This was posted on TigerDroppings by Rodman: Guys the time has come to kick some ass! The past week has seen the very worst of Louisiana but this Sat night it will be time to show the country our very best! When you came to LSU to be a Fighting Tiger, you knew you would represent the school and to some extent the state of Louisiana. I am sure you never in your wildest dreams thought it would be so important. Many of you have seen the places you grew up destroyed on the 5'clock news. Faces you may know, hurting. Many of you have friends or family members that are still missing. Maybe some are in shelters scattered across this great country and some lost forever. Even the many super recruits that were extended a welcome hand by LSU, and grafted into the LSU/Louisiana family, from states all over the country. Many of you are from cities and towns across the Gulf Coast. Places that could have seen the wrath of Katrina, just as easy. Like Florida, Miss, or even mine and Jamarcus Russell's home town of Mobile, Ala. All of you! You now represent this family. The LSU family. The family that is the state of Louisiana. The food, the music, the culture, and everything that is great about this state. There will be people in shelters this weekend watching as you take the field. For the first time in many days, many of them will smile. For three hours they will try to forget the madness of this world and will instead feel a piece of home when they see their beloved LSU Tiger's take the field waving the flag of purple and gold. I know this was suppose to be a home game with ASU, but maybe this is fate. The same kind of fate that many of your fellow LSU Tigers and people of Louisiana share. While the whole world has seen the tragic horror in Louisiana this past week, the destruction, the anarchy, the loss, I am reminded of something my mother always said. "It's get's the darkest, right before the dawn". We have seen our darkest hour. Now is the time to show the whole country and world the dawn and rise of Louisiana. That begins with you!! That begins this Sat. night!!! We may not be in Tiger Stadium but we will be there with you none the less. Maybe more connected than ever before. We will be there for every play, closer than the 50 yard line in Death Valley. We will be connected by the heart that binds. We are family. We are the State of Louisiana. WE ARE LSU! We know you will make us proud. You always have. Good Luck and Geaux Tigers!!
I don't know Rodman, but I would like to. Powerful words. I hope somehow a copy of this is provided to every member of the LSU traveling party. After reading this, Les may have to forego his Let 'er Rip pregame speech.
Dude, I was extremely pumped up for this game, but now I'm ready to punch a hole in the wall. When LSU takes that field in Tempe, I'll probably be in my room, but I'll go crazy like I'm in Tiger Stadium. I cannot wait until 8:15 on Saturday.
