I'm not saying coaches and players and fans didn't want to win, but there is a huge difference between wanting/hoping to win and an institutional focus on the same. In view of that it seems to me the attempted connect using the success of Petit and Marivich to an LSU focus on basketball does not fit.
It would be like saying the UL administration was focused on football when Cagle, Dark, Mitchell, and Delhomme played here. Being fortunate to have certain players who bring success does not truly mean the school was focused.
Petit and Marivich were good fortune/gifts for LSU, Petit the local boy, Pete the coach’s son. The real focus on winning in basketball came later, coincidentally not long after UL visited the top 10.
Having said that I find nothing wrong with LSU focusing on what they did, when they did. The timeline of focus however is undeniable, not that there's anything wrong with that.
It was not referred to as the "death penalty" until we called it that. It was a 2 year "death penalty" and a 2 year probation. It essentially eliminated our basketball program for 4 years. There were much more severe infractions by programs prior to that time. The problem for U S L was that they had been warned about some rumors of infractions, self-imposed what they thought would control these issues and reported these measures to the NCAA, but when it was determined that those controls did not manage to eliminate some flagrant public assistance to some of the basketball players, the NCAA came down extremely hard. It was a hard lesson to learn, and many programs have inacted measures to keep over-active fans from assisting student-athletes, while working with the NCAA to see how far they can go to funnel money (thru "legitimate vehicles") into the pockets of athletes... and the best of the best have found methods to assist their athletes with high paying summer jobs, etc. There is a significant amount of cash and benefits that still go into a large number of athletes all over the place, is very difficult to track, and as long as the NCAA thinks that it is fairly common, isn't blatant, or does not get reported by a student-ahtlete, they tend to turn a blind eye.
A few things
-the Pete Maravich era was 1967-1970
-The Assembly Center (now the PMAC) was opened for the 71-72 season
-After Pete left, in 70-71 Press went 14-12, in 71-72 he went 10-16
Given the excitement Pete had brought and the new building that had just opened, its not surprising LSU wanted to make a move to try to reinvigorate the program. And while, looking back, Dale ended up after a while having a lot of success, it wasn't like we went out and hired some hotshot coach. Dale was not a hot commodity when hired.
I do find your cause/effect deniable.
On a tunnel vision case by case basis a denial perhaps can be presented.
The "timeline of focus" however refers to the incremental step by step growth focus of the whole athletic program.
There existed an undeniable glove like fitting tied to the success of other Louisiana schools.
jmo
As we all know a major program will never be hit with the Death Penalty again. Case in point USC with the Bush/Mayo show, or the LSU program with GA taking tests and doing homework not to mention Berkman and the free luxury apt for baseball player to OU's 90 grand a year qb.
Apples to oranges my man.
LSU absolutely dominates the state in bar passage rates, not that bar passage rates are remotely relevant in any way whatsoever as to determine what the "best" law school is, since the bar exam is in no way an indication of one's proficiency in the practice of law. Trying to point out the 2 or 3 times Tulane has marginally snuck past LSU in bar passage rates is foolish to say the least.
Both LSU and Loyola dominate the state in emplyoment rates upon graduation and starting salaries as well.
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