Presaeson ranking= meaningless. This will make it hard to unseed USC, but I know we werent even ranked 11th presaeson in 2003 and look at how that turned out.
The coaches may not vote on a preseason ranking but USA Today wants the contract honored so that issue will need to be resolved. The AP preseason rankings won't matter anylonger, just like all of the other ones.
I'm happy with the 11th ranking, as a Tiger fan I would have us higher but I do feel it is a fair ranking. If the top 2 teams go undefeated, it may not matter but starting 11th will give the Tigers a fair shot to reach the top 2 as the season goes on. Had we beat Iowa I believe our preseason ranking would be much higher. However, 11th is nothing is complain about.
They're meaningless, yet are the key to next season's rankings. You start getting the media idiots jumping all over the USC, OU, Michigan, TExas and Miami bandwagons again, and like always, unless you're pre-season ranked in the top-15, unless the top 5 teams happen to lose, you won't make it all the way up to the top 2 by season's end. Look, we inched our way into the #2 spot in '03 when we started, what? 15 or so? Auburn began around 17th and could only manage 3rd by season's end. That's why I absolutely HATE pre-season rankings and honestly feel that NO rankings should come out until AFTER week 4 or 5.
pre-season rankings will always be a fact of life. lets not disregard the real issue here... ...WE NEED A FREAKING PLAYOFF!!!!
We need less bias and an bowl plus one game. We don't need a playoff. Preseason polls are for the fans and media's entertainment. Everybody wants to know how others expect their team to do - that's what these polls are for. LSU fans love reading that ESPN thinks LSU is "littered with prep All-Americans" and any other analysis of how we will fair next year - just like USC fans love reading that their team is god and should play in the NC game next year regardless of how the season plays out. Preseason polls aren't worthless and are necessary. Whether they will be written down or not, people will ALWAYS have preseason favorites that get more attention & hype. Polls atleast require a small amount of analysis and breakdown of the team as to why people think they will perform to that level. The fans that hate preseason rankings are the ones that feel their team isn't high enough. If LSU was ranked number 1, you'd have no problem with them. All LSU can do is go out there and play games like we are capable of. National Championships are great, but they aren't going to come around every year. LSU needs to focus on what Nick set out for - national prominence. As long as LSU is known as a dominant program, I'm happy. We don't need lots of trophies to prove that, although it would be nice - we don't want to be like Texas!
Miles seems to be just as good a hire as Saban. Saban was playing second fiddle to Michigan and Miles was playing 2nd fiddle to OU. Both were winning but not able to get over the top. Miles could be a very good hire. We just have to wait and see. Just like we did with Saban. :geauxtige :thumb:
