I fully realize that Les' job is to win games and championships, but I listened to the beginning of his remarks (that apparently were cut off here) and he talked about everything but football first. He started with his family and the recent trip they had taken to Austin to see Smacker at UT and how he didn't like it because he couldn't step outside of the hotel onto a beach. How his youngest Macey(?) was pitching in a fast pitch softball tournament yesterday in Orlando ("there's a lot of media there too") and had pitched a 4-0 shutout. How his son Ben is playing baseball and football. Then he started waxing nostalgic on the fact that this is his 10th year at LSU and how Smacker was 10 when they moved to Baton Rouge ("she's 20 now" -- glad you can do some simple math, Coach ) and how he carried one-year-old Macey into Tiger Stadium. I guess what I'm trying to say is that while his obvious short comings still frustrate the ever lovin shit out of me (WOULD YOU JUST CALL A DAMNED TIME OUT?!?!? and DON'T RUN THAT STUPID SHORT SIDE OPTION AGAIN!!!!) I'm glad that goofy, human, good man is the coach at my alma mater and I'm going to miss him when he's gone. Have a great day!
I also loved how he started off talking about his family. He is a true treasure, one that even the haters will remember fondly after he retires. Notice I said retires? That's when he'll leave LSU--when he's done with football.
More from the SEC Media Days.... Media picks preseason 2014 All-SEC teams, predicts order of finish Brad Crawford July 17, 2014 @ 9:44am The media has selected its 2014 preseason All-SEC teams and the predicted order of finish at SEC Media Days and here’s how they voted: OFFENSE First-Team QB Nick Marshall, Auburn (241) RB T.J. Yeldon, Alabama (281) RB Todd Gurley, Georgia (280) WR Amari Cooper, Alabama (282) WR Sammie Coates, Auburn (207) TE O.J. Howard, Alabama (188) OL La’el Collins, LSU (231) OL Arie Kouandjio, Alabama (188) OL Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss (183) OL Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M (174) C Reese Dismukes, Auburn (226) Second-Team QB Dak Prescott, Mississippi State (118) RB Mike Davis, South Carolina (240) RB Alex Collins, Arkansas (126) WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss (182) WR Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia (71) TE C.J. Uzomah, Auburn (141) OL A.J. Cann, South Carolina (166) OL Vadal Alexander, LSU (112) OL Alex Kozan, Auburn (112) OL Corey Robinson, South Carolina (107) C Ryan Kelly, Alabama (126) Third-Team QB Bo Wallace, Ole Miss (94) RB Corey Grant, Auburn (52) RB Keith Marshall, Georgia (44) WR Jameon Lewis, Mississippi State (67) WR Marquez North, Tennessee (66) TE Hunter Henry, Arkansas (72) OL Austin Shepherd, Alabama (106) OL Chad Slade, Auburn (101) OL John Theus, Georgia (96) OL Chaz Green, Florida (94) C Evan Boehm, Missouri (77) DEFENSE First-Team DL Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss (239) DL Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida (212) DL A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama (208) DL Gabe Wright, Auburn (192) LB Trey DePriest, Alabama (253) LB A.J. Johnson, Tennessee (186) LB Ramik Wilson, Georgia (147) DB Landon Collins, Alabama (274) DB Vernon Hargreaves, III, Florida (243) DB Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss (210) DB Deshazor Everett, Texas A&M (183) Second-Team DL Trey Flowers, Arkansas (181) DL Chris Jones, Mississippi State (150) DL Alvin “Bud” Dupree, Kentucky (134) DL Markus Golden, Missouri (125) LB Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State (143) LB Jordan Jenkins, Georgia (137) LB Denzel Nkemdiche, Ole Miss (116) DB Robenson Therezie, Auburn (144) DB Tre’Davious White, LSU (141) DB Damian Swann, Georgia (127) DB Tony Conner, Ole Miss (116) Third-Team DL Ray Drew, Georgia (102) DL Montravius Adams, Auburn (94) DL Carl Lawson, Auburn (87) DL Jermauria Rasco, LSU (79) LB Kwon Alexander, LSU (112) LB Cassanova McKinzy, Auburn (82) LB Serderius Bryant, Ole Miss (76) DB Jon Mincy, Auburn (99) DB Corey Thompson, LSU (86) DB Rashard Robinson, LSU (84) DB Brison Williams, South Carolina (81) SPECIALISTS First-Team P Drew Kaser, Texas A&M (221) PK Marshall Morgan, Georgia (224) RS Christion Jones, Alabama (262) AP Christion Jones, Alabama (130) Second-Team P Sam Irwin-Hill, Arkansas (136) PK Colby Delahoussaye, LSU (142) RS Andre Debose, Florida (97) AP Terrence Magee, LSU (111) Third-Team P Jamie Keehn, LSU (81) PK Andrew Baggett, Missouri (103) RS Marcus Murphy, Missouri (72) AP Trey Williams, Texas A&M (89) PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH ALABAMA (154) AUBURN (75) SOUTH CAROLINA (32) GEORGIA (19) LSU (9) OLE MISS (2) ARKANSAS (1) MISSISSIPPI STATE (1) EASTERN DIVISION SOUTH CAROLINA (1895) GEORGIA (1777) FLORIDA (1362) MISSOURI (1263) TENNESSEE (893) VANDERBILT (619) KENTUCKY (395) WESTERN DIVISION ALABAMA (1915) AUBURN (1735) LSU (1453) OLE MISS (1069) MISSISSIPPI STATE (890) TEXAS A&M (791) ARKANSAS (351)
Miles will never go down as one of the great public speakers of all times and pains me at times to watch him struggle to be coherent. The media loves him because it gives them great headlines and the fact that Miles doesn't try to BS them like the so many more glib used car salesmen that litter the coaching profession. Even though I'd like to see him speak more eloquently, I'll trade that for his honesty and integrity any day compared to the many smooth tongued snakes that schmooze their way across the media minefield. When it comes down to it, Miles is paid for his wins vs losses and that record compares favorably with the best in the profession.
