re: A Stanford fan's take on Trent Johnson

I just wish we could get a Dale Brown clone, to be honest. Not only did he consistently have competitive teams, but he was approachable and likable in a way these two guys just don't seem to be.

Dale was a great ambassador for LSU, far beyond these guys. He doesn't know me from a hole in the ground, but I saw him at a book fair at the State Capitol a couple years back. I approached him and said I still have an old LSU flag he and the team signed at the airport after losing to Indiana in the tourney (I think it was 86), and the man just lit up. We had a 15 minute conversation on sports and life, and as I remember, I think it was I who ended the conversation with "it's been a pleasure, Coach, but my little one is getting tired. Great to meet you"

I can't see Trent doing much more than maybe nodding and moving on. Not dissing Trent for that, but Dale was a big part of the reason people came to games and rooted for the Tigers- you find yourself liking the guy. I just don't find myself liking Trent in the same way, to root him on, just as I didn't care one way or the other for Brady. I doubt you could approach Brady with "hey coach, that year Stromile tore up Arizona in the PMAC, that was a special memory for me" and get much more than a grunt.