Paul Dietzel was the head coach when I was a freshman in 1961. As I recall, we didn't lose a home game that year and it was a shock when he announced he was leaving. He later said: "I think the way you measure my move is 'Was LSU better when I left than when I came in?'" Dietzel said. "It was tough leaving. I never considered going anywhere else because I thought LSU was the best coaching job in America. I loved the LSU fans. They are crazy and passionate about it. I had never considered West Point because they had never had a non-graduate coach. When they came around and asked me if I would be interested, it opened a door I thought would never be opened." I have always held it against him for leaving LSU. Old Tigers never die, they just hold grudges longer!:hihi::hihi::hihi:
Cholly Mac Dad listened to every game on the radio, sometimes I'd listen with him. Remember parts of the 60s. Glen Smith could run in the mud and led us in the win against Wyoming (who had Jim Kiick I think). Buddy Gilbert halfback pass to Andy Hamilton for 62 yards on the first play in a 21-20 win over Auburn in 1969. I saw that because the game was on TV which was very rare. The ND 3-0 loss and them stealing our bowl, then we kick ND azz at home. From late 60s on I was hooked, but only got to go to few games until I went to LSU late 70s.
Archer...When we went (without parents) and REALLY became tiger fans ..late 80s, Jr/Sr. years high school...I couldn't WAIT for college!!!
Charlie Mac (I was born in 1970), and as someone else said, "Being an LSU fan is a birthright." I've passed it on to my daughters, who at 6 and 3, are already big LSU fans. My dad, being a high school coach, always knew the LSU coaches, and Charlie Mac was his favorite--by a mile. He became pretty bitter about the way that Charlie Mac made his exit from LSU (he, in fact, turned down a job to be on staff at LSU the year before Charlie Mac was canned. He saw the writing on wall.) He also had another offer when Mac Brown and Stovall were here in the early 80's, but he also figured they were about to be fired--he was right. My first game in Tiger Stadium was with my dad in, I think, 1978, against Kentucky. My first game as a student was in 1988 against Texas A & M, the year of the Earthquake Game. My six-year-old daughter's first game was against Arkansas this year. At least, she'll be able to say that she saw the 2007 national champs play and that we were #1 in the country (at the beginning of that day.) Her sister's first time in Tiger Stadium was the 2004 Oregon State game, but she was just a fetus...
My grandfather was friends with Curley and that's the earliest LSU memories I have. I rememeber going to games and meeting the team at the airport when they got back. Old man still wears his polos from that era...
