The Possible Edwin Edward's Pardon and LSU Football

I guess I am one of many Louisiana Republicans and conservatives that would not mind if Bush pardon Edwin Edwards or perhaps commuted his Sentence. I do not want the man to die in jail. Though there is some quite heated opposition to this when it is brought up. We shall see what Bush does. I am of the school of thought by the way the PARDON power is not used enough

I find this interesting on Tigerdroppings.com that mentioned Edwards and his connection to LSU Football.

See Bob Brodhead's Comments on Edwin Edwards Bob Brodhead was former AD at LSU that did a tell all book that got people talking. That book was Sacked.

The book talked about the jungle that LSU Politics was at the time. In many ways it still is. ALso when I say LSU Politics I mean LSU Baton Rouge Campus Politics.

Anyway the thread is interesting for those interested in Louisiana politics and taking a trip down memory land. In case this thread disappears into the internet ether in the months ahead let me excerpt these interesting parts of the book. This also involves Jerry Stoval too that if people recall became AD at Louisiana Tech and later was fired that if I recall correctly was of some controversy. Jerry Stoval was AD while I was at Tech and I do recall having two classes with his very smoking hot daughter :)

With no ties to LSU or Louisiana, Bob Brodhead got quite a few lessons on Louisiana "good ole boy" politics when he was AD at LSU from 1982-1986. He relates in his book "Sacked" how Charles Cusimano, Shelly Beychok and other BOS members and assorted folks attempted to steer LSU business to favored friends or get those friends jobs in the LSU athletic department for which they were not qualified. That was the Louisiana way of doing business - especially in the 1980's.

Surprisingly, "Bottom Line Bob" had nothing but good to say about Governor Edwin Edwards. It could be that EE considered LSU athletics small potatoes and that he had much bigger fish to fry. Anyway, here are a couple interesting excerpts from "Sacked."

Here is a meeting with EE when Brodhead recommended that Jerry Stovall be fired as LSU football coach:

Before the Board meeting, Wharton and Board member Sheldon Beychok met with Governor-elect Edwin Edwards to apprise him of my pending recommendation. Not knowing how adverse public reaction might be, they wanted Edwards kept up to date and, hopefully, in the right corner. Edwards, however; wanted firsthand information, and he summoned me to a meeting in his office. Edwards' icy blue eyes scared me almost as much as his proclamation, minutes after Wharton, Beychok and I arrived, that Stovall and I should both be fired and a combination Coach/Athletic Director be brought in. Wondering if I'd just been axed, I offered my arguments against such a move, telling Edwards that, in my opinion intercollegiate sports had become big business and, as such, should be run by businessmen, not football coaches. He must have seen the logic in my remarks, because at the close of the meeting, he told me to do what I thought was best, and he promised not to interfere. It was a promise he would keep throughout my tenure at LSU.

Brodhead again mentions Edwards, this time in connection with a new track surface being installed in Bernie Moore Stadium. Sheldon Beychok had pushed for a friend of his; David Brantley, to get the job and had his buddy the Governor call Brodhead: ...

Governor Edwin Edwards had called to tell me that David Brantley had asked him for a recommendation on the installation of the new track. Edwards did his duty and proclaimed to me the importance of doing business with a Louisiana-based company. In closing, however, the Governor earned my never-ending gratitude. "Bob," he said, "get the best deal for LSU. I know you will." Over the years, as I've listened to the various accounts of the alleged transgressions attributed to the Governor; I remember the treatment he afforded me during my career at LSU. Perception isn't always grounded in fact; it's often painted by a thousand hostile brushes.

This poster also points out what the then young Louisiana political journalist John Maginnis had to say

John Maginnis summed it up best in an article around the time Brodhead resigned: For LSU to fire Bob Brodhead would be to turn the bottom line back on him - profiting enormously from his management genius, then dumping him when he becomes a net liability. Such a move would be fitting. Hypocritical but fitting. And Brodhead would have no one to blame but himself, for he made the mistake of viewing LSU sports for what it is instead of for what it pretends to be.


There is a interesting recount on that thread of Brodhead's view of the disaster that was the LSU/Baylor Liberty Bowl Game.

Anyway PARDON FAST EDDIE AT LEAST HE DIDN"T MESS WITH THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM