LSU's Brady's Fired

[CornBiscuit]

Now, if we could get rid of Stansbury as well...

I hope he stays. Sooner or later they will get hit with massive NCAA penalties.

 

[LSU Envoy]

I think this is ridiculous. This guy has had some major major injuries to key players.
Do I like him as a coach? Personally No. His personality stinks.
Do I respect him as a coach? Yes.
He put LSU back on the map in basketball when they were flat out horrible.
Let's put it this way. If Bama EVER...EVER...has a coach who takes us to a final four, I'm gonna give him more than a couple of years to overcome his injury or whatever problems.
It's basically like LSU firing Les Miles in 2010 if he doesn't win the SEC.
Skip Bertman should fire himself.
Talk about ego. Here's a guy who lost many more national titles that he should have won in Baseball than anybody...and he pulls the trigger that fast.
What a jerk.
If Brady was our coach we're at 18 wins already and in the tournament.
If any other coach in the SEC was our coach we're at 18 wins....etc.
So who do we play close next?

sippi

I can understand where this decision might look bad to an outsider, but it was a move that had to be made. Not only was the team losing games this year, but apathy had set in with the fan base. The problems that plagued the program (player attrition, deterioration of fan support, the lack of recruiting a true point guard) were not going to be cured by giving Brady another year to work things out. After eleven years as head coach, Brady was a known commodity and many of the program’s problems were of his own making.

Brady burned a lot of bridges during his tenure at LSU (especially during his early years) and was never a very popular coach. If it weren’t for Mark Emmert’s departure as Chancellor in ’04 and Brady’s subsequent Final Four run, there was a good chance he would have lost his job back then. Even during the magical ‘05-06 year in which Brady was in the process of winning the SEC with a 14-2 record, LSU had trouble selling out the PMAC …and that team included guys with terrific personalities who were easy to root for, in future NBA players Glenn ‘Big Baby’ Davis & Tyrus Thomas. Bertman even stated today (at the press conference) that after the Final Four, season ticket sales were only boosted by a few hundred.

This year, actual attendance has only been around 5 or 6 thousand (at most) for SEC games and the women’s team is currently averaging more than the men’s team. At a certain point, it becomes more than just about wins and losses… it becomes about fan support and revenue dollars lost because of a lack of ticket sales, game day concessions, and athletic donations.

That having been said, I am thankful for Brady getting us through the dark years of the draconian NCAA sanctions that were imposed on LSU’s basketball program. He took the job when hardly anyone wanted to take it, knowing that NCAA sanctions were soon to be coming down on the program. Much like Mike Shula, Brady did help us have a few good years in what were some really dark times for the program… although from my viewpoint, Shula did it with more class.

As to your statement about Bertman: “Here's a guy who lost many more national titles that he should have won in Baseball than anybody”… All I can say is, Wow! I don’t know where to begin with that one, so I won’t even try.

 

[BamaLaw]

When I saw this thread this morning, the first thing I thought was, "There is hope!" If for no other reason than what has already been pointed out, in any "business" one must keep their eye on their contemporaries. In D1 college basketball, another program in your division of your conference is certainly a contemporary. If I'm in Mal's office right now, I'm thinking, "John Brady, two years ago, final four, today...gone. Mark Gottfried, four years ago, elite eight, today...??? Why did I give him that darn guaranteed contract?

As for Brady, I never liked him. As has been pointed out, he has the personality of a bed of rusty nails. However, I believe he has done a good job at LSU. He came in at a bad time and in fairly short order, had LSU in the final four. No, I don't like him, but, he's looking pretty good right now. Wojo is, too. By the way: What's Gene Bartow doing these days?

 

[bamadp]

I don't think anyone is suggesting MM make a rash decision based on what another school is doing. However, you are a fool if you are not watching your competitors closely. This holds true in athletics or business. I said before the season that the rest of the west has caught and passed us in the last few years. Coaching changes at Arky and OM have brought instant results. I never thought Brady was a great coach (in fact I found him strikingly similar to CMG) and with a team full of young talent the thought of another quality coach in the west is scary. MM does need to be aware of the fact that our competition is no longer content with mediocrity, and assess our program with that in mind. CMG has fallen down the chart in terms of SEC coaches and the results on the court reflect that. Maybe CMG hasn't done as poor of a job as we think, maybe everyone has gotten better around him, but either way we have fallen behind and this must be addressed.

You're 100% correct !!!

I'm not anti-CMG, but I am pro-Bama. I don't care who the coach is, as long as they represent the university well, and get the job done. CMG has represented UA well, but I don't think he's done the job.

If after 10 years your season relies on the health of a PG, you're failing somewhere down the line. After 10 years, I don't consider going 8-8 in the SEC and making it too the "big dance" a successful season. I realize it's not possible to win the SEC every year, but we shouldn't be a bottom feeder either. It seems we have come too accept mediocrity, as long as that's all we expect, that's all we'll get.

 

[Alasippi]

Ignorance.


John had like 4 winning seasons in the SEC in 10 years. I have known the Brady family for over a decade, so trust me, I wish he would have stayed. But it is a business. He was never going to regain the fan's support.

Im assuming you wanted Shula to stay, too?

Ignorance Part II

Call it what you want. I call it my opinion.
If you can't handle it don't read it.

sippi

 

[CornBiscuit]

Now here is to a 13 point comeback in 1:37!

Oh well, at least we got fifty at the end. :biggrin:

 

[Alasippi]

I can understand where this decision might look bad to an outsider, but it was a move that had to be made. Not only was the team losing games this year, but apathy had set in with the fan base. The problems that plagued the program (player attrition, deterioration of fan support, the lack of recruiting a true point guard) were not going to be cured by giving Brady another year to work things out. After eleven years as head coach, Brady was a known commodity and many of the program’s problems were of his own making.

Brady burned a lot of bridges during his tenure at LSU (especially during his early years) and was never a very popular coach. If it weren’t for Mark Emmert’s departure as Chancellor in ’04 and Brady’s subsequent Final Four run, there was a good chance he would have lost his job back then. Even during the magical ‘05-06 year in which Brady was in the process of winning the SEC with a 14-2 record, LSU had trouble selling out the PMAC …and that team included guys with terrific personalities who were easy to root for, in future NBA players Glenn ‘Big Baby’ Davis & Tyrus Thomas. Bertman even stated today (at the press conference) that after the Final Four, season ticket sales were only boosted by a few hundred.

This year, actual attendance has only been around 5 or 6 thousand (at most) for SEC games and the women’s team is currently averaging more than the men’s team. At a certain point, it becomes more than just about wins and losses… it becomes about fan support and revenue dollars lost because of a lack of ticket sales, game day concessions, and athletic donations.

That having been said, I am thankful for Brady getting us through the dark years of the draconian NCAA sanctions that were imposed on LSU’s basketball program. He took the job when hardly anyone wanted to take it, knowing that NCAA sanctions were soon to be coming down on the program. Much like Mike Shula, Brady did help us have a few good years in what were some really dark times for the program… although from my viewpoint, Shula did it with more class.

As to your statement about Bertman: “Here's a guy who lost many more national titles that he should have won in Baseball than anybody”… All I can say is, Wow! I don’t know where to begin with that one, so I won’t even try.

This was an outstanding reply to my post. Thank you.
My frustration with Bertman in this situation is simply this.
He did a great job as Baseball Coach at LSU. But there were some dry spells as well during his tenure. Mostly short lived but still, there were years when LSU didn't meet expectations with arguably the best talent in the country. Probably because of key injuries etc.
Joe Dean recognized this and acted accordingly....with patience.
As a former coach I just think Bertman should have empathized with Brady's injury situation a little more instead of pulling the trigger so fast.
Brady's a heck of a basketball coach in my opinion.
Good post though.

sippi

 

[ReturnToGlory]

I think the problem with Brady was failure to build a consistent winner. He'd have a big year, followed by a season or two in the basement. Tough to build fan support if you go from extremes. The reason Alabama football has survived this past ten years with the fans still supporting: a history of consistent winning.