Word is Rick Stansbury is out at Miss St....I wonder will that have an effect on their recruits...Can Trent sneak in a grab another guy from miss?
What about Norvel Pelle? Any more news on this guy? I watched his highlights....lots of dunks, as someone else already pointed out, but reminded me a little of Tyrus Thomas.
These recruits you fellows are talking about on here sure sound good & I hope we get them every one. I know there are still good recruits out there I'm just takin a wait & see position with our coaching staff as far as actually gettin these players to visit & sign the papers. When I watch teams like Norfork State & Lehigh & even Long Island hanging with the big boys I get flustrated wondering why LSU can't (after 4 years) do the same. I know we are making progress but that late season collapse sure leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Progress, progress progress, program, program, program has got to add up to wins wins wins or it don't mean anything. Im behind coach Trent & pulling hard for him & his staff to get it done but I think next year has gotta be a lot better or he's done. Hornland is totally purple & unbelivevably able to fine something positive out of everything. I hope he's right.
Well, we did beat #11 Marquette and we hung in there with Kentucky. Also, teams like Norfolk State and Lehigh aren't hanging with the big boys on a consistent basis.
This is crazy! You watch some low to mid major, who was lucky enough to make it out of their generally crappy conference and hang with Duke and Missouri? And, you're not asking what the hell Frank Haith or Coach K were doing? Don't you think that Duke fans and Missouri fans are more frustrated than you as a LSU fan? :lol: That's the reality of basketball. There's far greater parity in the college basketball game than in college football or college baseball, because on any given night 5 kids on the court can get hot, cold, or have a brain fart in a key moment on the court. After 4 years, LSU's got some good young players and hopefully more on the way. Take a look at the rosters of Norfolk St and Lehigh, and tell me there aren't some good juniors and seniors on those teams that stuck with it, and tell me what these teams were doing 3 or 4 years ago. Most of them weren't even sniffing the NCAAs either. It's not unreasonable optimism, it's just basketball reality.
You Horn of all the posters on here keep me & everyone well inforrmed on recruits & the basketball coaches plans for the future & I for one appreciate it very much. Im by nature not a real optimistic person & your reports do keep me hoping for the best. I guess my point was that those midmajors made it to the tournament & when they had their chance they took it & got some major wins. We (lsu) didn't, & that flustrates me. Ok, we gonna do better next year. I'll leave it at that..thanks again for your posts (& everyone else) about the basketball program. Baton Rouge is full of basketball fans that will follow a winner, I watched Pete fill the place up for four years & Dale did the same. Question - what is the story recruiting wise with this Martin kid from Madison Prep. do we have a chance?
I appreciate the words. I have been posting less these days, largely b/c it's tiring trying to be an optimistic hoops fans in a sea of seemingly pessimistic "rantards". Less so on this board thankfully. When I read some of the stuff on other boards, I just cringe. Either folks just don't understand basketball, or they are purposefully trying to be an impediment to LSU building a program (probably harsh, but the way I feel sometimes). I think folks really underestimate the effort, collectively and individually, to build back the program. It all starts with recruiting, which is why I follow it so religiously, then with coaching, then with fan support. But the fan support IS so critical to a good hoops program. So, I hope the masses generally start to get off the negativity bandwagon, and jump on the basketball bandwagon again. You see it with Caldwell (who inherited a more deep and talented team btw). And, geaux Lady Tigers! I think next year, you'll see it with Trent's team. As you noted though, folks follow winners. That's the bottom line, and I think that Trent is going to get there. The fine line between winning and losing is so thin. Ask Duke. When you watch the tourney, how many upsets are there? Is that because good teams fail, or bad teams rise up? Probably both? Lehigh, who upset Duke, was brought down to reality in a beat down by Florida, and teams like Kansas and Michigan State barely survive against "mid-majors". Then, you see teams like Xavier, Ohio (for the first time 4 teams from Ohio are in the Sweet 16) win again. My point is that line is razor thin, and I hope that LSU hoops fans see that perhaps the difference between 17-13 and 20-10 is also that thin. But, the point is just enjoy college basketball, and the inherent ups and downs of it. The losses can be character building for a young team, and the wins, such against Marquette, can obviously be the highs. All of this said, recruiting is still where it all begins. I watch as Mark Gottfried has NC State in the Sweet 16 for the first time in close to a decade. Remember, this is the coach that was run out of Alabama, so that the Tide could hire "superstar" up and comer Anthony Grant. Now, Bama sits on the sidelines with a first round loss to Creighton (yes, another mid-major). While Gottfriend, sits in the Sweet 16, with also a nice recruiting class on the way. Wonder how many of those Bama fans now regret their change at the helm, right? Gottfried is a great recruiter, but "ok" coach by most accounts. We'll see where he takes the program, in the long-term. We'll also see what Grant can do with Bama, in the long-term. Bama has yet to sign a single player for 2012-13. So, for all of the folks singing Grant's praises, let's see how it plays out, right? Recruiting. Recruiting. To your question, I don't know where Martin's head's at. All I can say is that the entire staff, Trent included, knows how important recruiting is. I put the chances of landing Martin as better than Gathers for a few reasons. First, he's really more from Baton Rouge, and seemingly likes the Tigers, Tiger football, etc.--who doesn't growing up in Baton Rouge? Gathers was likely more of a "non-LA" roots guy from the beginning knowing his family and the like. Does Martin want to soak in the fanfare and recruiting hype, though? Absolutely, what good prospect doesn't? He is naming folks like Rick Pitino and Louisville as part of the front runner pack, and others--he will be rushed by many. Tough competition for LSU, for sure. But, we forget that Trent out-recruited Rick for Aaron Dotson. I think if Martin appreciates that he will get better under Trent, he can play in front of family and friends, and yes, LSU will be on solid footing when he would join as a freshman, LSU has a good shot. When you look at what this LSU team needs, it's athletic wing players who can thrive in the SEC, and be versatile. That's certainly Martin--he's certainly athletic but raw. If Martin were to come on board, he's really in that perfect spot of learning and backing up as a freshman, some seniors in Turner, and... Shavon Coleman. Why jump ahead to 2013, when 2012 recruiting is not yet done? Rivals reports that Coleman's visit was an "A+" this past weekend, and man, that's good. Shavon is exactly what this team needs, and he's right, he could potentially start and play right away. But, what I like is his attitude... he's going to outwork everyone, and he loves to be versatile. And, he sees, what many fans don't, which is the pieces are there for him to fit in very nicely. I for one, will be optimistically thinking happy thoughts for LSU hoops, as folks like Coleman, Hammink, Pelle (and who else knows!?), hopefully consider our program on the rise (and ignore all of the noice that is the LSU "ranting")! :LSU231: http://lsu.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1344803
I don't get it either. All you have to do is look at the roster, look at the record, watch a few games, and compare it all to the two years previous to see how close we are. Honestly, I think Gottfried had reached his ceiling at Alabama and both coaches are better fits at their current programs. I'm going to skip the Jerrell Martin stuff and focus on 2012. So that article sounds mighty positive. What is your perfect scenario, and I assume it would include Coleman? If for no other reason than to get players currently out of position back to their more natural positions. 1 - Anthony Hickey, Andre Stringer 2 - Ralston Turner, Malik Morgan 3 - Shavon Coleman, ??? 4 - Johnny O'Bryant, ??? 5 - Justin Hamilton, ??? I assume the question marks will be filled by some combination of Courtney and Ludwig at the 3/4. Does Del Piero fit in anywhere? And what about John Isaac?
