JessN: Off (week) the top of my head: Notes and musings from behind the desk - Page 2

GulfCoastTider · October 29th, 2009, 12:07 PM

	Quote:
	9. Les Miles, LSU. If Miles wins a second national championship, he’ll have to go up this list. But he basically looks like another Larry Coker or Phil Fulmer, a decent coach who benefited mostly from recruiting, either his own or that of the previous coach. A telling test is to ask LSU fans whether – if they had to hire a new coach tomorrow – they would hire Miles or look elsewhere.

What surprises me is this has now been up almost 18 hours, yet not one of our LSU brethren have questioned why you would dare rank the Mad Hatter so low.

And now, my popcorn has gone cold and stale.

red55 · October 29th, 2009, 03:38 PM

	Quote:	GulfCoastTider
	What surprises me is this has now been up almost 18 hours, yet not one of our LSU brethren have questioned why you would dare rank the Mad Hatter so low. And now, my popcorn has gone cold and stale.

I'm surprised that Jess ranked him that high. When he told me that Les would have to win two more national championships and Nick zero for Les to even be considered as good a coach as Nick . . . I knew his opinion of Les had little to do with football.

But I'll answer your question, amigo.

Would LSU trade Les right now? Of course not. What proven head coach with a better record is there to hire? Do we look like the Barn to you? We're going to fire a guy with an 80% winning record and an crystal football and hire some ambitious young coach with a losing record? I don't think so.

Nobody nowhere, no time has ever replaced a coach with Les' record. Try to understand that his unpopularity in Alabama really has no effect on Les' ability win football games and bring home trophies for LSU. Our last coach was amazing and Les has actually done better. We're ranked in the BCS top ten, with one loss to the #1 team, and we still control our own destiny. LSU has a shot at the #2 team next week and can win out an get another shot at #1 in the SECCG. Win that and the Strength of Schedule would be through the roof enough to leapfrog USC into the BCS game.

It's about as likely as Jess being hit by a meteor on his birthday, but we're not exactly ready to replace our coach for having us in this position in a minor rebuilding year. Les is a successful and likable coach . . . we like him.

And he's awfully lucky, you know.

Bamabuzzard · October 29th, 2009, 04:16 PM

Oh but so are we. Did you watch the Tennessee game.

Not only are we friggin' lucky but we're being helped by the officials. So out do that Mr. Your Coach is Lucky. I think Ole St. Nick snuck out some luck from Les' "lucky bag" on his way out of Baton Rouge last year.

	Quote:	red55
	And he's awfully lucky, you know.

red55 · October 29th, 2009, 04:41 PM

	Quote:	Bamabuzzard
	Oh but so are we. Did you watch the Tennessee game. Not only are we friggin' lucky but we're being helped by the officials. So out do that Mr. Your Coach is Lucky. I think Ole St. Nick snuck out some luck from Les' "lucky bag" on his way out of Baton Rouge last year.

That wasn't luck, that fumble was skill. Nick did it just to make the game interesting.

Now Les, he's as lucky as a man in a women's prison with a fist full of pardons.

GulfCoastTider · October 29th, 2009, 04:41 PM

	Quote:	red55
	But I'll answer your question, amigo. Would LSU trade Les right now? Of course not. What proven head coach with a better record is there to hire? Do we look like the Barn to you? We're going to fire a guy with an 80% winning record and an crystal football and hire some ambitious young coach with a losing record? I don't think so. Nobody nowhere, no time has ever replaced a coach with Les' record. Try to understand that his unpopularity in Alabama really has no effect on Les' ability win football games and bring home trophies for LSU. Our last coach was amazing and Les has actually done better. We're ranked in the BCS top ten, with one loss to the #1 team, and we still control our own destiny. LSU has a shot at the #2 team next week and can win out an get another shot at #1 in the SECCG. Win that and the Strength of Schedule would be through the roof enough to leapfrog USC into the BCS game. It's about as likely as Jess being hit by a meteor on his birthday, but we're not exactly ready to replace our coach for having us in this position in a minor rebuilding year. Les is a successful and likable coach . . . we like him. And he's awfully lucky, you know.

That's not the question that was asked, though. It's not "would you trade Les right now," but "if you had to hire a coach right now, would you go with Les or someone else?"

Most LSU fans would opt to go with Miles. Why leave fish to find fish, right?

But what if you're Michigan (again), or Notre Dame? Do you do whatever it takes to pry Miles from Baton Rouge, or do you move on Cincy's Kelly or BYU's Peterson?

red55 · October 29th, 2009, 04:48 PM

	Quote:	GulfCoastTider
	That's not the question that was asked, though. It's not "would you trade Les right now," but "if you had to* hire a coach right now, would you go with Les or someone else?"*

I think I answered it when I asked "who are we going to get that is better?"

The suggestion was that LSU would hire anybody but Les, which doesn't make a lot of sense. Who in the world would hire a generic "someone else" over a proven SEC head coach and recruiter with a national championship ring. Meyer has two, but I don't think he's on the market.

Bamabuzzard · October 29th, 2009, 04:58 PM

	Quote:	red55
	That wasn't luck, that fumble was skill. Nick did it just to make the game interesting. Now Les, he's as lucky as a man in a women's prison with a fist full of pardons.

LOL!!! Good one Red.

Actually Nick used his Jedi mind powers to screw up the headsets for the first two plays of the game. But leave up to ole Lame Kitten. He wasn't fooled one bit. He sniffed it out better than ole smokey would have. Lame better feel lucky that Nick was in a good mood and didn't use his Jedi mind powers to make Lames head mysteriously appear out of his butt on national television. Because Nick can do that you know.

LSU63 · October 29th, 2009, 06:48 PM

9. Les Miles, LSU. If Miles wins a second national championship, he’ll have to go up this list. But he basically looks like another Larry Coker or Phil Fulmer, a decent coach who benefited mostly from recruiting, either his own or that of the previous coach. A telling test is to ask LSU fans whether – if they had to hire a new coach tomorrow – they would hire Miles or look elsewhere.

Jess, I love your right ups on the SEC. They are some of the best I've seen, and very unbiased, except for your take on Miles.

I mean no disrespect, but 9th? Long term, we'll see, but I can tell you right now, no LSU fan would trade Miles for Nutt, for example, who you have ranked above him.

If LSU went 10-2 and won a bowl game, would that move him up?

USCBAMA · October 29th, 2009, 07:03 PM

	Quote:	JessN
	Agreed, but as you'll note, that was the premise of the entire thing: He only goes on the hotseat if he has that collapse. USC could just as easily close the season undefeated as it could use every game. If USC finishes 6-6, that's when the problems would start for him -- but only in that case.

Well then I agree with you.

PDL · October 29th, 2009, 07:56 PM

	Quote:	red55
	I'm surprised that Jess ranked him that high. When he told me that Les would have to win two more national championships and Nick zero for Les to even be considered as good a coach as Nick . . . I knew his opinion of Les had little to do with football. But I'll answer your question, amigo. Would LSU trade Les right now? Of course not. What proven head coach with a better record is there to hire? Do we look like the Barn to you? We're going to fire a guy with an 80% winning record and an crystal football and hire some ambitious young coach with a losing record? I don't think so. Nobody nowhere, no time has ever replaced a coach with Les' record. Try to understand that his unpopularity in Alabama really has no effect on Les' ability win football games and bring home trophies for LSU. Our last coach was amazing and Les has actually done better. We're ranked in the BCS top ten, with one loss to the #1 team, and we still control our own destiny. LSU has a shot at the #2 team next week and can win out an get another shot at #1 in the SECCG. Win that and the Strength of Schedule would be through the roof enough to leapfrog USC into the BCS game. It's about as likely as Jess being hit by a meteor on his birthday, but we're not exactly ready to replace our coach for having us in this position in a minor rebuilding year. Les is a successful and likable coach . . . we like him. And he's awfully lucky, you know.

Ah, there's that LSU post we were all waiting for. You even threw the "amigo" in I was hoping for. Nice job, kemosabe.

LSU63 · October 29th, 2009, 09:59 PM

	Quote:	PDL
	Ah, there's that LSU post we were all waiting for. You even threw the "amigo" in I was hoping for. Nice job, kemosabe.

Hey! Kemosabe is mine!

GrayTide · October 30th, 2009, 08:45 AM

	Quote:	red55
	That wasn't luck, that fumble was skill. Nick did it just to make the game interesting. Now Les, he's as lucky as a man in a women's prison with a fist full of pardons.

That was a good one, red. Les maybe lucky, but CNS does not need luck, since we have paid off all the officiating crews in the SEC. Money can buy happiness.

GulfCoastTider · October 30th, 2009, 11:04 AM

	Quote:	LSU63
	Hey! Kemosabe is mine!

I couldn't remember, either. All you LSU fans look alike.