Bleacher Report - Articles by Matthew Smith

Time for Change: Replay Rules Need Tweeking

Matthew Smith — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:00:32 -0500

Look, not everyone liked when the NCAA implemented replay several seasons ago, and now those people may have a legitimate case for change.

I am not saying remove replay from football, because I believe it is a good thing to have in all sports for the most part. I suggest a change to the system of how the replay works.

Right now, if a play is reviewed, a replay official, looks at the play and relays that call down to the referee on the football field. There are several examples that I could use, but I will use the one I saw most recently in the LSU-Alabama game from last night.

In the fourth quarter with LSU trailing by six, Patrick Peterson intercepted a Bama pass, but was ruled out of bounds on the field.

The play was reviewed in the booth. The replay CLEARLY (indisputably) showed Peterson got not one, but both feet in with possession of the football.

Instead of overturning the ruling on the field, the replay official said that Peterson did not catch the ball in-bounds. This is clearly not the correct call, which is why I request a change to the same system the NFL uses.

Why doesn't the NCAA make the official on the field look at the play, and use his judgement to make the correct call. The referee on the field was shown a divot made by Peterson in-bounds, but could not say anything because the decision was not in his hands.

If the referee could have seen the replay along with knowing about the divot, he could have made the correct call and possibly changed the outcome of the game.

Of course the NFL still has a replay booth, and I don't suggest the NCAA get rid of its, but everyone knows that, "two heads are better than one."

I hate that the NCAA is becoming more and more like the NFL, but this is necessary, because the NFL system works, and the NCAA system doesn't. Plain and simple.

It is time for change.

What's Wrong With LSU's Offense?

Matthew Smith — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:17:04 -0400

"If you would have told me on Friday LSU's defense held Florida's offense to 357 yards and 13 points, I would have said LSU would have won by at least 14."

That's what I told my friend in our first class on Monday after the Florida game.

Obviously that was not the case in the 13-3 loss in Baton Rouge to the No. 1 ranked Gators. The defense was phenominal on Saturday, even on Florida's lone touchdown, the defense was good until the "rocket grab" when Riley Cooper lached on to Brian Hawkins jersey and launched himself into the back of the endzone.

But enough about the defense. LSU fans were left with so many questions after the offense just never really showed up. I have to give some credit to the Gator defense, they played great, but were aided by a poor performance on LSU's offensive side of the ball.

First, I want to answer some of the complaints LSU fans had about the offense.

The biggest complain I heard after that game is that Russell Shepard did not play a down. Well, according to both the team website and a colleague, Shepard was sick during the bye week, and somewhat sick during the game. Les Miles also said it was difficult to work Shepard into the game plan.

Complaint two, why did Jefferson not throw the ball to Rueben Randle? With the lack of blocking and a good Florida pass rush, Jefferson barely had time to look to his No. 2 reciever much less Randle who is LSU's third or fourth reciever.

I also am sick of people blaming all the offensive woes on Jefferson. Just go watch the tape, three or four Gator rushers were constantly beating five or even six LSU blockers.

So where does LSU stand going into this weekend's game against Auburn?

They need a lot of work on the offensive side of the ball, that much is obvious.

Defensively, the Tigers showed just how good they could be againt the mighty Gators, and could very well be the reason LSU stays in a lot of games this season.

Lucky for LSU, Auburn's rush defense is not good, they rank 82nd nationally and 10th in the SEC against the run. Expect to see a lot of Chuck the Truck to keep pressure off of Jefferson this weekend.

Also, expect to see the return of Shepard in a limited role. I am still waiting for Les Miles to call the play that he ran with Ryan Perriloux where he would take the snap sell the run and then drop back to pass to a wide open reciever.

Is this LSU team a national championship contender?

Record wise, absolutely. Based on what they have showed in their games, not so much. Only time will tell what this LSU team will do. The schedule is tough, and the Tigers are just reaching the meat of it.

Just wait and see to make your judgements about how good this Tiger team is until after they play Auburn. Don't freak out about one loss, especially to the No. 1 team in the nation. LSU has a good football team, they find ways to win, which is key in college football.

Prediction for Auburn: The Tigers beat the War Eagles 27-21

To answer to headline question: Just cohesion, they are talented at most, if not all offensive positions. They just have to learn to work together as a unit. If they can figure that out then this Tiger team has a lot of potential in this 2009-2010 season.

What We Have Learned About LSU Football So Far

Matthew Smith — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:28:46 -0400

The college football season is three weeks in. We have seen teams shine (Miami, even Washington a little) and we have seen teams struggle. For the LSU Tigers, it has been a long three weeks, but they have gotten better every time they have stepped on the field.

In game one, LSU traveled the 2,600 miles up to Seattle to face a Washington team who had not won a game in over a year and had a new coach. Most expected LSU to blow away the Huskies, but that was not the case as LSU only won by eight, 31-23. Although it should be noted Washington has proven to be much improved this season (ask USC).

Week two brought Vanderbilt to town, and with them the start of the SEC schedule. LSU stepped up on a rainy night and the defense (who struggled in Seattle) held Vandy to seven points (yes seven, two of Vandy's points were on an LSU safety). LSU held on for the 23-9 victory over the Commodores.

Week three brought in-state "rival" ULL. I use rival for lack of a better word, as this series is completely in favor of LSU so far. Only UL fans seemed to think they would stand a chance in Death Valley, which obviously was not the case.

Jordan Jefferson was able to air the ball out way more in week three, and was mostly sucessful. However, he did throw his first interception of the year, which was on an under-thrown ball to the endzone. The defense stepped up and only allowed three points and 272 total yards.

So where does LSU stand?

Offensively, LSU still struggled to run the football. Charles Scott led the team with only 63 rushing yards, however Jefferson played well and threw two nice touchdown passes to Brandon Lafell,. Jarrett Lee showed he will not mess up when called on to take Jefferson's place.

The offensive numbers were not very good but the defense was solid, led by Chad Jones who had two interceptions. They also showed they have a huge heart on a fourth-down stop on the LSU one-yard line.

John Chavis has pulled this defensive unit into a nice group, and they will continue to improve as the season rolls on. Gary Crowton will continue to open the playbook more and more as the season continues to move on.

LSU has a tough schedule from here on out, and will have to be ready every weekend to be able to win the SEC West. LSU has games at Mississippi St. and UGA before returning to Death Valley for the epic matchup against Florida.

The other important thing is Russell Shepard is a true athlete who can—and will—contribute to the offense this year and in the future. Also, the UL game saw the first true Wild Tiger formation with Shepard in the backfield, and Jefferson split out wide.

Only time will tell what will come of this LSU team, but by the looks of it this Tiger team has the make-up to be special. What special means, we will not find out until much later in the season.

LSU Football Week One Recap

Matthew Smith — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:48:08 -0400

LSU traveled up to Seattle for week one, which is the longest trip the Tiger football team has ever taken, and squeaked out a 31-23 victory over the Washington Huskies.

The Huskies, under new coach Steve Sarkisian, played their hearts out in front of a crowd of over 70,000, but did not have enough to take down the Tigers.

The first half was sluggish offensively for the Tigers, and the defense could not seem to tackle. However, Jacob Cutrera managed to deflect and intercept a Jake Locket pass, then return it for a touchdown, which gave LSU its first lead of the season.

The second half was a little better as Terrance Tolliver caught his second touchdown pass of the game, which gave LSU a 31-16 lead in the third quarter. Washington did score one more touchdown as time expired in the fourth for the 31-23 final.

As week two approaches, LSU has a lot to work on. First, they need to work on tackling—it was rough, especially in the first half.

Defense also needs to work on third downs; Washington was 11 of 19 on third-down conversions, several of which were 3rd-and-long.

The offense played fairly well, considering Jordan Jefferson is still an unproven quarterback. Gary Crowten called the game very conservatively, but Jefferson executed what was called very well.

I expect to see Crowten open up the play book against Vandy this weekend, maybe even including meaningful snaps for both Russel Shepard and Rueben Randle.

Jefferson will throw the ball more this weekend and LSU will seem much improved against Vandy.

Outlook Of The 2009-10 LSU Tigers

Matthew Smith — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:23:45 -0400

I got off my Italian class early today, so I am sitting outside the only campus building (lets see what Tiger fans know which one it is) that truly sits in the shadows of Death Valley.

I got inspired to write another piece about my beloved Tigers, and the way things seem as camp officially ended, and they prepare for their season opener next weekend against Washington.

Les Miles seemed very happy and impressed with the 2009 squad, who is under the pressure to rebound from a 2008 season which (in LSU's eyes anyways) was not very good.

The defense was weak in covering the pass, and got torn open on the ground. The offensive was a touchdown machine (too bad it was the defenses scoring touchdowns), but enough about last season, it is behind us and Tiger fans are looking forward to 2009.

The first sign that 2009 would be an improvement over 2008, was Les Miles firing his co-defensive coordinators, and bringing in long time Tennessee defensive coordinator, John Chavis. John "The Chief" Chavis, as he is known around campus, has reworked the defense, making it more effective and simpler.

Normally, this could be problematic for a defense, but the Tiger defense jumped at the challenge and have worked the system to near perfection (we will wait and see how the defense works in an actual game situation.

The next sign of improvement is the top rated recruiting class LSU brought in for this season, and although this may not have much direct impact (with the exception of Russel Shepard, and maybe Rueben Randle), you have to assume that it puts pressure on the starters who want to keep their job.

So off this new and reorganized team went, and as the summer rolled around and the team came in for camp. As they progressed through camp, the Tigers started to turn some heads locally.

Jordan Jefferson, who had his coming out party in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl against Georgia Tech, has really impressed coaches and teammates with his leadership ability inside the huddle, seems poised to lead the Tigers to an improved season in 2009.

Now that camp has officially ended (the last scrimmage was yesterday, Aug. 26). Where do the Tigers stand?

Well, they have an official starting quarterback that will probably last the entire season, barring an injury. Also, they will have a tenacious defense who will not be looking to the sideline every other play, confused as to what the call is.

As LSU begins planning for their first opponent, Washington, fans can look forward to a much improved team on the field in 2009.

As I have said in the past, I do not expect LSU to win or even get to the National Championship game in January, however, competing for an SEC West title could be within grasp of this 2009 football team.

Predicting The SEC Championship Game (Way Too Far In Advance)

Matthew Smith — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:27:18 -0400

It's pretty clear, barring some unforeseen tragedy, that Florida will be the team to represent the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference in the Championship game.

The only slip up they could have is on the road, at night, at LSU. Other than that, it seems the Gators will roll through the Eastern division on the way to their second straight conference championship game.

Florida's toughest games are all at home or on a neutral site. They will roll all the way to Atlanta going 11-1 with the lone loss coming in Baton Rouge in October.

The west is way more murky, Alabama, Ole Miss and LSU, all have a legitimate shot at being on top come December.

Ole Miss has a veteran QB and has the toughest opponents at home (both LSU and Alabama have to travel to Oxford this season). What is yet to be seen is how Ole Miss will handle the pressure and attention that come with being the "team to beat" this season.

It could cause a few problems for the Rebels, and overlooking any team in the West could spell disaster for the Rebels. They will end up going 10-2 with a conference record of 6-2 (losses coming at Auburn, and to LSU at home).

LSU is still very untested at QB this season, but all Jordan Jefferson has to do for the Tigers to be very successful is just manage the offense (easier said than done, a la Jarrett Lee last season).

A big hurdle for LSU is schedule: they have both Florida and Georgia from the east. They also travel to Alabama and Ole Miss this season. With this schedule, it will be nearly impossible for LSU to escape undefeated or even with one loss this season. LSU will end the year with two losses as well, coming at Alabama and at Georgia.

Alabama has a lot of personnel to replace this season. However, the one thing that Nick Saban does better than almost anyone in the country is recruit. Look for the Tide to be just as good if not better than the team during last year's regular season. They do have to travel to Oxford but get the other SEC west contender at home. Alabama will end up 11-1 with the lone loss coming at Ole Miss.

To recap, Florida is the easy and fairly obvious pick to win the east. The west is a little more difficult to decide, but I see it falling out as Alabama winning, with LSU and Ole Miss close behind.

So, for the second consecutive year Florida will matchup with the Crimson Tide, and again I see the Florida Gators winning the SEC and moving on to the Championship game in Pasadena

Preview Of The 2009-2010 LSU Fighting Tigers (Part 3 Of 3)

Matthew Smith — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:35:10 -0400

This is the final segment of my breakdown of the 2009-2010 LSU football team. This segment will cover anything not dealing with the offense and defense. It will include the coaching and schedule, plus the buzz around campus as the season approaches.

Coaches: Les Miles returns as the head coach, and has had to answer a lot of questions during this off season, from the quarterback situation to the soft defense, all eyes have been on the big changes happening for this upcoming season.

The biggest change on the coaching staff was obviously bringing in John Chavis as the defensive coordinator for the 2009-2010 season. Chavis has revamped and simplified a defense that was not very good in 2008.

Gary Crowton returns as the offensive coordinator for the Tigers, and has to help deal with the quarterback situation that was a mess in 2008. He does have some talent to work with, which was mentioned in the first part of this series.

Schedule: Every week, I will break down the team that LSU is playing that weekend, but for now I will just give a general overview of one of the toughest schedules in the country. The schedule starts off easy with a game against Washington in Seattle. They then open up the SEC schedule at home against Vandy, followed by the first in-state game of the year against ULL.

So far nothing special, but from here on the SEC schedule is brutal. The Tigers play back-to-back road games against Mississippi State and Georgia. Then LSU returns home for the biggest game of the college football year when the Florida Gators visit Death Valley on October 10.

LSU then has two more home games, the first is against Auburn (another tough game, that has been good over the last few years). This is the toughest stretch of the season for LSU. They then have a game against Tulane which is also in Tiger Stadium

LSU then travels to Tuscaloosa for the game that could very well decide the SEC West against Alabama. The final non-conference game brings Louisiana Tech to town, followed by a trip to Oxford and a game against the much improved Ole Miss Rebels.

LSU ends the season with the traditional game against Arkansas, but it has moved from its traditional Friday 2:30 slot, to a more standard Saturday game time.

This schedule is brutal for the Tigers, and they will be lucky to go 10-2 this season. Sorry Tiger Fans no National Championship this year.

Campus Buzz: The buzz on campus this year is incredible. Everyone is anxious for the season to begin and are looking forward to seeing a new and much improved LSU Tiger Football team. The Florida game is a hot topic, even now, tickets are gone, and you can expect another record crowd come October 10th.

Preview Of The 2009-2010 LSU Fighting Tigers (Part 2 of 3)

Matthew Smith — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:46:46 -0400

In the first part of this three part preview, I covered LSU on the offensive side of the ball (article here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/230728-a-preview-of-the-2009-2010-lsu-fighting-tigers-part-1-of-3)

In this second section I will cover the opposite side of the ball. In 2008 LSU's defense, which for several years has been the pride of the team, was confused? disoriented? lost? Whatever it was wasn't working and part of the problem was the co-defensive coordinators.

In steps John Chavis for 2009, and with him a new and simplified system, which should eliminate some of the confusion that seemed prominent last year.

Much like part one, this segment will be broken into sections: D-line, LB, CB, Safeties.

D-Line: The biggest question is who will replace Tyson Jackson. Early reports from Scout.com have Chancey Aghayere filling that spot, and although Aghayere is smaller than Jackson, his pass rushing skill are better, making him a more versatile at the DE position. On the other side of the line will be Rahim Alem, who steps in to replace Kirston Pittman. Alem was an integral part of the defense last season, and recorded eight sacks in the playing time he did see.

The new superstar of the defensive line will be DT Drake Nevis, who recorded 11 tackles with 5.5 tackles for a loss last season. He has a very quick first step, and will excel as an interior pass rusher for the Tigers this season. The only returning lineman for LSU will be DT Charles Alexander, who will be the anchor of the defensive front, he came back for his sixth year of eligibilty after injury ended his season last year.

LB: This season the Tigers had to replace Darry Beckwith, and found his replacement in Jacob Cutrera, who has had significant time as a back-up in the past few seasons, he now steps in to lead the defense at MLB. The biggest surprise was Harry Coleman's move from safety to linebacker. He has surprised the coaching staff with his strength especially for his size. He has shown stopping power on the strong side, and a huge range on the weak side. The other linebacking spot will be filled by Chik-fil-A Bowl MVP Perry Riley, who is coming off a huge 2008, he was third on the team in tackles with 60 and had one interception last season. He will be playing the Buck (strong side) Linebacker position this season.

CB: Chris Hawkins will return as the teams left cornerback. As his name suggests, Chris is a ball-hawk, and can track the ball down very efficiently, last season he had 12 broken up passes and a team high three interceptions. The other corner position could be one of two players, it seems Patrick Peterson will get the nod over Jai Eugene, but the two could split reps early on this season. Peterson did start the final two games of last season and finished the year with 41 tackles and an interception as a freshman, he was one of the top recruits in last year's class and could eventually become the teams shut down corner.

Safety: With Coleman switching to linebacker and Curtis Taylor moving on, LSU will need some talent to fill both safety positions. Chad Jones is going to step into Coleman's position if Coleman really does move to linebacker. Jones came up big when he played in the dime package last season, and finished the year with 50 tackles and an interception. It will be interesting to see how productive Jones can be as a full time safety.

To fill Taylor's place will be a little tougher, but the spot will be filled by Ron Brooks, who was originally recruited as a cornerback, and for good reason; his sub-4.4, 40 speed means that at safety he will be able to cover a lot of ground, and will be a hard hitter when he gets up a head of steam.

Kicking was covered in the last segment, but I will mention the it will be Josh Jasper doing the punting this season for LSU.

What does 2009 hold for the LSU defense? Only time will tell, but in order for LSU to compete for the SEC West, and maybe an SEC title, the defense will need to step it up and play much improved over last years team.

In the final segment of this preview, I will discuss coaching, schedule, and intangibles.

Preview of the 2009-2010 LSU Fighting Tigers (Part 1 of 3)

Matthew Smith — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:07:09 -0400

Lets be honest, LSU's offense was pretty bad in 2008. It's hard to admit for an avid Tiger fan, but it is most certainly true. The struggles were blatantly obvious in the several Pick 6's Jarrett Lee threw last season.

2009 looks to be a different situation all together, what follows is a breakdown of the LSU offense into: QB, HB/FB, WR/TE, O-line, and Kicker. So here we go

QB: The Jarrett Lee days are behind LSU. Jordan Jefferson, who started the final few games of 2008, including the thrashing of Georgia Tech in the Chik-Fil-A bowl, will be the starter for 2009 season. Relatively untested still, Jefferson will have his work cut out for him as LSU faces a very brutal SEC schedule (more on this in a later article)

However, Jefferson may not be the only person in the backfield this season. As all football fans know, the hot trend of 2008 was the Wild Cat formation. LSU did not/could not run this formation last season. This season may be different however, with the addition of very talented and athletic Russell Shepard. Shepard could step in to run this formation if he is not redshirted this season.

HB/FB: Last season LSU was supposed to be "Run by committee," however Charles Scott really stole the Spot Light, and ended up carrying the ball most for the Tigers. Expect more of the same, in your face running by Scott in 2009. However, the Tiger backfield is again loaded for the 2009 season, and joining Scott will be a pair of seniors, Keiland Williams and Trindon Holliday, along with Junior Richard Murphy.

Don't be surprised if the running game is what carries this LSU team, especially early in the season. There is everything you want in a backfield at LSU: Fast (Williams), Run you over strong (Scott), and damn, what was that fast (Holliday). This backfield can burn you in so many ways.

In front of these talented backs will be Stevan Ridley, who did not carry the ball much last year (only 18 times for 92 yards). Ridley, will probably be a lead blocker mainly, but when he does carry the ball, it will be important, short yardage situations that LSU has to convert.

WR/TE: Again LSU is loaded in this position (as they were in 2008), led by Seniors Brandon Lafell, and Chris Mitchell, Junior Terrance Tolliver, along with Senior TE Richard Dixson, with new additions Rueben Randle and Chris Tolliver, look for the LSU Wide outs to have a much better 2009 season, especially with a new and more talented QB in the backfield. The Wide outs have both speed and size, Lafell and Terrance Tolliver are listed at 6'3" 209 lbs. and 6'4" 197 lbs. respectively, and both recorded 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Having both speed and size gives Jefferson a bunch of options, the receivers can beat you deep, or Jefferson can throw it up to a covered man, and he can out jump you for the ball. Plus, once they make the catch, they will be hard to catch, and even harder to tackle.

O-line: Even with the loss of Herman Johnson and Brett Helms, LSU still has a very talented O-line for the 2009 season. Returning three starters: Joseph Barksdale, Lyle Hitt, and Ciron Black. As for the two open positions: Josh Dworacyzk, who was first string in spring practice will likely be the other OG, while the open Center spot will likely be filled by Sophomore T-Bob Hebert, who was also first string in spring practice.

This offensive line is extremely large, all between 285 and 325 lbs. Look for Jefferson to have some time in the pocket when he does drop back to pass the ball. Plus, this line has something very important, experience, three returning starters could prove very beneficial as the season drags on

Kicker: This is an easy one. It obviously goes to Junior Josh Jasper who will probably perform both the Place Kicking and Punting duties this season. Jasper had a very solid average as a punter last season (43 yards), and will be looking to take over for the now departed Colt David.

All in all, I look for the Tigers to have a very productive 2009 football season, there is no lack of talent at both the halfback and wide receiver positions this year, which will make Jordan Jefferson's job much easier, and all signs point to the positive when it comes to Jefferson.

When asked about the new Quarterback, Charles Scott said, "[And] Jordan came in today and took control of the huddle." Scott said there were the mistakes associated with the opening day of practice, but was impressed by Jeffersons work ethic and buisness-like deamenor.

Coming up next will be the opposite side of the ball, which needs to be much improved if LSU wishes to contend in the 2009 season

An Ode to Tiger Stadium

Matthew Smith — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:07:15 -0400

As many of you know Rory asked us to do an ode to our college football team's stadium. Lucky for me, my team's stadium is one of the best, if not the best, in the country.

LSU's Tiger Stadium is a formidable place to play. If you are fortunate to either attend a game or even be on campus on a game day, it is one of the most enjoyable experiences ever. As far as the eye can see, in any direction, is a sea of cars, tents and RVs.

Tailgating starts early, and for some the day before the game, and it is the best in the country. Food is abundant, and ranges from hot dogs and burgers, to jambalaya, gumbo, frog legs, gator, and other things. Of course the alcohol flows freely prior to game time as well.

If you are a fan of the road team who happened to make the trip to Baton Rouge, prepare to be heckled a bit (or more than a bit) if you wearing your team's colors. A lot of what you'll hear all over campus is, "Tiger Bait, Tiger Bait"

Finally, game time approaches (and if your really lucky nowadays it will be starting at 7pm). Prior to the game however, the team is met by thousands of screaming fans as they walk down Victory Hill on the north side of the stadium. They are closely followed by the Golden Band from Tiger Land.

Now you're ready to enter the stadium, full of great food, beverage, and surrounded by "92,400 of your closest friends." The crowd is always loud a cheers for their team, even for the initial warm-ups. Looking at the field you see the now iconic Eye of the Tiger at Midfield, which many Tiger fans now consider sacred.

Believe me you do not want to upset this crowd prior to game time. Just ask the 2007 Florida Gators, who decided to stomp on that very Eye, and paid the price for it (go watch the youtube videos of that game).

The next thing you will see is a bright gold-colored cage (yes, in tiger town that color is gold, not yellow), being pulled around the stadium, topped by the LSU cheerleaders. Inside is Mike the VI, LSU's live bengal tiger. After his trip around the stadium, his cage is parked next to the visiting team entrance so they have to run by him as they enter the field.

With about 12 minutes left before kickoff, one of the most iconic pregame rituals is begun by a man who is clad in white and carries a mace out to the south goalline, gives it a spin, blows his whistle, and on to the field comes the Golden Band from Tigerland.

As the 300-plus member band marches on to the field to the sound of a single bass drum, the crowd becomes frenzied. Once the band is on the field, the best pregame performance can begin, and four simple notes make the crowd go wild.

As pregame finishes, the team prepares to enter the field through a tunnel made by the band itself. If it is a night game, PA annoucer Dan Borné will say the words that send chills down the spine of LSU fans present.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the sun has found its home in the western sky, it is now saturday night in Tiger Stadium... Here comes your Fighting Tigers of LSU!"

During the game, you will hear cheers like, "Geaux Tigers," "Oh Wee Oh," "L-S-U Tigers," and more. The band will play classics like "Geaux Tigers (first Down)," "Boogie Down," "Chinese Bandits," and of course "Hey Baby," "Hey Fightin' Tigers," and others.

And then there is one of the newest songs, but one of the crowd favorites, "Neck." It is amazing to see nearly the entire crowd dancing to the song.

As for the atmosphere on the field, it is nearly impossible for opposing teams to be able to hear on the field with the crowd at full volume (which is often).

If the game goes into overtime, LSU is in a win/win situation. If they win the toss, they will pick defense, if they lose it, they will choose to play on the north end of the field, where they will be backed by the alway packed LSU student section.

Once the game ends, traffic can be a nightmare, but no one seems to care, especially if LSU just won the game. Some people, however, decide not to fight traffic, going back to their tailgates for some postgame partying.

By far, LSU has one of the most electric atmospheres in all of college football, before, during, and even after. If you haven't gotten to experience a game at Tiger Stadium, I suggest you come down to Baton Rouge at least once in your life, and experience the sights, sounds and smells of everything associated with game day at LSU.

To wrap up this article, here are two very interesting facts: 1. When Tiger Stadium is at capacity on game day, it becomes the 5th largest city in Louisiana, 2. For the Florida game in 2007, over 150,000 people were on campus that day, meaning 60,000+ people were on campus without a ticket to the game.

A New Basketball Rule for 2009-2010: What Was the NCAA Thinking?

Matthew Smith — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:49:58 -0400

Well, the NCAA has done it again.

Like they do every year, an NCAA panel met to address any rule changes for the upcoming basketball season. The panel has made three changes.

The first says that a defensive player must establish position outside of the area between the backboard and the rim in order to draw a charge.

No problem with this one because it makes it similar (but not the same) to the NBA.

The second rule change simply extends replay to flagrant foul determination.

Again, no problem here. In fact, this one makes a lot of sense because a flagrant foul means an ejection, so it is important to make the correct call.

The final one is the one I have a huge problem with. It changes the rule as to who shoots free throws if the player who was fouled cannot.

As all basketball fans know, the choice of who would shoot the free throw would be up to the coach of the team shooting, and he could pick anyone on the roster to shoot them.

Under the new rule, the choice would no longer be the coach of the shooting team. Instead, the coach of the opposing team will decide who will shoot, but can only pick from the four remaining players on the floor.

The NCAA cited that an unfair advantage was given to the shooting team under the old rule as the reason for the change.

However, doesn't this rule change it to the opposite extreme? Since the opposing coach can choose, it is obvious that he would pick the worst free throw shooter on the floor, leaving the shooting team at a disadvantage.

So the NCAA is going to punish teams for having a player get injured? Sure, let's see how this is going to work out.

Just think, your team's best free throw shooter gets hurt while driving down the lane, so instead of having the second best shooter on the line, the other coach picks your bumbling center, who only shoots 53 percent from the line.

How about the NCAA uses the middle ground and makes the coach of the shooting team pick from the four others on the floor. At least that way there wouldn't be any "unfair advantage" for either team.

Plight Of LSU Football Fans: Way Les CBS

Matthew Smith — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:48:18 -0400

I don't know about all of the other football fans out there, but it's early June and I already can't wait for September to roll around. Here in Baton Rouge, it brings about one of the best experiences available in college football.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the sun has set in the western sky. It is officially Saturday night in Tiger Stadium." This short phrase whips 92,000+ fans into a frenzy as The Golden Band from Tigerland takes the field.

Only a few years ago, this was nearly every weekend. Nowadays however, it is occurring less and less every year. As CBS, who has first rights to broadcast SEC football games, begins to cover more LSU football, they are taking away a vital part of it.

By broadcasting games at the usual 2:30 p.m. CST, CBS is stripping LSU fans, especially students, of arguably the most important part of any Saturday home game—tailgating.

With a 2:30 p.m. kickoff, the average LSU fan will only have 3 hours or so of tailgating before kickoff. For students, that time is even less because they enter the stadium even earlier (usually 1.5 to 2 hours before the game). This means that tailgating time is nearly cut down to zero.

Without tailgating, LSU fans are just not the same, the atmosphere suffers, and in turn, the players do not have the home field advantage that should come with Death Valley.

For example, take the three home losses LSU had in the 2008-09 season. What did all three have in common? They were all 2:30 p.m. CBS games.

Also, when ESPN ran their series, "Faces of the Program," ESPN recognized LSU, not for Mike the Tiger, the Golden Band from Tigerland, or even Billy Cannon.

What they said defined the LSU program were Saturday nights in Tiger Stadium. With more and more games starting at 2:30, LSU is really missing out on what makes the football program great.

If CBS can show one primetime game, like it does every year, then why can't they begin to show more than one during a season? I know this is not necessarily a pressing issue in the college football world, but going into a new season, I felt that this is something that needed to be addressed.

I look forward to being able to cover LSU football this season, my first as an LSU student!

LSU Knocks Off Baylor 3-2 On Nola's Single, Set to Claim Regional Title

Matthew Smith — Sun, 31 May 2009 00:03:46 -0400

Nine Innings weren't enough for LSU and Baylor on Saturday night. The game went to the 10th inning tied up at two after a remarkable nine innings from pitcher Anthony Ranaudo, who allowed only three hits all day and struck out 14 including striking out the side in both the 7th and the 9th.

LSU got out to a fast start when Jared Mitchell hit a solo home run to right field to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the second inning. LSU extended the lead to two after D.J. LaMahieu hit into a bases-loaded fielder's choice to score Gibbs.

Baylor then cut it down to one on a Gregg Glime home run in the sixth and eventually tied it in the eighth. After a scoreless ninth, LSU, who was the visiting team based on the coin flip yesterday, came up to bat in the top of the 10th.

After Mikie Mahtook grounded out, both Mitchell and LaMahieu walked. Sean Ochinko then pinch hit and singled off the glove of Hansen, which loaded the bases. Austin Nola, a freshman out of Baton Rouge, then singled up the middle which score Mitchell, giving LSU a 3-2 lead.

In the bottom of the 10th, LSU called upon closer Matty Ott who put the Bears up and down in order to seal the 3-2 victory for the Tigers. With the save, Ott set a single season save record with 15.

With the win, LSU moved to 2-0 in the Regional and now have the inside track to the Super Regional next week. Baylor fell to 1-1 in the regional and will play Minnesota at 1 p.m. CDT. The winner will then have to play LSU at 6 p.m., with the second championship game to be played at 6 p.m. on Monday if Baylor/Minnesota win on Sunday night.

LSU, considered by some to be the favorite to win the College World Series this season, has played very well through two games, striking out 27 opponents.

LSU seems to be set to advance to the Super Regional, which will be hosted next weekend in Baton Rouge if the Tigers win, as they need to only win once and still have ace Louis Coleman in the bag.

Coleman will give either team trouble tomorrow as he has a 2.84 ERA and is 11-2 on the year.

A College Football Play-Off System That Should Satisfy Both Sides

Matthew Smith — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:12:53 -0400

After almost two months of revisions, frustration, and polling, I have come up with a system to determine the College Football National Champion... which does not require an obviously flawed system like the BCS.

First, the six BCS champions will have automatic bids to the play-offs, but the conference layout will change for some conferences.

Conferences with no changes: SEC, ACC, Big XII

Conference Changes: All three conferences will be split into divisions and will add a conference championship game.

Pac-10: Will add both Boise St. and Utah.

Big Ten: Will add Miami (OH).

Big East: Will add both UCF and Notre Dame (subject to Change, see below).

*Every two years, schools who feel they should have a chance to replace a current BCS school will have a chance to present their case before a board made up of the executives from that particular conference .

For example, if Fresno State has two great seasons and Washington continues on their losing trend, then Fresno State could bring a case before the board in the Pac-10 to try to replace Washington for the next two seasons.

Ok, logistics are out of the way; now lets get to the system itself.

First, any teams who do not make the play-off will still be eligible to play in any remaining bowl games if they have a record of 7-5 (not 6-6).

This play-off will be an eight team play-off, with team break-downs as follows: six Conference Champions seeded 1-6. The highest ranking non-BCS conference school seeded seventh. The highest ranked team not already included will be eighth.

The dates will be as follows:

Quarterfinals: Second Saturday following the Conference Championship games.

Semi-finals: January 1

Finals: Exactly one week following January 1.

The Semi-Finals, Finals, and 1 vs. 8 game will rotate between the four current BCS bowl sites with the location that hosts the finals hosting the 1 vs. 8 game the following season.

The 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, and 4 vs. 5 games will rotate between the Cotton Bowl, Capital One Bowl, and the Outback Bowl.

Seeding will be determined based on the coaches poll only, and as mentioned above, the conference champions will receive seeds 1-6 automatically.

The bowls will still be bowls, including the ones not included in the play-off, and can be played as normal with the exception of not being able to be played on January 1, because of the semi-finals.

Hopefully, this system can garner some attention and get the ball rolling to change the current football system. If you have comments, questions, or concerns, please post them as a comment and I will be glad to answer/address them.

I feel this system will be acceptable for everyone, because bowls still get their money and college football gets a fair system.

2009 NCAA Tournament: Locks, Upsets, and Cinderella

Matthew Smith — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:10:48 -0400

We now have the official bracket and the debate has began. Whether it be the SEC getting only three bids and none higher than an 8-seed, or that Memphis got a two-seed.

This college basketball year is full of parity, and everyone will flood schools and offices with bracket pools and predictions.

Here are a few thoughts that could help you win that money this year.

Locks:

Actually I have two of them for this tourney

1) Pittsburgh—With DeJuan Blair anchoring this team along with Levance Fields, who can dish the ball out, and Sam Young, who averages nearly 19 a game, make this Pitt team a force to be reckoned with, and will most likely still be dancing come April 4th.

2) Memphis—Now they may not make the finals again this year, but Calapari will have his Memphis team ready and angry that they did not get a one-seed. They may not have the stars from last season, but Tyreke Evans has done a great job at point, and Memphis probably has the easiest path to the Elite Eight of any of the top eight seeds.

Upsets:

No fancy elaborations on these; just simply the games that I have marked as games to watch for the upset.

First Round:

(12) Arizona over (5) Utah; (12) UNI over (5) Purdue; (11) Utah St. over (6) Marquette; (13) Portland St. over (4) Xavier

Second Round:

(8) LSU over (1) UNC*; (12) Arizona over (4) Wake Forest

*Assuming that Ty Lawson has not returned

Cinderella of the Year:

Utah State is my pick to be the George Mason, or Davidson, of the year. Simply because they are a very talented team that no one knows anything about because they play in the west, and east-coasters have gone to sleep when they play.

Saying that, they also do not play on TV ever, but have fought this season to get 30 wins, and a WAC championship. Look for the Aggies to at least get to the second weekend of play in the tournament

All I have left to say is have fun with your brackets... that and don't be like Digger Phelps who is the safest picker I have ever seen.

Good Luck everyone, and Happy March Madness!

LSU Comes From 18 Down to Beat Arkansas: Win Their 10th Straight SEC Game

Matthew Smith — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:52:33 -0500

Once again LSU just finds a way to win a game they probably shouldn't have won.

LSU came from 18 down with six minutes left to go in the first half at Arkansas to win the game 72-69. The Tigers shot terribly in the first half, but turned it around in the second to escape Fayetteville with a win.

This is LSU's 10th straight victory in the SEC and seventh overall.

How good is LSU?

Well, they have not lost a game in almost a month. The Tigers have a three game lead in the SEC ( that's right folks, the SEC, meaning they have a three game lead on teams like Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee).

The Bayou Bengals are just so mentally tough under first year head coach Trent Johnson (who has my vote for SEC coach of the year). They have played without starting point guard Bo Spencer for the last two games.

Both games have been come from behind wins against decent opponents.

What can we expect from LSU the rest of the way?

Well, with the win at Arkansas, LSU has locked up a first round bye in the SEC tournament. The magic number for LSU to clench the West is two.

As for the SEC Championship its variable at this point, at most its three but can be two if both of the wins are Florida and Tennessee.

That first round bye is critical for seeding purposes for the Tigers, because it means three games in three days instead of four in four. Which is important because the Tigers are not very deep.

As for the NCAA tournament, only time will tell, LSU has shown the ability to hang with any team on any given night so could be very dangerous come March, as long as they can stay healthy.

Midseason SEC Basketball Awards

Matthew Smith — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:15:01 -0500

I apologize for this being so late, I meant to write it right after SEC play had started two weeks ago, but school has been really hectic as graduation nears for me. But, here is my mid-season awards for the SEC.

Unfortunately, the SEC is way down this basketball year, however there have been several bright spots along the way this season.

Player of the Year

Jodie Meeks' 54 points against Tennessee was very impressive. Meeks is a leader on the court and, when he is healthy, he is so dangerous and has stood out as the player of the year in the SEC this season.

Coach of the Year

There have been several good stories this year, but the most impressive has been Coach Trent Johnson down at LSU. He has turned a dysfunctional team into one that plays team basketball, something that has been missing in LSU basketball since the Dale Brown era.

Surprise of the West

It has to be LSU's dominance, the Tigers are 3-1 in the league and the wins have been blowouts including an 83-51 win at Ole Miss. The Tigers have gotten great defensive play from the entire team and Marcus Thornton and Taz Mitchell have just lit up opposing defenses.

Disappointment of the West

Arkansas has disappointed after having a strong non-conference year. The Razorbacks have gone 0-3 in the SEC after beating teams like Oklahoma and Texas earlier this year. All hope is not lost for the Razorbacks and they may be able to turn their conference season around, but its not going to get any easier for the Razorbacks as they face Alabama at home on Wednesday and then travel to LSU for a big match-up on January 31st.

Surprise of the East

How bout the Cat's from Kentucky. Apparently no one told Billie Gillispie that Tennessee was supposed to be the highlight of the East this year. Although they had a disappointing loss to VMI to start the year, Kentucky has really stepped up through the year and led by Jodie Meeks, the Wildcats have a chance to win the SEC East.

Disappointment of the East

No doubt it is Tennessee, a team that was supposed to be the highlight of a down SEC conference has not come through. They got blown out at home vs. Kentucky (of course it helped that Meeks had 54). They have also lost twice to Gonzaga and at Temple. Tennessee needs to step it up if they want to win the SEC East.

Outlook and Predictions

Obviously, the SEC is down for sure this year. However, this is a good year to be down because many of the mid-major teams are strangely absent from Tournament Predictions which means more spots for the SEC. LSU has a big game tonight (1/24) against No. 13 Xavier which could be Coach Johnson's first signature win at LSU. I think the SEC will get four maybe five teams into the tournament this year; LSU, Bama, Kentucky, Tennessee, and possibly Florida.

I think LSU has the best chance to win the West and Kentucky will be able to go on and win the East.

Only time will tell what is going to happen the rest of this year, but, among all the negative, there have been some very positive things that have really gone under the radar this season in the SEC.

LSU Looks to Continue New Tradition Going into SEC Play

Matthew Smith — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:08:32 -0500

An LSU team is 12-1 in January, and guess what—it's not the football team. The basketball team has managed to go through the non-conference schedule having only lost one time, in Houston against a very talented Texas A&M ball club.

Of course, this record must be taken with a grain of salt since many of the wins are against teams like Jackson State, Troy, Northwestern State, and McNeese State. However, they did have a very impressive 12-point win on national TV against Washington State.

The going gets tougher from here on out for the Tigers. After they travel to the west to take on Utah on Jan. 6, the Bayou Bengals begin SEC play when they take on the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The upcoming schedule is going to be a tough one for the Tigers, who have looked very impressive in the early going, as they play games like Xavier, Florida, @ Tenn, @ Kentucky, @ Georgia, and Vanderbilt.

These key games should give a better look at how good the Tigers are actually going to be this season, but there are many things that have gone right for LSU in the early going.

Garrett Temple has been phenomenal on the defensive side, holding some opponents' best players in check for almost the entire game, including a stellar performance where he held Southeastern Louisiana's best scoring threat Kevyn Greene to only six points for the game.

Marcus Thornton has to be one of the most under the radar players in the country. He is averaging 18.5 points per game, and yet no one outside of the SEC knows who he is. He had a 32 and a 33-point game this season and is LSU's go-to guy in the clutch when they need a bucket.

By far the biggest surprise of the 2008-09 season has been Bo Spencer. The point guard has averaged double-digit points for the Tigers so far this season and is something that LSU has not seen in a long time: a guard who can run the offense and plays under control (remember the days of Tack Minor?). The Tiger offense is led by Bo, and he has become a force to be reckoned with on the scoreboard.

Finally, some of the credit has to go to Trent Johnson, who in less than a year has turned this team around. He has them moving around on offense and using their offensive sets more wisely. He could be the coach to bring the passion and enthusiasm back into LSU basketball. This has turned out to be a great hire for the LSU basketball team.

What does the rest of the season hold in store for the Tigers? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: If LSU can continue to play the way they have over the past two months, they will be a force to be reckoned with when the NCAA tournament rolls around in March.

With Trent Johnson at the Helm, LSU's Future Looks Bright

Matthew Smith — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:06:41 -0500

With a new coach and a load of talent, especially at the defensive end, the LSU men's basketball team's future looks pretty bright as it continues its season Saturday after a week off for exams.

Over the next month, the Tigers will be facing the toughest part of their non-conference schedule. After they play Grambling State this weekend and Nicholls State on Wednesday, LSU has their first road trip of the season, traveling to the Toyota Center to take on Texas A&M.

Also included in the schedule are Washington State on Dec. 27, at Utah on Jan. 6, and then in the middle of their SEC schedule they play Xavier on Jan. 24.

I understand that this schedule is not as impressive as some of the other schedules in the country, but Coach Johnson understands this team needs time to gel and mesh.

Speaking of Coach Johnson and the new Tigers, they really have shown a lot through the first month or so of the season. As a true LSU basketball fan, I have attended every game they have had this year.

They haven't really played any significant competition, with the exception of a decent Cal State-Fullerton team, but they are learning the new offense and adapting well.

Every game I have gone to, people have compared the new Tigers to the old Brady Tigers, and one thing that seems to be popular to talk about is the fact that they have an offensive balance this season.

Yes, they have the stand-outs like Marcus Thorton and Tazmin Mitchell on the offensive end. But for anyone who remembers last season, the Tigers NEEDED Thorton to score between 28 and 40 points a game. This season, he still does score a lot, but gets help from teammates Bo Spencer and Chris Johnson, among others.

On the defensive end, the Tigers play all man. Eerily similar to the 2006 Final Four team, they really like to block shots—up to an outstanding 16 blocks in a game earlier this season. Again, Chris Johnson leads the team on this end, and what he lacks in power and size, he makes up for in his jumping ability—much like Tyrus Thomas in 2006.

Now, am I saying that this team can make it to the Final Four? No, probably not.

But, no one thought the 2006 team would make it that far.

Can they win the SEC West? Well, that is more realistic, especially with the SEC being so weak this year.

It is definitely a rebuilding process at LSU, but they really do have some potential to make it a very successful season and potentially even make it to the Big Dance come March.

Jimmy V Classic More Than Just Great Basketball Games: It's a Call to Action

Matthew Smith — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:52:58 -0500

I have read the few articles on B/R about the actual games that have taken place at MSG tonight. No one seemed to mention the more important thing happening at the Garden tonight.

The Jimmy V Classic (as all of you know, I presume) is to raise money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research in honor of Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in 1993.

Just before he died, Jimmy V accepted the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs.

The speech he made will ring out in the sports world forever, especially the parting words: "Cancer can take away all my physical abilities; it cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things will carry on forever."

Earlier today I donated only $50, but that is the best $50 I have ever spent.

Any little bit will help the V foundation, so i ask all you bleacher creatures to get up and do whatever you can to help them, it is very important.

Of course, enjoy a great game like Texas vs. Villanova, but remember that what they are playing for is not just a win but for all those who are effected by cancer.

I'll leave you with another Jimmy V quote, which has become the slogan of the V Foundation: "Don't give up...Don't ever give up!"

Please, remember what the Jimmy V Classic is really all about when you are watching it.

Addressing the LSU Quarterback Situation

Matthew Smith — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:53:05 -0500

OK, I feel that it is time to address this and hopefully put to rest some of the just plain crazy stuff that I have been hearing about LSU and their QBs.

First of all, I don't think that anyone can say that Jarrett Lee is a horrible football player. He is starting at LSU in his freshman (RS) season. That has to say something.

He is a freshman...he makes mistakes, it happens. He is going to just get better from here on out.

That being said, I do think that it is time for a change of pace. I think that Jordan Jefferson should start what should hopefully be another glorified scrimmage against Troy. His redshirt is gone, so why not try to get him some meaningful snaps in a game?

Worst-case scenario is you bring Lee back in if Jefferson really struggles.

Remember, most of everyone thought this would be a rebuilding year for LSU, and they do have a strong recruiting class coming in next season.

I also need to point out that this season may have been very different had Ryan Perrilloux not been kicked off the team. He would have brought the experience that LSU needed desperately at the QB position.

Besides, since when is potentially 9-3 in the SEC a bad thing? I'm sure several teams would love to be in the same situation LSU is in. Yes, it is not as good as years past, but it is still good.

LSU may not be in the hunt for their third national title, but they still have a very talented team. I would be on the lookout for this Tiger team when the 2009-2010 season rolls around.

LSU-Alabama: The View from Baton Rouge

Matthew Smith — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:39:43 -0500

He's back!!! It's finally here—the game I have had scheduled on my calendar since Nick Saban came back to the SEC. Not that it is a big deal for the players—most of whom I remind everyone, were not even recruited by Saban.

This game could be big for the psyche of the very young LSU football team.

LSU will win if...

Jarrett Lee doesn't commit big-time mistakes...again.

Jarrett Lee doesn't need to win the game for the offense—he just needs to manage the game for the Tigers. He has enough talent around him that all he has to do is get the ball to his playmakers, and the Tigers will have a chance at the end of the day.

The defense decides to show up...

It seems like the strongest part of LSU football has always been its defense, and frankly, it just hasn't been there for a couple of weeks. For LSU to win, they need to be able to stop the run and force Alabama to throw the football. If they can do that, they need to have their secondary cover the Bama receivers.

Alabama will win if...

They drink a lot of Coffee...

Yes, I know it was a dumb joke, but you get the point. They need to go to Coffee, and go to Coffee a lot. Like I said, if LSU can stop the run, Bama will have trouble. On the other hand, if Bama dominates the line of scrimmage, then they can run all over this LSU defense.

They can handle the pressure of a hostile LSU crowd...

I said the players may not be affected by Saban's return, but I can guarantee you that the fans who will pack Tiger Stadium Saturday afternoon will not forgive and forget so easily. This will be one of the most hostile crowds ever to fill Tiger Stadium, and that could pose a problem for Bama. If they can handle the pressure and get the ball to Coffee, then look for Bama to win.

Game Changer

The running backs on Saturday will play a big factor. Who will have the better day: Charles Scott or Glen Coffee? Whoever has the bigger day could very well lead his team to a victory on Saturday. Look for the running backs to impact the game in a major way when 2:30 rolls around.

Prediction

I think that the emotion will help LSU, and the hostile crowd will get into Bama's head early. As long as Jarrett Lee can manage to not make major mistakes on offense and just let the playmakers do the work, I think LSU has every opportunity to come away with the upset.

LSU 24, Alabama 17

Don't Listen to What Others Say, LSU Fans: You Still Have a Good Team

Matthew Smith — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:04:52 -0400

Over the last two-and-a-half days I have read some of the funniest, lamest, dirtiest, and downright ugliest things said about college football, especially LSU.

And to those certain people (who will not be named in this article), I pose some very basic questions and wonder what will be said about them.

Anyone who reads this, feel free to respond to any/all of the questions posted.

1. Since when is back-to-back-to-back 11-win seasons a bad thing?

2. Why are several people in the college football world back on this notion that Nick Saban's players are the only reason that Les Miles has succeeded over the last three-and-a-half years?

3. Since when is Florida a bad team?

4. Since when does one loss equal a horrible coach and the end of the world?

5. Since when was LSU going to be 13-0 and heading into its second straight BCS national championship game?

6. Since when has everyone in the country become an expert on LSU football (especially you 'Bama fans out there)?

Here is what I have to say...

1. It is not now nor will it ever be a bad thing. Eleven wins per season is a very good thing, in fact, and many teams would love that out of a coach.

2. Because they have a scapegoat now and take it out on Miles. Let me remind you that most if not all of the starters for the 2007 BCS national championship game did not play one snap under the coaching of Nick Saban.

3. They aren't, period. The Ole Miss loss does not show that the Gators are a bad team but instead shows how strong the SEC is (it's not the only one this way: the Big 12 and Pac-10 could be in there, as well). It shows that if you do not show up to play, week-in and week-out, you are not going to win.

4. It equals neither of them. One loss does not equal a bad coach, just a game the team did not win. I'm pretty sure that many a Div. 1 school would be thrilled with a coach who lost only one game.

5. They weren't, and any LSU fan who thought so needs a reality check. Yes, LSU is good, but they are not perfect. If any fan expected more than 10-2, that wasn't gonna happen—not with the team this year.

6. They haven't and just need to stop all the bad-mouthing and trash-talking of LSU football. They don't know what they are saying and probably are just making themselves look either dumb or ignorant.

LSU fans, relax—it's OK. We can make it through this. Just ignore what the others say, and ignore what "eSCpn" has to say about it, too.

Oregon State Shocks USC 27-21

Matthew Smith — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:42:48 -0400

Well, it happened again. USC was said to be "unstoppable," but that's not what Oregon State saw.

If you are a true college football fan, then you witnessed the monster fall. If you slept, then this is your morning headline.

Just like in 2006, Oregon State saw a chance to get back on track after a dismal start to the season. The 24-point underdogs knocked off USC tonight 27-21 behind the great performance of Jacquizz Rodgers.

The freshman ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. The Oregon State defense pressured Sanchez all night, and special teams sealed it with an onside kick recovery.

USC looked outclassed on the field tonight, trailing 21-0 at the half, in a conference they were supposed to bowl over.

If it weren't for a great second half by Sanchez, then this game wouldn't have been so close.

What does this mean for the rest of the college football world?

Who knows any more? All that is known is that when Sunday rolls around, USC will not be at the top of the polls, and their record will be 2-1.

It also means that there will not be talk of how USC got robbed from appearing in the BCS national championship game.

So party it up, Corvallis; and for everyone else, get ready for the biggest poll shake-up in a very long time.

LSU vs. Auburn Will Be a Great Game Assuming the Refs Don't Get Involved

Matthew Smith — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:57:45 -0400

The time has come again. It's time to decide who is going to win the SEC West. Every year it always seems to come down to this game.

Yes, I know it's early in the season, but this game is HUGE.

LSU has to travel to Jordan Hare again this year and let's face it, the last two times they went they seemed to be playing 11 on 18 if you get my drift.

In 2004 LSU was winning 9-3 when Auburn scored a touchdown late in the game. They missed the PAT only to get another chance on a leverage penalty called against LSU.

Technically, it was the correct call but why use such a nit picky/never heard of before rule to determine the game.

In 2006 LSU had the ball and was driving for the potential game winning score. On fourth down JaMarcus Russell threw the ball to Early Doucet who was basically dragged to the ground by the Auburn defender.

The official threw the flag on an obvious pass interference call, but after a conference between officials, they decide to wave off the penalty.

They said the ball was tipped (and it was), but that is irrelevant because the interference happened before the tip.

And for the people who say there is a conspiracy because the replay official was an Auburn grad. it does not matter. Penalties are not a reviewable play anyways so there was no conspiracy, just bad officiating.

The rule for pass interference out of the NCAA rule book is that the penalty should be called on any defender who intentionally interferes with a receiver on a catchable ball.

Some say since a tip happened at all the ball becomes un-catchable. However, when contact happened (before the tip) the ball was clearly catchable.

Now, granted LSU had many opportunities to win this ballgame, but it should not come down to a bonehead call by an official who probably did not clearly see the play.

I am looking forward to a great game this weekend (and low scoring at that). I just hope for the sake of both schools and the NCAA that the refs can get it right when it counts the most.

The IOC Needs to Solve Gymnastics' "Judging Problem"

Matthew Smith — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:41:27 -0400

It could be called an outrage, or maybe even a scandal. I am losing all respect for Gymnastics in the Olympics, but not for the reason you might think.

Yes, I know the scoring system may be confusing and deciding who wins by the highest score from one judge in case of a tie is ridiculous. But I am talking about something else.

How is it that a certain gymnast can have at least 1.0 points deducted and still win a medal?

Yes, I am talking about the recent women's vault final where the bronze medal came down to Alicia Sacramone and Cheng Fei.

Fei ended up landing on her knees on her second vault, but still managed a higher score than Sacramone. The biggest issue that I have is with the judging panel.

Since the IOC has rules that do not allow judges from any of the countries who have participants in the finals, we end up with incompetent judges from places I have never heard of or places that do not have a strong gymnastics program.

The biggest problem I have is not with Fei's landing (the judges took off 0.8 points for that). It's with all the other problems that she had for which they did not take off points.

Now, I am not a vault expert. But from what I have watched and read, she should have lost at least another 0.5 points because her legs were not together and her arms were bent when vaulting.

The IOC needs to get their act together on this one and I may have the solution. Why not have a judge from every country in the finals. That way the possible "advantage" would be balanced out, or neutralized. That way we don't have the judges who just flat out don't know what they are doing.

Michael Phelps Shows Up, Competition Doesn't

Matthew Smith — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:41:38 -0400

After breaking his own record for golds in one Olympiad, Phelps did it again in 2012 by winning a record 10 golds.

Today he showed up to the pool in Madrid only to find the stands full but the ready room empty.

It seems that Phelps has become too good for anyone, so not one country even bothered to send representatives to the 2016 Olympics.

What does this mean for Phelps and his team (who were the only ones to actually show up)? Simple—another gold medal record for him. He would claim 17 gold medals over the next seven days.

For Phelps it is a very discouraging thing. "Now I have a problem, my competition never showed up mentally in the past, and now they don't show up at all."

When asked about the future of swimming he said, "Well, I thought about retiring after these Olympics but if no one is going to show up I will swim until I am physically unable to do so."

Needless to say the future of Olympic swimming could be in jeopardy.

LSU Tigers Open 2008 Fall Practice: Who Has Impressed?

Matthew Smith — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:03:26 -0400

Even with Tropical Storm Edouard rolling through, LSU opened up its football practice with two split-squad sessions on Monday. The same will happen on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, before a full-squad practice on Friday.

During the morning session, sophomore Andrew Hatch and redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee shared the snaps.

In the afternoon, it was true freshman Jordan Jefferson who controlled the offense.

Head coach Les Miles said he was particularly impressed with Jefferson.

"I liked the way Jordan Jefferson, the freshman quarterback, learns," Miles told The Daily Comet. "He picks it up pretty quickly. I was surprised with how well he handled everything."

Coach Miles also said he was surprised by the new wide receivers, including Chris Tolliver and Tim Molton.

This season should be a bright one for LSU wide outs as these two join an already deep staff that includes, Terrence Tolliver (no relation to Chris), Demetrius Byrd, and Brandon Lafell.

Another important note on Monday's practice is that it marked the return of Charles Alexander to the practice field. Alexander missed most of the 2007 season with a knee injury sustained against South Carolina.

With all the young guns that have stepped up during the first day of practice, the future is looking bright for LSU football, especially at the quaterback position. Jarrett Lee has really stepped up so far and could be the favorite going into the season. However, Andrew Hatch is the one with game experience so may have an advantage in Mile's eyes.

Also, with Jordan Jefferson picking up the system quickly I would not be suprised to see Miles not redshirt Jefferson and have him play some this season.

The Ten Toughest Places to Play in College Football

Matthew Smith — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:13:11 -0400

Here is my list for the 10 toughest places to play in college football. I've tried to visit most of these places but have not gotten to all of them. Here it goes.

10. Sanford Stadium (Georgia)

I've been to a game up at Sanford, and I couldn't imagine what a player must be going through while playing "between the hedges." The fans are loud but are pretty nice overall. Good way to start.

9. Autzen Stadium (Oregon)

For a place that only seats 59,000, it sure seems like a lot more from what I've heard. I've never actually been to a game there, but I know people who have, and they said it sounds like a lot more people than it actually is.

8. Michigan Stadium—"The Big House" (Michigan)

100,000-plus screaming fans on game day are loud. The fans are passionate but not crazy like other schools I've been to. They come in at No. 8 for that reason—what makes a place tough to play is the fans.

7. Lane Stadium (Virginia Tech)

The fans here are right on top of the action, which makes it one of the loudest places I've ever been to. It is so low on the list because it seats a lot fewer than the stadiums ahead of it.

6. Ohio Stadium—"The Horseshoe" (Ohio State)

OK, so I've never been to a game here, but I've heard good things about games played here, and it is tough to beat the script OHIO at the start of each game. But as you'll see, the top five gets even better

5. Kyle Field (Texas A&M)

Not the loudest place I've ever been to, but the 12th man is a formidable opponent for any team. They are constant, and they never give up. The 12th man gives this place a spot in the top five.

4. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium—"The Swamp" (Florida)

Florida has some of the best fans in the country, and playing a game there is tough even once, much less having to do it every other year like some SEC schools. The Swamp has given the Gators the second-best winning percentage at home since 1990. The place is loud, and fans will harass you.

3. Beaver Stadium (Penn State)

"The best student section in the land" - Kirk Herbstreit (OSU vs. PSU). While that is debatable, there is no doubt that the tradition and passion of PSU football gives it a spot in the top three. Whether it be Joe Pa or a whiteout, you can see some serious passion here.

2. Neyland Stadium (Tennessee)

It was tough to decide between the top two schools because Tennessee has a great program, and 100,000-plus fans doesn't hurt. They seem to always be into the game no matter the score, and just the design of the stadium can be very intimidating.

1. Tiger Stadium—"Death Valley" (LSU)

If you didn't guess this by the picture at the top, now I'm telling you. The Tigers have some of the craziest and most passionate fans in all of college football. Trying to play in Tiger Stadium at night with 92,000-plus fans around you must be one of the toughest things a college athlete may do. Not to mention the craziness that comes out as the Golden Band from Tigerland blasts out those first four notes for pregame.

Coach Trent Johnson, Talented Upperclassmen Make LSU a Candidate to Surprise

Matthew Smith — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:00:31 -0400

Now I know it sounds dumb that the Cinderella basketball team will be coming out of a conference like the SEC, but hear me out.

LSU made it all the way to the Final Four back in 2006 but really hasn't done much since. Was it a fluke? Maybe—only time will tell

The upcoming season will be huge for the future of the men's basketball program at LSU because they no longer have the "Our coach is horrible" excuse to lean on.

Let's face it: John Brady is not the best coach in the world (in fact, he may be one of the worst), but he is out at LSU.

The Trent Johnson era has begun. This year's roster, led by seniors Garrett Temple, Chris Johnson, and Marcus Thornton, and junior Tasmin Mitchell, will make LSU a formidable opponent.

Now am I saying they will win the national title? No, but with some luck, it could happen.

What I am saying is that this team has a lot of talent and a new coach, so the bar may be set a little higher this season.

Getting into the NCAA tournament would not be a bad thing for a new coach.