re: Reed would make a difference

I would have fired Dale Brown after Shaq left to go pro.

He literally killed the program for about 7 years..

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Losing Ward is on McMahon. You don’t get to push someone out the door then use their absence as an excuse.

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Anyone that uses losing Ward as an excuse for Mcmahon underperforming this year is looking to give him an out for any and every reason. If Ward did leave because of lack of PT and it has hurt the team this much, thats on Mcmahon. As head coach it is your job to manage PT and rotations to keep your top players happy, like it or not. Regardless, Ward left before the season even began. How can a coach teach his players to overcome adversity during the season when the slightest bit of adversity causes him to fold as a coach

My apologies. I did not realize this is your first year watching LSU basketball.

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Reed was as consistent this year as they come

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ULM - 24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, 0 turnovers, 1 foul
Alabama St. - 6 points, 3 rebounds, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls
Kansas St - 5 points, 8 rebounds, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls
Charleston So. - 6 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 3 fouls

Then he had a really good two games at the Greenbrier.

Reed started this year playing like he had in the 60+ games prior to this season. He was capable of having some really good games (and did), but he would often quickly disappear. Last year he had some nice games vs. Dayton, Wake Forest, Syracuse. Then in SEC play he only scored in double figures once in the first 11 games and only had more than 5 rebounds in a game twice in that stretch.

NO ONE is saying he wouldn't be a benefit to this team. Including me. I'm just saying the impact of his loss is grossly overblown by some in the seemingly never ending quest to absolve McMahon from any responsibility for the constant losing.

That's because all you look at is points and rebounds. Reed does multiple things for that team including bringing the ball up the court and defending the more physical bigs that outweigh Collins and Chest. Also being able to hit the 3 brings defenders out to the line opening up the lane.Not to mention his SEC experience alone. I felt he was starting to get it his last 3 games and he is in no way equal to Broom at Auburn as they would still be a top 10-15 team without him. And yes Ward leaving is on him. Never said MM was above any criticism but there was no way this team was going to compete for anything when Reed went down unless Collins and Chest grow and improve. Collins is starting to do that. Chest needs to follow. If Williams can step into Wards role and the 2 bigs can continue to improve along with the freshmen then they may surprise a few teams. This is still one of the least experienced and young teams in the SEC. Collins is a junior who had hardly played. Chest, Givens, the 2 millers all new.Inthis league it will take some time for them to adjust to the physicality of the SEC. We'll see what they do.

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Stop treating Mcmahon as if he's some sort of make-a-wish kid that is getting to live out his dream.

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I can foresee myself borrowing this line in the future.

He attempted 4 three pointers in 7 games. So it's not like teams were all that concerned with guarding him from three. In fact, they were happy to give him that shot. He also wasn't "bringing the ball" up the court. He had the highest turnover rate of any of the frontcourt players. Maybe he was on the brink of developing into a consistently great player. But ALL prior evidence says that was unlikely. At least to the extent that his void creates an unrecoverable loss.

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This is still one of the least experienced and young teams in the SEC. Collins is a junior who had hardly played. Chest, Givens, the 2 millers all new.Inthis league it will take some time for them to adjust to the physicality of the SEC. We'll see what they do.

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The players adjusting is not the problem. It's the HC who doesn't that's the problem....evidenced further by the fact that until Tuesday he left two guys who have been contributors in the past (Williams and Fountain) to rot on the bench while losing games. You're right, Collins, Chest and Fountain don't have Reed's bulk or ability to finish at the rim as well in the half court. But they all have strengths Reed didn't have. Collins is a better offensive rebounder and shot blocker. Chest is a better rebounder. Both are more athletic and can play at a higher tempo. Fountain is going to give you effort. As a coach you don't hang your head and say "woe is me. Maybe next year". You adjust and adapt the best you can. When does LSU ever try to mix up their defenses? When does LSU ever try to up the pace of play? Hell, McMahon clearly had little intention of playing Chest and Williams until injuries forced his hand.

But at the end of the day we get it. Poor old Matt. He had it all set up until the cold hands of fate intervened once more. His "best" player quit, then the subsequently anointed "best" player went down, other SEC teams decided to be really good this year, the residual effects of the "dark cloud of uncertainty" were still hanging around, the fans don't care enough, the guy from the Quick Change act died, etc, etc, etc.

The thing about excuses is they’re infinite and don’t need actual reasoning so people who’ve decided they’re just going to excuse everything never feel the need to stop making them.

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But this is now three players in three years we've had similar situations with. Juice Hill leaving the team in the middle of the season year 1, Cook last year, and Ward this year.

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There is nothing common with those situations. Hill took a few games away from the team because he was down about his play being so down. Cook was kicked off the team for attitude.

We have no idea why Ward left. Memphis had a player leave the team before the first game, put his name in the portal immediately, and has already transferred out. Ward hasn't even gotten his name in the portal yet.

Cook getting kicked off the team is really a plus for McMahon in my book. It would be real easy for a coach to try to placate a talented player like him.

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There is nothing common with those situations

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You're kidding right? The exact reasons may not have been the same, but you've now had a player every year leave the team high and dry. If I go to a restaurant three times, order three different things, and every single time the food fricking sucks, at some you have to admit that the chef is the problem