. . . and we will lift up both of them tonight with our Great Victory." -- Coach Les Miles Did you see the emotion in his eyes and his voice when he said these words? It was one of the most inspiring things that I've ever heard a coach say. What are the component parts of a True Coach? A coach can be a skilled technician and a hard worker, but, if he has no Heart and no Soul, is he a True Coach? What kind of coach can stand before young men and inspire them when they hear his words, look into his eyes, feel and see his truthfulness and sincerity? If a coach asked you to commit, and sacrifice, and endure whatever is required to play your best, and lift up your team and your state to victory and glory, what would it take for you to believe his words and follow him? Would you believe and follow an empty automaton coach? A technical robot programmed to sense and elude life's adversity and challenges, rather than risk a fall? A rabbit scurrying from warren to warren, safe in the knowledge that his technical ability will always save him from, what in his own terribly flawed character, he perceives as the indignity of failure and redemption? Would you follow such a coach? Would you believe in such a man? Or would you follow a man like Les Miles? A True Coach like Les Miles? A coach and a man that you can look in the eye, SEE AND FEEL the depth of his sincerity, his truthfullness . . . HIS HEART. I know what kind of man that I would follow and join in self-sacrifice . . . a man like Coach Miles. He's the kind of man that you want with you if you find yourself fighting in a war, because you know that he will join you in facing adversity, even if it means that he could lose his life. On the other hand, the automaton, the technocrat, the RABBIT . . . these emotionless, soulless, lost beings know only self-preservation . . . and when the chips are down, you know that you are on your own . . . because the rabbit will be long gone from your side before the first rounds of the enemy strike nearby. "Our state and our team are One, and we will lift both of them up, with our victory tonight." --- Coach Les Miles I pray that the actions and words of men remain with them always so that they will be properly judged by history and by high school football players during recruiting season. Amen. LSU! :crystal: :lsup:
Don't fall in love again. Miles doesn't "love" LSU. Coaches never feel about their jobs the way we feel about our teams.
Both posters make good points, my compliments to Jean on his eloquent soliloquy! I say the truth is probably in the middle. Miles left OSU for LSU, so clearly he is concerned with moving his career forward, and that is understandable. What jobs in college are really better than ours? None are obvious to me. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Notre Dame, Michigan, USC, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas??? No, not to us. Is 'the pros' a better gig? Usually no for college coaches. Jimmy Johnson did good at Dallas winning 2 Super Bowls, but he's the only college coach to win one that comes to mind. But, a coach with no heart won't give love of the school an ounce of credit, but some coaches do have a bit of heart. Joe Pa certainly does. I don't think it is completely dead. Les could be hear a long time, and we hope so. Knowing what we know of our last two coaches, we are growing in our respect for Les as a person, and that is good. He's closer to Jean's 'ideal' than we've had around in a while. Les does have emotion for the state and its people, and his players. That's a good thing. Chinese Bandit warns us not to go overboard, and that's a fair comment.
I think, regardless of what anyone else thinks or says, that Jean Lafitte should be put on staff as an executive recruiter, the one who closes the deal, so to speak. :geauxtige
I thought he did a great job of coaching in that game (EEK! Did I say that?), but his obvious knack for goofing up what he wants to say leads him reverting to the easier, overly-stated statements. In the pre-game show, he said virtually the same exact thing. I thought it was corny, but I know Les is a great guy. I believe that.
Miles may a comment that basically said he would leave LSU one day.. in 15.. 20 years... I find I believe the guy.. he seems a straight shooter type... true or not, the combination of the saban hiring and miles' post-sugar bowl comments has, I believe, moved him from the category of questionable hire to beloved coach...
And if you had seen how he truely struggled with that decision - and i don't mean the struggle to milk the job for the most $$ possible - and how difficult it was for the whole family, you would know that he does feel a closeness to the school he is at and how he invests all of himself into the position. The OSU AD was interviewed and talked about how the whole Miles family came to his house to tell him in person of the decision to take the LSU job. He said it was obvious the whole family had been crying and that it was obviously a hard decision for them to make. That alone tells me a lot about the man. I believe he is someone who puts his heart and soul not only into the job, but into the community.
The man is emotionally invested in everything I have seen him do. That, to me is the makings of a great man, not just a great coach (I happen to feel Coach Miles is both). The only job that I could see him leaving for in the near future would be Michigan, and I can't say that I would blame him for that. Glad to have you Coach. Louisiana is proud of you!
