Agreed. I also hope former Tigers like Clayton and Spears stay close to the program like the article mentions and and help continue the traditons that they've helped to build, including 'mentoring' RP if necessary.

My e-mail response:

Matt,

You're doing your best impersonation of Scott McKay on this one...What purpose does it serve for you to fan the flames of any lingering discontent? I have went back and forth with people on Tiger Forums regarding this issue, and I'd like to ask you a few questions.

What high school recruit ever told you-on the record-that they thought they weren't ready to start for LSU or any team, and should probably redshirt because they weren't ready?

Would you want a superstar quarterback to arrive on campus with no confidence whatsoever?

Would you want the things you said as an 18 year old to be printed for public consumption-on the internet, or better yet, in a Nationally circulated newspaper such as USA Today?

I'm sure that Ryan will have plenty of issues dealing with his statements, as well as dealing with living on his own for the first time, fitting into a new team in which he is not "the man" as well as dealing with teammates at his position, and the rest of the team, for that matter. Why exacerbate the situation with your comments? What purpose does this serve? Of course we know that he shot his mouth off. Why did we need your article to reiterate this?

I have no problems with your writing style, nor your position, nor your company. Matter of fact, I believe they have and continue to provide a crucial service to LSU fans. What I do have a problem with is this story. It's inflammatory. There is no purpose for it. You say that it's not Perriloux's fault. It's not LSU's fault, either, according to your story. Basically, you castigate an 18-year-old kid, and the University he signed with, but say that no one's to blame for the reason you castigate him.

So, in other words, it's no one's fault but your brethren in the media who put a pedastal in place, then hold his hand as he climbs on top of it, and now you guys want to kick it out from underneath him, while saying it's not his fault, nor the University's, for him getting up there?

Again, what purpose does it all serve? Would you want your comments as a high school senior to be published in USA Today? Where do you get off?

Tiger Educated

Hello mountain, meet mole hill. Why won't this ridiculous stuff die down already.

Exactly my point in the letter I sent to him...

I don't see any reason why Tiger Rag should avoid this issue. There are threads here debating this issue, so it must be of some interest to some fans. Tiger Rag's main purpose is to sell mags, right now RP is a hot issue, why should Tiger Rag avoid that?

If RP doesn't want his quotes in the paper (TP, USA Today, Tiger Rag, etc), then he shouldn't talk so much. You don't promise to sign at one school, then pick another, and then not expect to create some news.

Most fans here had no sympathy for Clarrett and his big mouth, no matter his age and talent level.

Now, I do feel RP will be fine once he is on campus for a while. He needs to become part of this team, not further seperated due to his talent. He will learn the right things to say and how to answer questions. Right now it has to be impossible to avoid all the hype and stuff that is surrounding him. I'm sure JR is sitting in his dorm room right now thinking of how he went through the same thing as Mr Ala. So, once the transition from HS superstar to college teammate is complete . . . we can expect another article from Tiger Rag.

I do have one question . . . which is it? Did he actually say the things in the USA Today article, or was he misquoted:

So, did he really say those things? Or is Evans trying to hurt RP's image with a false tape?

I said it before and I'll say it again. Mr. Perriloux is in for a rude awakening. Too many have come along with the same hype and attitude and wound up parking cars at the casino after 4 years. Better sit back, learn, and mature before going into verbal overload.

I don't care how good the kid is, he needs to shut his freakin' mouth. He hasn't even stepped on the field yet. Poor mentorship from his high school coaches if you ask me. If he were my son I'd hand him a dose of reality. It's not about you son! It's about the team.

The way I read the article he defiantely said those things and was not mis-quoted.

The more I think about this the dumber the school comes off looking in how we tried to "spin" this negative PR. I wish we didnt do that. :dis:

another in a long line of long-winded, non-sensical posts by you. let me try to understand your post:

1. you have gone "back and forth" with people on this forum about everything. do you write a letter to some media outlet about each of these stories? do you find time to eat and sleep?

2. what good does it do? he is a writer. each story he writes does not have to pass through some kind of "betterment of humanity" or even "betterment of LSU" filter. writers write about things that have happened, and their opinion about things that have happened. come to think of it, what purpose does your constant crusade against brady serve? don't you think the bball team would be better off with the full support of the community behind them? you are undermining their success!

3. there are more options to being egotistical than just having no confidence whatsoever. this is a loser argument ("at least i'm not in jail!"). a little humility is not too much to ask. it is a legitimate criticism, but you seem to think some people are above criticism (brady of course not included)

4. so because you and I were'nt quoted as an 18 year old, then and 18 year old can be given a free pass for saying something stupid to the national media? do you even believe the cr@p you write? i get the feeling that you would argue the exact opposite if this were a non-LSU recruit running his mouth.

i don't know why i still bother reading your posts. you are the most self-righteous blow-hard i have ever seen. you drop the collective IQ of all of us each time you post....so what purpose does it serve for you to continue posting anyway, unless you are trying to dumb down the masses?

I thought the school was basing it on taped comments that others had. The Advocate (I think) and others had the comments on tape about Flynn and Russell being hurt, etc. that is what people were initially saying was the comments USA Today took and "rewrote". As far as LSU goes, I wonder if they knew of the private conversation that the quote was taken from. As is almost always the case, I have the feeling there is a lot we don't know about the situation. IMO.