re: LSU fans: Why was Joe Alleva hired as AD at LSU in 2008?

quote:

---

I don't think the scandal indicates their administration is inept, just like I don't think Alleva is remotely as dumb as our fanbase (which is collectively pretty stupid) thinks he is.

---

Some people are dumb as shite in criticizing him, but it shouldn't cover up that he's horrible at handling PR.

The answer for the OP and the reason even intelligent people criticize him is the same, he's a bean counter. LSU athletics fundraising has done very well since he was hired. He's very good at getting his teams into lucrative neutral site games and navigated the SEC's media money boom very well. Not much of a stretch to say a lot of it fell in his lap, but it's on his resume nonetheless.

Fans don't like him because a lot of his policies that make the university money do so at their expense, and there are too many to name. I and others don't like him because he's atrocious at dealing with the media and mitigating negative press. Typically, when a smart PR firm would do such and such in a situation, Joe can be counted on to do the opposite and make LSU look inept. He's silent when he needs to speak, and runs his mouth when he shouldn't.