LSU AD Scott Woodward Takes Silly Shot at Saban When Speaking to BR Rotary Club

81usaf92 said:

Actually that isn’t true anymore. It was more true in the Jim Wells and Bertman Days, but not so true now. I really don’t want to get into NS, but let’s just say back in Bertman’s day the economy was better, and some poor kid from Mobile Alabama could realistically live off a non guaranteed Minor league contract. Not so much today. Now you are seeing folks like Justin Smoak, dansby swanson, Josh Donaldson, Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel, and Alex Bergman who would’ve been in the MLB far sooner in Bertman’s hay day, but chose college over a minor league contract to get a guaranteed contract.

Unless you are looking at a generational player that is guaranteed millions to play minor league ball ( top 3 draft pick mostly) like Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, or Freddie Freeman, or a Japanese or Latin American all star, then about 80% of the MLB rosters are filled with players who attended college. Many pro scouts have said that playing baseball in the SEC is on par with playing AA ball.

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fair points that don't contradict the general thrust of the argument I was making.

Bertman doesn't coach nowadays or in the last 17 years, so while I'll concede there's been a shift, 17 years in baseball is damn near TWO generations ago (closer to four if we go by the avg MLB career lasting 5 1/2 years).

selmaborntidefan said:

fair points that don't contradict the general thrust of the argument I was making.

Bertman doesn't coach nowadays or in the last 17 years, so while I'll concede there's been a shift, 17 years in baseball is damn near TWO generations ago (closer to four if we go by the avg MLB career lasting 5 1/2 years).

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Yeah I know it was stupid comparison by that AD, but again LSU is a baseball school trying to pretend it’s an all sports school like Texas and Florida. Like I said they mirror Arkansas historically, but mirror Mississippi St in terms of sports importance.

I’ll say this about Bertman, he took advantage of a very good situation, and changed SEC baseball. But let’s stop pretending he was the greatest baseball coach of all time. Back in the 90’s he was basically competing against 2 other SEC teams and Miami. Now the SEC is about 9-10 teams with a real shot at Omaha and stacked with a bunch of Show ready talent that are turning down high draft picks to get bigger guaranteed contracts.

Point is Bertman couldn’t survive a modern era of rule changes a decade and some change later, but Saban could survive any AP era in college football.

As a Baton Rouge born son of two LSU alums, I can only shake my head at the stupidity. They are so butt hurt down there its astonishing. The responses to the twitter feed are classic though!

Wait...Coach K was at LSU??? Learn something new every day, I guess.

BamaMoon said:

Wait...Coach K was at LSU??? Learn something new every day, I guess.

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Is this supposed to be blue?

BamaHoosier said:

The full quote was that in the 21st century there have been 3 coaching giants in the 3 major college sports. Coach K in basketball, Bertman in baseball, and Saban in football.

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So he is counting 1 year for Bertman just to say he was a 21st century coach? I guess as usual LSU is grasping for straws.

Tell me If I'm wrong, but I thought Woodward and Saban are real good friends? I thought he was joking.....

81usaf92 said:

So he is counting 1 year for Bertman just to say he was a 21st century coach? I guess as usual LSU is grasping for straws.

I dont see many Kentucky fans chanting "we had Rupp and Bryant" or Miami fans chanting "We had Fraiser and Johnson" or Duke fans chanting "We had Spurrier and K" . Taking credit for something someone else did at another place is kinda stupid

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But it's also kinda LSU...

He fits right in...

JustNeedMe81 said:

Tell me If I'm wrong, but I thought Woodward and Saban are real good friends? I thought he was joking.....

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My honest first take was it was tongue in cheek about CNS wanting to be there. I think he just probably made an off script joke. It's probably not playing out on SM like he meant it.

B1GTide said:

LOL - This guy looks like one of those fake TV preachers.

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That dude needs to stay away from open flames... :cool2:

BamaHoosier said:

The full quote was that in the 21st century there have been 3 coaching giants in the 3 major college sports...

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He’s also expanding the consideration set of major sports to accomplish his objective. Can anyone anywhere other than a baseball school argue with a straight face that baseball is on par with basketball or football? In reality, isn’t it football, basketball, a yawning chasm, and then other sports?


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Isaiah 63:1 said:

He’s also expanding the consideration set of major sports to accomplish his objective. Can anyone anywhere other than a baseball school argue with a straight face that baseball is on par with basketball or football? In reality, isn’t it football, basketball, a yawning chasm, and then other sports?


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It really depends on what you are basing it on(TV, ticket sales, major events, and overall revenue) , and who you are talking about (pro, baseball schools, multi sport schools).

Isaiah 63:1 said:

He’s also expanding the consideration set of major sports to accomplish his objective. Can anyone anywhere other than a baseball school argue with a straight face that baseball is on par with basketball or football? In reality, isn’t it football, basketball, a yawning chasm, and then other sports?


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In college sports:

Football

massive chasm (even at UK, in terms of money, football nets more than double basketball)

Men's Basketball

massive chasm

baseball

BamaInBham said:

In college sports:

Football

massive chasm (even at UK, in terms of money, football nets more than double basketball)

Men's Basketball

massive chasm

baseball

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Yes if you are talking strictly about overall ticket sales and revenue per team.

But for fan support and championship tournaments you get into a totally different animal because that is where baseball makes itself a major sport for the NCAA. Sure Alabama values basketball over baseball, but that is mostly due to basketball being more competitive than baseball. But ask Vandy, MSU, and Ole Miss fans what is the one sport they couldn't live without, and I doubt it is football or basketball. LSU maybe the more divided on that question than what some might think. I lived in Omaha for 6 years and went to every series that I was able to, and there is always atleast 2000 LSU fans there regardless if they are in it or not, but if they are in then they will overtake Omaha.

Long story short, baseball IS a top 3 sport in the NCAA, but it is most likely #3 because its hard for the average fan to watch a long game full of 9 long innings. That is why Softball is starting to become more popular than it was 10 years ago.