"Who fits National Title Mold?"

The comments about LSU in that article are the product of media ignorance and bias. Certainly nothing to take seriously, but fun to tear apart for discussion purposes.

According to this guy, LSU is supposed to tank because: 1) we lost Lavalais and Hill, and 2) we are playing a tough schedule. He even goes as far as to opine that the replacements on the DL are not tested.

He is apparently unaware of the fact that Nick Saban constantly rotates players in and out on the DL to keep them from becoming exhausted. Melvin Oliver and Kirston Pittman were on the field a LOT last year. Oliver had 31 tackles (including 4 TFL, 4 sacks)--only a handful of tackles less than last season's media-anointed king of defensive linemen, Tommie Harris. Pittman had 15 tackles (2 TFL, 2 sacks), and 17 QB hurries--more than anyone else on the team except for the DL starters Spears, Hill, and Lavalais--with fewer chances.

Lavalais and Hill were great players, and they will be missed, but to say that the guys who played behind them on DL are not battle-tested is completely absurd.

At the same time, this nimrod conveniently forgets that USC lost by far its best pass rusher Udeze, who had something like 16 sacks. But of course, USC will have no problem replacing Udeze, because...well...they're USC, and they are a media darling.

I guess there is also the argument that USC doesn't play anyone worth a bucket of warm spit, but how does whipping a string of pitiful opponents qualify a team to claim they are the best team in the country?

Even worse, and demostrating remarkable ignorance about football in general, this guy simply dismisses the fact that USC lost most of its OL starters from last year as a possible factor in preventing them from challenging for the national title. Leinart and Bush are very talented players, but how far are they supposed to take the offense if the OL is not blocking well? You can bust a play here or there, but no offense can be consistent without a consistent blocking performance by its OL.

As for LSU's schedule, it is true that most of our tough games this year are on the road. Did this guy bother to notice how badly LSU played on the road last year (undefeated)? I guess he thinks whipping UGA's a$$ in Atlanta and beating Ole Miss in front of probably their most enthusiastic home crowd in the last 40 years was no big deal.

 

99% of these guys don't have or take the time to really look at a program, probably a little of both. By the same token they are expecting us to be very good, just not a national champ.

 

I was thinking the same thing, I guess everyone just thinks the best players to ever be at LSU played last year and we have nothing left. I think it will be some time before the "Media" (if ever :dis: ) jumps on LSU's bandwagon. Thats ok, we
will show them something on the field this year and earn our respect and not just have it handed to us by some preseason picks. :thumb:

 

What he said.

Good post :thumb:

 

Well guys, you need to remember that he's not all about bashing LSU. This is the same guy, after all, that wrote the article early this week about how Nick Saban was putting LSU up to elite status to stay. He just doesn't think this is a year we will have a National Title.

I do agree, however, that he seems to be measuring USC and LSU with a double standard. I think USC will end up like Georgia last year. The offense will have games where it can't do much because of the OL's inexperience.

 

If USC didn't have their great QB coming back they would be overlooked also i think. They finished 2002 as one of the best and hottest teams in the nation and no one was really considering them for the NC last year in the preseason because they had a new QB coming in. If we had Mauck back I would bet my life that at least a few of these guys would have us at number one. They all put way too much stock in the QB position.