Christien Louviere

I just came back from a cruise last week.  I was thinking about the loss LSU sustained to Iowa.  Congratulations to Iowa…it hurt, but what a game!!  Tate and Babineaux are great players.  I’m looking forward to following both of them next year at their respective levels.  I give major props to the coaching staff.  With two timeouts and only 16 seconds left, I figured they’d call a timeout; however, I assume they saw that the SS was out of position and took a shot…catching LSU off guard.  I wish the seniors the best of luck in all that they do.  Next year LSU will have a battle for QB between JaMarcus Russell and Matt Flynn.  Both are great athletes, but one is better in terms of raw talent; however, one is a head case.  It’ll be interesting to see which one prevails with the new head coach.

Some things that occurred really bothered me.  First of all, the experts don’t know jack.  The media will do whatever it must to create a story.  All week, guys at ESPN Radio/TV and FSR were commenting about how Coach Nick Saban needs to just go to Miami and leave his team be.  LSU should say ‘thanks,’ and go their seperate ways.  These are the people who have never played a sport in their lives.  It doesn’t work like that.  Truth is the media is aggarvated because Saban did the right thing by telling his team first.  The poor media didn’t get the official word until the week of the bowl.  Props to Coach Saban on doing the right thing.  I didn’t hear any of these people complaining about Urban Meyer staying with the Utes through their bowl.  Why?  Because he’s more personable to the media and he confirmed his decision the next day.  Nothing against Coach Meyer…he and Saban just have different personalities. 

The media does not know Saban.  I was a walk-on for a short time under Saban.  I do not claim to know him like a Michael Clayton, Marcus Spears or Matt Mauck would know him (all class guys); but I’ve been a player behind doors and heard speeches that the media hasn’t.   My brother is  a walk-on as well.  He’s much closer to playing than I ever was, and he confirms my thoughts.  The media was under the impression that the Tigers would not play for him because he’s leaving.  This is the biggest pile of bullshit.  Those guys love Coach Saban.  They would do anything for him.  He has taught them about leadership, character and accountability.  I only had a brief whiff of this, but this is what the man preaches.  No one on that team was influenced by the media and the so-called distractions.  If anything, they played harder and wanted it more.  Saban preaches proving yourself to no one else but yourself.  If everyone does their job for sixty minutes, then they will achieve success. 

Be careful about what you hear in the media about teams.  I’m not including guys such as Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit or Lee Corso.  I am including guys such as Mike Greenburg, Mark May and Trev Alberts.  These guys seem to have an agenda.  Just one example: last year when LSU was on their way to the BCS Sugar Bowl, these experts said how great of a "players’ coach" Saban was.  He is no where near that.  Saban is about getting things done.  The only time you saw the man was at practice, before a game or meetings.  He was never around the locker room.  He never made chit-chat while you were lifting.  If you needed to see him aside from those three previously mentioned areas, then you made an appointment.  Not an example of a players coach.  I’m not bashing Saban.  Everyone has their style and his works.

Make no mistake about it.  Those Tigers gave their all during that last game.  His players are happy for him, and the Tiger fans throughout the country, who truly appreciate what he’s done for the school, will be as well.