LSU v Auburn - Week 8

LSU v Auburn – Week 8

Suspensions

First, let me say that I realize there are more important things in life than LSU Football. I wanted to blog a little about this situation prior to the game Saturday, so that my current thoughts don’t go by the way-side based on the game.

Disappointed and Frustrated. Add an “extremely” and a “very” in front and that about sums up my feelings upon hearing of the suspensions of Mathieu, Ware and Simon. Regardless of whether the Mary Jane was synthetic or the real stuff, they are in a high profile position where doing anything but eating the grass is frown upon in this establishment. Mathieu, Ware and Simon need to realize that this isn’t the 70’s and they aren’t rock stars. Peter, Paul and Mary they ain’t.

Go back to my blog a few weeks ago when I asked the questions: “Is it ok to believe that these Tigers will not falter mightily and let me down? Is it ok to believe we are the best? Is it ok to believe in Les Miles?” Almost prophetic, don’t you think? Simply having put these questions out there shows that I had an uneasy feeling that another shoe would drop (sorry JJ, pun intended with “shoe”). It’s a little unnerving to be such an ardent fan of the #1 team in the nation but not truly believe. If the Tigers were to lose one or two games this year, to anyone but Ole Miss, I wouldn’t feel let down. Disappointed, yes, but it’s football, in the SEC…leave it on the field and I’m ok with the final score, win or lose. Continue with these off the field issues and that’s where my belief in the Tigers wavers. I truly believe that great teams are made off the field. Without some sort of respect, camaraderie, bond, off the field, a team can never reach it’s full potential, regardless of the talent and ability you exhibit on the field.

And coaching…Miles has never been known as a real hard-a$$ on rule breakers. Sure, he’s made some tough decisions and done the right thing (Ryan Perrilloux) but he’s also been somewhat lenient at times. All this does is open the door for other players to invite trouble, knowing the punishment won’t be severe. I can use Brad Wing as an example. His bar brawl several months ago garnered no evident punishment from Miles. I don’t know the facts of this fight, but even if Wing was an innocent bystander Miles could have used the situation as an illustration in how LSU football players that find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time are likely to have the finger pointed at them, just because of who they are, or their “popularity” as in the case of Jordan Jefferson.

I truly feel that even if LSU remains undefeated, winning another National Championship, this squad as a whole, arguably the best to ever take the field at LSU, will always have this black eye from off the field issues, at least for me.

So to answer my questions from above: No. Yes. I don’t know.

Is it ok to believe that these Tigers will not falter mightily and let me down?

No. It’s done, they’ve let me down. Their “leaders” have taken for granted what it means to play for LSU. It’s an embarrassment to the program, to the school and to the community as a whole. I mean, really, does South Louisiana need any more help being embarrassed in the public eye?

Is it ok to believe we are the best?

Yes, because, quite simply, we are. That knowledge is what lends to all of the off the field issues being such a disappointment. We’re on the verge of greatness, but that has to carry over to off the field too.

Is it ok to believe in Les Miles?

I want to, I really do. I mean, on the field, other than his stead-fast decision for Jefferson to be a staple in the offense, he has made all the right calls. He’s recruited the right players, he’s hired some extraordinary coaches and he’s just kooky enough to be loveable. But his teams lack discipline and he seems to pick and choose which punishments fit which crimes. These LSU players need a firm line of the law that isn’t subjective to who you are (Jefferson) that is the basis of the severity of punishment. Overall, I’ve grown to like Miles and I hope I can change this answer to a solid YES soon.

LSU v Auburn – Week 8

A very enjoyable experience. I really enjoyed Saturday’s game with yummy food, cold beverages and sharing it all with good friends. I thought LSU played a very complete game, probably the best of the season. Can you believe that it seems this team truly is getting better each week?

Unis

I really like the Nike uniforms. Two year’s ago, not so much, but this year’s version was classic, keeping in line with the sacred tradition that is the LSU uni, with a little something different. I didn’t think I’d be sold on the all white look, but it really didn’t bother me and I like the true gold stripe on the helmet, instead of the full gold helmet of 2009. And the gloves were pretty sweet. Overall, a good look that I wouldn’t mind seeing again. But I’m ready for my classic uni back.

Suspensions

So, I wrote a silly amount about the suspensions above, so I won’t do more here than give my prediction for their availability for the LSU/Bama clash. Pretty much a no-brainer – they’ll be in Tuscaloosa ready to go.

Ware Who?

Hello, my name is Kenny Hilliard. Hellllooo Kenny. And I’m a freakin beast. The true freshman Kenny Hilliard made a serious statement for more carries this week. He bowled over anyone and everyone who dared stumble into his path and made each carry count. Seriously, Magee, what have you done for me lately? Looks like Hilliard is moving on up the depth chart. So, no Ware? No problem.

Mathieu Who?

Ron Brooks made us forget that the Honey Badger was sitting at home eating synthetic pizza drinking Sam’s choice cola. His pick 6 was textbook, though without the HB flash. Who needs the flash when you put 6 on the board? Solid play from a guy who’s been around a while and worked hard for a spot. Sure, he’ll take a backseat to the HB when he returns, but he made the most of his opportunity.

Lull

LSU has had a tendency in each game to fall into a lull at some point in the first three quarters, especially offensively. Sure, they’ve been able to shake themselves out of it before it was a serious problem, but they need to rid themselves of this affliction quick, fast and in a hurry. 60 minutes is 60 minutes. 45 minutes won’t cut it the rest of the way.

Play of the Game

I disagree with CBS and The Advocate. Both named Jefferson’s long TD to Randle as the play of the game (though CBS did also name Lee’s TD as the winner too). I agree that the TD was much needed at the time, and I also agree that the throw and catch were very nice, but Lee’s TD to Randle was the play of the game. This is not a matter of which QB I favor, it’s about these keys: Lee’s pass came in the 2 minute drill, with only 14 points on the board. Lee’s pass was not off a play action to make the safety bite, as Jefferson’s was, it was a longer throw, and there were only 40 seconds left on the clock. No way Jefferson has the composure to lead us to that score in the 2 minute drill. Hell, he almost didn’t get a chance to throw his TD…more on that later.

Defensive Pressure

Hello sacks 1 thru 6…where have you been? The LSU defensive front finally got a chance to T-off against a drop back passer, their 3^rd first-time starter in a row. That poor kid was just harassed all day. It was nice to see our guys have a chance to get some pressure with the front four that caused major disruptions for the AU offense. I look forward to some of the same in the very near future.

BOOM Goes the Dynamite

Nope, my bad, just freshman wide receiver Landry playing special teams. On two kickoffs in a row Landry absolutely LIT UP the AU returner, darn near decapitating him on the second hit. Tell me special teams don’t make a difference in a game and I’ll show you these clips of an offensive player bringing the wood with a big time hit. You want to play at LSU as a freshman, this is how it’s done.

Jefferson

Ugh. I just can’t get on board with the guy. When he seemed to be our only option last year, as much as he infuriated me, I just sucked it up and dealt with it. No more. When Lee, the “alternative”, is playing so well, so steady, Jefferson’s heart-attack inducing decisions are no longer welcome here. His game management continues to be suspect and I just feel uneasy with him in the game. He did actually pitch the ball on the option, but he seems to go to the well too many times. It’s like he’s not reading the play, but executing a call – on this play you pitch it, no matter what.

So, let’s talk about the fumble. The QB is responsible for ball security. It shouldn’t have happened. Sure he fell on it and was bailed out by the facemask penalty, but that is not acceptable. After recovering the fumble JJ looked around for the flag, indicating his facemask was grabbed, which was all well and good, BUT, the facemask didn’t cause the fumble and you are still responsible for THAT action. So, Coach Miles, Michael Ford sits out several games for his faux pas fumble that he recovered…where’s Jefferson’s punishment for a fumble? If history is any indicator, I think the reprimand will be “time served”.

Jefferson’s Mug

Again this week, I noticed Jefferson’s picture was the one to represent the LSU Nike unis on the Fox Sports website. He IS NOT the leader or face of this team. I’m tired of looking at him.

Scary

Think about this for a second. LSU is a young team…I mean really young. Not to get ahead of myself, but if they are this good now, what about next year, minus a QB controversy. Scary.

OOOOOOKlahoma

Well, so much for that. Sure, an upset like that could happen to anyone at anytime, but losing to Tuberville…really? How could you?!?! I feel bad for the Okies but that opens the door for an all SEC National Title game controversy. Who’s with me?

What a Whuppin’

The Saints put an arse whuppin on the Colts Sunday night. That offense looks unstoppable. And every time they’d get the ball back I felt sure they’d just run out the clock…but it was only the third quarter! So they were destined to score again and again…that can’t be considered running up the score! It seems that there won’t be any communication issues with having Payton in the press box. Go Who Dats!

World Series

I’ve taken a liking to the World Series. My hubby is more a baseball guy than football, so he’s been watching the playoffs. So, I guess when I say I’ve taken a “liking” to the WS, it’s more I’ve got no other option b/c that’s what’s on the TV so I guess I’ll enjoy it. In all seriousness these games have been pretty good…for baseball. It’s also nice to cheer for a team, but not really care if they win or lose. So, Go Rangers?

Side note: Does Albert Puljos remind anyone else of Serrano from the movie “Major League”?

#1 v #2

Holy faholy. This could very well be the game of the century, or at least the decade, but definitely of the 2011 season. Even CBS is breaking the rules and moving the game to prime time. The hype that is sure to surround this game will make the BCS Championship game look like a formality. And deservedly so. By far, these are the two best teams in the nation this year, squaring off during the regular season instead of for the national title. Before the talking heads across the nation start weighing in with their opinion of this game, I want to give mine, so it doesn’t look like I’m just regurgitating opinions.

This game is as evenly matched as any game in my recent memory, almost mirror images. Two great, albeit polar opposite, coaches, two strong coaching staffs, and a multitude of talent across the board.

Here’s how I rate the teams, head to head:

Running Game: EVEN-ish

Bama would seem to have the edge with Trent Richardson - he will get at least 100 yards, he’s just that good. But our stable of running backs, along with our dominatingly fast defensive front, gives LSU just as much of a chance in this phase of the game, if not a slight edge. But the offensive line for Bama seems to be more stout that LSU’s. If our O Line gets some rest and is as healthy as they’ve been all year, that is a huge boost for the Tigers.

Passing Game: LSU

The LSU passing game is for real. Jarrett Lee is making really good throws and making good decisions. Ruben Randle is stepping up mightily and Beckham, Jr is legit. Don’t forget about Shepherd or Peterson. Our weapons abound and if we can run the ball with some consistency, and protect Lee, Bama’s DBs will falter. Bama’s passing game is ok and if we can get a little pressure on the QB it could be a long night for him. Of course, we have to load the box to stuff Richardson, and I’m sure that’s exactly what we will do.

Defensive Front: Even

LSU’s LBs aren’t as good as Bama’s but our D-Line is crazy good. Bama’s O Line is big and strong, and we won’t stop Richardson, but he won’t run wild. We’ll key to stop the run and be fairly successful. Bama’s D Line is solid and there are those better LBs. This area is a push.

Defensive Backs: LSU

This is easy. LSU’s secondary is possibly the best in the nation. We go 3 deep everywhere and will be able to use fresh legs for one on one coverage. LSU will stack the box leaving the DBs on an island and I think they can handle anything thrown their way. The big key here is for the LSU DBs to not take too many risks and play solid D. Bama’s DBs are their weak spot. They are not bad, but they are not anywhere close to as good as LSU’s. Smart decisions by Lee/Jefferson should be a recipe for passing success.

Special Teams: LSU

No brainer. Both FG kickers are solid but our punter is stellar. Our coverage is unreal (how about this stat I stole: LSU has only allowed 7 punt return yards…total…all season!) and our kickoffs are sailing out of the end zone. Sure our return game hasn’t done anything spectacular but they are solid and are keeping the Tigers in good starting field position. Bama’s ST squad is solid but that’s about it.

LSU Keys to Victory:

Slow down Richardson

Protect Lee

Block for whoever is our RB

Solid special teams

Sustain drives

Don’t give up long pass plays

Flawless game management

***Pretty simple, right?***

Making CBS our B!T(H

Sorry for the profanity, but seriously, LSU basically gave CBS an ultimatum for the 2012 LSU v Bama game in Baton Rouge. LSU: “The game is at 7 pm. If you want it, you can pick it up, but we’re going at 7 pm and we don’t care if you have an agreement with the SEC to move it to 2:30”. CBS: “Ok, anything you say, whatever you want. And yes, we definitely want to televise it, if that’s ok with you.” B!AT(H!

Prediction

This is as fair of a prediction as I can make. I do give Bama an edge because of home field advantage, but from what I’ve seen of my Tigers, I believe(?) they can pull this off. LSU 24, Bama 17.

LSU v Tennessee - Game 7

Week 7: LSU v Tennessee

I feel like I didn’t watch this game…but I did. While enjoying good food/drinks with the fam, I watched what was a fairly uninteresting game. Sure I had a few outbursts, and have a few frustrations (aired below), but I had trouble focusing on watching the game. Too many other distractions were a much better option (eating, drinking, pretty weather, YouTube, nephew, etc). But it beat the hell out of listening to the game on the radio again!

Last Year is OVER

How many times did they show last’ years, “too many men on the field” finish? Yes, TN lost and shouldn’t have. Yes, our QB was clueless and still is, but this is a new year. Move on because we just handled up on the Vols and didn’t even play or coach well. I bet they don’t replay the final score of the 2011 game the next time we meet up with the Vols, so lets just move on.

Jarrett Lee

Let me be the first to say Thank You for your hard work and smart, steady play. As you fade into oblivion, passed over, yet again, for Miles’ “Chosen One”, please know that I think you’re our best bet for a National Title/Win over Bama. I will never forget you…

Spencer Ware

Unstoppable beast. No, I do not believe he’s the best back in the country, but I do believe he’s right up there. He has a motor that doesn’t quit and he’s lighting up any LB/DB who dares take him on head to head. The collisions he instigates are fierce, and he’s always falling forward for positive yards. Can’t say enough about this guy.

Chavis

I will not call this man a cry-baby. Yes, his emotions finally caught up with him and unfortunately he teared up in front of the media. I see nothing wrong with a man who cries, especially when its obvious how much being back at Tennessee and beating the Vols meant to The Chief. We are lucky to have such a great schemer, but even luckier to have a person with a genuine love of the game as our defensive coach.

Jefferson’s Playing Time

As I’ve said before, I am not opposed to Jefferson being inserted as change of pace QB, as his running ability is a valuable weapon, but enough is enough. Starting him in the second half…inexcusable. Look, the guy comes in, never really “reads” the option, just keeps it himself, throws balls so hard at his receivers he’s lucky they don’t ricochet to the defense. His passing ability resides somewhere between “O Crap!” and “What were you thinking?”, making the offense completely one-dimensional with him behind center. He continues to struggle with clock/game management and just doesn’t have “it”. I am concerned about his increased playing time and what that means for Jarrett Lee and ultimately, this team’s title chances. I don’t have faith in Jefferson not to screw it up and it is not fair for Lee to have the worst kind of mop-up duty ever. As Lee Corso said last week, “if it ain’t broke…”

Tyrann Mathieu

Stop Talking. Let your play speak for itself. You have played really great football, aside from your amazing plays, but you worry so much about smack talking and highlight reels you got beat, dragged and handled up on. One tackle doesn’t do much for your honey badger reputation, but only 1 tackle hurt your team even more. Focus on being a shut down corner and the plays will come. The Vols are held to a FG if there isn’t early contact by Mathieu in the end zone on third down. Sure, it was a good play on the ball, but you have to take the good (praise) with the bad (criticism) and that was not acceptable. Possibly a worse play was allowing the TN receiver to gain 15+ yards with TM hanging on to him. Instead of tackling, TM allowed a first down trying to make the strip. I’m glad he had his mediocre performance against TN and got that out of the way.

Lackluster

I was unimpressed with LSU’s level of effort against the Vols. Sure, we beat them by 31, and held them to a TD, but overall it was pretty boring. We got NO pressure on Sims, our DBs got beat on occasion, our offense looked out of rhythm at times, and our coach made questionable decisions. I just hope it was an “off” week for everyone because we out-talented Tennessee, but we won’t have that advantage in the next few weeks.

Bright Spots

Mo Claiborne’s interception was very nice and Ware ran the ball well. I thought Jefferson had a few nice runs too. But against the Vols, I really hoped for some standout plays and just a few days later, I can’t remember any.

Challenge: Fail

Why in the hell did Miles challenge TN’s extra point? And lose a valuable timeout with 2:30 left in the half? Just silly. Us “@ home” viewers commented how ugly the kick was but after 1 replay there was no denying the kick squeaked through. Miles’ explanation was ridiculous (he thought it had the same look as a kick from when he coached at another school…at least 8 years ago) and the price we had to pay for that one measly point, a time out, probably cost us a touchdown before the half. Sure, it didn’t matter in this game, but it could matter in several games to come, and I worry that the Tiger coach is falling into a winner’s trap – thinking his decisions are invincible.

Here we go again

Deplorable clock management rears its ugly head once again. Before this week, there were a few close calls (all with Jefferson at the helm), but nothing as poor as Saturday. If you’re going to change QBs, do it…don’t screw around until there’s hardly any time left on the play clock. The one thing I despise more than field goals is burning time outs unnecessarily.

Dooley’s Pants

Who told Dooley those bright orange pants would look good on him? I bet his mother goes on the radio denying any insinuations that she picked them out for her little boy.

Soapbox

Why, on all of the nation sports websites, when a picture of an LSU player is used, it’s always Jordan Jefferson? LSU takes over #1 in the AP poll – Jefferson. LSU ranked #1 in the first BCS poll, Jefferson’s mug shot. Really? He’s had little impact on our #1 ranking, yet he’s the face of the Tigers. Unbelievable. This guy hasn’t even played the enough snaps to total a whole game, and the only photo of him that should be making headlines is/was his mugshot. It’s a gross misrepresentation of this Tiger team that is 7-0 and a great injustice to the players who stayed out of trouble and have earned the Tiger’s their #1 rankings. Is Miles’ Jefferson obsession sprinkled in the Kool Aid being passed around in the Fox Sports newsroom? Has ESPN run out of free shoes to give its reporters and is trying to get in Jefferson’s good graces to borrow a few pairs? If anything, show this squad as a unit, a team, and not single any one person out, especially the guy that has clearly indicated that all he’s worried about is himself.

Vols Receivers

On both of the interceptions that Sims threw, I really thought the TN WRs had plenty of time to make a defensive play on the ball, to thwart the Tiger INT. Instead, I marveled at their lack of effort to help their struggling QB out. Shouldn’t that be WR 101?

Saints

Finally an afternoon game for the Saints, but of course, I had something better to do than watch the game. An afternoon hanging out with some fun folks, shooting skeet on a pretty day, while listening to some football on the radio after a BBQ is pretty much the perfect Sunday. Sure, it could have been a few degrees cooler, and it would have been nice to hit at least one target, but I still had fun and I found my new favorite weapon of choice for shooting skeet – Ruger 20-gauge over/under. Lock and load.

OUCH

Didn’t see it live but saw the replay of Sean Payton’s painful sideline crash. Broken leg and torn ligaments…no fun. I wish him all the best.

Ouch 2

The Saints lost to the Bucs. There goes our commanding lead of the NFC South.

QB #2…Again

It looks like LSU’s string of playing against the backup QB stays alive again this week. This time, though, it’s because this QB’s play has been better than the #1 guy, not because of an injury to the #1 guy. Auburn is winning some games on good fortune and a nose for the football. That’s a scary combination.

Prediction

Auburn isn’t exactly a threat to repeat as a National Champ, but another lackluster performance by the LSU squad won’t beat this team. I’m going to pretend LSU comes out sharper, and more focused than last week, and is feeling that excitement to play the “next best thing” out of the state of Alabama this year. I think LSU prevails, but has some serious resistance along the way. LSU 30, Auburn 13.

LSU v. Florida - Game 6, 2011

LSU v Florida: Week 6

I truly enjoyed Saturday’s game. I thought the Tigers played a pretty complete football game, save for a few minutes in the third quarter. They were dominant in all three phases and really pushed a promising Florida team around. The energy in the stands was a huge improvement from the Kentucky game. It seems that 3 more hours of tailgating does wonders for “morale.” I passed my first “flash-mobesqe” version of the Cupid Shuffle on Dalrymple by the Parade Grounds…and there was plenty of grilled, fried, blackened, smoked and sauce piquanted alligator to go around. It’s the Florida game, and regardless of who takes the field, it’s go time.

Jarrett Lee

One of his best games as a Tiger, without question. Lee’s TD pass to Randle on LSU’s second offensive play was the best pass he’s thrown all year. He hit Randle IN STRIDE, with a picture-perfect spiral. I should know since the whole play came right at me. He didn’t throw many passes but he made the most of the ones he did send sky-ward and managed a fantastic game. O, and hung 41 points on Florida. The best thing I saw was that he was clearly the starter and Jefferson the role player, which is the only way these Tigers win a National Championship.

Swagger

Confidence is good, over-confidence…not so much. LSU is currently walking a fine line in my opinion. Sure they can back the majority of it up and I know the players’ confidence is key in winning in the SEC, but I don’t want to get to that “over” part. You get over confident you start over looking lesser opponents then you get passed over for a chance at the National Title. These guys are GOOD. They play with swagger. Let’s just keep it on that side of the line.

Swagger 2.0

“When your punter gets flagged for taunting a ranked opponent, your team has it” is the caption for the “motivational” picture being circulated of LSU Punter Brad Wing’s penalized gesture. Funny. True. Swagger v. Cocky, another fine line.

Taunting?

So, I saw the “taunt” real time and knew he should get a flag, even before it was thrown. I’m a rule-follower and this was definitely the right call as far as the rule is concerned. However, the rule SUX. Had he directed his “actions” at the crowd it would not have been considered a taunt. That being said, is opening your arms in a “how you like me now” kind of gesture, while looking at a Gator player, really taunting? He didn’t even stick his tongue out at him. And he was running straight at the student section, in a once-in-a-lifetime moment. There was no high-step, Heisman pose, gang sign, etc. Re-write the rule to let the minor gestures like these go and key in on the ones that are a little more disruptive.

Declined

How silly does Muschamp feel for making the Tigers re-punt after we downed the first punt inside the 5? Sure I would have done the same thing, but what a dagger Wing’s decision to run, instead of punt, was. Regardless of the TD being removed, LSU gets a huge 1^st down and really deflates the Gators’ spirit. In Muschamp’s defense, no one in that stadium knew that play was coming, not even Brad Wing until he was about to drop the ball to kick it…then the seas parted and God said, “Have this first down, and then some.”

Charlie Wide

Weis, I meant Weis…sorry Charlie. Tiki tubing must be missing one of their tubes – it’s permanently fixed on Charlie Weis’ belt. That man is round in the middle, to say the least. It makes for a very odd shape. Kind reminds me of a weeble wobble…weebles wobble but they don’t fall down!

Beer Cans in Tiger Stadium

In my last blog I mentioned the wacky guy that sits in front of us. Well, he was at it again with an aluminum miller lite can stuck to the crown of his head. It’s the first beer can I’ve ever seen in Tiger Stadium’s “cheap” seats, though it was empty.

TDs not FGs

At halftime I told my dad that the key to the game to that point was LSU scoring TDs and not settling for FGs. And then, we come out after halftime and settle for field goals. Sure they picked it back up and eventually finished off the Gators, but not finishing with TDs could cost the Tigers at some point.

FG Practice

Maybe that’s why LSU stalled so often….get Alleman some practice so he doesn’t get rusty. Hey, I’m all for the last minute field goal to tie/win. I just think, to be #1, LSU has to finish drives with TDs, which it has done remarkably well. That’s why Alleman needed some in-game practice. Let’s hope we don’t lean on him, a la 2010 and Jasper.

Ware

Spencer Ware is a beast. Should he elect to play baseball this spring, I would NOT want to be the first baseman who goes after an errant throw and ends up in Ware’s path coming hard down the line. Or a catcher, for that matter, with Ware bearing down on you with the game winning run. You won’t block the plate. It just won’t work. Don’t even try. He’s a beast and his health is paramount to the Tigers making a Championship run.

For Sale:

“Ford” running back, runs well, has great acceleration, but sputtered and coughed up the ball one time and has spent the time since then up on blocks, in the front yard, with grass growing all around it. Seriously, Michael Ford is paying a hefty price for a fumble that he recovered himself. We really need him to spell Spencer Ware, and I hope his time in purgatory makes him a better player for it. Miles isn’t messing around…protect the ball or one of our 5 other stud running backs will replace you. The next three guys are good, but young, and Ford’s experience is very important to Spencer Ware’s longevity this season.

O Line Woes

Injuries. The only thing that can slow down the Tigers romp to the November 5 showdown with Bama is injuries. TBob’s concussed (among other things) and yet he’s forced into playing center when he isn’t 100% (doesn’t bode well for the guy he replaced). As dominant as the line played in the first half, the holes were almost nonexistent in the third quarter. Yet we run…up the middle…when UF’s lineman were literally slapping TBob around (I heard one slap from my seat…ouch).With nowhere to run, and an unexplainable resolution to do so anyhow, the offense stalled. Punting, no matter how great your cocky punter is, should not be part of the game “plan”. Field goals? Hate ‘em. You should never settle. Complacency is fine…for second place. Once the UF defense wore down substantially, the Tigers got up and running again. Just worried that this tactic will allow a team to gain back some momentum and catch up with us late in the game.

Flo-Rida

Painful offensive effort - check. Solid defensive effort – um, not so much. Are we that good, are were they THAT bad? Yes. To both. Florida’s offense wasn’t exactly great with Brantley, but remove the #1 and #2 QBs and you’ve got trouble. In talking before the game, I predicted that Burton was going to play a huge role in their offense, as one of the few options with QB experience. He had an impact, as did their speed guys, and hey the #3 Freshman QB had some moments, but this was not their week. I actually questioned a few offensive play calls, but who doesn’t with CW as the coordinator? Defensively I expected more from Muschamp’s group. Give the Tigers much credit, they had a great offensive game plan and executed fairly well. But I truly didn’t expect to win by 30…but I will take it!

Lunch Bunch

Once every few weeks/months for the last several years, I get together with three other girls for lunch, and we chat about a wide range of subjects. Tennis, other people, etc lend toward our typical topics but during football season you will not find a cooler group to discuss football with. Anyone within earshot would be impressed that a table of four attractive, intelligent, down to earth “chicks” could have a discussion about LSU football worthy of any sports show. So if anyone is hiring for a one day a week, cush sports talk (afternoon) job, we’re available, because we REALLY want to play day tennis and be “ladies that lunch.”

Honey Badger

Are you freakin’ kidding me? Did that just happen…again? You could feel it in the air…the anticipation mounting…when will the Honey Badger strike? How will the Honey Badger strike? And then…wait…yes, INTERCEPTED by Tyrann Mathieu…the HONEY BADGER! That was actually Dan Borne’s call (not necessarily verbatim), but he did tack on the HB nickname, throwing the already raucous crowd into a fit of hysteria. Although this play by Mathieu wasn’t as flashy as most of his others, it showed that he truly is a great football player, not just one-hit wonder. All game long he made some really great plays, staying in his lane, and even getting a big tackle for a loss. On the INT he had incredible position on the receiver, who by the way had what looked like 10 inches on Mathieu, AND covered Mathieu’s eyes, and HB STILL outplayed him for the ball. The Honey Badger takes what the Honey Badger wants.

Third Quarter Lull

LSU has a penchant for coming out a little slow after halftime. We’ve been lucky enough to defer to the second half and get the ball to star the third quarter but we have to finish that drive. To come out after halftime and increase the lead, or when we have to, chip away at the opponent’s lead, is critical. See above: finishing with TDs and not settling for FGs.

He’s no Tim Tebow

I know I’m not supposed to like other team’s players more than LSU’s but Tebow was special…Jordan Jefferson is also “special” (bless his heart) but not in the same way. Jefferson’s imitation of Tebow’s jump pass for a TD was executed well. And I even liked the “in your face” call by the LSU coaches. That’s the dagger we’ve sometimes been reluctant to drive into teams. It’s also called Swagger.

Jefferson’s Playing Time

I think the LSU coaches did a much better job managing the QB situation this week and you could tell the crowd thought so too. No boos, but there is still mild grumbling about Lee being relied on to lead the Tigers all the way down the field, only to have JJ come in and get the TD. The thought is the TD is the reward, and that if JJ doesn’t earn his way on the drive, he shouldn’t reap the reward. I agree, but it is what it is and if the coaches see that Lee is the guy, I can deal with JJ intermittingly. I just have to point out two things 1. Jefferson – pitch the damn ball. Even I know you’re keeping it on every option run. Let’s “pull a fast one” on the defense and actually pitch it one time, just for kicks (no pun intedned). 2. Although I blame the coaches for making a late decision to insert Jefferson into the play at the goal line, JJ came into the game with NO IDEA how much time was left on the clock, never looked, and, as a result, had no sense of urgency, forcing the coaches (not the QB as it should be) to recognize the dwindling play clock and call an unnecessary time out. Again, the coaches wasted too much time making the QB change, but JJ is a senior, and his clock management has always been deplorable and it seems this is not one of the areas he improved on the past year. It’s the little things like that that make him the ideal #2 QB.

Redundant

So, even I could “sniff” out that FLordida’s go-to play on 1^st ,2^nd, or 3^rd and long had the RB going out to the right flat and the TE releasing down field. It worked once with a pass to the RB and once with a pass to the TE and LSU looked confused on both. I think they finally caught on but shame on Florida for going to the well too many times. I guess they finally found something they could successfully do on offense and ran it until we stopped it. Can’t blame them.

If this Stadium’s a Rockin’

We know Death Valley can rock in the dark, but Saturday’s crowd didn’t care that the sun wouldn’t go down until the last play of the game (literally – that’s when the right side of my face finally got some relief). The 3^rd largest crowd in LSU history was ROCKIN’. We’re starting to get the hang of this daytime thing. Good thing, since the Auburn game will also kick off at 2:30 in a few weeks.

VooDoo

Miles must have some kind of VooDoo doll of the opponents starting quarterbacks. Tennessee’s starter was hurt Saturday and is out for 6 weeks. Once again the Tigers face a backup, but this time, on his turf. UT’s biggest problem is a one dimensional passing game. No run game? Perfect. You keep the ball back there with your #2 QB and our defensive line will hunt you down. The Honey Badger will come out of no where and take what he wants. You better get rid of it quick, because we’re coming for it…

BCS Polls

The first BCS poll will be release this weekend. I expect, that with a win over the Vols, LSU will start at #1. Their strength of schedule and double digit wins will make the computer’s job easy. It’s unfortunate that this matters. The BCS is a crap.p.y system and needs to be flushed. For now, we just deal and hope that we finish at #1.

Tough Sledding

LSU’s schedule is brutal. Every week (with the exceptions of Northwestern, Western Kentucky, and Ole Miss) there’s a ranked opponent or an upstart SEC team on the verge of winning the big one. As the #1 team in the college football land it is very tough to play at a high level every week. I do think that LSU will be a little sluggish this week at Tennessee but I don’t think it’ll be too bad. Think last week’s game vs Kentucky, only with some jet lag.

Is it Ok?

Is it ok to believe that this LSU team is legit and will continue their dominant winning? Is it ok to believe that these Tigers will not falter mightily and let me down? Is it ok to believe we are the best? Is it ok to believe in Les Miles?

Prediction

One of the largest venues in college football doesn’t intimidate the #1 LSU Tigers. The defense has a field day with a struggling passing offense with no run game, and the offense just wears the Vols out. No last second heroics needed this year. LSU trudges to a 35-10 victory.

LSU v Kentucky - Game 5 2011

LSU v. Kentucky

Weird Vibe

This past Saturday was a weird experience in Tiger Stadium. The vibe in the stadium was all over the board – good, bad, ugly, indifferent. I couldn’t keep up. When the #1 ranked LSU Tigers took the field, you could feel the excitement. Then, they came out flat on offense, and just normal on defense. Nothing flashy or exciting and very quickly the crowd was out of it. Lee leads the Tigers on a long drive to the 1…and well…you know what happened (more on that later). That was officially the first LSU TD I’ve never cheered for. I felt so indifferent. After that, I really felt that the crowed was zapped of all enthusiasm until Beckham, Jr. made his nifty catch and run. Then, back to indifferent until Mathieu turned into a one-man freak show again. Then, indifferent. Sure, it was an early game, and we were playing a far inferior opponent, but when the “wave” is the only thing that gets the crowd out of their seat, something is wrong. It was a roller coaster – one ride I hope I don’t have to experience ever again.

Boos

I was very interested to see what would happen when Jordan Jefferson took the field, and I was right – he was booed, though the sentiment was not stadium-wide, including me. O but I wanted to boo. Not Jefferson, but the coach’s decision to put him in when he did. For me it was a matter of principle. Putting JJ in so early, after a long drive by his counterpart, and reward him with a TD is unacceptable to me. I know that JJ has not been convicted of any crime, but I believe that a grand jury would have dismissed all charges had he not had some involvement in the scuffle, and the distraction that his poor choices have brought upon the program merit repercussions. More than anything, I think it was a slap in J Lee’s face. I’ve been very positive about Miles this year, but his explanation of using JJ b/c Ware was hurt is just BS – what would Miles have done if JJ was still banished from the team? Make THAT call, and don’t put JJ in quite yet. You should not reward a kid with the golden egg (TD) if he hasn’t spent the last 5 weeks practicing in the heat, busting his tail against great teams alongside his teammates. If this situation is tearing our fans apart (heated discussions in the stands)…what is it doing to the team?

Cheers

I can say that I was one of the thousands that cheered J Lee as he trotted on the field to replace JJ for a 3^rd and long in the second half. I think it was a nice gesture to show Lee that we, the fans, appreciate everything he has done for our beloved Tigers. I did not intend for my cheers to be a shot at Jefferson or Miles, but simply love for the one that got us here. I can only hope that Lee’s role does not turn out to be as the third and long guy, like he was last year. That’s just setting him up to fail. Even the best of the best don’t convert a high percentage of third and longs, and I don’t think Lee should be saddled with cleaning up Jefferson’s inefficiency.

Jefferson’s Return

I am not against Jordan Jefferson playing football for the Tigers. I do think that he should not have played his first snap until we had a 28-0 lead. To me that is a poor coaching decision. I think it was a good coaching decision to get him in the game, if, for nothing else, than to make Florida worry. I also agree with many that Jefferson brings a new dimension to the offense, as a mobile QB. But I don’t think that his mobility makes him a better QB than Lee. Jefferson has won for LSU – no doubt about that. But the games he’s played in have had more than their fair share of mental errors, poor decision making, shoddy clock management and an overall lack of leadership. He had more INTs last year than TDs. I am of the opinion that the success that Lee has had this year, and what he has brought to the team, is far superior to what Jefferson can bring. I absolutely abhor a two-quarterback system. Lee is your starter. Jefferson is your situational guy. Not vice versa. Not equal time. Not if you want to win a championship.

OUCH

The guy that sits in front of us is a little wacky (see description later in the blog). At one point he turned to me and said – “you know what I wanted to see, Jefferson coming in to “kick” the first extra point!” Get it – because he’s accused of kicking the guy in the fight? No? O well. I thought it was funny in a sick sense of humor kind of way.

Day Game

I am all for the night game in Tiger Stadium. The dark sky, they Death Valley mystique, the cooler temps, under the lights – perfect for football. But as I sat back and looked around me on Saturday, there’s something bright and shiny about Tiger Stadium under blue skies. It’s like going from standard to HD TV. The field is bright green, the purple and gold throughout the stadium is brilliant. Just picture perfect. But the sun…Whoever invented sun screen is my hero. While it felt like I could fry an egg on my extremities, I didn’t actually burn at all. The sun was intense but the occasional cool breeze was refreshing. It wasn’t the worst day game I’ve ever suffered through…

Where’s the Band?

As much as I’ve ragged on Miss State for playing music through speakers instead of a marching band, I was SOOOO disappointed to see that LSU is taking that same course. The Golden Band from Tigerland seems a little tarnished by the Jumbo-Tron’s speaker system. When they finally played “Hey, Baby”, an LSU game tradition, it was late in the game and I was so surprised that they were actually playing it I had to stand up and look over there. So disheartening. Don’t make me sit through the half-time show to get my marching band fix!

!*&#$&@ Band Rumor

I heard from a very unreliable source (sometimes drunk, always zany guy that sits in front of us at the game) that the recent chatter on the very elementary tigerdroppings.com blog was that many LSU Band songs have been banned because the students have added profane lyrics to them. Having not been to many LSU games in recent years, this was not something I knew about, but was sad to hear. And it seems that yet another band song could be on its way out. The few lines of expletives added after what I call the “throw down” song were pretty bad! Look, I curse like a sailor when it comes to football, but chants like that have no place in Tiger Stadium. I used to think yelling “Geaux Tigers…kick their AS$” after the first down tune was hard core…but these kids today…

Perhaps this is why we are forced to listen to thumping rap music from jumbo speakers – because rap music always has a good message.

“I” of the TIGER

If you’ve ever been to a game in Tiger Stadium you’ve seen the cheerleaders in the North endzone (by the band) run with the T I G E R S flags after each LSU score. Well, here we go again. In past blogged seasons, I’ve complained how the cheerleader that carries the “I” flag needs to be sharp, and carry that flag with pride – he’s the “I” of the freakin Tiger! As a new “I” carrier takes the reigns this year, I can’t help but be disappointed in his performance. Crooked, slow, droopy…not exactly characteristics indicative of the “I” of the Tiger, right? So, come on “I”…perk up… “I”’ll be watching you…

Tryann Freakin Mathieu

#7 gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “blonde bombshell.” Don’t let the dyed blonde hair fool you - though his play is “good looking” the only bombshells are the ones he’s dropping on the opponent’s quarterback. Remember when you were a kid and how much fun lighting a black cat firework was? Now, remember when you lit the whole pack of 100 black cats at one time and that feeling you got as they rang out in a drawn-out, ear-splitting symphony of explosion? That’s the kind of seemingly never-ending blast I imagine the opposing QBs feel when #7 comes on a corner blitz, sacks them, causes the fumble, picks up the fumble and takes it to the house for a defensive TD…without the pyro amusement factor.

Seriously, this kid is really incredible. His consistent knack for taking the football away is uncanny. I’ve never seen anything like it and I’m enjoying every minute. They should start calling Honey Badgers Tyrann Mathieus. Just remind me not to be too hard on him when he does get burned due to his over-aggressive play.

O-No-Line

For the first season in a while, I thought we were going to have a solid offensive line this year. After Saturday, I’m convinced they are, once again, just mediocre. Yes, I do realize that they’ve had some injuries, but you cannot tell me that our outstanding running backs were repeatedly stuffed at the line by KENTUCKY, no less, because T Bob sat this game out. Florida is much faster and much more talented than Kentucky, so we need to cure whatever plagued the big uglies this weekend.

Ware

All reports have his hamstring injury to be minor, and that holding him out of the majority of the UK game was precautionary. I sure hope so. I really think Spencer Ware is the offensive MVP so far. That’s not to take away from anyone else, but it just seems like he is the tone setter for this run-first approach, and he is our bruising closer and we need him in there to go the distance.

Lee

J Lee’s performance Saturday was less than sterling, but he didn’t get much help. Sure there were a ridiculous number of dropped passes, but I truly believe that Jefferson returning is messing with his psyche. I don’t consider that a knock on the guy, at all. He has matured and grown as a football player, but he is also human, and I do not believe that he is not concerned that Jefferson’s return will not affect his position as the #1 QB. He’s been sharp and efficient in every game until now. Coincidence? I think not.

Lee 2.0

When Jefferson scored the first TD of the game, it is reported that Lee jumped up with excitement and ran to congratulate JJ. That’s a team player and a leader. That’s setting an example that his teammates, and LSU fans, alike can be proud of. Do you think, if the roles were reversed, Lee would have been greeted with the same exuberance? My opinion is no.

Dropped Passes

Way too many. There was a rumbling in the stands about the receivers possibly dropping the passes on purpose, to put J Lee back on the bench. I disagree. It’s not like they have been catching everything thrown at them in the 4 prior games – drops have been pretty common for this group. And I can only hope that this team’s goal is the National Championship game, and they’re 5-0 with a very capable QB. Let’s hope we don’t divide and conquer ourselves.

Have I mentioned lately that Rueben Randle is a disappointment?

OBJ

Odell Beckham, Jr. is a star in the making. Someone made the comment to me that he’s small – So? What’s your point…Josh Reed and Wes Welker are two smallish WR that have made impacts at the college and pro level (respectively). This kid is playing with a lot of energy, something that the #1 WR is lacking. He’s made some great grabs, but that run after the catch Saturday – going 51 Yards and breaking at least 6 tackles…something special. I even love that he admitted he was “gassed” at the end of the run. Looking forward to 2.5 more seasons of that!

Disappointment

Seems to be a lot of that going around in this blog. Make no mistake about it. I think the Tigers are one of the best teams I’ve ever seen at LSU. And I think Les, Studrawa and Chavis are a great coaching team. I just have great expectations for these guys and I seem to get lost in them. Hey – I’m ready for the fight that will be the Florida game, and I’ll be cheering my behind off for the purple and gold from the stands, in the sun, praying for a breeze.

Florida/Bama

I wanted to watch this game, but I only watched the second quarter. I think Florida is getting there, but just has the wrong kind of athletes for the system right now. It won’t be long before they’re a contender again (hopefully, not as soon as Saturday). Bama, now Bama looks really good. Yes, I actually put that in writing. I don’t think that they’re invincible, however. The main advantage I see they have over LSU right now is their O Line. They seem to be opening more creases than ours is. LSU definitely has the advantage in the secondary. Honestly, it’s too close to call 4+ weeks out, plus, we have too many games between now and then to worry about. Stay tuned.

No Brantley, No Problem?

Don’t count your chickens folks…I do think the Tigers’ chances of beating UF increase dramatically if Brantley can’t go, but they do have a highly touted Frosh waiting in the wings, who has to feel a little more comfortable after playing against Bama. However, we are the home team, and even though we kick off in the daylight, the crowd should be much more engaged than they were last Saturday. All great teams want to play the best, so I’d like to say that I hope Brantley can play, but honestly, I don’t want him to play. Can you blame me? I want our team to have every advantage. I do wish Brantley a speedy recovery…like in about 8 days.

Still #1

The Tigers are still topping the charts this week. Let’s hope we come out with a little more emotion this Saturday and really take it to Florida. This is a great statement game. Someone we outrank and that we are favored to beat, but also a talented team. A 15-20 point win would look very nice, and that kind of dominance would make me feel much better about the next 4-5 weeks.

No GameDay

So, with Florida losing to Bama and without their starting QB, the College Game Day crew has decided to take their stage to Texas, again, for the OU v UT game. I’d like to whine my case for the LSU v Florida game, but in all fairness neither is as hyped as it could have been and LSU has already been one of the teams twice this year. Granted they haven’t been to BR yet, but they will be in Tuscaloosa Nov 5, too. We have to be nice and share the ESPN crew, I guess.

Kentucky Game…In Five Letters

Ho Hum

UF Prediction

LSU comes out a little more enthused than last week and goes up early. Florida gets a first quarter FG, and has a few highlights, but in the end #1 prevails…31-13.