Plenty to Play for...

I wasn’t going to blog this week but my loyal readers have been clamoring for more of my BS. So here are a few thoughts from this season.

If I had the task of creating a “goal pyramid” for the 2006 LSU Tigers, it would look something thin like this.

National Championship
Playing in the BCS Championship Game
Winning a BCS Bowl Game
Playing in a BCS Bowl Game
Winning the SEC
Winning the SEC West
Go Undefeated on the Road
Go Undefeated at Home
Have a winning season
Becoming bowl eligible
Play hard every game

Only the top of the pyramid is out of LSU’s reach, no Crystal Football for LSU this season. All but one of the other goals are attainable. Winning the West and thus playing in the SEC Championship game are long shots, but anything can happen. LSU won this weekend upping their mark to 6-2. Obviously going undefeated on the road is unattainable. But the Tigers have two opportunities to make amends. The Tennessee game looms VERY large on November 4th. If the Tigers can get their act together, a BCS Bowl is definitely in the cards.

Urban Meyer was dead on when he said the SEC is “one tough ass league.” No other conference can match up with Auburn, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, Arkansas and Alabama. That doesn’t even include Georgia and South Carolina who will go bowling this season. Going on the road and winning at the top schools is a tall task for any SEC team. LSU has looked incredible at home and mediocre on the road.

Every now and again I listen to the idiots on talk radio and the new favorite saying begins like this, “well, when Nick Saban was here…” Let me be very clear, Saban did great things at LSU, but he wasn’t God. Saban suffered a few loses on the road including losing at Florida in 2000, at Tennessee in 2001, at Georgia in 2004, at Auburn in 2000, 2002 and 2004, at Arkansas in 2000 and 2002 and at Virginia Tech in 2002.

So my suggestion is to give Miles a break. He’s won at Arizona State, and at Alabama and has the opportunity to beat UT and the Hogs away from Tiger Stadium this season. While at Oklahoma State he won games at Oklahoma, at Texas A&M and at UCLA. A little patience and perspective will go a long way.

Check back next week for the Tennessee preview and other random foolishness.