Just for the sake of discussion, a couple of comments: 1. First on Tack, I'm not sure what to make of your comment. I read the article and I actually thought a couple of things--one, I thought, is Andy Katz actually writing about the Tigers? (I guess that's a fall out of being a FINAL FOUR TEAM last year:hihi: ... so any publicity is good publicity). Second, I actually thought the article was a balanced piece on how Brady and Tack butt heads, but are trying to make it work. I'm assuming since you've bashed Tack before on other posts, your point is that Tack is not good for the team. But, I identified very early into the season that Tack is important for the team. He's inconsistent, but he's one the reasons that we won the UConn game. And, I guess, it's a crime to be inconsistent in college basketball... and somehow Tack's inconsistency is a mark against the program? 2. On the Monroe thing, I guess your point is that any worthwhile college basketball program would be signing all it's top in state talent? Yeah, it's real easy to do. Take Texas for example... You telling me that Arizona, UConn, Kansas, UNC haven't year in and year out taken the best talent from that state over Texas, Texas A&M, etc.? It wasn't until recently with Barnes and Gillipsie that Texas even came close to keeping their talent in state. Sure, LSU has lost out on some in-state talent, but it's also gotten some too. And, if you're blasting LSU for not being on par with Coach K at Duke and Coach Williams at UNC, I think you really are being negative, b/c you don't seem to understand what it takes to build a program, much less rebuild a program. I'd say it's arguably easier to recruit for LSU football, b/c there is such a following, there are championships, and so, losing McKnight would be a bigger loss.
Exactly. And, good point. On the one hand, bashers bash Brady for not being able to recruit in-state, then they say that Brady needs to recruit out of state in order to be successful. Well, some of the guards you speak of include: Jarius Jackson and Martin Zeno, Texas Tech Terry Martin, Texas Tech (not really b/c he's at LSU) Shane Foster, Vanderbilt Demond Carter and LaDarius Dunn, Baylor When's the last time that Texas Tech, Vanderbilt or Baylor went to the Final Four?
While I realize that this was said in the context of showing that the players who left the state weren't so great they singlehandedly lifted schools to a Final Four level, I'm not sure that statement actually helps your or Brady's case. It's still a team game and as we have seen and can see right now (with Davis & Mitchell being the only 2 consistent performers, at least offensively, on the squad right now), having 2 good players isn't enough to elevate to that level. Fans can at least understand losing recruits to the big time hoops schools. You can also add Ryan Francis to the list of guards who left the state and did well for other schools. (Of course, tragically shortened in Francis's case.) Francis wasn't a high profile recruit, but obviously Tim Floyd saw something in him. The bottom line is that despite some success, Brady's program has had a serious and consistent weakness at guard. We do have some talent now, and hopefully the guys we have will keep improving but for the moment they are very inconsistent.
The fact is it takes time to build a program. Brady has done a great job of keeping the best talent in Louisiana at LSU. Check Brown's record. Brown had a reputation of being a great recruiter. However, anyone that kept up with LSU basketball and recruiting knows the best BB players in the state, during those years did not go to LSU. Karl Malone, Louis Dunbar, Dumars, Kittles, Orland Woolridge, and on and on.
This is a fair comment, which I suppose is the statement that Brady has missed out on some players that we would have loved to have. But, I guess my point (and the point of the poster above) is that for what college program does that not happen to? With potentially the exception of just a few programs (and at this point, I'd say that's UNC primarily), most college basketball programs no matter how good cannot circle a state's boundaries. It's just a slightly different dynamic in college hoops versus football. Less scholarships to give, less playing time for individuals. I'll also admit that I have been on this board before bemoaning Brady's ability (and/or willingness) to prioritize guards. I would love to see "impact" guards be signed. BUT, to play devil's advocate here, you have to look at what he's done with what he recruited--a final four without top tier guard play. He's obviously had a system emphasizing a double low post threat, and it's worked for him. And, we have to give him some credit for gradual improvement. As I think back in his recruiting career, he's signed guys like D.Mitch, Torris Bright, Antonio Hudson out of LA--these were top 150-ish guys out of LA, who had varying degrees of success amidst the probation. More recently, he's landed Martin (top 70), Mason (top 50) and Minor (top 50) who were at least coming out of high school, more celebrated guard recruits. Now, Mason and Martin were transfers, so maybe you say Brady's not signing them. BUT, at least on paper, I view him getting better in that respect. Now, I know fans are claiming the players are "inconsistent" but you can't bash the recruiting, b/c these were decent recruits and noone can predict whether every good recruit will be "consistent." Clearly, Brady's also not shunning guard play... if a recruit like J'Covan Brown or Ray Shipman sees that these guys are getting PLENTY of SHOTs (vs. 'Bama, the guards essentially took close to 30 shots to 34 by Big Baby and Tas'), they will realize that a good frontline leads to easier guard play. I think these next few years will continue to tell the story on recruiting. We already have a commitment from Tommy Mason-Griffin a '09 fairly highly regarded PG out of Houston (who I will be extremely happy to see if and when he gets here). And, we're getting looks from the likes of Brown and Shipman. :geauxtige :bball: :champs: LSU IS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL. SIX NBA LOTTERY PICKS ... AND COUNTING.
I think LSU is going to start focusing on mainly Greg Monroe, Ray Shipman, and Willie Warren. Warren is a lot like J'Covan Brown in that they both have unlimited range, can create shots, and can pass and dribble with flair. However, Warren does not have the ego that J'Covan possesses, nor the bad grades. Rivals doesn't show any interest in him, but in the latest article on him, he says: "I don't have a leader, but Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, LSU, Cincinnati, and Baylor are the six I am looking at right now." I think it's safe to cross out Arkansas, Cincinnati, Baylor, and possibly Texas.
This would be a bigtime guard for 2008. Unfortunately rivals does not have him listing LSU as a school of interest.
Thanks, 'Chokes for the update. For what it's worth here, Anthony Randolph didn't list LSU until like 4 or 5 weeks before he committed it seems, so I don't put too much weight into what the rags say about schools of interest at this point, and 'chokes is right, the Rivals article has Willie listing LSU. I think a lot happens over the summer at the summer tourneys and those first months after the summer, as kids start to jockey around and the chips fall, so I think the key for Monroe and Warren (who eventually will talk to each other) is how is LSU sitting this summer. Watching Willie Warren does make me salivate a little. The kid's got a nice stroke (not sure he's as pure a shooter as Brown tho' off the bounce), and seems to be a strong dribbler who can take into the paint. In any case, it's good to see some options there with Shipman, Warren and probably before the summer's over, there will be another one or two unexpected guards that at least get on the radar... Also, for those that have access, Rivals just put up new footage of our '09 verbal commitment, Tommy Mason-Griffin (http://lsu.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=54076). He's as advertised--a short, but strong, quick player who's fast and can handle. I think after watching this video, you can understand a little of why maybe the staff backed off Lucas and went harder at Griffin. They played on the same AAU team, and recently Griffin outplayed Lucas in a match up of high schools. Griffin's stronger and probably could outmuscle Lucas, and defend against slightly taller guards in the SEC. You'd like to see him grow a couple of inches, but he's real quick, seems to be interested in dishing and can drop the dime off the dribble. Adding a good shooting guard the next couple of years to play with Tommy would be very nice. :geauxtige :bball: :champs: LSU IS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL. SIX NBA LOTTERY PICKS ... AND COUNTING.
My friend, consider Warren officially listed. He's listing LSU among six others as leaders... Arkansas, Kansas, Florida, Baylor, Cincinnati and Texas. And, this weekend's game takes on larger recruiting significance. Warren will be in attendance at the game and is considering both the 'Hogs and the Tigers (sounds like Arkansas is really rushing him). Here are some of the things he had to say... "I'm looking for a certain style of play and a coaching staff and somewhere where I can make an immediate impact as a freshman," Warren said. "I want to go somewhere where they run it and it's loose like the Phoenix Suns. Distance doesn't matter. It's all about the style of play and the type of impact I can make." "I'm supposed to go to Fayetteville for Arkansas-LSU this Saturday. I talk to (Arkansas) constantly on a daily basis," Warren said. "I haven't been to any games during the season. Our coach wants us to be around all the time so he doesn't like us to leave during the season. I'm surprised he is going to let me go to Arkansas." Willie, consider the following... you can play immediately, you could be playing with potentially GMoney (aka Greg Monroe), Anthony Randolph, and with the LSU talent, you could instantly give us a running game. :grin: :geauxtige :bball: :champs: LSU IS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL. SIX NBA LOTTERY PICKS... AND COUNTING.
