One of the diseases that comes with winning a couple of national championships in five years is unrealistic fan expectations. We've seen it before in the Bammers and the Domers and now we have it ourselves. Those of us who sat through 8 losing seasons in the 1990's are inoculated from the notion that LSU has a divine right to blow-out victories and championships.
Lest we forget: Season Coach Overall Record Conf. Record Bowl Game Final Ranking 1990 Mike Archer 5-6 2-5 1991 Curley Hallman 5-6 3-4 1992 Curley Hallman 2-9 1-7 1993 Curley Hallman 5-6 3-5 1994 Curley Hallman 4-7 3-5 1995 Gerry DiNardo 7-4-1 4-3-1 Independence Bowl 1996 Gerry DiNardo 10-2 6-2 Peach Bowl 12 1997 Gerry DiNardo 9-3 6-2 Independence Bowl 13 1998 Gerry DiNardo 4-7 2-6 1999 Gerry DiNardo 3-8 1-7
Agree with this. I don't know, maybe you are right about that, but I also think that LSU is so talented that most of us are just hoping/looking for them to play to their potential and win big when they are supposed to win big. Now, maybe you are right, and it is the "supposed to" part that we have created too high of expectations, or the definition of "winning big". Don't know. Having sat through those 8 losing seasons, too, I certainly do appreciate this decade so far! I still expect and hope, however, for that continued level of play, which I understand will not always equal to NCs. Personally, my expectations have to do with preparation/scheming for the team you are playing, quality of effort by the players in the game, and playing with sportsmanship. With the quality players we have, if we do those things, we should have an outstanding season even when measured by wins/losses. It is the scheming part that I am personally suspect about so far this season, but certainly recognize and appreciate that we are 3-0.
I think success breeds expectations. It's just human nature. Take our recruiting classes for instance. For the longest time if we got a top 15 the fans were pumped. Wow we're relevnt on a national scale! Then we start getting top 10 classes on a regular basis. Guess what, that is now the new standard in a lot of people's minds. Now for the last few years we start getting top 5 with last year's rated #1 or #2. I bet if we get a #9 this year fans are going to start wondering if Miles is losing his recruiting touch. I bet the fan reaction is exactly the same at UF, USC, or Oklahoma. I've seen a few negative comments by UF fans about their "ugly" win over UT. They wanted to beat Kiffen by 80 if possible. I actually think it's a back hand complement to LSU that the fans expectations are very much like USC or UF. I don't see them so much a rantards or negitigers so much as fans who want to see us do the best we can every season. It's just human nature.
I agree with this. I felt the same way about the Vandy game (and of course the ULL game). Hell, it was the first game and we didn't lose against what turns out to be a good Udub team. We have been improving.
Yeah, I remember mid way through the 99 season, I and many others were still argueing that Dinardo should not be fired, that he would turn it around. Saban showed us that we shouldn't have such low expectations.
I was at the game, and I also never paniced and thought we would lose. I figured we would start out slow and they were as hyped up as any team I have ever seen, but eventually that goes away and its just talent that usuallly wins out. USC was different, UW coaches knew USC could not go down field, so they game planned well. We also caught some breaks, but every team that wins does, it's part of the game. God knows we should have some "break credits" we can roll over from last year.
Make it stop, please make it go away. I have to say, I really thought we had turned the corner after 96.....but it was all smoke and mirrors. I was also wrong thinking David LaFleur was going to be a great replacement for Novaceck in Dallas. :dis:
