well since the last post about this that was reasonable and made a decent point was locked simply because the person who wrote it is not liked i figured i'd start another one.

that certain unliked person said the LSU teams havent played well when they have been ranked. i'd take it another step and say they have come out flat when they have started to build any kind of momentum in recent years and that has had an affect on turn out. maybe brady is a better motivator when its us against the world.

I don't know how to really respond to this question... Trying to be intelligent about it, I think there is evidence to say historically that Brady has struggled (since '00-'01 season) getting over the hump and keeping momentum going when ranked. I think that history would show the Tigers lost to 'Bama this week, they lost after upsetting WVU this season, going back a few years they lost soon after cracking the top 25 also with Lloreda's team.

I honestly don't hold the 'Bama game against Brady. The loss after WVU I do. The problem is though that this is college basketball where you honestly see a lot of teams, even good ones, with volatile inconsistent seasons (look at Louisville, Kentucky, Syracuse as examples of teams that have fallen from grace). The season is a long maturation process, and I'd always take a team that's playing well at the end of the season over a team that is ranked high during the season and falls. At some level, being ranked is secondary to competing at a high level in your conference and then having a good shot to advance far in post-season play. On top of this, I'd argue that to be and to stay a perennial top 20 team, you have to have the talent, team chemistry, the coaching (obviously) and tradition and mindset of winning all the time.

As you pointed out, would LSU fans come back and pack the PMAC if the Tigers win consistently and are ranked week in and out? Probably. But, the reality is this was a season where a lot of folks didn't know what to expect with this young team, it IS a young team that is by definition then going to be less consistent, and heck, they're playing a tough schedule. 'Bama was a tough loss on the road.

So, I'd say that Brady has so far had a hard time getting LSU back to a perennial, consistent top 20 team--due to overall inconsistent talent, unfortunate circumstances (e.g., injuries), talent leaving too early, etc. But, on balance, he's had some big upsets to go with the losses in games he should have won--which means that he can coach his teams to above their playing ability. He can motivate his players when they aren't expected to win--but that's all the Tigers quite frankly have known--most fans have not for a long time EXPECTED the Tigers to be a top 20 team. Like Saban who had to come in and instill a sense of winning consistently and playing the game consistently at a high level, Brady now has to instill in his young team that sense. I believe if this team stays together a few more years, you'll see this characterization of Brady not being able to "keep the ranking" diminish (to be honest, I also believe they're one legit impact PG away from doing this sooner). Of course, in college basketball, unlike football, there's a far greater risk that players will not stay around--so, it's also harder to gain that consistency.

Overall, I believe Brady's got his program in an "improving" mode, which is better than the "declining" mode. And, the Tigers are still SEC leaders, which by itself should be enough reason for LSU fans to support the team, whether they're ranked or not. I think that our spoiled fans, honestly, lose sight of what it means to be a good basketball team and ranked in the top 20, especially when the SEC is not a "basketball conference." We have to remember that only two SEC teams are ranked above LSU in the polls, and we've beat one of them already. :geauxtige :bball:

I think it's very strange that the anti-Brady types are jumping all over this Bama loss.

Alabama is a solid, albeit young and inconsistent team. They put together a really nice effort, and losing a close game against such a team (and on the road) is nothing to be ashamed of at all.

Losing to UH, sure, but losing to Bama? Not quite.