re: Realism for LSU Fans with McMahon and Program

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Woodward has now allowed the NCAA to destroy us.

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Tony Benford won more NCAA tourney games at LSU than WIll Wade.

Your worship is misplaced.

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Y’all can say Wade messed up and caused this, but woodward signed off on this death sentence. Keeping Wade around would have the same, possible less impact

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You are too dumb to argue with if you believe this.

I wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend….

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Do you think Tony Benford is a better coach?

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He's got more tourney wins. I'm less impressed with Wade than enamored with Benford

Its not that think he's a great coach, its' that you folks vastly overrate WIll Wade.

In 3 years, no one will remember or care about him here.

It is clear LSU's response to the allegations will be to completely throw Wade (and the former administration) under the bus. The argument will be that the majority of the alleged violations occurred prior to Woodward's and Tate's arrival, and that those alleged violations that may have occurred after Woodward's hiring were unknown by the admin because the basketball HC refused to cooperate with anyone (something that has been alleged by LSU and the NCAA over the last 3 years). LSU will argue that they put a clause in Wade's contract that he could be fired, with cause, in the event the school receive allegations of Level 1 violations, and that they did fire him as soon as reasonably possible following the receipt of such. In the process, essentially torpedoing their program's chances in the NCAA Tournament.

Is that the "right" approach to take? That is subject for debate. But that is almost assuredly the one LSU will take. However, that is almost assuredly going to force Wade to turn his guns directly towards the LSU administration in his defense. So this looks like it could be a very ugly divorce.

I've said on here that I did not agree, at all, with Woodward firing Wade on the eve of the NCAA Tournament if, for no other reason, it extremely prejudiced the student-athletes whom LSU had financially benefitted from during (game revenue, marketing revenue, etc.). I don't think expediting the firing by a week or two was going to move the needle one way or the other. After three years of this just let the season play out. Sadly, I think the LSU administration actively hoped the firing would bring a quick NCAA Tournament exit. They didn't want LSU being talked about in a "negative light" for potentially 2-3 weeks. Whether Wade not being there or not was a/the reason for the poor performance against Iowa St, the administration got what they wanted.

The question now is will that "cooperation" help? If you ask Oklahoma St. and their HC, Mike Boyton, he would very emphatically tell you it doesn't, at all. There were allegations of impropriety against a former OSU coaching staff member who ultimately pled guilty in the criminal trial. The allegations were related to a former OSU player. Boyton and the school AD said they cooperated fully with the NCAA...which still ultimately resulted in the program receiving a postseason ban levied on the eve of the start of this season.

People will, of course, mention the word "death penalty." First off, it needs to be mentioned the NCAA was NEVER going to give LSU the death penalty. They have previously said on numerous prior occasions that is not a sanction they are willing to impart. Even Baylor, who had one player murder another, and a HC lie about paying a player's tuition by claiming the player paid his own tuition through funds generated by being a drug dealer didn't get the "death penalty." Second, LSU, by firing Wade appears to have given themselves a "de facto" death penalty in the sense that the new HC MAY walk into a situation where he literally has no players on the roster or signees coming in for next season. If a team with zero players and zero incoming recruits isn't a "dead" program, it is hard to imagine what is. Certainly there is hope McMahon can salvage some of the roster. But there is a real possibility he won't be able to. If not, he starts completely from scratch.

Would keeping and supporting Wade have been the "better" choice? No one can say for sure. However, I think the NCAA would have eventually gotten their pound of flesh with him giving LSU no choice but to let him go. So keeping him may have only delayed the inevitable.

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Woodward has set our new coach up for failure while promising him boatloads of money…our program won’t be relevant again for a decade

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It is obviously not an ideal situation to walk into. No one will dispute that. But I'm not ready to jump off the cliff to say the program won't be relevant for a decade. It is abundantly clear college basketball programs can be rebuilt very quickly. LSU is going to lose some scholarships. But you can still win with 10-11 good scholarship players on a roster as opposed to 13. (Hell, LSU had two scholarship players, Colbert and Ezewiro, who didn't play at all this year). It just means your margin of error in "missing" on a player is smaller.

Last season Arizona self-imposed a postseason ban. This year they are one of the favorites to win the national championship...with a new HC. Auburn likewise self-imposed a postseason ban last year. This year they were the SEC champs and a #2 seed in the tournament. Just because LSU may have to "take their medicine" for a bit, doesn't mean they can't very quickly bounce back after.

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we will get bottom of the absolute barrel transfers. Why? Because kids want to play in the tournament. They want to have their talent showcased.

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I also think this is probably a bit over-exaggerated. While for us fans reaching the NCAA Tournament is everything, the players have a different mindset. They want to go to a place where they can showcase their individual talent. And they can still do that WITHOUT playing in the NCAAT. If you are a over-achieving mid-major player you want to play for a power conf. program to show you can perform against power conf. competition. LSU, even with a postseason ban, still offers that. If you are a power-conference player who isn't getting much PT, or you feel your current school isn't fully utilizing your ability, a place like LSU could give you the opportunity you want. Even with a postseason ban LSU still plays in the SEC. They still play SEC competition. Hell, Adam Miller was a starter on a Big 10 program that was a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament last year. He left to come to a program (LSU) that had LESS success than his current school because he felt his abilities would be better showcased here. He didn't leave because he was worried about the NCAA Tournament. Illinois was just as likely to reach it as LSU (maybe even more likely). He left because he wanted 30+ games at LSU to showcase his abilities.


I, like you, hate that the Wade era is over. It was the first time in 30 years LSU had CONSISTENT success and there was reason for hope the program could become a championship level program. That is over, and we now return to a land of the unknown. It is unknown as to what penalties the school may face. It is unknown what the roster will look like going forward. It is unknown if the new HC will be able to have consistent success at least approaching the level Wade had over the last 4 years. This isn't a situation like in football and baseball where a coaching change brought with it hope and excitement because the prior coaches weren't getting the desired results. Wade wasn't fired because of his on-court performance. So while in football and baseball the thought was "things can only get better" with new HC's. In basketball the coaching change brings with it fear that things will only get worse. But regardless, what is done is done. My attention now turns to hoping McMahon can come in and have great success. And remember, there was once a time when a 34 year old HC arrived in BR from Virginia with only mid-major experience and no certainty of success at LSU.

There is a reason you won’t say Benford is a better coach. You don’t want to look like an idiot.

Why is it that you would look dumb saying that? Because everyone knows that Wade Built that team and coached them 90% of the season.

So it’s an irrelevant point.

And people will remember Wade. Maybe not fondly, but that was a great 5 year stretch of LSU basketball. One of the better stretches and it ended in an huge public scandal.

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There is a reason you won’t say Benford is a better coach. You don’t want to look like an idiot.

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No, Junior, its because I don't know.



You over estimate the one win Wade got in the NCAA tourney at LSU, with top ten talent.

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SammyTiger

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Dude, let it go. Mr. Disingenuous is gonna just keep spitting his bullshite.

His ignorance knows no bounds and he’ll just keep it up.

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Dude, let it go. Mr. Disingenuous is gonna just keep spitting his bullshite.

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Aww..someones feelings are hurt because their very average coach got ran out of town.

A LSU scholarship is worth what 35K?
Smart was reportedly given 300k.

If LSU maximizes the NIL, they could ban all scholarships and still have a top 20 class.