Man I hate ESPN and their idiotic reporting when it comes to LSU. Dear ESPN. LSU won the BCS Sugar Bowl last year. NOT THE Peach Bowl which we won over another heavily favored team TWO YEARS AGO... Bone Heads !!!! http://espn.go.com/ncf/news/2002/0213/1331843.html
It looks like they corrected themselves later - saying the PB was 2 years ago and this year winning the SB. At least they got your nickname right - CNN called us the Auburn Wildcats once . . By the way - don't you think the timing for this is horrific? Why not work out this contract right after the season to help dispel recruiting rumors? I think this would have helped recruits to see that Saban is committed to LSU at this time and would have preveted some from not going because of the rumors . ..
Chuck you are so correct. Many of us have been a little silent in public but many of us are dissapointed in Saban not putting these to bed earlier. Now Saban said everytime he asked "I have no intentions of leaving LSU" BUT everyday on ESPN you would hear and read Sabans name for every job opening from Indiana to Teaching Basket Weaving at Furman. A few recruits saying they would not consider LSU because "WE dont if he will be there next year or for the next 4". That speedster you guys signed mentioned that once Obomanu. (By the way that guys is a stud) SO although we are happy it is done. We had hoped Saban would have held a press conference in the beginning of the recruiting cycle. (Like Oregons and Marylands coach this week) stating without a doubt. I AM NOT GOING TO THE NFL.. But he didn't. I will never second guess Saban. After what he has done I will trust his judgement. (Not that I have a choice ) but I was a bit dissapointed he did not nip this in the bud sooner. But you make a good point. As an Auburn fan you can look at this without Purple and Yellow glasses on. I have been a bit frustrated myself. But it is over now. Thank you Skip and St. Nick Geaux Tigers.
One of my LSU buddies said the isssue with this was actually with LSU, not Saban. He felt that they dragged their tail a bit in reference to a Trust for Saban? Can anyone enlighten me on what he is talking about. Also, I'm pretty fired up about Ben O. We need some WR's that are downfield threts . .now we just need a offensive scheme and QB that will get them the ball. From what the AU coaches are reporting, Ben O's decision came down to AU and LSU - and that Alabama and Notre Dame was never in the picture (of course, this came from a chat room so you can take that for what its worth)
This is true chuck. This is a new thing for LSU. Since buyouts dont really hold water anymore LSU did something different which is sort of like a buyout. Here is a clip of an Article explaining it. ------- In an interview Tuesday, Bertman referred to the deferred compensation as a "rabbi trust." Under such a plan, conceived for highly compensated executives, the employer pays taxes on the benefits while the recipient has his taxes deferred while employed. Bertman said that in order for Saban to get the full benefits of the deferred compensation plan he has to stay at LSU through Nov. 30, 2006. "This new employee-friendly deferred compensation plan has many parts to it, all of which are new to LSU since December," Bertman said in the statement. "It’s taken us some time to get coach Saban’s financial advisors and the university’s attorney together so we could put this into a legal document. ----------------------------------- I get from this. If Saban leaves before 2006 he will lose many benifits similar to a Buyout. I think LSU dragged its feet trying to make it legal. BUT SABAN knew this. Why did he not say. We have agreed to a contract. But that has nothing to do with staying at LSU. I am not going anywhere...etc...etc...etc. In a press conference ???
He was Auburn almost the whole time BUT said LSU is a big favorite as well. Bama was in there until the hammer fell.. (Another argument all together) I think it was Auburn and Bama, then LSU. We actually thought we might have a shot. But he said he wanted to get a ligitimate chance to start next year. At LSU he would have been redshirted with Clayton, and the gang coming back (MInus one Josh Reed ) PLus Auburn is in Alabama. Out of state recruiting is hard to do because of that. And lets face it. Auburn was pulling them in left and right this year. That happened to us last year. It snowballs. This kid see his buddy from the all-star game go then he wants to go etc etc. Tubby did one hell of a job this year. Lets see if he can coach them (We wont get into that again..... ) What is the story on that QB will he have a chance to start next year (We were after him to... ) Seems to me Auburn needs a QB he may be your answer... Geaux Tigers.
The QB debate is an ongoing nasty conversation going on over at War Eagle Nation right now. I'm only certain of one thing - the performance on the QB's last year should not dictate what happens this year. I think we have 3 QB's (Campbell, Cobb, and Wesley Hill - new signee - already graduate HS) in the mix going into Spring Practice, and 4 going into the fall (add Brandon Cox - the QB you are refering to). Campbell has all the tools (key word here is tools) to be a great college QB. He is tall, fast, and has a cannon. However, I was VERY concerned because often he had a "deer in the headlights" look on the sidelines. I think there are 2 reasons for that. 1- the defenses he faced. Three games where he looked the worst were Syracuse, Florida, and UNC - were he faced the 3 Lombardi finalists. The 2nd is the way XCNM set up the offense. I don't think its realistic to expect a freshman QB to come in a run an 'O' that has the QB change the play from the line 90% of the time. Ben Leard was a thinking qb with average skills and was great at it (but not until he was older). Then it just snowballed - JC didn't feel comfortable passing downfield and then teams figured out we wouldn't pass downfield and our offense became inept. So I guess I'm saying I think/hope Campbell will be as good as originally advertised and start - that way he'll have 3 seasons as QB and hopefully we can have a Rohan Daveyeque senior year (I remember RD having it pretty rough early on also). Also, redshirt Cox (which he has already said is ok) and let him start the last two years. I do think that all four will be given a chance to start . .
Yes Davey had a very bad game against.... Auburn when we first saw him as an LSU tiger. WOOW !!! It was very bad... However Davey never really had a chance to run the team with him as Number 1 until last year. When he came in (Tennessee 2000, Peach Bowl to name a few) with Booty around he shined. But once he got that monkey off his back of Josh Booty he had a chance to show us week in and week out what he was capable of. Well I wish you luck except for one game next year.. (Maybe a few more to help us with the west ) I read the new kid is the prototype QB big, and has a cannon as well. How many will be qualified of the Recruits you have this year ??? I read some of them dont have the grades but they gave nothing specific. I know Obamanu is a good student so I am sure he will be in uniform next year...
We have 33 people currently on the committment list. As of last week, 5 had not qualified. Coach TT says he feels a few of that 5 will make it, so hopefully we'll only have 1-2 not qualify. I know for certain that Tim Duckworth out of Ole Miss is one of them. The real big names (Cox, Obomandu, Aromashadu - those two are going to be a handful for our radio folks - , Tre Smith) have already qualified. Something I didn't know is that we only had 75 scholarship players on our roster last year!?? That's horrible.
