Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) If we're mixing in some good with the bad, let's not forget the Top 28 that's going on in LA high school hoops right now. In fact tonight, there was a game I was interested in which is N.O.'s Country Day vs. Christian Life Academy, and a rematch in a storied recent years' of matchups in the Class 1A semis. http://blog.nola.com/tpsports/2009/03/country_day_defeats_threetime.html Eddie Ludwig has had a quieter, but still consistent Senior year and led his team, which includes 2010 LSU recruit Matt Derenbrecker, to victory over CLA, with another 2010 LSU recruit, Langston Galloway. All three players scored 20 or more, in a close Country Day win. Next up for Ludwig, a rematch with Texas A&M signee, Kourtney Roberson in the title game. For the sake of being optimistic, let's not assume that Eddie Ludwig won't be able to help this team next year. It'd be nice seeing all three players in purple and gold, wouldn't it? :yelwink2:
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) So Trent Johnson came here because he could recruit better athletes. So far... how's that working out for him?
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) Aaron Dotson probably would not have ended up at Stanford. Neither would Courtney or John Isaac. That said, LSU and CTJ whiffed on D. Cousins, Renardo Sidney, and high profile recruits, although CTJ was late to the party on most of his 2009 recruits. I think to be fair with any recruiting judgement you have to judge a coach on a body of work that is longer than 1 recruiting year cycle. You probably should ask this question a couple of years from now. :yelwink2: But, that said, another way you could ask this question is how are LA recruits judging LSU now that Brady is gone? What I'd say is that you see the better mid-to-upper tier LA players want to go to LSU again. I think Brady and Butch almost a little bit had a snobby view against LA players, and CTJ's staff has worked hard to break that. Guys like Eddie Ludwig and John Isaac probably wouldn't have signed with LSU with Brady here. But now, all of the decent players from 2010 and beyond will at least give LSU a fair shake because CTJ is there. BTW, I don't think you're ever going to see CTJ just go after "athletes" for the sake of getting athletes. I think the quality of player they'll target though is that very good player who also can play well within his defensive and "controlled fast break" system. You look at the recent commitments Courtney and Isaac, they're both good athletes and good students. It's a little rough in '09 but we'll see the fruits of their labor in 2010 and beyond.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) anyone heard about this? "Brady refused to sign Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger when he was playing at Grace King High in Metairie. "He told me my jump shot wasn't good enough," said Granger, who went on to star at New Mexico before becoming the Indiana Pacers leading scored with a 26-point average..." its a little unfair to bash brady too much. seems like very few places wanted him. http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Sports/Louisiana_Sports__Phoenix_Cardinals_LSU%E2%80%99s_Early_Doucet_Superbowl_Odds__8273.asp
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) You can't make the arguement that Brady and Butch didn't recruit Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi well. Wait until CJ Brings in a Bass, Stromile, Mitchel, Mitchel, Dupre or Randolph before you try to compare recruits. Personality wise and probably coaching goes to CJ without much doubt. With all his faults, Brady left the program in much better shape than what he inherited. I've enjoyed watching this CJ coached team. He has doen a tremendous job this season. I've been impressed by the teamwork those guys display. But remember who recruited those players. Weak recruiting was not Brady's downfall.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) can you think of more than one recruit out of Ms? Ms has tons of talent. it borders La. brady is from there. brady played "ball" there.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) Look part of me agrees with you. With all of Brady's faults, he emphasized recruiting and during the stretch of Stromile to Randolph, he and Butch were able to haul in some good players. I think the Brady detractors would say that the Baton Rouge connection of Bass, Davis, T. Mitchell, G.Temple and T. Thomas, might have come to LSU in spite of Brady (and more of Collis Temple II), but whatever. My point, wasn't that Brady didn't recruit the area, but that CTJ may actually recruit the area better. While Brady was able to land some LA POYs, there were plenty of players that he let go, arguably good LA players that consciously did NOT want to play at LSU b/c of Brady. You look at guys like Martin Zeno, Shon Foster, LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter, DJ Augustin, and recently Greg Monroe. While Brady might have focused on signing one or two top LA players, I think CTJ and his staff won't ignore that 1-5 LA high school player and will go deeper into the state to find that guy that fits within their system. That was my point with a guy like Eddie Ludwig, John Isaac. You see guys like Matt Derenbrecker, Brian Williams and Langston Galloway, all considering LSU, when likely that wouldn't have happened with Brady and Butch here. Case in point, Butch is still coming in and trying to recruit. Ok. State has an offer into Brian Williams. Brady at Arkansas State isn't even in the state recruiting as far as one can tell... no offers and no recruits listing them. Brady had his weak spots recruiting too. I'm not saying that CTJ won't ever let a good LA player go out of state, but give him a few years. The good LA players take LSU more seriously now, IMO.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) LSU is now in on Rico Pickett, a JUCO SG from Miami Dade CC who recently decommitted from Alabama. He holds a nice list of offers, including Kansas, UK, Florida, and Arkansas, so let's see if we can get him down for a visit. http://www.lsu.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=93182
