Gathers recruitment has as many ups and downs as Gunner!
LSU's made strides in Gathers' process=

can someone give me a summery of this article...The title makes it seem like good news for LSU!

Dang, you're right! I'm beginning to wonder if Gathers simply gives one perspective depending on the interviewer and what school that rag supports.

The article is generally positive and probably gives LSU as much props as any other point in time that I can remember Gathers being interviewed. With quotes from both Gathers and his coach T. Byrd, you'd think LSU has as good a chance as any other school (as it SHOULD!). Also some very positive things said about LSU Assistant Coach Brent Scott, who coaches the bigs and is the main recruiter of Gathers, from the beginning.

Look, I think of course, it's always come down for Gathers to does he want to stay near family or does he want to play on bigger stage elsewhere. It's also a matter of what can LSU show him and what kind of program is Trent building. I think as you listen to tonight's game, I think various number of times ESPNU referred to LSU as a "rising" program or an SEC "Up and comer". You look at what Hickey does as a freshman, what Hamilton has become with a season of working with Brent and Trent, and the youth on this team (let's not forget McD AA, Johnny O'Bryant), and you say, let's add Malik Morgan and Ricardo Gathers to that? Heck that's some pretty solid depth right there for a consistent program for a few years to come. I think the issue obviously for Gathers is don't expect him to do anything for the state of LA or LSU fans, he's clearly looking out for his best interests. Can't fault him for that, but it just tells me this one will be up in the air until the end. Let's just hope Trent and Brent keep recruiting hard, coaching up this team, and show him the love!

:geaux:

What scares me about next year is that without Gathers we are very thin down low!

C-Hamilton
PF-JOBIII Ludwig

That's it. Ludwig can provide a few minutes here and there, but he's not good enough to be in the 4-man rotation.

U R Right my friend. It does seem that a fair amount is riding on Gathers' decision. Although, assuming Hamilton stays another year, you can't discount what Ludwig or Courtney can come in and do in spots. Ludwig showed this past weekend, that if he has someone down low who can take other players off him, or if there are slasher/shooters next to him, he can play decent defense, hit outside jumpers, make fundamental passes. I'm certainly not saying we don't need Gathers, because truthfully, with him and Morgan, I'm seeing the consistency of classes, i.e., 1-2 top 100 kids from LA and 1-2 decent OOS players, is basically what Trent is trending right now. If he keeps doing that, LSU will consistently be in the top half to third of the SEC. Gathers gives you that physicality down low that Ludwig or Courtney lacks... he's a space eater, but with enough skill to have folks devote 1.5 bodies to. I think LSU is keeping their fingers on a few other bigs in the recruiting game, but Gathers is sort of the domino.

Speaking of Gathers, recently new footage was put up on Youtube, although the game was from earlier last year... Enjoy. Gathers' weight is definitely not in the 230-40 range as is listed by some rags. He looks a solid 250-260 right now. I think ideally he should be in that 240-245 range in college.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_mE8giN0aY]Ricardo Gathers basketball highlights from the Les Schwab Invitational - YouTube[/ame]

Also, here's a recent interview:

Five-Star Basketball - VIDEO: Ricardo Gathers on N.C. State, Kentucky's Lack of Interest & More

Hearing Gathers committed to Baylor, Oh well!
Ricardo Gathers pledges to Baylor - CBSSports.com
Ricardo Gathers, No. 35 overall prospect, picks Baylor Bears - ESPN Dallas

Big loss. Oh well, I don't think CTJ will be here after the season anyway.

A loss yes but CTJ will be our coach next year.

he may still be coach, but he ain't got nothing coming in that will help him the next year.

the end is in site for CTJ this year or next year in my mind.

Baylor's current class is ranked #4 by ESPN

they have the #2 center, #10 point guard, and now the #10 PF in Gathers

of course their team is currently ranked #6 in the country and is tied for first in the Big 12

how did Baylor, who has only been to the NCAA tournament three times in the last 50 years become so successful, especially since they are so fresh of recovering from crippling NCAA sanctions?

any chance we hire their coach? they only pay him 400K and we pay ours 1.3 million

apparently he's a great recruiter...Prior to the 2008–09 season, a Rivals.com writer called Drew the Big 12 "coach on the
rise", due to Drew's success in recruiting
talent to Baylor...and it appears he's been recruiting well ever since

This sucks. We really needed to add depth in the low post.