Enough is enough. The LSU men's basketball team's 68-52 home loss Saturday to Arkansas was not necessarily the icing on the cake, but it certainly serves as another reason to be disheartened. And at the heart of the Tigers' problems is LSU coach John Brady. The Tigers are in an abysmal 7-12 season, including an 0-5 Southeastern Conference mark. The team has also lost eight straight games, the longest losing streak since LSU lost nine straight games in the 2000-2001 season. The Tigers' on-the-court problems - injuries, youth and lack of depth - are relatively out of Brady's control. But his track record at the University since 1997 tells the entire story. The simple fact is Brady has been unable to sustain a consistent program during 10-plus seasons. And he has seen several players transfer or leave early for the NBA draft during his tenure. In 10 complete seasons, Brady has led LSU to four NCAA tournament appearances - the same number of last-place SEC Western Division finishes the Tigers have earned during Brady's reign. And LSU is on pace to garner another one of those dubious, cellar-dweller honors this season too. The driving force behind Brady's roller-coaster time at LSU is his inability to retain players. Most recently, forward Magnum Rolle transferred to Louisiana Tech, guard Ben Voogd transferred to Oregon and LSU forward Glen Davis left a season early for the NBA. Many fans try to justify the Tigers' poor play, saying LSU will never be a solid basketball school because it is only known for football. That excuse is completely unacceptable. Ohio State and Florida played in the NCAA men's basketball championship game in the 2006-2007 academic year, and both schools are more widely-known for their success on the gridiron than the hardwood. The basketball team held a press conference Thursday to plead with fans to support the team during its struggles. Athletic Director Skip Bertman also sent a broadcast e-mail to students, claiming "an evaluation of the men's basketball program will come at the appropriate time, so any speculation now about the future of the program is mere conjecture." Brady has promised improvement next season with a top-20 recruiting class and a healthy lineup. But if history repeats itself, the Tigers will likely succeed, but the top players will leave early and the team will return to point A. Therefore, Brady should step down at the end of the season. He has had plenty of chances to build a stable program, and he has failed. Thank you, coach, for your hard work. We do not doubt you put everything into the program. But it's time for a change - LSU deserves better than mediocrity.
---- Contact the Editorial Board at opinion@lsureveille.com
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