Most people outside Louisiana think that bringing up "the worst natural disaster in American history" has nothing to do with college football. But it does. Nearly three months ago, a storm hit Louisiana, killing over 1000 Louisiana residents (5000 remain lost, and many of them will be assumed dead), causing $200 billion in damages, perhaps permentantly displacing a city of 1.4 million, and causing unimaginable stress and anxiety. All the while, LSU's football team tried to prepare to play some ball. But that was impossible. It was impossible not because they didn't want to practice, but because in those facilities where they normally train for the great Saturday "battles," thousands of life and death battles were taking place. In those same facilities where the words "Blood, Sweat, and Tears" are painted, an unknown number of people died (estimates between 30 and 95). Their practice fields had been turned into helicopter landing pads for two weeks, as those flying birds delivered dying patients to the largest MASH unit in US history. Thousands of patients went through what should be called the LSU Athletic Hospital. All the while, LSU players from New Orleans, the demographic center of the LSU football team, prayed that their families were okay. There was no phone, no email, no power. There was only fear that the "tens of thousands" predicted dead did not include one of their mothers or brothers or grandparents. For ten days, players, like the rest of us in that war zone, were desperate for information about loved ones. At that point, we didn't care that our entire homes were destroyed; that all of our possessions were under water and would soon be covered in mold, making everything we owned contaminated and worse than had a fire gotten to it. Those were trivial matters at the time because life and death were the only things that we cared about. LSU players who weren't from New Orleans knew someone who was from there. They saw a terrible situation get worse and worse and worse as the days went on. Instead of sitting on their hands, they volunteered at our practice facilities turned hospital. Players packed an 18 wheeler full of goods for those of us who had lost everything we owned, save perhaps, 3 sets of clothes, our wallets, and some valuables. And there was no regular practice. Football was the furtherest thing from our minds. Life and death was all that mattered. And while our athletic facilities and volunteers cared for and saved hundreds of lives, we forgot that we had a football game scheduled. Of course, it was temporarily cancelled before being rescheduled to later in the season. Then came Arizona State. Things were better on campus. People were not dying at a lightning quick clip. We would play some football, but it couldn't be at home, as it was scheduled. The hospital was still there, so we had to move the game over a thousand miles away, and play a fierce and prepared Arizona State team that three weeks later nearly beat #1 USC. We had to play with all of the past 3 weeks on our minds, away from home, without a warm up game. And we won. Then came Rita, one of the strongest storms to ever form in the Atlantic. It's going to hit Texas, everyone said. But it didn't. Rita set Louisiana as her target, and hit us. She hit us when we were down. She wasn't a Katrina by landfall, but she was potent enough to destroy a large section of southwestern Louisiana. Strong enough to force us to reschedule a game against, at the time, a pretty good Tennessee team. With the hopes of an entire state resting on its shoulders, LSU jumped out with lots of emotion. But lack of preparation as a result of the hurricanes and the team's high that couldn't last for sixty minutes of football caused an implosion. Was it unexpected? Could any team go through what this team had and be unabated? All LSU did after that was go on to win every game in the season, dominating lesser opponents, and beating a schedule of 3 top 25 teams. Could any other team accomplish what this team has? Has any other team in CFB been through what this team has and succeeded?
Just goes to show you why I am so proud to root for the Purple and Gold. Not much more really needs to be said after reading the above post. :geauxtige
Great post!! I live in the very southern end of Terrebonne Parish, and saw first hand the destruction of these 2 storms. In my area, we took heavy damage from Katrinas wind, and my entire town was underwater after Rita. While no one inmy area was killed or seriously injured, the stress from the situation was nearly unbearable at times. The simple fact that none of this teams coaching staff is allowing anyone to use these disaster as an excuse, it a testiment to the integrity of our great program. Beleive me, things were no where near normal at my workplace in the days and weeks following this storm, how this team put it all behind them so quickly, I'll never know.
One the best posts I have ever read on this message board. Very well said and as G-LSU just noted, the reason why I'm proud to root for the Purple and Gold of LSU. Don't how many teams could have pulled through something like this with such flying colors. This is a special team this year and really makes the success of this season that much more special and something that all Tiger fans ought to appreciate. Also makes me proud to be an alum of LSU, given how integral a role the university played in the immediate aftermath of Katrina. :geauxtige
This is one of the best threads I have read, I am always proud to be a LSU fan. No matter what our record is, I always wear my purple and gold with pride. :geauxtige :geauxtige :geauxtige :geauxtige
LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU! :geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU! :geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU! :geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU!LSU! :geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige
Wow!!! my first post :geauxtige Back to the subject...I just made it back to New Iberia for turkey day and to catch my first home game this year. I stopped in N.O. Saturday and had to see for myself how devastating it really is. It is completely not like whats on TV...its much worse. Living in South Carolina I had to put up with all the incompetent rednecks that were making comments after the TN loss that we are just going to use the hurricane's as an excuse all year. BUT...not only have we proved them wrong...but the entire nation. After growing up here in south Louisiana, I could have never imagined an entire region pull together and work so hard at helping out those in need. I just want to say thanks for all those people here who helped because it is making a difference and will continue to for a long time.
I was watching the "60 Minutes" piece on New Orleans last night, while packing to return to "Sweet Home Louisiana" for Thanksgiving. The scenes of destruction brought me to tears again. And I thought I was all cried out for my beloved home state. I love Louisiana, and I love the Purple and Gold.
