaches are saddled with the 2/8 rule. It has created enormous parity in all conferences... Most of the posters here probably have no idea of the impact that this has on a coach. It especially hurts the programs with good players that go pro. Coaches in basketball get fired when they have losing records. Period!! Football coaches get fired with 75% winning percentages. When LSU begins to have a losing record, then we should all be demanding a change. 17-7 is not mediocrity. Many coaches in big conferences get big raises and contract extensions with such numbers.
Sourdoughman, 1974-75 Vandy 91-LSU 82 MSU 93- LSU 84 Alabama 93 LSU 67 1975-76 Alabama 113- LSU 75 MSU 90- LSU 83 GA 83- LSU 79 Tenn 105 LSU 92 Vandy 85 LSU 71 1987-88 Alabama 72 LSU 59 Kentucky 92 LSU 65 MSU 62 LSU 60 1993-94 Alabama 71- LSU 67 North Carolina 88 LSU 65 MSU 66 LSU 52 1995-96 UGA 85 LSU 82 South Carolina 106 LSU 68 Tenn 73 LSU 65 1996-97 KY 84 LSU 48 Alabama 78 LSU 72 GA 82 LSU 59 Just to refresh your memory in the 3 loss in a row and also, we lost by a total of 58 points the last 3 games... this is not a cut or meant to be any harm. Just fun banter.
I don't get it? 74-75 season LSU was in the game except for the Bama game. The point is LSU was in most of these games, striking distance which is more than you can say for the last 3 games. The games were close enough to win in most of these cases. It was respectable, not like the last 3 games regardless of excuses. Has LSU played respectible the last 3 games? The outcome of the game respectible? Have I missed something? I don't have a problem losing close games and then being blown out every great once in a while. Its not a good thing to be blown out 3 games in a row by a has been team like Au, maybe a decent Vandy team. I knew we would lose to MSU, that was expected regardless of the score but it didn't help to be the 3rd blow out in a row.
2002 F/C-Mario Austin, Mississippi State* G-Rod Grizzard, Alabama G-Antonio Hudson, LSU G-Derrick Zimmerman, Mississippi State C-Tony Kitchings, South Carolina This was the all tournament team for 2002. The notation next to Austin means he was the MVP, not Hudson as it has been alluded to on this board many times. We advanced to the semifinals and it is pretty customary for a team to have a representative. If you look at this list, Austin is in Russia after leaving a year too soon, Grizzard has been a flop, Zimmerman is averaging 5.7 points a game for the Columbus Riverdragons in the NBDL, and Tony Kitchings is nowhere to be found. SEC 2002 All Freshman Team and what they are doing this year. F Gerald Wallace, Alabama - Sacramento Kings G Gerald Fitch, Kentucky - 14.6 per game F Jason Parker, Kentucky - transfered to South Car.. did not play F Justin Reed, Ole Miss 18.7 pp game F Matt Freije, Vanderbilt 19 pp game Antonio was not a part of that team. I think many would agree that all 5 of these guys were pretty good. Not saying that Antonio isn't good, he just had 3 hot games and was put on the all tournament team. This is actually from the who cares dept. but wanted to set the record straight that he was not the MVP.
i agree 3 blowouts is not good for anyone.... team morale, confidence for the trny, reputation of LSU, reputation of Brady. But for people to talk how bad of a season this is is reprehensible. It hasn't been a great season, no, but it could have been if jaime had been 100% but that hasn't been the case. However, they need to get some confidence the next couple of weeks in conference play and in the trny to have a chance in the big dance. struggling is not a good way to end the season regardless who is healthy. its on the players to step it up and take charge. Blaming brady for Antonio Hudson is wrong. Its his damn passive personality....similar to Torris who should have shot way more. some blame belongs on the coach since its his players for sure....but come on these are young men who aren't your typical intimidated nerds on campus. these are athletes, cream of the crop, BMOC who think they can do it all. Tack may be out of control...but with jaime hurting, someone has to take charge. Bass needs to regroup. Mitchell needs to assert himself. Hudson needs to grow a pair. Hope we beat KY jelly.
Good gracious.. we were basicly missing in the Auburn and Vandy game our best player, SEC player of the year candidate that is contributing 17 points per game and 11.6 rebounds. He plays against MSU and everyone in the gym knew he was not playing his normal game. That is not an excuse but pure statistics. He has been the heart of our team all year. It allowed Bass to be better when they double teamed Jaime. You think anyone in the country could replace a person from off the bench with those numbers? Did it hurt us? Heck yes it did... I would be amazed if you didn't think otherwise. Would we have been competitive with a healthy Jaime and Regis? If you say no I would question your thought process. Alabama lost 5 in a row with their leading scorer Ernest Shelton being injured. Of course many folks here in bama land were ready to run Gotfried out of town. Now he is a hero again.. guess what.. Shelton is back healthy. I guess Gotfried just started coaching better.
i don't intend to be degrading but I sometimes have to question the mentality of LSU basketball fans... no one is saying to accept mediocrity... LSU is not mediocre. I am not wanting people to be apathetic, just a tad more realistic. I still think most do not watch much college basketball, if any, giving them a jaded view of expectations. Hell I think most fans around the country are only interested in filling out brackets for the dance but couldnt name another player on 2 teams outside their conferences.
Who cares if fans watch thier conference only? I don't give a crap about the pac 10 or any other conference. I do have ESPN full court so I've watched OSU vs SF along with Fresno State, Rutgers and some other games. I watch the Great Alaska Shootout every year. I probably watch a few more games than most for this reason. Just because I've watched some of these games doesn't mean I know all the star players for every team I watched. What does this have to do with anything? I mainly watched the SEC and keep up with it because I don't give a crap about the Pac 10. I also have a LIFE, a Family and a job and don't have time to watch every game even if I wanted too.
