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

This answers part of your question: We had a field of six, according to this NOLA TP article from the time.

LINK

1. Duke AD Joe Alleva
2. FSU AD Dave Hart, Jr.
3. LSU Sr Assoc AD Verge Ausberry
4. FAU AD Craig Angelos
5. UK Dep. AD Rob Mullens
6. LSU Sr. Assoc AD Herb Vincent

We were never going to hire someone without AD experience (even though the two inside guys are great people), so that eliminated Ausberry, Vincent, and Mullens.

I think it must have come down to Alleva, Hart, and Angelos. I guess Alleva probably had the best pitch of the three of them. Hart, of course, had his own difficulties at FSU. Angelos moved on to USF in 2012.