Ok, I don't want this to spiral into a Brady-session again, but look at a key time in Brady's tenure... 2001-2006. In this time post sactions and pre-recent slump, he went to the post season EVERY YEAR. I don't get this "inconsistent" winning bull crap. It's a lame excuse to point out a "mediocre" record in the SEC becuase, HELLO, going .500+ in the SEC GETS YOU INTO THE POST-SEASON TOURNEYS. After all, isn't that what the great TRAVIS FORD is doing now? He's in a weaker conference, and he's winning 24-25 games a season, BUT HE's JUST GOING TO THE NIT ... a couple years in a row. Brady went to the NIT or NCAAs every year between 2001 and 2006. Is that "inconsistent" winning? If so, you would have fired Mark Gottfriend, Kevin Stallings, Rick Stansbury, heck Andy Kennedy... all of the SEC coaches except for Tubby and Billy D perhaps. All of these guys skipped a year or two not making the NCAAs or the NITs in their coaching stretches. So, I think these "Brady was not consistent" enough is just bull. It's LSU fans not supporting Brady for other reasons than not winning, and it's LSU fans not loving hoops enough to realize that a basketball team is not supposed to win EVERY single game in a season. It's supposed to be competitive, with a chance to win their conference championship, and get to post season play. Between 2001 and 2006, Brady did that. But, check the LSU average attendance during that time against the Vanderbilts, Bamas and Tennessees. I think what you'll find will prove my point--LSU fans (as compared to their SEC counterparts) did not adequately support a WINNING and COMPETITIVE program. Brady was fired for his last two seasons. That much is true. And, he probably deserved to be let go after this season. As for the mediocre coach with exciting brand of ball, all I'm saying is what was said by folks on this board in reference to Daddy Dale. Many of Dale's seasons were just as poor as Brady... only folks liked him. So, that's become a job criteria for the next guy. Lastly, I agree with you on the LSU NOT pouring $$$s into hoops thing. It's no coincidence that crappy coaches like Mark Gottfried can get better recruiting classes than LSU. Look at their arena and facilities and look at ours. It's also one of the reasons why big name coaches like Tim Floyd aren't taking LSU seriously. There's a chicken and egg problem here. If you build it will they come? Or, do we have to get a Bruce Pearl kind of coach in here to generate excitement to make up for a poorly supported program? How do you get that guy, with the support folks are giving?
I don't get those that say he won consistently either. He didn't win consistently in the last seven years he was here nor did he win consistently in his eleven year tenure. If you want to say he won consistently for five years in a row that would be more accurate. I know the probation years shouldn't count but they do just like the one year he made it to the sweet sixteen, I think? Anyway I will excuse those for the heck of it. I admit 5 out of 7 aint bad but it seems like people want to forget the other two, they weren't just losing seasons but worse, if possible. I don't believe everyone bringing this stuff up about Brady winning consistently are looking at the whole picture either. He had two years where bad character players hurt the season, Jaime Lloreda and Tack Minor for instance. Also are you going to tell me those at LSU responsible for letting Brady go didn't look at his graduation rates? This is a college where kids go to school to become educated? Fair enough but I don't think he won consistently when you consider the last two years, There is no excuse for the final four team returning with the exception of TT, having a down year that they did. Probably the worse record of any final four team returning ever? Totally agree here, winning cures everything. Brady had just enough bad years here for him to be run off. I do believe it is the way he impoded at times, his actions and comments. I think it had a lot more to do with just losing, some forget graduation rates, etc. Sadly this is true and probably the reason why we aren't a serious basketball school, I don't like it but true. Maybe this is also a product of not winning so to speak over the years. What I mean by this is not winning a championship, look at the baseball facilities, stadium and money spent there after winning championships. I don't get this? I can understand why they might not come during Brady's early years while on probation. It is what it is, like I said earlier in this thread, John Brady's problem is that he followed Dale Brown versus someone with a tough character such as a Bob Knight type. John Brady following Dale Brown didn't do him any favors, from probation to personality!
I think people are losing site of the fact that when Dale had full arenas was when football was down. The big years for Dale were 1979-83, 1985, and the early 90's. Except for 1985, LSU football was in a slump. During the Shaq years, Hallman was head coach and football attendance averaged in the low to mid 60's. The fans were looking for a winning team to cheer on and basketball filled the bill. Baseball was winning at this time but that only includes 7,000 fans. Dale was also a marketer as was Skip. They built their programs from scrap by drawing people in with give aways and entertaining teams. With current high price of football tickets, it will be difficult to sell out the PMAC. In fact I don't know if you will ever see it again.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3330850 "We had a brief conversation today, and I mentioned the importance of hiring a basketball coach," LSU interim chancellor William Jenkins told the Shreveport Times after announcing Alleva's hiring. "And that's under way. I would hope we'd have one in a week. It's a very good pool of candidates." In a week I hope so!!!!
The new AD hopes to have a new BB coach by the middle of this coming week according to DD who talked to him yesterday..
