Fair enough. So, if Les gets canned for not meeting expectations . . . who are you picking for the losses?
I'd be worried about Arkansas sneaking up on us. The team will be up for Bama and Florida (not that those are ever easy), but Mallett is a year older and more experienced in Petrino's system, and it's in their house.
Not necessarily - it depends on how SEC West shakes out. Last year we were very close to winning 11 games. We only won 9. If that same scenario were to play out this year (except with better reason for optimism in the future - aka getting better as the season goes along & no coaching mishaps that cause a loss), then I think Les would be fine for another year.
Sure there is, and it hasn't happened, hasn't even hinted at happening. I enjoy your posts, but this is total crap. Ticket sales are not dropping and not even coming close. We could lose 8 games this year and they would not drop. Take it from someone who has a great deal invested in season tickets. For every person that drops, there are literally hundreds to take their place. And invariably the reason behind dropping has nothing to do with Miles or expectations. It has to do with the age of the ticket holder and their unwillingness to buy and redistribute their tickets anymore - which is what many bluebloods do. And saying "it hasn't happened yet is because it isn't a trend - yet. " is just unsupported. I can just as easily say it hasn't happened yet because LSU fans like gumbo. The only fact is that it has not happened. And there is no indication from current ticket renewals that it will.
So how many 8 win seasons in a row would it take until sales dropped? Or do you not think they would drop? I cannot prove it, of course, but I strongly believe that TAF contributions would drop if we were to have a couple 8 win seasons in a row.
Not entering the debate but leads to the new ticket rules in effect. TAF contributions are going to drop this year and the following years now that the contributions to TAF above the automatic donations for having season tickets do not help season ticket holders with gaining extra tickets, better seats, etc... LSU is now requiring ticket holders to contribute to projects outside of football to have the same benefits.
I don't. They surely wouldn't plummet. Young guys don't like to hear it, but it wasn't all that long ago that LSU suffered six losing seasons in a row. LOSING seasons like 3-8 and 4-7. 8 wins beats the crap out of that. But the fans did not flee. Grumble, bitch, and moan, sure. But disappear . . . nope. Don't forget that Ole Miss dropped to being nobody for 30 years, Alabama had a ton of 7 and 8 win seasons this past decade, Florida stumbled between Spurrier and Mayer. Nobody goes to the top and stays there, not even Texas and USC who hire the best players and coaches in the country year-in and year-out. Teams are going to have peaks and valleys in this decade, especially in the highly competitive SEC. LSU could have lots worse problems than a win-waveform that peaks at national championships and troughs at 8 wins. Florida and Bama have suffered 7-win seasons in the last decade, but not LSU. So have another draft, Dude. LSU is highly competitive, recruits well, shows no sign of any drop-off and has a record that is envied by 100 other teams. Disappointed, unrealistic fans do not constitute football catastrophes. LSU is selling tickets, TAF is bringing in dollars.
Honestly, having lived to see LSU reach a pinnacle in it's own football history, we have developed some younger fans that don't really know what hard times are. And to be fair, this exists across the board in CFB. Expectations are through the roof at every program, not just here. But I think there is a quality about LSU fans that others simply don't have. It is why our tailgates are the most legendary in the country. It's why the stadium is so damn loud. It's why our baseball teams play before thousands of people every night. Our fans are really loyal, and hopeful - you had to be in the 90's! And our program is not in disarray. Mild disappointment perhaps, but not disarray. I think Miles has a few more mulligans before he is gone. Miles is not the best coach, but he has followed a pretty tough act, and one that continues to cast a shadow over him. I think in order to justify getting rid of him, he is going to have to tank in a fairly dramatic fashion. IMO, nine wins this season won't be enough to do it.
