I heard we're offering Calipari $100 million for five years, but knocking Les back to minimum wage + 20% off at Tyger Gifts to help pay for it. Also, they offered Saban $10 million a year to be Calipari's recruiting assistant and defensive coordinator for basketball. They said he has a blitzing basketball defense he wants to try out. He accepted the deal with the understanding that LSU would build him four Saddam-sized statues of himself to be placed at the four corners outside of Tiger Stadium. And they are adding a $5000 tradition fee to all season tickets to help pay for this. Seriously though, I'd be surprised if Johnson went somewhere after just two years unless they offered him REALLY BIG $$. He seems to really like it here. Who knows, maybe they're getting Dale Brown involved with program again as an assistant or some kind of program sunshine pumper/motivator. I saw him at a few games this year. That would seem more likely to me than Johnson leaving. But you never know. Nobody thought Saban was going to Bama either after just two years with Miami.
I disagree. Now, if CTJ had a five year record of success at LSU and was one of the best coaches in the SEC (proven), and was dragging in tons of talent - and then chose to take a pay cut and play at a mid-major, then OK - I'm sorta with you. But how is it embarrassing if Joe Aleva lets CTJ go (he does have tools to keep CTJ at LSU) and hires a more accomplished coach? Hiring up from CTJ might not be a given - but LSU is a national powerhouse athletic program with millions of dollars, millions of hardcore fans ($$), national name brand recognition ($$), at least a modicum of basketball history, good facilities, etc., etc., etc. Plus - this aint football. A new coach can come in and have a great team right off the bat, as CTJ proved his first year. So I'm not worried about that, either. I like CTJ - don't want him to leave - think he's got the program headed in a good direction. But LSU is not helpless and poor if CTJ leaves - if we can't hire up, then Aleva should be fired, IMO.
We've got several of those recruits coming in strictly b/c they want to play for CTJ. If he leaves we are right back in the talent cellar minus Tas. Also I don't know where this assumption that we can "trade up" comes from. LSU is virtually unknown nationally as a major basketball program, so we wouldn't be getting a big-name coach, but looking for a next big thing from the mid-majors.
Jordy saying there is a "big change" coming in the basketball program ? Seems to me being offered a job or two is not a big change... A big change would be TJ accepting said opening. Or, is Jordy just stiring the pot & trying to get more listeners?
I think you answered your own question. There's been no indication whatsoever that he's actually interested in the job. Until there's a lot more smoke I wouldn't worry about it.
The guy has an agent, whose job is to test the waters. Jimmy Sexton has proven that agents can get raises for their clients by letting it leak that other schools are interested. It happened every single year Nick was at LSU. Johnson is a young coach and a good recruiter with upside. We will have problems when nobody is interested in our coach. I don't think this means Johnson is looking, just that his agent is working. He didn't make a jump to the SEC to step back to a minor school. But he had a horrible year this year and his agent is reminding everyone that he's still a rising star. If Johnson leaves after two years with no apparent fan or administration pressure . . . then there is something going on that we don't know about.
