I have been watching and reading the endless posts about Miles, Crowton and everything else that is wrong at LSU and I just can’t help thinking that there has to be a healthier way of dealing with all of this. I understand the passion and the commitment of our fans. It is one of the things that makes LSU sports the greatest in the nation. I also understand how much energy, money and time we all devote to the support of our teams. Finally, I understand the anticipation that each off-season brings and how recent events can be so disappointing. I’m with you. I don’t get it. I don’t fully understand why it is so difficult to fix the issue. Is it the head coach? Is it the offensive coordinator? Is it just the wild and crazy state of LSU Football these days? From my couch the answers seem so obvious. The thing that I don’t get the most is the overwhelming obsession with firing coaches. That’s not to say that I don’t believe that changes are needed. I also believe this fact is not lost on anyone in the organization from the President to the AD and all the way down the line. I know this. I have never seen a team’s situation improve when they fire coaches in the middle of the season. I have never seen good things happen when these kinds of discussions take flight before the season is over. We need to change the way we look at this thing. Like him or not, Les Miles committed to this university and this state. The players committed to Les Miles and are clearly standing behind their beloved coach. Miles is not making apologies and right or wrong is not giving up on what he believes is the best way to lead this team. I respect that. It’s not easy to take a stand when the world seems to be against you. We as fans need to commit to these coaches and most importantly the kids on the field. We need to step back and realize (although it’s hard) that football is not life. For these kids, however, it is a dream realized. They don’t need to hear all the bashing and booing. They have worked their tails off to get where they are and are living a dream that most of us never will. As hard as it may be I encourage everyone to set aside the obsessions with tearing down this team for a few months. Don’t stop being passionate, don’t temper your hunger for something better, but stop looking at what’s wrong and start looking at what’s right. Look at what’s possible. If you keep looking at what’s wrong then you are going to be forever disappointed. Did you really wait all off season to be so angry that you miss all the great things about Tiger Football? Go back and watch the true last play of the Tennessee game. Look at the faces of those kids. Look at the jubilation. In their minds they overcame a great challenge and they were celebrating. They weren’t thinking about all the things that didn’t work. They were thinking about what did work! They just won the game! Life is a celebration and Tiger Football is one of the best parties I have ever experienced. Win or lose I have always thoroughly enjoyed the privilege and opportunity to be a Tiger Fan. I have also enjoyed the brotherhood of Tiger Fans everywhere I traveled. We can fuss and complain after the season is over. For now, let’s get behind the entire team and show the true power of Tiger Nation. If nothing else remember the one obvious rule … Life is too short! Have some fun and cheer loudly for the Tigers!! :geaux:
Excellent post. Life is too short. And, if you're that upset that Saban is doing wonders at Alabama, just pull for the Tide as long as he's there. No point to want LSU to lose just so Miles may get fired.
I am with you Tiger, I am sitting here not thinking much about nothing but I am thinking how wonderful beating down the Gators will feel. That is the thing about college ball. It's my state and my team against the Gators. I love the big picture of it and it is to much fun to dump the only team you have in the game. I can't explain the end of the Tenn game. Nothing happened from the moment Lee was pulled that turned out good. Can't explain Crowton and can't explain why he is still CLM's OC. That is the world of CLM and I support my coach until the moment he quits or gets fired. I also look that the good things about any coach and Coach Miles does many things right. I don't want him to cook my 2 minute egg but that can be handled by other people.
Great post Tiger420. I'm with you! This has really been on my heart the past couple of weeks. I can't help but imagine what it must feel like, as an 18, 19, 20 year old kid, to sense the shear hatred that comes out of some people over football. Put your self in their shoes -- what would you do, how would you feel, how would you react, how would you perform on the field, especially with all of booing, down-right nasty comments, bottle-throwing, whatever? If that doesn't impact you, then imagine how you would feel if that was your kid/grandkid/brother out there with the weight of the Tiger Nation on their shoulders and having to deal with all of this junk. I'm passionate about LSU football and I'm ticked off at many of the same things a lot of you are ticked about, but I found a way to deal with it positively instead of destructively. Whenever there is a post about a personal tragedy on this board, people pray for those under fire. I decided to start praying for JJ and JL instead of being destructive. I challenge everyone here to pray for them to stay healthy, pray for them to not hear the negative, pray for them to be encouraged, pray for them to have confidence and pray for them to play to the best of their God-given abilities. At the end of the day, that's what really matters. :geaux:
Excellent post. I have had some angst with what is going on with the offense. But, I want the best for our guys on the field. I want them to know that all I wish for them is to win and have success. In life , and on the field.
I ain't gonna read all of this stuff (too long), but this seems like it could be one of them Dr. Phil threads to me.
420 - you make my posting look concise! I've been hawking Pharpe's 6 Stages of Milesism for awhile. Wish I still had the link, but if you research his posts, you'll find it. Bottom line: its expectations and entitlement. This will pizz some folks off, but their expectations are completely unrealistic and they mistakenly feel entitled to "inspiration" and "respect" because of a college football team. I've never really cared what other folks think of LSU, so I havn't had that issue. But my expectations from 2003 through 2008 were pretty sky high. Hell, most of us were there. The difference is - no team in the country stays at the top for very long anymore. Once I realized that, I stopped worrying and learned to love the game. In fact, I love watching the recruiting cycle turn into excellence on the field almost as much as I love watching LSU win. Patrick Peterson has been an absolute joy for three years. Imagine how much fun that would be if he was center-frame of the damned camera! Hopefully, LSU will recruit a Matt Barkley soon and we can enjoy that, too.
I don't know about him, but I can assure you, I won't be nearly as emotional this weekend vs. Florida.
