… " What is it with Jeff Lebo and Auburn " is that he is by all reports a nice guy who as you say "got the most out of his limited talent ’. Those of us who have advocated for him to get another year, ( and I am in that group ) believe that if he could get better talent he could get the job done. Former Auburn Coach Sonny Smith has gone on record to say he thought the new arena would be a " big help to Lebo " getting that talent.

However after not finishing the season with winnable games against Ole Miss and Alabama, I think a coaching change is probably expected by even his most ardent supporters. The only hiccup I could see might be his $ 1.5 million dollar buyout in this present economy.

As regards Cliff Ellis’ firing, that is still a coaching change that sticks in my craw. We did not wait till the NCAA completed their investigation and as it turned out Ellis was not implicated. Why we don’t do more to keep successful coaches is the most frustating thing to me. During his last 6 years Ellis had us near the top of the SEC in wins and post season play. He produced NBA players, 2 NIT berths, 3 NCAA berths including 2 sweet 16’s, was SEC coach of the year twice, and the year before his firing his Tigers won the most games ever (29) in the state. He has been a winner everyplace he has been. And he has been the Coach of the Year in 4 different D1 conferences. But now he coaches somewhere esle.

In addition I never could understand why we did not give Sonny Smith more money to try and keep hin after he led us to five straight NCAA appearances. I only hope when Auburn does get a winner like an Ellis, a Smith, or a Mike Anderson, that we will do what it takes to keep them. That is the only way to see AU Basketball be a consistent contender.

He’s a good coach, but not anywhere near good enough for the better players to warrant taking a chance on committing to AU. If the basketball program is to be turned around it needs to be done with a bigger named, better talented coach.

to keep Lebo around is if there is no one better to replace him in the current pool of coaches. I’m not saying there is or isn’t, but that’d be the only reason I can think of right now.

tend to think we have the same sort of magnetism and drawing power for a round ball coach as we do for the oblong ball. Maybe we are due for someone new. I think Lebo will eventually be a good coach somewhere, but it may not be on the Plains. Since you guys have already buried him, I bid adieu, Jeff.

an assistant at Kansas, would be a great hire. He’s had a lot to do with their recruiting success. I think Auburn would be an exciting place to play in the coming years IF we were to get a coach with enthusiasm and know-how. We have state-of-the-art facilities now. No more excuses. I’m glad more people are at least aware of what’s going on with basketball now. I’ve been supporting AU hoops for years and I love basketball here. I would love to see it really be successful again. So tired of people who root for Auburn in football, but root for Duke, UNC, or UK in basketball. It’s just Auburn across the board for me. WDE

come on, HES EARNED IT

First of all there are decent coaches out there that Auburn could hire to help turn the basketball program around and turn it into at least a formidable opponent in the SEC. A guy like Danny Manning would have instant street-cred as they say and with the new arena the recruits would start coming in I think. Fran McCaffery doesn’t seem like a bad choice either. I really think he could at least get the Tigers going in the right direction. I know the guy at Providence has a stout contract, but we really might want to look at grabbing him anyway. If we keep Lebo, he might be a good acquisition later.

Though I realize it’s another guy in that same area, Tom Pecora might not be a bad decision either. The man gets it done on the court and brings home wins along with tournament appearances. Something, that we haven’t had here at all really with Lebo’s stint. In addition, the guy can recruit. Hell I could even see us doing well with Jeff Jones for that matter. Still, I’m sure we’ll get some cheap contract on a coach that’s had moderate success as a head coach at best. That’s our AD’s motto it seems.

everyone knows that I have been in the camp of “give him one more year” and I havent changed that stance. Lebo has “coincidentally” tallied his first good recruiting class to come in for the inaugural year of the new arena……..if Lebo is canned you can kiss that class goodbye. Let’s face it in terms of who we are and have been historically as a basketball program we are more like Ole Miss on the gridiron……we are not a destination job and have in our history rarely been successful on a national level or even in the conference. Yes we enjoyed great success (for AU) under Sonny and a modicum of success (by anyones standards) under Ellis…..but let’s not forget who we are are we about to fire David Cutcliffe for Ed Oregeron? And unless AU is ready to throw some serious football salary like numbers at the Basketball program that is exactly what you’re going to get. And who out there thinks that Jay Jacobs and the “powers that be” are going to go after and be successful in bringing in a homerun candidate? If you answered positively to that question go to the doctor now and get your meds updated. As for all of you saying that we should have hired Mike Anderson 6 years ago….yes I can’t disagree that would have been the better hire…..but he won’t come to AU now unless it’s for a “Godfather” contract…an offer he can’t refuse (never happen). All of this means that you are left with at best a middle of the road contract offer to another relatively unknown midmajor coach which is what we got with Lebo. So rather than a lateral trade at this point give Lebo one more season and his good class and new arena to see if he can do better with better depth and talent.

Is if one were to suddenly appear, and have an interest in Auburn. Someone like The Rifleman..
http://wareagleextra.blogspot.com/2010/03/sec-legend-chuck-person-speaks-wouldnt.html

I would think it would take serious money to get any respectable basketball coach. The question is will Auburn spend the money?
Question number two is, has Lebo been promised another year, the first in the new arena? I could see the powers that be thinking the old B/E being a deterrent to recruiting. Jacobs has said so himself. So, why wouldn’t he promise Lebo another year, especially after he pulled in his best recruiting class this past time.

But from my position, I can’t see why the “first good recruiting class” argument has any weight at all. Maybe I’m missing something, but isn’t the basketball coach supposed to recruit well? Why should he be rewarded for doing what he is supposed to be doing the whole time when he has been completely sub-par for the other five years that he has been here. In my opinion it shouldn’t take that long to get your first good class. Using Lebo’s body of work, this class seems more and more like a fluke.