re: so, this is really it? back to mediocrity?

"Full" Disclosure -- I'm just another guy with an opinion, with all the human faults, who "feels" the "elephant" from my particular perspective. (The person who grabs the elephant's tail in the dark "sees" him differently than does the guy who grabs him by the trunk.)

UDTiger, I don't know who you are, but then again I do -- you are a knowledgeable football fan who has a good perspective on the history of your LSU football team. You have been around the block. It sounds like you may have even played a little football.

Most of my life has been spent in and around churches. Before you write me off as a sheltered nitwit, let me say this -- there may be just as much politics played in churches as is played in secular politics. (That is not God's fault, I hasten to add.) Point: Human beings play politics, and when it comes to college football, I can't see how it could be any different.

The University of Florida football program comes to mind. Why did Steve Spurrier leave there when it looked as if he might well surpass the record of Bear Bryant? When he tried to return to UF as head coach after a stint in the pros, he was told by the powers that be in Florida that he would have to "apply" just like anyone else. (Whereupon he told them to stuff it.)

Then along came Urban Meyer, who quickly doubled Spurrier's number of national championships. Meyer then contracted some mysterious illness, real or imagined, the ultimate result being that he also packed his bags. Now he's undefeated in two seasons at Ohio State. Whatever you think of Meyer, like Spurrier he is a high-level football coach who can take a loser and turn it into a winner. And he, like Spurrier, left the University of Florida.

Maybe it's just me, but I put "two and two" together (Spurrier plus Meyer), and I have to wonder if the political landscape surrounding the University of Florida football program has anything to do with the fact that somehow it could not, or did not, keep either one of those two top-flight coaches in that talent-laden environment.

As uncomfortable as it may or may not be, please permit me to look at the LSU football program. When LSU had its first national championship coach, he packed up about five years later and went to, of all places, Army. When he came back as AD, LSU unceremoniously fired him. And when LSU had a coach who may be the best since Bear Bryant, he won a national championship -- and left.

I saw the politics of Louisiana from what might be considered a tiny perspective. But I saw it: men of means building their little fiefdoms around the countryside. I saw firsthand how power was wielded by such a man in his "domain." And I surmised that his neighbor about five miles away must have been doing the same thing in HIS domain.

Isn't this what happens surrounding football programs? The decisions surrounding a program are made by "the heavy hitters." These men may be on "The Board" or on the Administration. The question boils down further though -- what are these men like, and how much of their power would they be willing to turn over to the guy who might run the football program to which they contribute money -- or administrate?

Could it be that the "heavy hitters" at one school are different regarding their wielding of power than those at another school? And could it be that a Nick Saban or a Bear Bryant would seek out that place where the heavy hitters are willing to turn over sufficient of their power and to allow, for all practical purposes, full autonomy to their football coach? And wouldn't it follow that if such a person as a Bryant or a Saban thought that he was not at such a place, he would move on?

The New Orleans Saints never got untracked AT ALL until Tom Benson bought the franchise. He forthwith brought in one of the strongest men in Pro Football -- Jim Finks. This, to my mind, showed the strength of Tom Benson. He was willing to turn over his franchise to the stewardship of a man of strength. In other words, because he was not threatened by Finks' strength, Tom Benson was able to turn the Saints into something they had never been.

The story of Bear Bryant at his first three stops -- Maryland, Kentucky, and Texas A&M -- illustrates, I think, what I am talking about. Bryant went 6-2-1 at Maryland in 1945 as a 32 year-old head coach fresh put of World War II. When the university president, Curly Byrd, who himself was an old football coach, reinstituted a player that Bryant had kicked off the team, Bryant immediately checked his job offers and went to the University of Kentucky. After going 60-23-5 in eight years and winning Kentucky's only SEC football championship (1950), Bryant was given a cigarette lighter by the heavy hitters, and basketball coach Adolph Rupp was given a Cadillac. Bryant promptly exited to Texas A&M, went 25-14-2 in four years, and won the Southwest Conference championship in 1956 after going 1-9 in 1954. His appraisal of A&M's heavy hitters? He referred to them as "Aggie Exes" -- "just the sweetest, most obnoxious guys" (BEAR, p. 125).

So Bryant spent one year in Maryland, eight years in Kentucky, four years in Texas -- and 25 years in Alabama -- where he was both head coach and athletic director. Was Alabama such a garden spot that he couldn't resist going back and living out his life there? Or was it that Alabama's heavy hitters were tired of their football team's showing on the football field and were willing to do what it took to change the situation?

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If LSU fires Miles, the entire football community would understand why. The only fools who think he's a good coach is 50% of our retarded fan base.

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You seriously think that if Alleva held a press conference in the morning stating that he had fired Les Miles that the espn talking heads (along with every writer, reported, blogger etc in the western hemisphere) wouldn't take a week to pick their jaws off the floor?

Only 50% of our retarded fanbase thinks his seat is getting anywhere close to hot.

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Yep lets fire our head coach so we can throw money at a bunch of guys who will never come to LSU. That sounds like one brilliant plan.

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Let's keep him and allow auburn, A&M, and Ole Miss to become better programs than LSU. We can battle arky and state for Indy bowl berths.

Guys you all miss the important thing, And that is now ,with his raise last yr he will be able to send his kids to college.
Also Alleva can raise ticket,TAF and parking prices. And that's all that really counts isn't it.v
Oh and just for the record I agree with the OP. LSU has seen its best days it ever will under Miles.

Great job udtiger at consolidating an accurate, honest assessment of the "state of the union".

I would only add this: People and organizations, even the most talented ones, become the best at what they do because they work harder than the competition.

When the leadership of an organization "settles" for comfort's sake, it becomes impossible to be the best.

With all that talent Saban left too.

Udtiger, I couldn't agree more. Anyone that isn't a fricking sunshine pumper will agree too.

I am always perplexed with the notion of firing Miles.

And replace him with....who?

To reiterate

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The problem is, Miles is still trying to "maintain.". It is his style. It's how he coaches. Little variance to gameplan, weak adjustments (if any). If LSU gets a lead - just hang on.

In the meantime, in addition to the fact that other guy has built a machine in Tuscaloosa (and, sadly, isn't going anywhere anytime soon), other teams (in and out of conference) have become, or are becoming elite. LSU is getting passed by, both in and out of conference.

Now, whether aTm will stay where it is after douchebag leaves remains to be seen; however, Ole Miss is good and getting better, and Auburn appears to be for real - and that's just the West.

It's not going to get any better with Miles as HC. LSU will continue to be undisiplined, will continue to make critical mistakes, will continue to underperform and will continue to lack the mental toughness necessary to soldier on and ALL of that is coaching. It was all laid bare on 1/9/12 and LSU has never recovered.

Since that date, that other guy has owned LSU. He has "made their asses quit" because he knows he can (he's done it before). Sadly, other coaches/programs know it too

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thanks for your input

You might be on to something. IMHO, Louisiana State University is not 100 percent committed to winning football national championships. Conversely, the U of Alabama is so committed.

The commitment to winning "Superbowls" is not as strong at LSU as it could be, IMHO, perhaps due to politics.