Amusing, no. Contradictory, maybe. Fking is a nickel and dimer on the academic side. He’s probably figuring out over time that, at LSU, you need to keep football at the top. Shelling out 7.5 mil per year for 10 years for Roscoe (Jimbo) 2 years ago was likely too much for him to swallow. 2.5 mil x 4 years for Aranda, while high, is not in the same ballpark, thus, an easier decision, especially if they feel he may be our next HC. You keep referring to Oeaux’s buyout, and I too was initially appalled and flabbergasted by that. But Bhelms points about needing that in place for stability and recruiting made me think about it in a more expansive view. You keep narrowing in on that b/c, psychologically, whether you realize it or not, you simply don’t like/want Oeaux. I get it. He was by no means my top choice either, but he’s here and I want LSU to succeed. If giving Oeaux a more meaningful buyout to give his hiring the oomph it needs, then that’s just part of it. If it pans out to be a mistake then at least it’s a less costly one than Roscoe. I think your distaste of Oeaux super cedes your ability to see Oeaux’s buyout in any other light than one that is illogical and will ultimately costs us. If, in 3 years, he has the program humming at a high level, you will not see the buyout as part of the needed mechanism to have gotten it there. Edit: additionally, these considerations aren’t in a vacuum. Two years ago, LSU was faced acutely with severe budget cuts, and FKing was feeling a lot of political pressure to not publicly overspend on a football coach. Now, the political and economic environment is slightly better for this decision. Plus, I think it is likely more clear to him now that the football program cannot fail, or he will. Just my outsiders impression.
You assume what Nick was thinking and I’ll assume what Nick was thinking and I’ll be in Dublin before ya. He left here as much as he went to Miami. I stand by it.
What concerns me is that he didn’t know that earlier. First rule of business success is to identify your cash cow and build a hedge around it. Like our governor he saw it as an expense not an asset!
More likely the powers that be ( petro chemical $) have told F King to stay in the kitchen where he belongs. The coup d’etat against Elmer failed in part because Elmer was somewhat a loveable fool and of course cuz Duke Alleva is an ass clown incapable of generating much support even if he does by miracle have a good idea. My guess is if (when) LSU goes HC shopping again it will involve an assload of cash. The money folks are more attentive now. The Evil Dwarf might outcoach us but the Faggies from Cowtown aren’t going to outmaneuver us.
