Before the confetti even dropped on LSU’s second BCS Championship in five seasons, the distractions had already started. Les Miles humiliated his Alma Mater and ESPN’s golden boy Kirk Herbstreit on the morning of the SEC Championship Game by announcing that the reports of him leaving LSU for Michigan were false.
He further endeared himself to LSU fans by referring to his Tigers as a “damn strong” football team, then gave a half a hand wave to the media and with a trademark smirk, he sneered “Have a great day!”
By then, it was obvious that defensive coordinator Bo Pelini would be taking the head coaching job at Nebraska and some major changes would be coming in the offseason.
Depending on how close you paid attention to the LSU football team on a day to day basis, you may or may not have seen the departure of Ryan Perrilloux coming.
Most of the LSU faithful knew that there was some talent waiting in the wings at quarterback, but I believe that the national championship hangover clouded their vision just enough that they failed to realize just how much experience trumps talent in that position. The coaches knew, however, and that’s why Andrew Hatch started the season.
But to most of the Tiger faithful, the fall of Ryan Perrilloux was more imminent than shocking. The real shock, however, came when Les Miles announced that he would not be replacing Bo Pelini with another star defensive coordinator.
Instead, he would be promoting position coaches Doug Mallory and Bradley Dale Peveto to being co-defensive coordinators.
Even my eleven year old nephew was scratching his head. Was there nobody good enough? Was the guy Les wanted not available for this season? Do you mean to tell me that there was not one qualified candidate in the country that wanted to come coach at what had become known as Defensive U?
Though not likely, it could have been that either Mallory or Peveto could have done a decent job as defensive coordinator. There needed to be one guy steering the ship while the rest of the crew was working.
The point is that the position coaches are the ones that develop the close relationships with the players, and the DC is right there in their face every day demanding results.
There was obviously nobody demanding results from the LSU defense this year.
Losing to Florida was acceptable this year. After all, they are unquestionably the best team in the country right now. Losing to Georgia would have been more acceptable had LSU not spotted them 17 points off of two “pick sixes” and another interception in filed goal range. But Georgia was a better team and should have won.
For the one game that this LSU team got up for this year, they exposed Alabama’s many weaknesses. But more free points let the Tide get out of Baton Rouge with thievery.
After the Alabama loss, it was clear that the players were sensing that the horrible play calling on both sides of the ball and overall bad decisions by the coaching staff were causing them to lose instead of helping them win—and their lack of inspired play proved it.
Now, there is no excuse for any college football player on any team to give up half way through the season, regardless of the circumstances. But that’s when coaching leadership comes into play. The lack of a single decision maker on defense and Miles’ unwillingness to intervene proved to be the wheel that came off the wagon.
You know you have a serious problem when you have to rally a miracle comeback just to beat Troy. But when you lose to a perennial SEC bottom dweller like Ole Miss, it’s really time to roll some heads.
Ole Miss had replaced Vanderbilt as the SEC whipping post. While they fielded a better than average team this year for the first time since Eli manning was on campus, the program itself is a joke.
Without even a single trip to the SEC Championship game, no national championships from a legitimate wire service, and a fan base so small that all of the pregame tailgaters can fit on one small patch of dead grass in the middle of campus, it would have been more respectable to lose to Troy.
After a wake up call like that you would think that the coaching staff would have made some serious adjustments. But in the first two drives against 4-7 Arkansas, the LSU defense was once again shredded as they stuck to the Big 10 style formation ran Gerry DiNardo out of Baton Rouge.
The coaches finally woke up and realized that blitzing with fast defensive players is an effective way to shut down any offense, especially an average one like Arkansas. What do you know? The Tigers went up 30-14.
Now, most coaches would have still be nervous about losing that lead and kept up the intensity. But not the two-headed monster Les Miles created. They quit blitzing, went to a prevent defense with most of the fourth quarter left to go, and completely lost composure.
Instead of an Arkansas drive dying on their own 10 yard line, the LSU defense decided to extend the drive by committing a personal foul. Then the officials just had a field day, giving LSU penalty after penalty until Arkansas was in the red zone. The writing was on the wall.
Now, the most amusing part about all of this is watching the homers from other SEC teams getting so excited about watching the hiccup in the LSU dominance of the last decade. They are looking at one season and predicting the downfall of the program.
Good, let them think it. They can join the LSU fair weather fans and have a big pity party. Meanwhile, the real college football fans will sit back and watch LSU continue to reload.
How quickly they forget that a year after winning a national championship, Florida lost four games including a bowl game to a pitiful Michigan team who had already fired their head coach. They also did this with a Heisman trophy winner under center. Now Florida is poised to win another crystal football.
Everyone keeps calling LSU the “defending national champs.” Well, that’s true in the sense that Louisiana State University won the national championship last year. But looking at the roster, less than half of the starters in 2008 were starters in 2007, and the most important positions had the youngest players.
This team represented the University that won it all last season, but don’t kid yourself into thinking that by beating LSU you beat the defending national champs.
Les Miles will show what he’s made of in the coming weeks. If he makes the obviously necessary staff changes, then focuses on winning a bowl game and on to spring training, then he and his damn strong football team will be fine.
The LSU doomsday predictors (more like wishful thinkers) should also look at the recruiting class which will likely be ranked No. 1 or close to it. A class, I might add, that includes the No. 1 recruit in the nation, Russell Shepard.
The bottom line is this, LSU is still LSU. This elite program had a down season, but the program itself is far from down. Remember, when it comes to BCS Championships: most have none, some have one, but only one has two...LSU!
85 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment
j white 7 months ago
Those bottom dwellers are playing in January and beat LSU up and down LSU's home field. Enjoy the Liberty Bowl. Go Rebels.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Good one. Very original. The fact that you are excited about 8-4 and a minor bowl game is a testament to how much Ole Miss truly sucks. As an Ole Miss fan, you couldn't possibly begin to understand.
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Larry Burton 7 months ago
I like how you only want to count BCS National Championships... When to get to Consensus National Championships like Alabama, let me know..
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blackjackjackson 7 months ago
larry,
you may want to check out this :
http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rfsc/history/kirlin/champs.html
alabam was concensus in '79 and '92.
that's why the bcs came about. so, larry, good luck to bama to win the bcs back to back and catch up w/ lsu.
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j white 7 months ago
Did not suck on your home field. Go celebrate your come back against Troy. It may be a minor bowl but it is better than any bowl LSU will go to this year. Start talking about the future.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Once again the point flies right over your head. Typical.
I'll type slow cause I know you fellers over in MS don't read so fast...
Ole Miss beat LSU for the first time in 7 years. 7. The last several times LSU has gone to that high school stadium in Oxford they DESTROYED the Rebs. Yes, you guys won this year. So did a 4-7 Akansas, congratulations! Well done!
The point is that your overall program is horrible. You lack tradition, and most importantly, championships. I don't know why it's so hard to recruit either, you only need a 2.0 and a 16 on your ACT to get into Ole Miss. With those standards you should be able to get anybody.
You're not even a little embarrassed that after 8 wins the Cotton Bowl is still looking for reasons not to take you? The best season Ole Miss has had in 50 years was in 2003 - and they didn't even contend for the SEC. Now do you get it? Are you seriously still talking about beating LSU in their worst season in 8 years? Really?
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Brian Scott 6 months ago
And LSU ends up in a higher paying bowl than Ole Miss! How poetic! Nobody wants the runts!
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Brian Bertrand 7 months ago
LSU is not LSU right now. LSU was embarrassed 5 times this year (I'm counting the Troy performance even though LSU managed to win, b/c it was a national laugher). The defense is a patent sham, a shell of what it should be considering the talent level. Those who even contemplate comparison of this LSU year to the 2007 FLA season (4-loss season) show complete and total lack of analytical ability - or they are just plain homers. FLA lost 2 very close games to Auburn and LSU, both which they could have easily won. The 3rd loss in the regular season was also competitive. They loss the 4th to an inspired Michigan team playing hard for their departing coach in a decent bowl game. LSU has been embarrassed MANY times in 2008, and will be playing some chump team in a meaningless bowl. The only value of that bowl game is the mickey mouse payout and the extra practice.
Miles seems to have no ability to right the ship that we all watched sink all year long. His philosophy and judgment are flawed and he needs to put his ego aside and adapt, or he will sink like Coker into the abyss of coaching. The truth hurts but it must be stated. All this "We'll get that fixed" verbage has been as ineffective as the LSU defense. And this LSU defense has to be the most dissapointing and worse performing defense in the history of LSU (considering the talent on the roster), and possibly in the history of college football.
Miles can save the ship now that the 2008 debacle is mostly behind us. He needs to 1)clean house on the defensive staff, 2) Find a QB and a receivers coach who can actually mold them into solid performers, especially with Shephard, Jefferson and Lee next season 3) put aisde his allegiance to his favorites and upper classmen who are not as capable as others on the roster, 4) instill major butt-kicking discipline to the entire team and 5) Learn clock management and situational awareness on the sidelines on game day.
He can do all these things if he puts his mind to it and his ego to the side. He can save the Program from falling the way of Miami, Florida State, Michigan and other once mighty programs. Miles can do it, but he has to start TODAY. RIGHT DAMN NOW.
Fool yourself if you feel differently, but that is the damn strong truth. Have a great off-season!
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Actually the article makes many of the same points you do - so I guess I'm right. With the exception of your attempts to defend 2007 Florida and Michigan, of course. LSU was embarrassed by losing to Ole Miss and Arkansas, as I already stated. Georgia and Florida were much better teams. Alabama won but they were embarassed by LSU in the process.
But once again the lesser observers miss the God loving point! This was a disastrous season for LSU and I can't count how many coaching criticisms are in this article, but there is no basis for sounding the alarm on the program. Get it?
Next time read the whole article instead of just the title before commenting - it'll make you look smarter.
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j white 7 months ago
Yes, I am still talking about two teams Ole Miss and LSU playing each other in 2008. One team won and one team lost. I am not insulting you. I am not insulting the people of LA. I am not insulting an entire University.I am not discussing academics. I am talking about football this year. And this year your team was not as good as the team you insulted. Get over. Nothing you can say will change the facts. So have at go for the insults. But, nothing will change the fact that LSU's football team is not as good at the Ole Miss' team.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Yes of course you will harp on one game because it's all you have. Enjoy it while you can because Nutt will lead the Ole Myth back to the bottom when Orgeron's recruits are gone!
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Brian Bertrand 7 months ago
Regarding "but there is no basis for sounding the alarm on the program. Get it? ", I think there is plenty of basis. Our team lacks discipline, lacks fundamental coordination, lacks proper defensive schemes, and lacks player execution - all resulting in a team that is not unified and has many factions under the surface. These factors are plenty basis for significant concern/alarm.
Let me state that the positives of the Miles way are the following leading up to this season: 1) recruiting, 2) coaching decisions and 3) practicing the principle of believing in his team which they fed off of. These are a subset of the ingredients needed to win consistently. He missed the whole barn on #2 this year.
.....We can give him a mulligan for not realizing what most LSU fans did at the beginning of the season - that is the fact that neither Paveto nor Mallory have anywhere near the pedigree, or record of achievement, to be handed the reigns of this defense. The pass defense of LSU was selectively picked apart in the 2007 season (mostly becuase the LB's and DB missed assignments) and was prodominantly picked apart for most of the 2008 season for more of the same reason. A TERRIBLE decision was made by Miles - just terrible - but lets give him a mulligan and move on.
Programs fall from grace when they make critical decisions that are bad, and then do not recognize their error. Miles needs to learn and adapt - and NOW.
It is not too late, but he needs to change much more than most folks think.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
I know you "think" there is basis but the facts aren't on your side. When did Miles not recognize the errors? Has he announced that he's keeping the co-coordinator system and I missed it?
I understand that you are a "negatiger" who will always see the glass half empty no matter what. I wrote this article specifically for people like you, so you would have nowhere to go with your doomsday predictions. Mission accomplished.
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Lisa Horne 7 months ago
wow....I'm kind of agreeing with this article, but not one statement (see bottom). I think the snowball theory applies to LSU. Its name was Ryan Perrilloux, and once he started going downhill, the whole team kinda left with him.
He was the one who was going to get LSU rolling with points. Once he was dismissed, the lack of apparent leadership on the team was evident. Lee? Hatch? Jarrett? Sigh.
It's kinda like watching a balloon get pricked with a needle, and it's a slow leak. The D can do all it is capable of, but when the O is 3 and out, the D starts to get frustrated. Penalties, loss of mental discipline, it's all a sign of a frustrated team.
Throw in the fact that as defending champs (and yes, you pointed out that half the players weren't on last year's team, but still, the football team is the defending champs), they will always have a bullseye on their back. It's damn hard to repeat.
Pelini's loss also affected the team- he's a great defensive mind, but he will do well at Nebraska. The whole SEC has been down this year (sans Florida) because of lack of solid QB play. I'm not impressed by Stafford or JPW- they look average to me. Tebow is it.
Reload? Yeah, Miles will get it done. I didn't have really high hopes for LSU this year, mostly because of RIP's dismissal. I did hear from LSU fans who yelled at me for picking them to finish low. How dare You? We're the defending champs. We have the most vaunted D in the country. Blah blah. Now? Silence. It's a bitter pill to swallow. I have swallowed it many times. SIGH.
But two BCS championships? The fans should feel great pride. They will be back. You know it, I know it. Miles know it! We all know it. RELOAD is the perfect word Brian! :)
Pssst- Shepard is not No. 1 recruit in nation. Matt Barkley is No. 1 in position, and No. 1 in the country overall.
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=9&c=4&yr=2009 (scout.com)
http://rivals100.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?SID=880&Year=2009&ra_key=2073 (rivals.com)
Hope you had a good Turkey Day. Crossing my fingers over ND. I'm being sent to the game (leaving in an hour) and not looking forward to talking to a ticked-off Weis. Pray for me. Hugs to you and your family-don't be such a stranger- I love your writing, and it's not on here enough.
Lise
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Thanks Lise! always great to hear from the queen of CFB! Have fun at the game and be careful that Charlie doesn't mistake you for a turkey leg and eat you!
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shelby lundin 7 months ago
Lisa I agree with your post! I for one was one of those fans that probably would have tried to take your head off but inside I really knew it would be a struggle without our qb. Looking back RP may have been a better qb but I still don't believe that we would have been a better leader. As basic as Hatch was as a qb he handled the game a bit better and it was a shame he was hurt. Lee made his share of mistakes and may not ever become a top notch qb but stepped up to his position and tried his best, albeit at times that was way under par. JJ did well Friday and I hope he is given his chance next year, I do see somw promise form him.
Have fun at the game and bring a couple of cheeseburgers with you to the game, that should have Weis looking at something other then you to consume....
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j white 7 months ago
I can live with that. We will see next year if it is one game since Nutt has only been there one year the point is valid. You keep clinging the logic of, "LSU is not LSU right now". Football is about the now. Not the past and right now your program and team will have to show next year which direction LSU is heading.If recuriting classes were the only measurement Ray Goff would be in the Hall of Fame. The same can be said about Ole Miss. If I had to predict, however, I would say LSU better look out because the competition is the West just moved up a notch. You are actually going to have a coach who can coach on the field and I am not sure Les is the answer. By the way I graduated from West Point and then got a Masters at Ole Miss and really enjoyed tailgating on the patch of dead grass as you called it. By the way you might want to educate yourself on the National Championships and SEC Championships in UM's history. You might be surprised. Enjoy Memphis.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Thanks for proving my point for me!
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j white 7 months ago
What a strange comment?
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Ole Miss has no trips to the SEC Championship game, thus no SEC championships (modern)
Ole Miss has never been crowned consensus national champion.
My point was that you don't know what you're talking about - and you proved it. Read it again. Try and keep up.
West Point huh? Looks like your stint in MS took the smart out of you. Go back and read my article on Caleb Campbell i think you'll like it.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/41528-caleb-campbell-le-coeur-dun-lion
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Jordan Tippitt 7 months ago
i just have to laugh at you. i am sorry that you are bitter about lsu but you comments about ole miss are just absurd. first of all i would like you to realize that i am not an idiot. Ole miss is not the best team in the sec and hasnt been a national power (excluding 2003) really since the days of John Vaught. Ole miss, however, has not been a bottom dweller in the sec (minus the past four years) ole miss has been a middle dweller. I can tell that you are obiously an LSU fan and the distaste of Ole Miss is apparent in this article. Your comments about the grove are laugh worthy, considering Ole Miss is rated the number 1 tailgating spot in America. Now ill address the houston nutt comment. I do not think that all of a sudden Ole Miss will be national champs every year but he only had two losing seasons at Arkansas and two trips to the SEC championship so it is ridiculous to assume that he wont have sucess at Ole Miss especially considering that there is more talent in the state of MS than Arkansas. you speak of the ed orgeron reqruits leaving well just saying but isn't this the first year of Les Miles and his own recruits? isn't this finally HIS team and not Nick Saban's leftovers?
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Talk about laugh worthy, these two jewels are Bleacher Report Hall of Famers!!!:
1) Ole Miss was a national power in 2003 - LOL (did not even contend for the SEC title much less win it)
2) Ole Miss rated the number 1 tailgating spot in America - ROFLMAO!!! (In what poll, the Clarion Ledger?)
In this lame, failed attempt to take a shot at me personally, you just strenghtened the case as to why Ole Miss is a national joke! Well done!
Thanks, I needed cheering up and this one truly made me laugh until it hurt! Also, spell check is your friend. How 'bout them Ole Miss admission standards?
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Jordan Tippitt 7 months ago
actually sports illustrated reated ole miss tailgating number 1 in the country. none of my comments were a shot at you personally. i, unlike you LSU fans, am mature and do not believe that the way to argue is to take shots at people.
how can you say that ole miss was not even in contention for the sec championship in 2003 when we shared the sec west championship with lsu and only didn't go because of the head to head loss. losing the deciding game by three points is in no shape or fashion no in contention.
and for your last comments on the Ole Miss admission standards. First of all isn't this bleacherreport? isn't this where people argue sports? But i will respecively counterargue your arguement.
1. the admission standards are low to encourage students in Mississippi to go to college there. Ole Miss leads the sec with 24 academic all american football players AHEAD of lsu. Ole Miss ranks in the top five in forensic chemistry, top 25 in accounting, and 5 out of the last seven years has had a 100 percent acceptance rate into chemistry school. these are just a few facts about ole miss.
and i will once again tell you about ole miss tradition: ranked 17th in bowl appearences and 12th in bowl wins nationally.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Other than the pretty girls everybody knows there is nothing special about the grove. From the faux crystal chandeliers to the Target flatware, it's more like a country craft fair than a CFB tailgate. Sports Illustrated named LSU #1 tailgating spot for like 20 years in a row until finally the LSU admin asked them to stop. They thought it sent the wrong signal about alcohol abuse - which was a good guess. Like i said, the fact that you can fit all your tailgaters in that one little spot is just hilarious.
Didn't you know that that claim of 2003 SEC West Co-Champs is the biggest running joke in the SEC? There is no such thing as "co-champs" - the winner of the west goes to Atlanta. Didn't see Ole Miss on the field when LSU skull-dragged Georgia in that game. The banner at Ole Miss that lays the claim of co-champs is laughed at by all SEC teams - not just LSU. It's stupid little nuances like that which earned Ole Miss the nickname of "runts".
You can try to dig up all the meaningless, self-prescribed stats you want. Ole Miss athletics is a joke, always has been. Ole Miss academics is more than a joke, it's a travesty of education - always has been.
You see, here's the difference: Ole Miss fans hate LSU, and understandably so - if a university from a neighboring state constantly owned my school in every category for the last 100 years, I might hate them too.
But LSU fans don't hate Ole Miss. We pity them. From time to time, LSU will have down years and Ole Miss might pull off a few wins in Baton Rouge. Hell, even Tulane has done that. But at the end of the day, you still have to pass the "Welcome to Mississippi" sign to get home. And that is the exact moment when you remember your place in the world. Last.
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Jordan Tippitt 7 months ago
your arguement is a terribly subjective argument with no facts to back it up. the 2003 co championship poistion is something that the sec and ncaa recognize.
have you ever even been to oxford? the grove is not the only place that people tailgate. i can't even get a spot in the grove because you have to pay a student about 150 dollars or live in oxford to set up the night before. i tailgate by the tad pad.
apparently you do hate ole miss because you are the one who is mudslinging here, i have not just written pointless nonsense about the crapiness of the university.
you still have not answered my question about this being les miles first year with his recruits.
i will make one subjective comment, you are just like any other lsu fan. you have no class and have no idea how to argue.
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Jordan Tippitt 7 months ago
your arguement is a terribly subjective argument with no facts to back it up. the 2003 co championship poistion is something that the sec and ncaa recognize.
have you ever even been to oxford? the grove is not the only place that people tailgate. i can't even get a spot in the grove because you have to pay a student about 150 dollars or live in oxford to set up the night before. i tailgate by the tad pad.
apparently you do hate ole miss because you are the one who is mudslinging here, i have not just written pointless nonsense about the crapiness of the university.
you still have not answered my question about this being les miles first year with his recruits.
i will make one subjective comment, you are just like any other lsu fan. you have no class and have no idea how to argue.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Well, where do i begin? First of all, if you're looking for something to be good at, I think you have found it. We already know you can't write and you can't debate, but at least you can double post like it's nobody's business!
Next, the only institution that recognizes a divisional co-championship is Ole Miss. Period. Not only do I provide facts to prove what I say, I am the only one out of the two of us who has done so. My Psychologist wife would call that "projection".
Like I said before, we don't hate Ole Miss. We pity them. There is a difference - look it up. I have been to Oxford many times - and sure there are a few scattered NASCAR setups outside of the grove, but nothing to speak of. In fact, the best part of going to Oxford (other than coming out with another win) is taking a pageant queen off of her moppy-headed, red pants wearing boyfriend (in my single days of course) while he pukes in the bushes.
And you have the right to consider all of this mudslinging if you so choose, but it's all true. There is nothing you have been able to refute with any success. Just rambling and ranting the same old tired stuff I've heard from the runts for years. Well done!
PS - please respond I'm trying to get my article over the 1000 mark for the day!
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Jordan Tippitt 7 months ago
i still haven't heard a true fact? not a single one. just more subjective rambling.
i will keep on posting because it is very entertaining for to make no argument and claim to be stating facts. if you continue to be this entertaining i will post comments all night long.
if you call comments like "ole miss is a national joke" stating facts then your arguements are a joke. Turn it on espn and listen to the things they say about ole miss. none of them are negative. houston nutt is up for the coach of the year (not saying he will win it) and ole miss will probably get a bid to the cotton bowl or the peach bowl. please tell me how that is a national joke?
oh and also ranked number 25 in all time football dynasty.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Thanks - I'm almost over 1000. Ole Miss being a national joke is a universally accepted fact - that's like saying there is no such thing as a baby pigeon just because nobody has ever seen one. But if you want hard proof, one only needs to go see "the grove" for themselves. The bow ties, red pants, NASCAR jackets, shaggy hair do's, and hillbilly accents are all acceptable as proof. If that isn't enough for you, then I suggest you read the words of Hotty (Re)Todd(ed)y." But the king of all jokes is the "walk of champions" on a campus that has never won a championship. Done.
The Cotton or Peach Bowls aren't really jokes in themselves, but the fact that the runts are overjoyed by an 8-4 season and a minor bowl bid gives everyone all the ammo they need to cement Ole Miss in the national joke column.
Let's see...oh yeah! This is not a sentence:
"oh and also ranked number 25 in all time football dynasty. "
Even if you add a subject and a few verbs it still doesn't make any sense. The word "dynasty" doesn't belong anywhere near a conversation about Ole Miss. But being excited about a #25 ranking lends more to my argument than yours.
I guess what I'm saying is...WTF??
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Jordan Tippitt 7 months ago
haha...wait are you trying to be funny or are you really that stupid?
being ranked 25 in top football dynasty is not the best but it is not a "joke"
i have noticed that when you have no arguement about something then you just ignore it away.
well i will ask you this question for the third time and re ask something from an earlier comment that you ignored.
is this not les miles first year with almost ALL his players and not nick saban's leftovers?
and the earlier comment, if the ole miss sec and national championships don't count then do lsu's? does billy cannon get credit for that 1958 title?
please answer the questions this time instead of trying to ignor them away.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Ole Miss is no dynasty. You have to win something to be a dynasty. You're just making stuff up now.
Ok, let's see, what did I "ignore"....ok:
Yes, these are Miles' players. It was also mostly Miles' players that won the 2007 BCSNC. What's your point? Saban is winning with Shula's players, Nutt is winning with Orgeron's players, and we could go on.
Again, what's your point? And the 1908 and 1958 LSU NC's were consensus titles granted by legit wire services at the time. Ole Miss can't name one - only championships (and co-championships - lol) they crowned themselves. So yes, Billy Cannon's title counts, of course. Look it up instead of talking out of your rear end.
What else? Oh yeah - over 1000 reads in a half a day - Boom!
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Jordan Tippitt 7 months ago
too bad the 1959 ole miss team was rated 'team of the decade'. ole miss does have one consensus national championship by the way.
actually most of the players last year were saban's players. my point was that you argue that miles will bring the program back to glory when he can't win this year with his own recruits.
and how is lsu a dynasty when they have just started being recognized in the psast few years?
and no, i haven't made anything up. i have stated facts and you have just constantly slung mud in my direction. throughout this conversation we can see which football fan has class and which is trash. the ole miss fan has the class as normal
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Nope - last year = mostly Miles guys. Fact. Wishing it so doesn't change it.
'59 Ole Miss never named "team of the decade" - unless you count MS media.
I never called LSU a dynasty, never even suggested that. You were the one stupid enough to call Ole Myth a dynasty. And no, Ole Miss has exactly ZERO consensus NC's. You are caught in yet another lie!
You're right, though, you are trash - just like most Ole Mrs fans. Keep cheering for trailer park U though, it suits you!
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Jordan Tippitt 7 months ago
this is just sad. please look up something and stop rambling utter nonsense at me. if you respond please have something to back up your senseless dumd...i don't even know if it can be considered an arguement.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
It's a winning argument. Just because you blindly ignore the facts doesn't mean I didn't provide them. Another Rebneck owned!!
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j white 7 months ago
I read your article. Nice. I would suggest you try a new strategy. When you try to make a point try not to insult people. You will find more success. Of course, I could be wrong since I lost my, "smart",by obtaining a graduate degree in MS. I again make the point that the SEC West will be more competitive in the next few years and coaching in the west will become even more important as talent levels in several programs that have been down in the last 5-10 years are improving. It remains to be seen in the next few years where LSU will trend. So I guess all those SEC titles LSU won prior to the SEC Championship game starting did not count and LSU's 1958 championship does not count. Better tell Billy Cannon and his team. If I don't know what I am talking about how would I validate an opinion we both share. Would that not mean that we both don't know what we are talking about. However, it is difficult for me to, "keep up".
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
No, I know what I'm talking about. But I'm glad you like the CC article he was one of my favorites.
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j white 7 months ago
Well you are confident I will give you that. Have good evening I need to go console some of my young GA Bulldog officers to prevent suicide attempts. The joys of command.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Yeah, that one surprised me too. Stay safe.
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Justin Goar 7 months ago
say what you want about LSU's football team, but to say ole miss's tailgating is better is fightin words...
no argument ole miss had a better team this year but i'm in no hurry to trade programs.
miles has the opportunity to keep the program going forward by axing the DC's, anyhting less will draw my ire and will turn me from a fan of his into something else.
and lisa, i think brian was using the espn 150 HS rankings which has shepard as 1 but most use rivals and scout.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Yo J-
After a season like this there is little more amusing than abusing a runt!
Good to see ya!
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Larry Burton 7 months ago
If I were an LSU fan, I wouldn't sweat a down season. They happen. I'd worry what caused it, and you pointed out many of the reasons but failed to point the finger squarely at Miles... You kinda did for the dumb coaching move of co-coordinators, but what would alarm me is the lack of composure to keep a game close, the fact that it was obvious players were just "giving up", and the multitude of dumb penalties that just crippled them in some games. LSU will have to fix the coach first, before he can fix the team...
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
You got the point though Larry - no matter what the problem(s) is/ are, going 7-5 is not the downfall of a program. Going 5-7 would have had a better chance of convincing me. You come from a program where (if you'll forgive me) the fans have even more unreasonable expectations than LSU fans - and that's saying a lot. So you understand when I just have to make fun of the doomsayers!
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shelby lundin 7 months ago
"Though not likely, it could have been that either Mallory or Peveto could have done a decent job as defensive coordinator. There needed to be one guy steering the ship while the rest of the crew was working."
I only was able to go to two games this season; Georgia and Florida, and I wasn't able to stay at the GA game very long. I did stay for almost all of the FL game and your point is taken here. I have never seen a defense so confused and screwed up. I rewatched the game on dvr when I got home and they didn't show the complete chaos that was the LSU defense. You saw guys running on and off the field like they had no idea where they needed to be, You saw a gut that was suppose to be on the field that was running off but then got waved back on, he turned around play had already been started and cold do nothing better then take on the first guy that got to him, etc. It was a disgrace and need to be dealt with! I hope Mles does something about it because I like Miles and don't want to lose the first coach in a long time that seems like we wants to be at LSU, but changes need to be made! Either way GEAUX TIGERS and don't let this season become the norm!
ALso good article!!! Should have said that in the beginning! :D
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Larry Burton 7 months ago
BTW, I forgot to congrat you on a well done article...
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Thanks Larry - good luck Saturday.
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
You cited how Florida lost 4 games last year to somehow show LSU is looking strong in the future. Let me explain the difference between the 2007 Gators and the 2008 Tigers.
Florida lost 3 of those games by 6 points or less and to a great UGA team by 12. Point being they were competitive.
LSU lost 5 games this year. Florida embarrassed them, so did Ole Miss, and UGA ran all over them. You also struggled against Troy (haha) lost to Bama and a very poor Arkansas team.
Florida looked good last year even though they lost 4 games, LSU looked bad this year, period.
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blackjackjackson 7 months ago
michael,
didn't fl have heisman tebow last year.
does that compare to 3rd string lee and 4th string jordan?
p.s. good luck to fl, that would then make them the second team to have two crystal balls.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
No, another one who missed the point(s). Florida's bad 2007 has nothing to do with LSU's future - it's just a rude awakening to those who think LSU's bad 2008 is indicitive of LSU's future. See?
And Florida got embarrassed by a piss poor Michigan team in front of the entire nation on New Year's Day with the Heisman Trophy winner. I'll take LSU's 2008 season over a ridiculous finish like that any day. But the '07 season obviously didn't affect the program just like '08 won't affect LSU's program.
Nice try.
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
"Talk about laugh worthy, these two jewels are Bleacher Report Hall of Famers!!!:
1) Ole Miss was a national power in 2003 - LOL (did not even contend for the SEC title much less win it)"
Ole Miss went 10-3 in 2003 and 7-1 in the SEC. They actually tied LSU for the West but lost the tiebreaker. That doesn't sound to shabby to me. By the way how did the Ole Miss and LSU game turn out this year, I can't remember.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
So you agree that #1 is absolutely true - Ole Miss did not contend for the SEC. Also, this was in response to a moronic statement that Ole Miss was a national power in '03, so don't get your red thong in a wad.
Yes, Ole Miss pulled one out against LSU for the first time in 7 years. We get it. Is that seriously what you're bringing to this argument? Really? Did you read the article or any of the other comments? LSU also lost to Arky, so Ole Miss' win suddenly is not so impressive.
The point is that just as LSU's program is not on the way down after one season, Ole Miss' program is not on the way up after one season.
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jeff jones 7 months ago
brian, if you have a degree from LSU, it must be in general studies, not journalism.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Jeff-
I have three degrees from LSU, and none of them is in General Studies or Journalism. What's your point? If you are trying to criticize my writing (they don't teach you to write in journalism school by the way - FAIL), then why don't we poll the top writers on the bleacher report and see which one of us has the better chops?
Your move. (This was too easy!)
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NOXIAN 7 months ago
I don't think an LSU fan that is discouraged about this season is a fair weather fan. I'm pretty sure that most fans hope Miles figures out what he needs to do to fix things. If he doesn't, then our beloved Tigers are headed back to the status they endured in the '90s. Well, maybe not quite that bad, but close.
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blackjackjackson 7 months ago
lsu '69. dad was alum, and grew up on radio. listened to lsu 58 and 59. wow, that kept me in lsu colors all of my life. 2003, wow, 2007 wow, wow.
bcs will never be liked by the ap, b/c it is competition.
check out:
http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rfsc/history/kirlin/champs.html
even bama has only two concensus n.c.
lsu has two bcs.
and the ap 2003, they made up their minds before the games were played. just like the old days.
miles is a coach of integrety.
i know very important lsu people who wanted to push him to michigan after 2007 ark loss.
he stayed b/c of his committment to the team. the team will repay, and we will cheer.
p.s. i'm in so. cal and the arguments with tommytrojan are getting toooo easy.
of course, if ok looses to mo, maybe usc will jump tx.
then it will be fl vs usc. who's your money on?
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
You are proving my point. The author tried to compare this LSU team to last year Florida team. So unless your team has a Tim Tebow ready to go then LSU isn't going to be "Damn good" next year.
By the way I'm not a Florida fan contrary to what you believe so I could care less how many crystal balls they have.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
FAIL. I didn't compare this LSU team to last year's Florida team. I compared last year's Florida critics to this year's LSU critics. Read it again.
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
Your article has a lot of fallacies. Do you no what that is?
So do your comments.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
No, but do you know how to properly use "know" rather than "no" in a sentence? I think the answer is no. But I know. Too bad you don't know!
Critics with third grade grammar skills are my FAVORITE!!!
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
BTW, this season wouldn't have been so dissapointing if LSU fans knew anything about football. All signs pointed to at least a 4 loss season. I guess you guys have to see the truth before you believe it.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
You're right. LSU fans know nothing about football. They had no idea that the departure of Perrilloux would cause a QB crisis. We had no idea that not having a DC would be detrimental to our defense. The fact that we sent so many players from the NC team to the NFL completely blindsided us when we saw a dip in performance on the field this year.
You are so dead on. The LSU message boards over the summer were all predicting a repeat NC - nobody saw 7-5 coming. Nobody.
Except for about 75% of the fan base.
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NOXIAN 7 months ago
As an LSU fan that saw 4-5 losses coming, the record is not what is so disappointing to me. The disappointment comes from the way those games were lost: with no visible improvement as the season progressed and with a lack of discipline and poise. I can handle seeing them lose games in which they were competitive, but the way most of these losses came about was terrible.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
I will admit that I only saw 3 losses coming, but 100% agree with your assessment. The Bama loss was acceptable, even the Florida blowout was acceptable because they are a great team - but the way we lost to Ole Myth, UGA, and Arky were pure coaching mistakes.
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
So what is worse, that I accidentally use to wrong version of "know" or that you are have a journalism degree and you don't know what fallacies are?
Let me guess you graduated from LSU.
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Jordan Tippitt 7 months ago
if you read my earlier argument with the man you will realize that he never answeres any questions that he is wrong about. he avoids them and brings up other topics that make your team or school or whatever look bad. he has no arguments and just rambles. he is just pathetic lol
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Actually I don't which is worse, the fact that you were too uneducated to know the proper usage of "know", or that my comment states clearly that my degrees are not in journalism yet you still think I claim to have a journalism degree....or the fact that my profile clearly states that I graduated from LSU yet you are still asking me if I went to LSU. It's a toss up.
But just to make it easy, yes I went to LSU. Why else would I have to give you grammar lessons just to keep it a fair fight?
I guess you went to Ole Miss, where the admission standard is a 16 on your ACT and a 2.0 GPA. I think you get 10 points just for spelling your name right....
Nice try, but FAIL!
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Corey Gautreaux 7 months ago
I won't get into the mud slinging of Ole Miss, but those that think LSU should get used to being 7-5 are crazy. I am not going to sit here and say that LSU will win the National Title next year, but the team will be better based on talent and experience. Not to flame the Florida, Georgia and Alabama fans, but it will be fun to watch these programs break in new QB's over the next couple of years. This is why Les is payed his salary, it is now his job to fix the defensive coordinator mistake. If he does this, and gets a proven coach, you can't hold a bad hire against him. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but one down year (still a winning record and there is still a shot at a NY Day bowl) isn't the end of the world. I would be more worried if I were a Tennessee or Auburn fan. Their "down year" left them with losing records and the same (if not more) head scratching.
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
Brian, you are a funny man, you really are.
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Splash Daddy 7 months ago
Brian - Good analysis. You have my sympathies dealing with a lack of reading comprehension and logic from some of your readers. Then again, give some slack to Old Miss fans. They're not used to winning much of anything.
Only time will tell. If Miles makes the right choices on his staff and continues the recruiting, all is well and LSU remains an elite program. If he gets stubborn and sticks with people he is comfortable around but fail to produce, more frustration is in store.
I suspect you are wrong about Old Miss though. Nutt is a great game-day coach. He's got a top talent at QB in Snead and with consistent, decent recruiting they should be competitive. I don't understand why Arkanasa fired him.
Rumor here in Atlanta is that John Chavis from Tenn is to be the next DC at LSU. What's the word in the bayou?
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
I've heard the same rumor - but I've also heard they are talking to Ed Orgeron and a few other as well. Chavis seems to be a frontrunner if there is one.
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Michael Matthews 7 months ago
Brian,
As a fellow Tiger fan I will say that I think you make an accurate assessment of LSU's season and future, but you have little to zero ability to look at things objectively - especially when discussing other teams. You are guilty of the same things you accuse other homer fans of doing. You paint all Tiger fans as disrespectul know-it-alls. Give credit where credit is due.
I am terrified with Nutt at Ole Miss. The talent in MS is incredible, and he always seems to have LSU's number. Look at the whole picture and don't be such a homer.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
MIchael-
I fail to see how how I paint all Tiger fans as anything. LSU has a very bi-polar fan base just like all major programs. I do, however, find it interesting that LSU's fair weather fans and LSU haters find a unique alliance when LSU has a down year. They can't just be pissed about a bad season, they have to sound the alarm on the future of the entire program.
If Miles turns in another 7-5 season, I may be on board. But forgive me for being a realist and understanding that one 5-loss season is not a Rosetta stone.
Thanks for reading though!
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Michael Matthews 7 months ago
The flaws that I speak of are not in your article - I stand by what you have to say there. It's in your interaction with responders. You come across as arrogant and refuse to see other perspectives. And I have seen you commenting on other blogs, accusing others of behaving the same exact way you are on your articles. Be a man and take criticism and discuss the information objectively. Otherwise you stand as the example of why people despise LSU fans.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Oh, ok. I guess you just haven't learned the benefits of lighting things up in the comments section. It drives up your article reads and ultimately gets you better placement.
But even still, your assessment is way off. I give credit where credit is due, and when needed, I obliterate. Sometimes the skilled debater in me takes over and I embarrass people who maybe didn't deserve it, but that rarely happens. Most of those who incur my wrath deserve it.
And I couldn't disagree more with your assessment that people "despise" LSU fans. Every fan base has bad apples. Every one of them - and I can assure you I am not one of them. If you knew me you would know this. If you want to size me up, look at my writing, not my fun banter with wannabee experts.
You remind me of one of those people who sincerely believes that the whole world hates America just because the media said so. Go travel to other campuses in and out of the SEC and you will see that you are gravely mistaken.
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
"Sometimes the skilled debater in me takes over and I embarrass people who maybe didn't deserve it, but that rarely happens. Most of those who incur my wrath deserve it."
You sure do think a lot of yourself don't you?
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Not really, I just rely heavily on the opinions of my peers. But sometimes people make the mistake of thinking they are my peer - and that's when it gets fun!
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Mirliton 7 months ago
I liked the article. We will learn a lot more about Les Miles' abilities next year.
The comments were a great opportunity to discuss LSU's program in more detail, and I was pretty disappointed that you didn't lead the discussion along those lines. Michael and others are right on the money with some of their points. They made some reasoned comments. By responding to their comments and questions with insults and grammar lessons rather than focusing on facts and rational arguments, you are proving the readers' points, and you're just being rude. I am not a writer, much less your peer, but I know that confidence is not the same as competence. You had a great opportunity for some discussion about LSU football, and you blew it. If your goal was to increase the number of read counts, then all I can say is well done.
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Ahhh, somebody who gets it....finally!
I was just appointed an LSU Community Leader, so I plan to tone it down in the future (unless somebody really gets out of hand)
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rusty shackelford 7 months ago
Lets settle something first, Brian. You are not any one's superior. That said, I don't ever remember this whole LSU dominating business. In fact, I remember LSU being somewhat--how can I put this--mediocre until 2003. You know, the year NICK SABAN took you to the national championship game. Oh I forgot, he took you again in 2007, didn't he? Now, what's this about Mississippians not being able to read too fast? Well, apparently you Louisiana boys can't count if you think 2003-2007 is a decade. Go eat your gumbo with your fingers, son. I also know that I am not your peer. That would be an insult to me, to be considered on par with a pasty-faced, tubby sportswriter whose posts lack thought or good breeding, so he attempts to hide it with an atrocious effort at wit. Also, since you like to attack the grammar of others, where was the period at the end of your last post. Yeah, see how petty and sad that is. Kind of like LSU's last season, huh? But, really, attacking other people's team and state, especially when your own both do so poorly. Well, what more can you expect... from and LSU fan?
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Brian Scott 7 months ago
Gold is falling from the sky!!! There is nothing more gratifying when someone writes a post meant to attack you, but ends up making a complete fool of themselves in the process!!!
Let's begin, shall we? First, Nick Saban didn't take LSU to a National Championship in 2007 as your post states. In 2007, Saban was the coach at Alabama, so leading LSU to another NC would have probably violated his contract. Tard.
Second, it may be your opinion that LSU was mediocre until 2003, but the facts state otherwise. LSU had 2 National Championships and 6 SEC Championships prior to 2003. In addition, LSU has been ranked 31 times since the beginning of the AP poll in 1936. There can be no rational argument describing that as mediocre.
Next, at no time did I ever say that 2003-2007 was a decade. I said LSU dominated this decade as they were the only team in the country to win 3 conference championships and 2 national championships since 1998. They are still (for now) the only team in America with 2 BCS Championships. But thanks for demonstrating your inability to embrace critical thinking.
Your own misgivings about your personal appearance has caused you to stoop to the level of attacking mine, but I'm cool with how I look and who I am, so I will just let you stand alone in your shame on that one!
You're right, you are not my peer. You are one of those morons who thinks he is. And when people attack my writing while utilizing third grade grammar, then the irony of the situation warrants that redneck to be called out. And I will do so every time because it is the irony of all ironies.
So, your comeback for my correcting a would-be attacker's grammar is to point out that the posting software left a period out of one of my posts? (although, a period is not always necessary to terminate a sentence when said sentence ends in parenthesis) Ok, well done! LMAO!!!
And my team AND my state do so poorly? Were those your words? Ok, so my team has had their worst season in a decade, yet they are still going to a pretty good bowl game with an upper level payout. Yeah, we're in bad shape!!! Good one. And in Louisiana we have a saying...."Thank God for Mississippi, or else we'd be last in everything!"
It's really amazing to me how unbelievably easy it is to dispose of these idiots! Who's next?
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Curtis 6 months ago
Sorry but I had to laugh a little. Reminds me of one of my favorite movies - Cool Hand Luke.
Scene setup - Sun is beating down; another hot, humid southern day; Captain standing on the road; prisoners in the ditch; Luke, in cuffs standing next to him.
Actors -
Captain (Brian)
Luke (played by multiple members posted here)
Aaaaaaaand action!
(captain smacks luke)
"Don't you evah, talk that way to me! Nevah, nevah"
(luke rolls down the embankment)
"What we've got here is... failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it... well, he gets it. I don't like it any more than you men."
LOL
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Brian Scott 6 months ago
Good one!
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Lakyn Ward 6 months ago
i love how you worded this, its veryy true. i am a die hard LSU fan and i'm very happy you understand the whole story behind LSU, what is really true, and getting the word out. people are dumb and haters at times. LSU is one of the best football teams in the nation! and EVERYONE needs to accept that. they just had a bad season this year, we lost a key player and our defensive coordinator. thank you brian for standing up for LSU. no one else realizes who LSU really is and that they need to look at other teams records. and yes LSU is supposed to get the number one recruit in the nation!! :) i'm excited to see next year, and ready to see the tigers kick butt in the chick fil a bowl! i stand behind them 100%. Tiger bait babyy and come down to baton rouge and have the best time you will ever have at a college football game. Louisiana is the place to be on a saturday night. Cajun food, tailgating, and LSU. if you all would know the whole story, yall would shut yall's mouth. (especially the yankees). and remember... most have none, some have one, but only one has two...LSU!
GEAUX TIGERS. NO ONE CAN BE LIKE LSU.
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Brian Scott 6 months ago
Great enthusiasm! Geaux Tigers!! We already got Russell Shepard and hopefully we'll land Reuben Randle!!
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Lakyn Ward 6 months ago
yes i know. i can't wait for next year we'll be great!! :)
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