So you're saying the LSU program had been bitten by Beamer ball? That's what I'm saying too. Don't bring your A game, going to get your feelings hurt. I know you don't like to hear this, but you and me, it's like intellectually looking in the mirror.
That 2002 LSU team was 8-5, and not only did they lose big at VT 8-26, they did the same thing at Auburn (L 7-31), in Tiger Stadium to Bama (L 0-31), and in the Cotton Bowl to Texas (L 20-35). They also L 20-21 to Arkansas in Little Rock, needed the Bluegrass Miracle to win 33-30 at Kentucky, and barely beat Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium 14-13
In 2001, LSU was SEC Champs, won the Sugar Bowl, and finished #7/#8 In 2002, LSU was preseason #13/#14, while VT was preseason #16/#16 It'll be interesting to see how the preseason 2013 polls look. Based on two early polls with an excellent track record of predicting the preseason AP Poll (in the link below), LSU is projected at #12/#12, TCU is projected at #15/#22, they are playing in TCU's hometown, LSU is rebuilding while TCU returns 16 starters plus their superstar QB, and the Vegas line started with LSU favored by 4 Meanwhile Bama is projected at #1/#1, VT is not ranked, they are playing in Atlanta (SEC country), VT lost pretty much everybody on offense, and the Vegas line started with Bama favored by 17 Do you really not see the difference here? http://www.tigerfan.com/threads/projected-preseason-ap-top-26-by-phil-steele.105990/
I remember all of those games so well that I may have a problem. For the VT 8-26 game, I was in San Antonio for Labor Day weekend with my wife (before we had kids) and started the day with a few frozen drinks walking around the Riverwalk expecting a big win. I watched the beginning of the game in my hotel room and there were a few frustrating plays including a Beamer-special (teamer) and a short pass over the middle to Shyrone Carey that bounced off his hands for an INT. Even with a few drinks in my system, I was overly stressed so watched part of the 2nd half in the hotel workout room. The anxiety/stress only got worse but I got a pretty good workout in.
Wow. I have no idea how so many of you remember so many details of games long past. I can tell very little about a game 2 weeks later, much less years later.
My dad can still recall the scores, key plays, and weather conditions in any game he ever played in or coached--and many that he just watched. As for the '02 VTech game, I ran into a Hokie wearing his nauseating combo of orange and maroon (wth?) @ Albertson's earlier that day. I wished him a good game, not thinking they'd actually have one. That was the highlight of that day.
