re: For the old-timers...when did Cholly Mac first get on the hot seat?

My dad and uncle played for CM. The QB was an issue, plus somehow, Mac alienated northwest LA. LSU would always win one game they had no business winning, lose one they had no business losing, and go 8-3.

My first game was in 1965 when we beat Tulane 62-0. I was seventeen. I do remember those years sitting in the south end zone starting in 1971 up until now. We won some great games, but we never left the stadium with the great feeling that we were "on our way." Bert Jones sharing playing time was no plus for Charlie McClendon. The two qb system insured that everyone was critical because someone always wanted the other guy playing. Couple all these things to "three yards and a cloud of dust" lackluster offense seemingly run by guys who refused to change, and you had the recipe for dissension and criticism. A very critical game in this thread would have to be the LSU-USC game. That game took a lot out of the Tigers. Here are a few of the USC players and you will get an idea of how good they were.

Marcus Allen
Jeff Fisher
Ronnie Lott
Charles White
Bruce Matthews
Dennis Smith
Chip Banks
Anthony Munoz
Keith Van Horne
Joey Browner

Go here for a quick read of the game. LINK

And after we got rid of Cholly Mac, we had some momentary successes in a few seasons, but we got Archer, Hallman, and Dinardo. During the 80s and 90s, it was incredibly painful to watch. Be careful what you wish for. I think of this often when I hear about "Miles is the worst coach I have ever seen." Before every game we should put the "highlights" of our losses from those two decades up on the big screen for the fans to reminisce about.

Charlie McClendon proved to me to be a better person than we probably all imagined. He was a gentleman, and he was respected by many in the coaching ranks. He looked to have a better life after LSU than he had while here. He served as the executive director of the American Football Coaches Association for many years. I do regret being as critical of him as I was.

There have been many areas in which our society has advanced in the last 40 years. Computers. Telecommunications. Race relations. But the moronic attitude of the typical LSU fan who believes that salvation and perfection are just one coaching change (or quarterback change) away has been the same since time immemorial, except when it has gotten worse. I've been an LSU fan since the Dietzel era. McClendon, as the guy who replaced our first national championship coach, was under fire from day 1.

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And after we got rid of Cholly Mac, we had some momentary successes in a few seasons

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In the nine seasons after we got rid of Cholly Mac, we did better than we did in the last nine seasons he was here. More SEC titles, more bowls, more major bowls, better overall record, better SEC record, etc. Everything got better after Mac left for almost a decade, but then...

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but we got Archer, Hallman, and Dinardo.

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That started eight years after Mac was gone, and the real dark ages didn't start until ten years after. Firing McClendon had nothing to do with it. He would have been long retired by then anyway. It was the idiotic decision to have a moronic faculty committee hire Mike Archer as a replacement for Bill Arnsparger while we didn't have a permanent AD that caused the downfall of LSU football, and apparently set the standard by which all future LSU coaches are to be judged.

I will say this. Charlie MAC coached LSU to some of its most memerabile games in school history. ND in 1971 comes to mind. YES he was an 8-3 9-3 kind of coach, But the stakes were NOT THAT high at that time[compared to now]. There are people out there that STILL think the 1969 LSU team was the BEST EVER. The D gave up only like 454 yds rushing the WHOLE season. A remarkable feat with the way teams RAN the ball so much back then.

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I do regret being as critical of him as I was.

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Those that don't learn from history are destined to repeat it ...

In '76 (when I arrived) the seat was pretty hot.

After 3 running plays and no first down, the cheer was "Up the middle, up the middle, up the middle: Punt" usually followed by "Help Mac Pack."

A acquaitance of mine sent a moving van to his house; he also dropped off a couple of dozen of suitcases in Mac's front yard.

kids, kids, kids.

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After 3 running plays and no first down, the cheer was "Up the middle, up the middle, up the middle: Punt" usually followed by "Help Mac Pack."

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But yet he coached [during that time] The best RB in LSU history.

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We actually beat the Bear in '69 and '70 but not again until '82.

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We won the 1970 game with Buddy Lee at QB, not Jones. Paul Lyons moved over to offense from defense because Mac wanted someone who could run the option, and would listen to his coaching. After Buddy Lee went down in the second half against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, Jones played in his place. On what would wind up being our final play on 4th down, Mac sent in a play that Jones disregarded and checked to his own play. We failed to get a first down and lost the game. A lot of finger pointing started, but ultimately, it was a long time before Mac and Jones were one speaking terms again. Paul Lyons started the following year until the Notre Dame game in BR, at which point Mac named Jones the starter. Mac and Jones were not very close for the longest after the Nebraska game, to the point the Jones proclaimed that the highlight of his career at LSU was leaving. Mac responded by saying that Jones was not very coachable.