re: The "Dark Ages" of LSU Football

The problem at LSU was LSU plain and simple...

you had a group of older alumina who had friends and these groups wanted more control.

Bob was a step in the right direction, but he had stepped on to many of the "good ole boys" piece of the pie.

Bill was never going to stay at LSU in any way even if he got the AD job, be would bolt to any opening in Florida in a heartbeat.

"Bo" was a heartbreak at the time to lose an up and coming young coach. Stovall was a God sent to have in the wings to take over on short notice.

Joe Dean loved LSU and no one would talk up LSU at any event he appeared at, but love for and the doing the real work to improve the athletic department are two horses of a different color. Joe was entrenched and friends with far to many of the good ole boys network. Everyone was wanting a piece of the pie and cuts were made and it cost LSU more than a few million a year to low ball hires.

The cause of the nightmare in LSU football has more to due with the talent level in state being way down for near 5 years due to prop 48.

Curly Hallman? Where did that come from.....I think our board was asleep at the wheel with that hire and Hallman was far to busy with off field actives to worry to much with running the team and program. But Dean and the board saw and heard this first hand, we the fans got it second hand from those in the football office; was anything ever done? Hallman let a who's who of college football slip out of this state to schools like San Diego St (that powerhouse of college football).

There should be a book on this, but one can never name all the names and can only hint at what went on in those times.

Mike gets to much blame for a coach that loved his team and family and was trying to help. The power that be at the time get to little blame, but there is enough blame to go that all should step back and thank God we are not in those times today.