July 14, 2016
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High
There are a few happy, memorable moments from the 2015-16 athletic season that will stay with me for a while. Fournette running through Auburn, Ben Simmons skill at 6’10”, and the days of the rally possum.
Though, this is the time to look to the 2016-17 season, and figure out what realistic expectations we should have for the Tigers.
I will try to move through the seasons in the order they occur. Keep in mind, though, I don’t profess to be an export on every sport at LSU. Still, I will try to give you a heads up as to whether a team is a title contender.
Football, soccer, and volleyball are the first three sports to compete. Volleyball is not a title contender, while soccer has turned into a program that expects to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, football is out of excuses for not contending for championships. Obviously, we will get into greater detail in August, but for now, say goodbye to the excuses that have been used in the recent past.
Too many underclassman lost to the draft. Pocic, White, and Beckwith came back so throw that one away. Then there is the usual stand-by of an inexperienced quarterback. Brandon Harris has 13 starts under his belt and is an upperclassman while backup Danny Etling has started at Purdue. Beyond those couple of excuses which cannot be used this year, LSU has plenty in its favor.
By all accounts, LSU has one of the top defensive coaching minds in the game on its sideline. The defensive line is as deep as it has been in years with experience and talent. The skill positions are extremely talented and experienced. I am not ready to make any predictions, but most of the publications have predicted LSU to finish lower than in recent years because they have been burned by the Tigers recently. Now, they are all taking a wait and see approach, which is not a bad idea. Nevertheless, the pieces are clearly in place for a great season.
The swimming and diving team has struggled in recent years as the one sport who has not seen improvement to its facilities. Women’s tennis might make a huge jump next year as they signed the number one recruiting class in the country. It is not a coincidence that this achievement happened immediately after building a new indoor and outdoor facility. Honestly, I don’t have a clue about cross country.
After finishing second in the country, the gymnasts are legitimate title contenders. They got over the Super Six hump last year and should have plenty of confidence to handle the pressure required to win a National Championship.
Many Tiger fans are preparing for a rough basketball season. The women should be better, but that wouldn’t take much. The men are not as void of talent as some would have you think. Blakeney, Sampson, and Victor are a solid core of talent that were coveted by the best teams in the country. Skylar Mays, despite being a freshmen, is possibly the best true point guard prospect LSU has had since, Randy Livingston. That is not hyperbole, but I am not predicting he is an All-American candidate either. The fact is that LSU has rarely signed a true point guard in the last 20+ years. Mays is a true point guard, and sometimes that makes a huge difference.
I don’t have great insider information, but I have eyes that tell me last year’s basketball team was completely dysfunctional. I don’t care whose fault it was. I do know that in basketball great team chemistry can mask many issues. If this year’s team can click as a team, then they could certainly surpass the tepid accomplishments of last year’s Tigers despite not having as much talent.
Softball is also in position to make another CWS appearance and contend for a national title. LSU loses a few key position players, but have a couple of outstanding recruits and return their top three pitchers.
Baseball will have some attrition to figure out, but is going to be very talented. Alex Lange will lead what I believe will be an improved staff. LSU has some signed some electric arms to go with some juniors that I expect to up their game a bit this year.
Meanwhile, there will be great competition among at each position next year so whoever fills out the starting lineup has earned it with production. There is experience and leadership. I expect another outstanding season from the baseball Tigers.
Men’s golf will remain one of the top teams in the country, while track and field will once again compete for championships.
I know most Tiger fans just care about the Big 3. That is fine. Go ahead and have very high expectations for football and baseball. Both teams should have great success. But don’t ignore basketball.
I might be overly optimistic, but I give you permission to have high hopes for 2016-17.
HEY REF
I’ll start this week’s column with a short question; what do Hillary Clinton, Cam Robinson, Laurence Jones and Jeffery Simmons have in common? Are you trying to figure it out? Want to keep trying? Did I stump you? Yeah, I know this is a tough one; NOT! All right time’s up. We’ve got a very simple answer here; these four individuals are all guilty of major crimes yet because of their “connections” are walking free and won’t be facing a trial or jail.
But as I look at the cases against each of them I don’t know if being your party’s nominee for president of the United States is more important than trashy, drug dealers and women beaters. I don’t think I could possibly put them all in the same category because anyone seeking the highest office in this country should be held to the highest degree and not rubbing elbows with common felons.
So then why are those not running for president able to walk the streets where our families live and our children play? The simple answer is they are all top notch football players that’ll be adored by the screaming masses, plying their trade in every SEC stadium come this football season.
Robinson and Jones, Louisiana products will play for Little Nicky’s Crimson Tide in Alabama and Simmons will be calling Mississippi State home. With the sorry excuses of human beings they are and all the baggage these three criminals bring with them the SEC schools they’ll be playing for should be required to warn the public of the charges these players bring with them and just “HOW” they were able to skate away from justice.
The D. A. in north Louisiana that allowed them to walk should be removed from office immediately. How in the world can we ask police officers to go out and rid our communities of drug dealers and thieves when we allow two criminals to escape justice simply because they play football? The charges these two faced were of the very serious kind. That is unless you call possession of marijuana and a stolen pistol nothing to be upset about. There are plenty of regular people in jail for a lot less than what these guys did. Having a stolen firearm or a firearm in general along with illegal drugs is an automatic jail sentence for us commoners.
Alabama lists Jones as a backup safety while they expect Robinson to be a first round NFL pick in 2017 if he gets over a shoulder injury. That’s what smacks me right across the face; neither of these two guys can be called a sure bet to make it to the professional level. And if they were it still doesn’t excuse their felon behavior. Yet they are treated as people that can walk on water. But that’s the type of country we live in now. Sad I know but most people adore athletes in this day and time and turn a blind eye to any wrongdoing they might be guilty of simply to satisfy their need of a winning football team. I don’t know of a school that isn’t guilty of allowing these types of things from going on as long as someone can run for over a thousand yards or pass for more than 400 yards on any given Saturday or Sunday.
Now let’s look at the case of Jeffery Simmons and his being allowed to play for that Mississippi brand of Bulldogs. Mississippi State Head Coach Dan Mullen who is reported being paid $4.8 million a year has said that the university is well aware of Simmons digressions. Mullen did his best in dodging any and all questions about the problems that Simmons brings with him during his time on the podium at the SEC Media Days in Hoover, Alabama. As members of the press badgered him he finally had to accept the cold, hard truth that reporters covering the event wouldn’t let him leave without giving an official statement into how a known woman beater is allowed not only to be a student at Miss. State but allowed to play for the Bulldogs.
As if his quote made everything O. K. he told reporters “We’re all responsible if, God forbid; Simmons has a violent episode at Miss. State that puts the life of a woman in danger” (Pssst, what about a male student?). In the “WE” part of his statement Mullen included himself, Athletic Director Scott Stricklin and school president Mark Keenum. And he says if Simmons does have another episode of beating a woman while at the school then all of the before mentioned individuals should be fired and held directly responsible. What a guy, he’s putting every woman’s health and wellbeing at risk in Starkville hoping to win a national title and the cheap trophy that goes with it. This man has a big heart and a known felon that’ll be on his roster yet he just shrugs when asked “WHY”!
Stay with me here because I’ve got to include the entire statement coming from Miss. State to show everyone just how disgusting and ridiculous things have gotten when a school wants a star athlete on their football roster. Those in power at State are saying that the 30 second video that shows Simmons PUNCHING A WOMAN MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES AS SHE LAID ON THE GROUND! AS SHE LAY ON THE GROUND! All this happened less than four months ago so you know he’s still going to do it since there’s not been any type of intervention. In “Hey Refs’ World you never hit a woman, much less one that on the ground and for nearly 30 seconds.
But here’s where the NCAA should step in, fine Miss. State, remove them from all bowl games for at least five years, take away 12 scholarships (One for each punch he landed to this woman) and fire the athletic Director and president. And you won’t even believe the icing on this sad cake? Many Bulldog fans are saying “If Miss. State decided not to enroll him, someone else in the SEC would have”!
SAD, SAD, SAD!!! But hey, everything will be forgotten if they have a winning season. But again all I can say is SAD!!!
Till next week… …
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