WORSHAM: On the Ball
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| Unlike fans, Tigers showed up Saturday
By CODY WORSHAM
Tiger Rag Editor
Since the Superdome clock hit all zeroes Jan. 9, there was only one date on the mind of every player, coach, and fan affiliated with LSU football.
Nov. 3, 2012.
Of course, that was the next time LSU would face off against Alabama. Not only would Nick Saban and co. be back in the state of Louisiana, but they’d also on LSU’s very own turf in Death Valley.
But when the Tiger Stadium clock hit 0:00 on Nov. 3, there was no such tendency to look forward Nov. 9, 2013, LSU’s next matchup with Alabama. There was no looking forward at all, really - only a strange combination of pride in an exemplary effort and somber reflection on a stolen 21-17 Alabama victory.
It wouldn’t have been all that surprising, then, had LSU taken the field Nov. 10 with a hangover worthy of the Cajun Cannon. With all the build-up to Nov. 3, a letdown on Nov. 10 wasn’t just a possibility, but a probability. The question was just how “down” LSU would “let.”
Instead, on Saturday, with championship aspirations all but done and dusted, the Tigers took the field like champions. Les Miles’ team came out focused and energetic, even without a clearly energizing goal upon which to focus.
That’s a feat not even Saban’s Alabama - defeated by Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M at home 29-24 - could pull off.
Against a much-improved Mississippi State team whose quarterback played one of the best games of his career, the Tigers overcame an early punch in the mouth - in the form of a quick 7-0 State lead - to roll on to a 37-17 victory.
No, there’s no doubt the LSU players showed up on Saturday night. The same can’t be said for LSU’s fans, however.
Ignore the 92,000+ announced attendance - that’s a paid figure. In real terms, the stadium was under 90,000 at kickoff. (Blame Johnny Football’s triumph in Tuscaloosa pushing into the kickoff, I suppose.)
Even worse, by halftime, the stadium was, at best, three-quarters full, and with State driving down the field to make it a one-score game with plenty of time left in the fourth quarter, Tiger Stadium had a Spring Game crowd. The half-empty stadium cheered loud and proud, but its chants reverberated off vacant seats and lost serious amplitude.
The most damning evidence to fans’ no-show, however, was how scant postgame traffic was. A week after this writer crossed the Mississippi River bridge, made a u-turn in Port Allen, and returned to mid-city via I-10 just to avoid the traffic radiating from campus, the roads were eerily empty by 10:30 p.m., just as Charles Hanagriff’s post-game radio show got under way.
Personally, it rubs me the wrong way that a ticket-wielding fan base can be so quick to complain about rising prices yet forfeit half the ticket’s value by skipping out after 30 minutes.
It rubs me even worse how the Tiger not-so-faithful can so quickly boo a quarterback for throwing an interception or a receiver for dropping a pass, but can’t stick around to watch Zach Mettenberger and Jarvis Landry begin develop the makings of one of the SEC’s deadliest duos.
I suppose that’s the fanbase’s right. But it doesn’t make it right.
Before I move on, let me be clear: I don’t mean to over-generalize here. In addition to the many personal individual reasons many ticket-holders couldn’t attend, it would be unfair to characterize an entire fanbase on the actions of around 40,000 people. LSU’s fans are passionate and proud, and some of the best in the country.
But even the best have bad nights. Just ask Alabama.
And on Saturday night, the fans didn’t have their best night. They didn’t show up. Not like they’re capable of. To compare apples to oranges, the half who weren’t in the stands late in the third quarter performed about as poorly as the Tigers did on the field Jan. 9.
Blame the 2012 team for losing twice and putting itself out of the national championship hunt. Blame the team for failing to meet expectations. Blame the media for setting expectations too high. Blame the hangover from Alabama. Blame a hangover. Blame me for pointing it out. Blame Saban. Blame Obama.
Blame whomever you’d like to blame. The fact remains: a very capable LSU fanbase didn’t perform to its abilities on Saturday night.
The goods news: it didn’t matter - because the Tigers did.
Mettenberger built on a breakthrough showing at Alabama with another masterful outing, completing over 60% of his passes for 273 yards and his first two-touchdown game in conference play. He became the first LSU quarterback with consecutive 200-yard passing games since Jarrett Lee in 2008.
Landry put up 100 receiving yards and a score in the first half alone, the first time a Tiger has done that in over a decade.
The defense held MSU to less than two yards a carry; forced two turnovers; returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown - just the third 100-yard scoring play in LSU history.
The Tigers did all this and more, and they did it without the support they deserved.
Next week, LSU wraps up the season with a 2:30 p.m. game in Tiger Stadium against Ole Miss. The seniors will take the field in Death Valley for the last time.
Hopefully, they’ll do so in front of 92,000. And hopefully, they’ll leave the field in front of as many.
Even with two losses, they deserve at least that much.
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Cody Worsham is the editor of Tiger Rag Magazine covering football and men’s basketball. Reach him at richard@tigerrag.com.
Maybe the fans are reading too many sports writers, who write like ill informed fans instead of well informed sports writers, and being bitter because of one play or one coaches call. One strike never has won a baseball game and one missed call by a player or a coach never lost a game…Just sayin
Good call out. Loving out of state, it’s a blessing to attend an LSU game, and could not wait to be there to show and voice our respect for these players who played against Bama like their weas no tomorrow leaving their guts on the field. So I was dismayed and embarrassed to see the stadium half full or less midway through the 3rd Qtr with the outcome of the game still in balance.
Geez…for those fair weather fans, suggest you give your tics to a diehard fan who otherwise would not be able to afford to Geaux.
Excuse me if I wonder, who made you judge of 40,000 LSU football fans? Are you totally unaware of the frustration that the LSU football fans have felt over the crazy way Les Miles has coaches the LSU football program for the past 8 years. He could not make a first down to beat Alabama, if his life depended on it. LSU is very lucky to have the loyalty from the LSU fans that they now enjoy. If Les Miles get any worse. LSU will not be so lucky to have what they now make a lot of money off of. Stay tuned…
While I agree that it is silly to leave any game early I also feel all Tigers fans frustrations with the current state of the program. Go back to the roots of the Miles era. After Bertman made no effort to keep Saban from leaving (do really think the Dolphins were his dream NFL job?) we hire a nobody .500 coach in Miles. While overall he’s been a solid recruiter he has continues to live off of the foundation established by Saban. We’ve been stuck with the Mad Hatter as the Board continues to extend this clown ad infinitum. What do we have for it? The first 2 loss NC ever? A 1 loss season without a title? While the AD has continued to raise ticket prices albeit for most of 13 games last year the results on the field have been no better than what we’ve had in previous successful seasons. This team continues to win in spite of Miles and his continuous questionable coaching decisions. With teams in the East rising and even A&M making a run in the West this guaranteed 1 or 2 loss season crap may be coming to an end. Where does the program stand if things turn and we lose 3, 4, 5 games a year? Is that acceptable? Time will tell. But maybe the media Les Miles lovefest needs to end just like the fans lovefest ended January 9, 2012.
to Tiger Gumbo and Ernesto
You poor souls having to suffer thru the winningest period in LSU football EVER. That mean old nasty Les Miles making you suffer thru SEC championships and National Championships and seasons where he has the audacity to lose one or even sometimes two games while playing in the most competitive league in the country that has won the last 8 national champions. The very nerve of him to do that. And now Tiger G’umbo you tell me he is out there on the field personally trying to make a first down. When will it stop??? Lets get rid of that old mad hatter and replace him with a series of coaches that barely get to .500 Then we can all complain and leave early whenever we want!
Nothing has changed at all. It’s still a rip off, just substitute Les Miles & Txtigerfan for Howdy Duty!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ-IPXpvRaU
Well said Txtigerfan.
LM is definitely successful in part because of the foundation NS laid while at LSU.
However, the facts of life are no team goes undefeated annually; though that is what some fans seem to think is reality. It isnt and never will be.
Am I disappointed about us losing 2 games we could have won, sure; who isnt; but the reality of sports at any level is, anyone can beat you at any time; especially when there’s parity as evidenced in college baseball.
Skipper B use to be World Series bound, almost annually, but as teams become more evenly matched and recruiting becomes more balanced; things change.
Surely Im still ticked off at LM for his “personal” touch in his QB decisions the 4yrs JJ was here; but life goes on. Am I a LM supporter? As long as he’s coaching the ole home skule and winning 80% of his games, yes indeed. Do I think he could do better? Yes indeed; but Im not going to trashmouth him everytime I have the chance becaues he is part of the “team”, and trashmouthing a part of the team is not what a true, though disappointed, disheartened, ticked-off, fan does.
My bet is tiger dumbo has never played, coached,or maybe even watched an
entire footbal game. “especially sober”. cause he has missed a lot of coaching calls, plays,recruiting decisions that has produced the average of 10 wins per season since Coach Miles came to LSU…Thank God…
Tiger Gumbo and Ernesto need to wake up. Was an NFL job Saban’s dream? Yes. His LSU contract had an ‘out’ if he left to go to the NFL. I have discussed the situation with a Miami NFL Exec …. and Saban wanted the job. He “Peter Principled” and rose to his level of incompetence … his coaching style does not work at the NFL level. You need to quit blaming LSU for Saban’s leaving. You both were probably bashing him while he was at LSU … the same way you bash Miles. Then you are heart broken when ….. “Saban has left us!! How could he do this when we are such good fans. It must be the Administration fault even though we say negative things about him whenever he makes a mistake.”
Wake up. Miles does not make all the wrong calls (Fla game with 4 fourth down calls…) but you forget all of that. Nor does he (or any other coach) make all the right calls.
Are A
My last comment was …
“Are Alabama fans calling Saban stupid after the A&M game …. and complaining about every call ….. all Monday Morning QB-ing?”
NOT. That is the difference between ALA fans and some LSU fans