the last thing a team needs.

LSU women's b-ball coach Dana "Pokey" Chatman resigned much earlier than expected (as she was giving up the position at year's end). Now, she's out and will not be coaching the program through the tournament, and this is really the last thing necessary for a team that just happened to up-end Pat Summitt and the Lady Volunteers in the SEC tourney.

Chatman's immediate resignation is prodded by allegations of an affair with a former player, and it's a serious matter -- no matter how many jokes I try to keep back right now. (You may crack at will, though.) The whole mess at this point is just that, a mess. Assistant Bob Starkey, who's taking over for now, said this:

"She came in and said for personal reasons some opportunities had come available to her -- that it was something she needed to move on."

Really, I'm not sure if it's the allegations or if there's some truth to them, and I was actually kind of mortified reading the comments attached to the article (some implying that people thought it was okay because it was two women). Let's leave it like this: if she did have a relationship with a former player, it's improper -- position of authority and all that, regardless of gender and orientation. Regardless, it's a bad beat for the team -- you don't want to lose a coach with a 90-14 record.

I feel kind of odd even posting this -- the only time the majority of us pay attention to women's college hoops is when something bizarre happens with the coaches or the players that grabs our attention (unless you are a die hard or dedicated to the school.)