“Temporary Cranial Flatulence” Infects the LSU Defense

After spending the last several weeks trying to get business and life back to normal after Hurricane Gustav, I figured that an important, albeit overlooked, problem plaguing this nation was as good a reason as any to return to the pack.

No, I’m not talking about the U.S. economy.  In fact, many of you will be surprised at how much better the economic news will get after the presidential election.  But enough about politics. 

The issue I would like to shed light on today is a condition known as TCF (Temporary Cranial Flatulence).  The condition is also known, in laymen’s terms, as “brain farts.”

TCF has plagued locker rooms and postgame interviews for years, but we are just now beginning to learn the depth of its impact.

When asked about how his squad will try to stop Tim Tebow this Saturday night, LSU defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois said, "If we get a good shot on [Tebow], we're going to try our best to take him out of the game. ... With his size and his heart, it's hard to get a clean shot.”

Well, let’s just start with the obvious.  No matter what, whether you’re joking or not, whether you are trying to get under the skin of your opponent or not, you never ever make a remark that can be remotely interpreted as willfully and purposely attempting to injure another player.  Ever.

After all, this isn't Auburn.

Jean-Francois is the latest victim claimed by TCF, and it put his entire team in a bad light on a national stage.  Smack talk is fine, and it should be encouraged as it raises the level of intensity going into a game.  But Ricky’s comments crossed the line, thanks to TCF.

Now, Jean-Francois has since clarified his comments by utilizing the standard retraction line of athlete TCF sufferers: “We respect him as a player and competitor...blah, blah, blah."  Well done.

But here’s the thing: Even though you shouldn’t say things like this about any athlete, why say it about Tim Tebow?

Look, as much as anyone over the last three years, I have dug deep in trying to find a reason to hate this kid.  I can’t.  He’s a good player, but more than that, he’s a great person.

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