re: LSU basketball class of 2023 impact

This is extremely well said and logical. Thank You Sir!

quote:

---

Please identify when Wade said this.

---

When Wade said what? I wasn't quoting him. I was referring to his "strong arse offer" conversation caught on an FBI wiretap. The FBI was involved because they were investigating possible criminal activity on the part of Christian Dawkins. Wade's conversations with Dawkins suggested possible NCAA rules violations in a discussion with a person under FBI surveillance for possible criminal conduct.

Wade had subsequent conversations with the AD's office which resulted in a re-negotiated contract allowing LSU to more easily terminate him for cause. The inference being, LSU did not believe Wade was telling the truth, or at least the whole truth, about his dealings with Dawkins. I believe he ultimately got fired because he lied to his boss.

Whether you like what Woodward did or not, it is not your decision to make. The reality is, Woodward has done a great job generally with his hires, particularly football. He will not feel pressure to keep employed a comprised coach who lied to him (Wade) or hire a different coach who was fired after credible abuse allegations were lodged (Beard).

I agree with Woodward's decision. How long a leash he gives to McMahon is a separate issue. I think he likely gives McMahon 2 more years to turn things around and allow for a smaller buyout. If McMahon doesn't work out, Woodward should have more flexibility to go after a bigger name coach.

Maybe LSU doesn't see it's Athletics Department as an entertainment business. Maybe they see it, at least a little, as part of the university and subject to its mission and by-laws. Maybe LSU wants an AD who is professional and successful, but not at all costs, and gives him the discretion to fire compromised coaches who lie to him.

It will likely be a tough few years for LSU basketball but LSU did the right thing for the program and the university in firing Wade. It will do the right thing with McMahon, too, whatever that will be.

quote:

---

Biggest thing we need is a pg who can control the game and some outside shooting

---

I've got one in mind that's got some interest from LSU, I've coached him for a decade. Plays at Winthrop. With the way the new transfer rules are, its going to be hard for him to make it here until he graduates. Would be the perfect fit. Kasen Harrison.

quote:

---

How is it living life in the 1950s??? Say high to Wally and the Beav for me.

I get your "message". If you truly live life up on that high horse your preaching from, or worse yet, are under the illusion LSU ACTUALLY operates their sports program in the way you described, I don't think you should be investing your time in big time college sports.

EVERY SINGLE SUCCESSFUL HC in the top level of college is FILTHY. That 2019 championship season you hold so near and dear to your heart???? You really don't want to know what rules were DESTROYED recruiting and keeping that team together. And how far from the "mission of the university" you pontificate about was LSU in supporting THAT program.Do you feel the tiniest little bit hypocritical in your stance??????????

---

Did that feel good saying all of that with your all caps and extra punctuation?

If that is what you truly believe, you should stop watching sports. I don't spend a lot of time watching sports, partly because it isn't as enjoyable as used to be when I was a kid. In comparison, I don't think Coach Kelly speaks with brokers who are suspected of criminal activity, do you? I don't think Kelly pays players or pays other people hush money.

So where do you draw the line? How do you define "FILTHY"? Maybe there are some who place entertainment over ethics but there are others who don't and others who realize embracing corruption and a win at all cost philosophy is not good business and is incompatible with the mission of a university. The AD and college president can't be ruled by emotion.

I can logically disagree with a lot in your post.

I asked you to define FILTHY, as you used it in all caps. Does that include engaging in criminal activity? Does it include flagrantly disregarding and breaking NCAA rules? Because if you believe that most universities tolerate that behavior, then you are the one who is naive. I believe there are very few universities where the AD, president, or trustees would sign off on that. The reason is because not only would they lose their jobs when a scandal hits, they could also be financially ruined and go to jail. All universities require the coach to not break the law. They also require that he not have an attitude that any NCAA rule can be broken in order to win. It is perfectly fine to work with a compliance office and attorneys to determine where the gaps are in rules and the law. Then one can, by diligent, or at least colorable arguments, act in certain ways to entice a prospect to join his team. Different universities will draw the line in different places, but no university tolerates illegal activity or a culture where a coach intentionally and flagrantly breaks the rules.

NIL is now a legal way to provide additional enticement. Even with NIL, there are rules and it is still possible to break the rules and even the law. Coaches who have an attitude that "culture is BS" and that only winning is important, will tend to break rules and rationalize their corrupt acts even after the goal posts are moved.

We don't know all that went into Wade's firing. We know he was caught on an FBI wiretap discussing his own activities that suggested he violated NCAA rules. We also know he renegotiated his contract making it easier for LSU to terminate him for cause. I still maintain that, at the very least, Wade got fired because the subsequent report that came out last year proved he lied to the AD and the administration. That is enough and I support Woodward for that.

I also have faith that Woodward will manage the situation with McMahon and if McMahon fails, he will be fired. After McMahon is fired Woodward will hire a BB coach who is a successful, but not win-at-all costs. He has done that already with the FB, WBB, and baseball coaches who all have LSU in position to win a national championship without hints that they are violating NCAA rules or even possibly engaging in criminal activity.

“MM had zero players and built a team in a month.”
Next time he BUILDS maybe consult BOB the Builder, my 5yr old says he can build anything. Thank goodness MM is a Coach and not an architect.

You are adding criminal activity in a pathetic attempt to strengthen your WEAK argument. I said NOTHING about any AD or administration condoning CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, so remove that bullspit immediately.

If you can't comprehend that EVERY SINGLE TEAM in at least the last 50 years that have won championships in the 2 big sports, along with ALL other serious contenders for those titles haven't stomped all over (and disregarded) any recruiting rules to do so, you don't know a thing about how big time college sports works.

OF COURSE no AD or administration condones ANY breaking of these recruiting rules; WINK! WINK! And of course they won't "sign off on that". It's called CYA.

But EVERY SINGLE ONE of these administrations UNDERSTANDS COMPLETELY that there is chicanery going on. Most times, it's done by bagmen, with the HC and administration having ZERO IDEA about any and all details, to maintain an air of plausible deniability. It appears in Wade's case (though it's still technically unproven), it's likely he personally paid players, and had to do it on his own due to LSU not having the "infrastructure" set up like say a Duke, Kansas, or any number of schools that are serious about winning in men's basketball.

I would anticipate your response to the last paragraph would be that we can't have a coach going off on his own doing this. It disparages the university. So it's ok if it's done on the down low like the blue bloods do it? Would that not be hypocritical on your part IF this was your response???

But let's cut the BS. Unless you are COMPLETELY IGNORANT, you know all of the above is true. And once again, I'm not saying this is right or proper, but IT IS REALITY.

Trent Johnson won big in his first year with a talented group of players that were illegally recruited to LSU before he was hired. It appears Trent had ethics (although he signed McDonald's AA Johnny O'Bryant so even that can be questioned), and didn't get dirty, or allow it to happen on his watch. He was promptly rewarded with a pile of losses, and if he didn't jump to TCU, was gonna get fired at LSU for poor performance.

Coach K at Duke signed top players for years. I guess you believe they went there for free tuition, room and board, and the chance to play for that program, with ZERO illegal inducements, right??? When it's well known in the late 90s, Chris Duhon's mom was moved to Durham from Louisiana and given a high paying job (I believe at a bank), that she was COMPLETELY UNQUALIFIED for except for the fact she had a top flight basketball playing son who was recruited to Duke. Or that Zion's family lived in a $980k home RENT FREE (owned by a Duke alumnus) during the year he played in Durham. And that's only 2 of the SCORES of elite players that shuffled through Duke during his tenure. I know about specific other cases too, but I'm already writing a novel with this post.

I am not directly connected to the inside world of college basketball recruiting. But I've been friendly with several HS coaches (mostly assistants) on staff at some of the biggest programs that supply these colleges. I've learned over the years that virtually EVERY SINGLE top player has been paid against NCAA rules to sign with their school of choice. There MIGHT be a few that didn't, but they are the crazy exception. Even with NIL, schools are still offering illegal inducements because it's that competitive, and always will be.

4 SEC wins near year maybe