As the dust settles from LSU's first commitment of 2012, Malik Morgan, it's a reminder that at the end of the day, kids want to go where they want to go. Much like Javan Felix talked about Texas being his "dream school", we hear from Malik Morgan that LSU was his dream school, perhaps even since he was a baby. Guard Morgan makes it official, commits to LSU | LSU | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA I remember John Isaac having similar comments of wanting to stay home, playing close to home, and Morgan also commented that he wanted his family to be able to come and see him play. And, well, that's not a bad thing and hopefully folks will embrace that. Until LSU basketball is sort of "back on the map" (i.e., getting into post-season play consistently), I would guess that this is the formula for the LSU recruit. We are going to be focusing hard on LA recruits coming up in the 2013, 2014, and 2015 deeper classes that feel that same way with strong ties to the school or the community (although I'm sure in the beginning, that's what Trent probably heard from Gathers and Felix, that they cared about these kinds of things), and at the same time recruiting those kids in MS, TX and the surrounding areas who may not want to play at home, and get away from home for a new college experience, while playing for a SEC program and a good coach. Not losing hope on late blooming LA prospect, or the MS or TX prospects that want to get away, experience a real fun University environment (i.e., Turner, Stringer, O'Bryant) and build a traditional powerhouse back up. :geauxtige
That's why I still feel that LSU should play game(s) in the Hornet's arena. Recruits like to play in NBA arenas, and since LSU is going after a lot of players from NO they should be willing to play games there so that they can have family and friends be able to go to the game. I'm not a recruiting expert, but it always seem that the "family being close by" is a big reason players stay near home. They might not stay in state, but they won't go across the country because they want family nearby.
Absolutely. You think about the LSU Dale Brown "Superdome" games as a way to get LSU basketball on the map--it's a chicken and egg thing--were those 50-60K attendance games because it was a very good LSU team playing someone like Georgetown? Or, just the fact that folks wanted to watch some big basketball event in N.O.? I'm not sure you're in a "schedule it and they will come" mode right now, where there is a Hornets team that struggles to fill its arena during the NBA season. In any case, maybe this is something Alleva can work on besides hiring coaches and raising $$s. Have LSU play a reasonably good game in N.O. as a "neutral" game, like they played Memphis in MS. Maybe it's a Big 12 school willing to come to N.O., like a ... Texas A&M, that then switches locales to the Houston Toyota Center the next year (note of course that is what LSU and Texas did a few years back during the Big Baby era--good game, bad result and not sure it helped Brady a ton). May be a more real scenario now that A&M may/will be in the league. Playing at a NBA site in N.O. and Houston consistently, can't hurt with recruiting. Recruits want to know they're going to a competitive team that will get them exposure. I just think right now, Trent is a little gun shy about over scheduling. But, it's something that you should book for 2012-13, if you're wanting to make a statement to kids in the 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes.
