Broadhead details the way things were, but it's a different era, and Broadhead was the beginning of the end. It wasn't seamless (Joe Dean) but it's basically over.
Consider:
1)John McKeithen was in an era when the governor was actively involved in LSU, including actively recruiting for LSU football. But he was the last of that era.
He like most of the La Governors through McKeithen's era, were from N La. Since the end of McKeithen's 2nd term, all governors have been South La (except for 4 years of Buddy Roemer) and none have had the LSU ties that McKeithen had. It's a little counterintuitive, but in many ways LSU and BR were closer to N La than S La back then (still some commonality).
2)The TAF has taken financial control of LSU sports. That wasn't the case 30 years ago.
3)Stovall was and is a LSU blue-blood.
4)Oregeron is likeable, seemingly a "cultural fit", but he's not a LSU blue-blood.
5)The LSU die-hards wanted Charles McClendon gone in 1974/75. It took 5 more seasons to force him into retirement. Miles was moved out in a season or 2.
Conclusion: won't have a problem moving on Orgeron if he doesn't win at acceptable levels.

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Posted by timlan2057

In the Shadow of Tiger Stadium

Member since Sep 2005

17073 posts

Posted on 11/27/16 at 5:08 pm to Overbrook

quote:
1)John McKeithen was in an era when the governor was actively involved in LSU, including actively recruiting for LSU football. But he was the last of that era.

Good post.

I know you know, but just for some of the younger folks, John McKeithen was not governor in 1982, though he served on the BOS. In fact, in an era of corruption, you'd think Edwin Edwards would have been right in the middle of things.

Not according to Brodhead. He spoke highly of EWE when he mentioned him.

Before the Board meeting, Wharton and Board member Sheldon Beychok met with Governor-elect Edwin Edwards to apprise him of my pending recommendation. Not knowing how adverse public reaction might be, they wanted Edwards kept up to date and, hopefully, in the right corner: Edwards, however; wanted firsthand information and he summoned me to a meeting in his office.

Edwards' icy blue eyes scared me almost as much as his proclamation, minutes after Wharton, Beychok and I arrived, that Stovall and I should both be fired and a combination Coach/Athletic Director be brought in.

Wondering if I'd just been axed, I offered my arguments against such a move, telling Edwards that, in my opinion, intercollegiate sports had become big business and, as such, should be run by businessmen, not football coaches. He must have seen the logic in my remarks, because at the close of the meeting, he told me to do what I thought was best, and he promised not to interfere. It was a promise he would keep throughout my tenure at LSU.

Sacked, pp 58-59.

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