The Day That Time Stood Still

November 4, 1972 was the last LSU Football game I attended with my father.  His favorite LSU slogan, was '08, '58 and next year, in reference to the only two mythical national championship seasons.  Unfortunately, he died in in 1976 during a slump in Tiger history.  I was a senior in high school anxiously awaiting my matriculation to LSU the next year as a freshman.

My father was an LSU season ticket holder with six children—four daughters and two sons. The boys were the youngest in the family.  He would take one of us to the game when my mother chose not to go, which was often.

I remember those games against Texas A&M, Rice, and SEC opponents. In the mid sixties and the upper deck seats that one my close friends and I would sit, when our fathers would go together and sit in the "good seats" on the five yard line of the West side.

It was always a privilege to be able to sit in the good seats.  One of the interesting time periods occurred when LSU had kicker, Mark Lumpkin.  The score board allowed writing on the bottom, such as who ran, how far, and of course the point after touchdown.  It was always written in abbreviated English.  "Lumpkin PAT Kick Good".  My friend and I would always laugh and change the words, such as "Kick Lumpkin, PAT No Good." Or, "Pat Mark, Kick Good."  

We thought we were quite creative.

As the years passed and the bitterness toward Ole Miss increased, especially with Archie Manning as Quarterback, my favorite games were the LSU-Ole Miss games.  I got to see the shellacking of Ole Miss when LSU beat them 61-17, with Archie in a cast.  Tommy Casanova, Mike Anderson, and others were my heroes.  

I was at the Auburn game when we won by one point after George Bevan blocked the extra point to assure a 21-20 victory.  I missed that play, because my father's name was called out over the speakers. Having the same name as my father, I went to see what happened with my brother. My sister, a LSU student, had a pin from a corsage stick in her chest and had to receive first aid.  I was sorry to miss the end of that game.

As 1972 rolled in, LSU was playing good football.  The Tigers were 6-0 when the Ole Miss game was coming up.  My father asked if I wanted to go with him.  "The Ole Miss game?  Of course!"  was my response.  The stadium was packed with 68,000 plus fans for the 7:30 game.

LSU played poorly for nearly the entire game.  Even with Bert Jones at quarterback; the Rebels played inspired football with the lead 16-10 in the fourth quarter.  LSU made one last defensive stand with about three minutes to go in the game. Ole Miss punted and LSU received the ball at about their own 20 yard line.

The fans cheered to pump up the players and Jones confidently trotted to the huddle after conferring with Coach Mac. The drive started poorly with one fourth-down conversion required to continue the drive. The seconds ticked away and every fan was standing, including my Dad, who generally would rather sit and watch, nipping at his "snake bite" medicine (a convenient way to justify bringing bourbon into the stadium.)

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