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Thoughts Now That I've Had a Margarita

My girlfriend went to U of H, so we're sitting on the couch right now watching the Cougs play Texas Tech.  And I know everyone is going on and on about LSU's ranking,  but let's put it in perspective: Houston is #17.  The Cougars are a fun team, but nowhere near as good as LSU.  My point is not that UH sucks, it's that unless you're a Bama, Florida, or Texas fan, you're probably not entirely happy with your team right now. 

I do want to get into the Miles/Crowton issue later this week, but I want to focus on the State game for the weekend before moving on to place this in context.  I know there are a lot of grumblings over this team and how we're going to lose every game or whatever, but it's time for perspective.

LSU is 4-0.  LSU is 2-0 in the SEC.  LSU has won two road games.  It's not figure skating, how you look doesn't matter.  Wins matter.  You think Ole Miss or Cal wouldn't trade places with us?  The point is not that LSU is 4-0 so therefore there are no problems.  Because there are problems with this team.  The point is that this team has won four games and if you're too worried about the other games, perhaps you forgot to take a moment to enjoy these wins.  If you're immediate reaction to this game is "Georgia is gonna kill us", you have robbed yourself of a day's worth of enjoyment.  We won.  Worry about to UGa tomorrow.  You only get one day to celebrate a win, but that works both ways: remember to celebrate the win.  Relentless negativity can wait a day.

Ten years ago, this program was coming off a 4-7 season.  LSU was 2-1 and had just lost to Auburn 41-7.  At home.  Little did we know, LSU would only win one game for the rest of the season.  Wins are precious.  Celebrate them.  Don't take them for granted, or the football gods might punish us with Curly Hallman again.

OK, thoughts on the game...

Star-divide

-- After my rant on negativity, let's go negative.  The offensive line flat out sucks right now.  There's no nice way to say it.  They suck.  They know they suck.  We'll do the Behind the Numbers in a day or two, but here's the quick preview: 30 yards on 31 rushes while Scott and Williams combined to go 15 for 35.  Ouch.

-- The special teams gave away 11 points.  OK, Jones scored on a punt return, but we're still -4 with the return.  Everyone was going on about the missed PAT, but how about missing a 19 yard FG?  How do you miss a 19 yard FG?

-- Alex Russian is on the team for one reason, and that is to be the deep snapper.  Honestly, that's probably a waste of a scholarship even if he is a decent long snapper, but Russian has been perhaps the worst player in an LSU uniform this season.  When Miles said "we've alleviated that problem", I got the feeling someone should look into transferring. 

-- After the TD to open the half, LSU's offense went into the tank.  LSU only had three 1st downs from that point on.  The defense wore down as the half went on, but that was due to an offense that simply didn't show up for the second half.

-- There's a lot of negatives to take from this game, but that goalline stand was simply epic.  Give the defense credit.  With their backs against the wall, the defense, in particular Chad Jones, responded.  Bemoaning that we needed a goalline stand misses the point: we GOT the stand when we needed it.  A great job by the defense when it mattered most.

-- Patrick Peterson is an absolute stud.

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Cheers (Crown Royal)..

But anyways, the #4 and #6 teams went down and as I’m writing this it’s looking like the #5 team is going down as well. Talk about adding undue pressure. I think this team would be better served if we remained with our #11 ranking than our possible #4. We just aren’t there yet and maybe some slight on the polls would be the motivation we needed. The last thing we needed was another bulls-eye on our back. We’ve been the hunted through these first 4 games, being a #4 going into UGA could be really hard on my nerves next week.

All that said, I guess I’m asking y’all to pray for me. Also any thoughts.

by Mikeno on Sep 26, 2009 10:15 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Straight tequla for me (el charro)

I’d jump at least three teams over LSU in the next rankings: Boise St., Va Tech, and Auburn for sure. Maybe Cincinnati too.

I’ll take an ugly win over a gutsy loss but it feels like I’m selling my soul when I do. Hard to really enjoy a win when you can see that the performance practically guarantees several losses down the road. Georgia may look erratic but LSU hasn’t shown us anything that would suggest they can get the W next week. Miles better light a serious fire under that O line’s collective ass in practice next week.

by no brainer on Sep 26, 2009 10:25 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

BlogPoll

I already have Cincinnati ahead of LSU. I’m serious considering moving VT to #4 and Bama to #1. There is no way in hell I’m moving Boise St to #5. Haven’t run the numbers, but I’m thinking LSU will be #6 in my poll.

That’s more of an indictment of other teams. LSU has serious problems right now.

Fake Pundit. Real Fan.
http://www.andthevalleyshook.com

by Poseur on Sep 26, 2009 10:28 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Coaches have a tendancy to move teams up purely based on who won/loss, but the AP may not be so forgiving. Think we’re looking at #4 in both polls with voters giving us the benefit of the doubt until after the UGA game simply because it’s the SEC. (Warranted or not)

by CFB on Sep 26, 2009 11:15 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Based on resumes,

that win over Oregon is looking pretty good now.

by no brainer on Sep 26, 2009 10:31 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Single barrel bourbon here (Blanton's)

One other positive is that I thought I’d heard/read people wanting JJ to go downfield more and effectively. He did do some of that today.

This Iowa team I’m watching is pretty impressive as well.

by artiger on Sep 26, 2009 10:41 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, Iowa does look kinda good.

I remember the first week of the season, a friend of mine pointed out that they almost lost to Div IAA Northern Iowa. He said they would suck. I half jokingly said, “Nah, Iowa always chokes at the beginning of the year. At least they did it against a team they could get a win against instead of Iowa State. It’s Rose Bowl from here on out.” Now I don’t think they’ll win the Big 10, but they look like a serious condender for second place (even though I’m not sure who will get 1st).

by Monkey Poop Battle on Sep 27, 2009 2:03 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Not commenting on anything you said

Because I’m about to read it, but just had to mention I laughed my ass off at the title of the post. This was def a Margaritaville win.

Cheers

by CFB on Sep 26, 2009 11:05 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Okay

After reading it:

Right. On.

GRRREAT to be 4-0. Effin-A. Proud of that.

MSU may have as good a special teams as we might see this season, and it was wet (I know, I know…) Withholding judgement on ST.

Why do we have a deep snapper on scholarship? We might as well have Tiger Woods on football scholarship to give motivational speeches at halftime.

by CFB on Sep 26, 2009 11:12 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I agree

We need to realize we won the game. We have won the games we were supposed to, to this point. Having a bad day today does not “guarantee” us a loss in the future. I would much rather take an ugly win than an impressive win before playing a very good team, because it shows us what we need to work on. We will go into the Georgia and Florida games extremely focused, and we will probably play our best football (I would hope).

And this is probably a massive stretch, but how cool would it be if the offensive line just isn’t “showing” how good they are until the Georgia/Florida games, kind of like not opening up the playbook. Ok now that I’ve said that, it is a huge stretch, but I bet they will start to play much better. I hope this is the low point, and now we start up the mountain.

by Ianoka on Sep 26, 2009 11:29 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

As also an Oregon fan, I can completely vouch on a team all of a sudden showing how good they are.

Also, the news I’ve gotten the past two years for the teams has been freakishly similar. (For example, through the first three games, Duck fans were wondering why TE Dickson was getting ridiculously few touches.)

*bump* U!
*set* of!
*SPIKE* OOOOOOOOO!

"I can't wait to read Cal Golden Blogs after this." -my friend, leaving Autzen after the 42-3 beatdown of the Bears.

by AllSaintsDay on Sep 27, 2009 12:43 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Crown on ice here (Cask No.16, thank you wifey)

Well, while I do so thoroughly enjoy a good upset, I would really not like to be ranked any higher than we are now. I would much rather our team earn a higher ranking, as opposed to just moving up do to attrition. As stated before, I just think the added pressure and ego boost (undeserved) would do much more harm than good. The problems that we all saw (i unfortunately missed the last 5 minutes of the fourth quarter, i hate you DVR) are going to be hard to overcome over the span of a few weeks when we play Florida. And to use that reasoning, you unfortunately have to lose all sight on a solid Georgia at home.

I’m sorry, I’m watching Houston right now and I have to ask…What the hell is the deal with all the molestaches? Bradford’s backup, this Potts guy…? Come on guys, not cool..

Ok, anyways…our O line has got to figure out a way to open up some holes. They provided pretty good protection for JJ for the passing game, as is evident by his numbers, but we cannot succeed in the SEC without a proficient running game. Having Russel Shephard come in and be our leading rusher is simply not going to get the job done. It’s way too obvious. If they’re going to do that, bring him in and run some playaction or something. At the same time however, our backs can’t expect to get anywhere while they are just hopping back and forth in the backfield waiting for something to open up. Grab the ball, pick a slot and go!

Kudos to our secondary, needless to say Chad Jones and Patrick Peterson were HUGE today.

by Rogerssp05 on Sep 26, 2009 11:34 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, that potential #4 ranking . . .

. . . really does feel like an albatross already. I agree with Poseur that its Alabama, Florida, and Texas right now with a big bunch of teams with at least one blemish. I suppose one or two of those other undefeateds are for real . . . maybe even Houston (!) As for LSU, they’re sort of beneficiaries of being the one flawed team to not lose. Which is nice for us as fans, and something we should soak in.

I mean, seriously. We were inches away from defeat.

by Monkey Poop Battle on Sep 27, 2009 2:08 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Goslings Black Seal Rum... Yum!

Is it just me or does it seem like the job might finally be getting to Miles? He seems to be playing not to lose rather than to win, and we all know that doesn’t work out so well. Bring back Miles the Gambler, Dammit! While I can see the logic in trying the field goal over going for it on 4th-and-2, that’s not the point. Kicking it isn’t, or wasn’t, a Miles tactic. I’m beginning to think that last year scared him into a corner and he is afraid to make any misstep, which is a misstep in and of itself.

Man, I hope he breaks outta this funk…

by MuddyBayou on Sep 27, 2009 12:53 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

A Triple Maalox and Thorzine...

Won’t dwell on the multitude of mistakes we are still making except to say they are Les’ responsibility to get fixed. Now. Les Miles. This week.

As to the OL, they seem to be doing a good job of pass protection. Is this a result of their focus in practice? It would make sense. If so, are we moving gradually towards a spread offense with secondary concentration on run blocking?

by Just Outside of Barstow on Sep 27, 2009 3:50 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Really?

The team that’s already beaten Oklahoma St. on the road and outgained Texas Tech by more than 100 yards last night is “nowhere near as good” as a team that had to have a once-a-season miracle on a punt return and an equally miraculous goal-line stand to beat Miss. St? If you want to argue LSU is better than Houston, ok, fine, good SEC teams should get the benefit of the doubt over good C-USA teams, but man, “nowhere near” sounds awfully cocky to me for a team that hasn’t played a game good enough yet to beat either of the two teams the Cougs have already beaten.

by JCCW Jerry on Sep 27, 2009 10:04 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

At the time...

Houston was losing and getting gashed by yards by the handful. I also don’t think Tech is that good, but UH’s defense really could not stop them in any way until the fourth quarter when suddenly they got some stops. UH’s defense is not very good.

It was a super exciting game and I enjoyed the hell out of it, but there just aren’t many Cougars who would start for LSU. Though I think Keenum could. He was ridiculous all game long.

That said, given their resume and the fact there is a lack of team’s to rank right now, LSU and UH are going to be next to each other in my next BlogPoll.

Fake Pundit. Real Fan.
http://www.andthevalleyshook.com

by Poseur on Sep 27, 2009 10:13 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ah.

The timing makes it make more sense. Their defense did wait quite some time to do anything.

by JCCW Jerry on Sep 27, 2009 1:23 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

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