It's certainly a fair question to ask, but I tend to be the optimist. First, I think fans of college sports (or maybe just people on the board) tend to be extremists. Doom and gloom in a season seems to suggest the end is coming or that things can't be turned around. See the reaction to Miles this year. And, see the reaction to Brady's and Dale's last few years. Truth of looking at the stats, LSU basketball (and I'd argue LSU football of the 90s) generally has been an up and down team, with LSU fighting and clawing to be in the upper echelon of the SEC. Now, in that '78-'94 time period, Dale had a really good run, and despite finishing as low as 6th, the fan base was there, the TV was there, the big recruits were there, and playing games in the Superdome, and match ups with top 10 teams, were there. I think that to some extent, LSU DOES have to make the investment in hoops, and that may mean for a short time, running the sport in the "red." But, they've started to do that--first with the much needed PMAC practice facility--and can do that with Football and Baseball helping. Now, it's up to Trent and the recruits to build something. I do think that the rest of the SEC has become more competitive, but we have to be patient and give CTJ some time to get his foundation built and then, rally around the team, support the sport, and then get the word back to LA based hoops recruits again that this is the place they want to play. I'd contend that if Trent has a good 2012 recruiting class (much like he did with 2010), we would have seen 3 years of sustained positive momentum--and THAT will continue build fan base support and more competitive teams at LSU. And, to my point elsewhere on this board, there is a pretty fine line between good teams and bad teams in college basketball. Honestly, we look at this 0-10 SEC team and say, "how could they be so bad"? And, we forget sometimes that this game is in many ways even more predicated on mental confidence, team chemistry, and how success breeds success or failure breeds failure. Often times the "talent" isn't that far apart, but it's bad bounces in a season and the commitment to winning. Close losses against Utah and WSU kill us in the non-conference, and then the athletic, deeper teams in the SEC West gang up on us in SEC play. I don't think turning the corner is as drastic as folks think. As I predicted early in the season, watch out for Arkansas. A young team that was at the bottom of the SEC last year, is now leading the West? Bama is struggling even with Grant and some good players. Miss St is quietly struggling. Ole Miss is good with it's more senior/junior leadership--but all of these teams will have people leave next year. I honestly think with another year under their belt, and healthier, with a fully built practice facility where these kids can practice year-round, and an incredibly deep class in 2010, plus Malcolm White, LSU will be much more competitive next year, and hopefully fans will not wait to see the product on the court, and just buy into the turnaround sooner. It was interesting to read the quote from Tim Miller (Ross Miller's dad): “We loved the visit,” Tim Miller said. “What really impressed us is when they were getting beat by Kentucky (81-55), the fans were still on their feet and supportive. They knew a better day was coming.” 2theadvocate.com | Sports | Point guard commits to play for LSU — Baton Rouge, LA Recruits notice this, and this is what will hopefully turn it around for us, along side CTJ's recruiting and coaching. I say build the program, and the $$$ will take care of itself. It is a good point about the women's team too. We can't forget that those games technically help raise $$ for basketball. I think we tend to average in the 5,000 paid attendance for those games, but we certainly have big games every season like Tennessee which can fill up PMAC.
If you think CTJ should've tried to pick up some juco players, or other types of kids he ordinarily wouldn't go after as a stop gap last year, then you're likely to be disappointed. If you accept that he's trying to build the type of program he wants and not just looking for a quick fix, then it's something you can live with.
We have 2 seniors on the team, between them they make up a majority of the experience on this team. The other 5 years is split between 4 people. And half of our of that 6 years of experience from our senior duo is out for the year. We started the race on an empty tank. what did you expect us to do this year?
Let's put it this way, I am willing to "accept" anything that Trent puts on the court this year and probably next, just given (a) the state of the program he was left with, (b) the fact that he won the SEC last year, (c) the actual person he is and the fact that he actually has a plan, that is blessed by Joe A and most of the LSU basketball community, and is following it, and (d) where recruiting momentum is going, and his 2010-11 recruiting class. I think we often get hung up on this word "acceptable" or "is it good enough" to judge coaches, while we all don't agree on what the "standard" or "bar" is. Is the bar where LSU is expected to compete for SEC championships? Or, is the bar to right a sinking ship? Now, if you ask me would I be "disappointed" with a 0-16 SEC season, sure, I'd say yes. As would Trent. I just think that noone, including him, would have thought that Alex Farrer would be hurt for the entire season, and that Spencer, Dotson, Green, and Harris would play through injury the way they have. Now, I think looking back on the season, there will be areas where Trent must be critical of himself and the staff, and the players, i.e., there are probably times where calls were made or perhaps schemes weren't the best. For example, I wonder if this year, LSU shouldn't have used a zone defense more, or developed perhaps a few wrinkles of zone defenses that preserved players longer in the game (note, Trent did use zone more this year, but admittedly, players didn't necessarily rebound better in it). Also, I wonder given the at times inept offense, whether Trent developed enough offensive sets and the right use of his personnel, to get the key basket when needed (note again, there are limited options here, but can you get Dennis Harris, or Kinsley, in the right set opposite Spencer and Tas') or drive to the right offensive philosophy (let's make sure we're being aggressive and taking the ball to the hoop and getting fouled as opposed to settling for jumpshots). But, by and large, are kids are playing hard, and there is a lot of inexperience out there. I do see improvements being made in the players, though, and that's the key from my perspective. For example, I think each of Warren, Harris, Ludwig and Green will be better for all of the hard lumps this season. Is Trent still coaching, are the players receptive to the coaching, and is there a foundation being laid for next year? I'd say yes, so this season is "acceptable."
I don't agree with TJ not going after the 1 and done player. If Joe Alleva and the athletic dept. are so damned worried about putting people in the stands, then why not go after that type player. It almost looks like TJ is lazy and doesn't want to put it the extra work it would take when you get a player of that caliber, having a guy who is a 1 and done like John Wall, or Mello, can only help LSU even if for that year. You can still go after the other guys, and recruit to build a great program. I think that is a huge mistake on TJ's part.
I was in the stands in 2007-2008 when we had a one and done guy. It didn't help put butts in the seats then. More to the point, name the one and done player TJ shoud have recruited and the 4 year type guy he should remove from the 2010 class. The incoming class has some really good players in it, and it addresses needs. It will provide immediate depth and more importantly some continuity which has been missing from the LSU program for far too long.
