2012-2013 LSU Men's Basketball General Discussion Thread

While I'm all for calling a spade and spade and I personally think that CTJ and CJB probably didn't get the credit when they deserved it, I look at, season to season, as well as the season within the season, to judge coaching. Let's first set aside the "momentum/buzz" factor. Yes, there is some element of this which is "home town boy" comes home, and the initial "we love him more than the last guy" factor, but you also can't argue with the recruiting. At the end of the day, college sports is let's be fair, mostly about recruiting. Whether it's football, basketball, baseball, and most big time sports. When Trent's able to recruit maybe 1 or 2 impact guys a year, and CJJ can recruit 3 or 4, you have to give him his props. CJB could occasionally get maybe 2-3 guys in a class but then strike a zero on the next. Trent was at danger of doing that too. CJJ's recruiting in year one (picking up Carmouche, and Collins) was good, but in year 2, he hit it out the park. I think "buzz" is built, like the stock market, on prospects, and I think most would not argue, prospects are bright. Signing the first McDAA from BR since Glen Davis, doesn't hurt.

As far as coaching, I'll say this, yes, at times the style of play of LSU is hectic. I don't think that CJJ expects the turnovers. But, you're taking a team used to a halfcourt set from CTJ, adding new guards in Carmouche, Morgan and Hammink and asking them to press, push the ball, and play faster. By definition there are going to be growing pains. That said, did you watch the game last night? The defense is pretty stout. They press opportunistically. They also have start to achieve more balance going inside and then out. They shoot a little better from the FT and 3 point land last night and they win by over 25 as opposed to by 18. CJJ is doing some things well, particularly keeping the players playing hard. And, if you look at who's improved, you say JOB now looks like an all-SEC power forward, if not the top inside player in the SEC. Hickey, while leading the US in steals, is starting the get rid of the ball faster, the ball is moving faster around the perimeter.

Obviously CTJ won the SEC his first year and was a good coach, but I'll also give CJJ some credit. He's doing some very positive things... the recruiting is a big plus, and so his "stock" may be higher.

 

Off topic but I was thinking recently about how Tuba will be asked for the next 50 years of his life (probably thousands of times), "Dang, you're really tall dude, did you play basketball?".

Fortunately for him now, a simple "Yeah, I played for LSU" can end the conversation rather than "No" or "Well, you see, I was in the band at LSU and thought about trying out for the team but the band takes so much of your time that it's impossible to do both so I chose to stick with band".

 

I briefly checked through this thread but didn't see details on the incoming class that I've been hearing good things about lately. Could someone provide an overview? Just a background of the guys coming in next year.

 

So did Johnson forget how to coach or are the Lopez's that good?

 

They seem to be playing well. Morgan's stats are good. Hoping this string of good play translates in to wins Against good teams.

 

So? That doesn't make ctj look bad, and certainly has nothing to do w coaching

 

5 players w 10 pts, good sign