LSU Football: I Hope Benji Feels Better Today

I met Benji Thibodeaux during the Curly Hallman Era (1991-1994). He was working in the banking profession in Georgia and seemed bitter at the time.

I imagine that the face-mask call on him in 1979 during the heartbreak loss to Southern Cal was a bitter memory, but not the reason for his attitude that night I met him.  The poor seasons that LSU suffered through during Hallman's era were probably not the cause either.

I am fortunate to attend five to six home games a year at Tiger Stadium and usually attend the bowl game.

I suffered through the Hallman fiasco by attending every home game during this four year horror and staying till the last second ticked off the clock to prove that I was a very loyal fan.  As I get older, I attend fewer games hoping to go to at least four or five this year.

It was during one of these Hallman games that I attended the game alone on a Saturday Night.  I had tickets on the 40-yard line on the West Side midway up.  They were good seats and I usually had no problem selling them for $20 or $30, when a man approached me asking how much for the ticket?  

He seemed nice enough, and I was pretty picky about who would sit next to me. I told him $25 and quickly added the location of the tickets.

He said he was not interested, that he was only curious.  It caught my attention when he said he would never pay for a ticket to an LSU game.  I asked him why.  He said, "I played here."   I asked his name.  He said, "Benji Thibodeaux."  I looked with surprise and asked, "Number 77? Defensive Tackle, 77-80?"  

For a brief moment he looked pleasantly surprised, with his eyes widening.  "You remember?",  He asked.  I told him that I was in law school during those years and rarely missed a game with him as one of my favorites.  

Then I brought up the dreaded game in 1979.  "I remember the USC game.  I was there. I didn't think it was a penalty."  I deadpanned.  His expression changed.  He shrugged and mumbled something to the effect that it did not matter.

It did.  It still does.  That game sits with me as the most frustrating and heartbreaking losses in my memory.  USC came into Tiger Stadium with one of the most talented teams in college football history. They were ranked No. 1 and heavily favored.  

LSU could not score a touchdown but lead with a few minutes to go by a score of 12-10.  Charles While and Paul MacDonald were stunned.  They were down late in the fourth quarter and going for a fourth down conversion to keep their hopes alive on the thirty something yard line on their side of the 50.

McDonald dropped back to pass after an offensive lineman seemed to have a quick start and should have been called for an illegal procedure even if they made the first down.

I was sitting in the North end zone to the right of the goal post, looking at the field.  It was part of the student section, but I did not have the energy to get there early enough to fight for better seats.  

For this play there was no better view.  Benji Thibodeaux beat his blocker and he roared to the backfield.  The crowd cheered like never before as Paul McDonald was sacked and the ball would be turned over on downs.

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