You know me I am a huge saban fan. However I was reading this article this morning, and was shocked to read this quote. Here is a clip. LSU coach Nick Saban suggested nothing is on the line Saturday when his team plays Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. "Nothing's at stake," Saban said. "We have a game. There's nothing at stake Saban - Everything is at stake here, LSU loses and its done. I cannot think of a game this year where MORE is at stake. I am confused by that. I understand him wanting to "PLay one game at a time yadda yadda" but to pretend nothing is at stake and this is just I think a bit odd... http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/111703/spo_rank001.shtml
Gosh. Who to trust here? TexasTigers who lives about 8 hours away from Baton Rouge or Saban who spends every waking hour trying to motivate his team and get them prepared? I'll go with the latter.
Excuse me Sabanfan. I was born and Raised in Baton Rouge. I have attended EVERY LSU game this year except Western Illinios all but 2 of the road games. I am "home" more weekends then I am in Dallas. I was moved here because of Work. I have an LSU flag that flies in front of my home here in Dallas every day except Memorial Day, July 4th, and 9-11. I have been a season ticket holder since I graduated. (Age 22) I have attended every bowl game since 1990. My entire office is covered in LSU pictures (5 baseball, 2 football and a stadium shot)I read everything LSU.. I even scheduled my wedding on an LSU open date because I probably would not have shown up. SO if you dont Mind F - YOu... Also I am not the only one. Read this article. Oh let me guess he does not live close enough to Tiger stadium.. http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/111703/spo_dubois001.shtml He said its an insult to Tiger fans to make a statement like that.... And got once I agree. Everything is at stake. Also do you think the players are that stupid ??? I dont. Lets call it what it is. the biggest game for LSU all season. The entire nation is watching, recruits, everything. I cannot think of a game with more at stake this year.
If you read the entire quote including the context that it was spoken in it makes perfect sense. "There's nothing at stake," said Saban about the Ole Miss game. "When you make something at stake, that's when you've messed up, by creating expections and anxiety. Our greatest enemy is expectations. Our greatest ally is our ability to focus ... I know y'all would like to mess that up, but you ain't going to do it." This ole piss game has no more at stake than did the bama game. Had we lost to bama, ole miss would have won the SEC even if we beat them. All the tigers need to do is FOCUS and take care of business, while ignoring the hype!
I believe he says those type of things to keep the jitters down as much as possible. Eveyone knows whats at stake, but its been that way every week and even more so as the season closes.
I will agree that LSU needs to focus one game at a time. And please dont think I am bashing Saban. I flat out worship the man (I say thay with an unblemished record of staunch heterosexuality) I just thought it was odd that he would say there is nothing at stake... If LSU beats Ole Miss, the Arkansas game will be the biggest game of the year (Since if we lose Arky we dont go to Atlanta) But to say "There is nothing at stake" I think is a bit odd... However maybe I should realize the Media has a way of taking things out of context.
Don't be so sensitive TT. My point was exactly what the other posters said. Saban has his finger on the pulse of his team and knows what to say and when to say it. To the extent that my response was sarcastic, I apologize. I should save that for rivals.
Nick is pro-style in his technical football. He is also pro-style in his mental approach to the game. College players can get on emotional rollercoasters that produce adrenaline highs and also "flat" lows. Nick has stated before that he's trying to get the players to be very businesslike about the game and not get caught up in the hype or the lack of it for any particular weekend.
I love these quotes from Saban actually. Whether they are true are not isn't the point. What matters is whether it's the kind of thing this team needs to hear.
No problem sabanfan. I am a bit sensitive about the Louisiana Texas thing. I live in Dallas I am not a Texan. I will never be a Texan nor do I want to be. For the texans around, spare me the "I-10 is free" comment. I like Texas, however I am from Louisiana, always will be and I am already working on the full "extraction" of Texas and back home where I belong...
