It took a change of pace and a long head-clearing walk during our sweet string of consecutive Chamber of Commerce days in Baton Rouge, but I think I figured out a tiny part of this craziness that brings you and I together here a few times a week.
When we get a taste of something, we want more. I think it's that simple.
Once you're exposed to top-drawer success, even a hint of reverting to a less glorious past is unwelcome.
Any minute, this guy could show up and take away the high life, and that's scary, isn't it?
By my count, we had seven amazing days, with beautiful blue sky and cool, just-like-a-real-autumn temperatures right out there in the sun. If that happened at some point in the past several years, and on the heels of so much rain, no doubt I was stuck in a cubicle farm and didn't notice.
Ahh, nice. Right? What did you do with your gorgeous weather? At what point did you remember the inevitable, that rain or muggy days -- or both -- were bound to return, sooner than you'd hope?
Today's forecast calls for rain in Southeast Louisiana, with more tonight. So, there you have it.
While I enjoyed the past week when I was able to get out and soak up some of it, I couldn't help thinking it was temporary. Why do we get a taste of something so energizing when it might not come around again for a long time?
My roommate's dog knows what I'm saying. I took her for a walk so I could do some thinking and give her some exercise, a break from long days in the house or on the captive side of the backyard fence.
Her excitement and bounce o' step were replaced, once we returned home, by a look of, "Let's do that again."
And the next day by a sad face that said, "Can we go for another walk?"
I needed to retrieve my big flat-panel computer monitor I lent to a friend while my PC was in storage, and the friend had to go back to using a smaller, old-style monitor. Her DVD player malfunctioned during an episode of "Dexter," so we watched on my Vizio. Going back to an old TV that's losing its picture was tough.
That's it, I thought. It's that simple.
After you see LSU score 38.6 points per game, as the Tigers did during the 2007 national championship season, who has fun seeing LSU struggle to average 23 points per game?
After you see LSU reel off a string of games with at least one 100-yard rusher, who enjoys seeing the running game slip?
After you see LSU catch the defense off guard with a big play, perfectly set up, who wants to see the Tigers seemingly more confused by their plan than the opposing team's defense appears to be?
Let me be the first to say I'm not breaking new ground here. This is the way of the world, and it applies to everything. Good makes us never want to see mediocre again. Great makes us impatient with good.
This is a good football team. Ranked No. 9 in the country, winner of five out of six games, and still able to at least dream about goals that remain within reach.
What would have been seen a decade ago as regrettable but understandable flaws in an otherwise upward surge arrive with alarm buzzers and red flags in 2009. So we analyze them, picking them apart for signs, trends, a hint of what's to come.
More than a few LSU fans have told me this season, "I know we're winning, but it's how we're winning."
"We're 5-1, and I'm not having fun watching this team."
"We've been good this whole decade. I know we're due to slip a bit, but I'm worried about the direction of the program."
A fan can watch his team's offense struggle to find the rhythm of the three-step drop, with enough protection to give the quarterback time to put the defense back on its heels, and the fan wonders if the program is taking three steps back.
Five-and-one and No. 9 in the country would have been cause for a party when the decade began, but we have enough history together to know there are plenty of seasons that showed promise at the halfway point before heading south.
And the devil's in the details, so we're all dissecting Mike the Tiger before he's dead, doing his postmortem as much as a diagnosis.
Even Auburn-LSU doesn't feel the same. This isn't the same matchup we became accustomed to from 2001 onward and upward.
LSU had an extra week to prepare, but many of the LSU fans I know are not optimistic they will see the offense come of age, with its pieces all falling into place. They fear they will see the offense that's ranked No. 112 in the country.
And yet, with the expected rain comes a cold front, and there will be football weather Saturday.
I hope you enjoy it.
.
Carl Dubois has written or blogged about LSU sports since 1999. You can contact him at carl1061 'at' gmail.com.
I just want to tell you thanks in case you did not read my response to the other post.
Why is it that Carl can not post as a regular post like the rest of us. The difference between himself and the rest of us on this board, or any other board for that matter, we all have a opinion and opinions are a dime a dozen. The biggest difference between Carl and the rest of us are he signs with his real name and not a cover. Carl can not simply come on here and rant like the rest of us because he uses his real name and he has to answer for everything he writes/types unlike us we just hide behind our screen names. Everything Carl writes may or may not land him a job so he has to be more selective when he makes a post because his future may lie on what he puts on these boards. All an editor has to do is come on TD Rant do a search for Carl Dubois and he has enough material to tell him how good of writer he his not how good of Rantard he is. Thanks Carl for speaking the truth how you feel about the team you really love, something you will not see any other journalist do and I appreciate the chance that you are taking so that we can get a feel for one that does this for a living really feels. Thanks Carl and looking forward to your next piece!
Last years embarrassing slide is too fresh on many minds - including yours truly. I can't say I remember a Miles coached team improving during the coarse of the regular season. We all know what he can do in a bowl game, but by then, the pressure of the SEC campaign is gone.
Hopeful, yes. Optimistic, no. My uncle once told me that a pessimist is an optimist with experience.
Nice article Carl. Finally we will have great fall football weather this weekend. Unfortunatly, this is the first game I will have to miss this year. But I hope all you tiger fans heading out to campus saturday have a great time.
You know Carl that is the sign of one having it made for so long that we have forgotten what it is like to be middle of the road. That is not all bad sometimes we have have to have struggles in order to enjoy the good times. Much like you Carl with your blue skies, you have to have a little rain to make things grow and enjoy the sunshine.
quote: LSU had an extra week to prepare, but many of the LSU fans I know are not optimistic they will see the offense come of age, with its pieces all falling into place. They fear they will see the offense that's ranked No. 112 in the country.
Carl, you need some new drinking buddies.....
The gumbo is hot, the beer is cold, and LSU is playing Auburn........
quote: I truly feel for those who can't enjoy today due to their fear of tomorrow.
Cant agree more with this. In the end we are all merely spectators and if there is more vitriol than sweetness caused by the game then it is not worth the effort from a life's perspective.
quote: I can't say I remember a Miles coached team improving during the coarse of the regular season.
Think about 2006. Jamarcus coming off an injury, fairly vanilla offense, lackluster really for all the talent and future NFLers on that team. A huge outcry about officiating in the aftermath of both Florida and Auburn kind of overshadowed the fact that Jimbo and Les had not really opened up yet. What did we see in the subsequent weeks. The offense became more of a downfield passing game, better play-action results, better running game. Sure, a few more turnovers resulted(Tennessee) but no one could really stop that offense after that. The improvement came mostly from a redirection in playcalling, after all there were no personnel changes that I recall, other than Jacob Hester began to carry the ball a bit more. But improve they did. This team has comparative talent to that team in most areas, particularly receivers and running backs. The Oline's not quite as good and the quarterbacks not as polsished as Russell and Flynn but still not too late to get better. Redirection of the playcalling(which has been mentioned multiple times now by LM) and proper execution of said plays would bring improvement. Here's hoping.
Carl has become Negatiger and is sending off a bad vibe...
I don't want to come on a LSU fans base forum to read a Columnist's work about how bad LSU is becoming, not on a LSU message Board. If I wanted to hear about all the bad things LSU has to offer I'll go to ESPN or other Sports sites.
If you ask me, I'll tell you Carl has jumped off the Bandwagon.... If he can't find something good to write about these Tigers on a LSU forum what good can come out of it?
Normally i would have a sarcastic response to something like this...but seriously...This post/article is pointless and mindless. I dont care if he signs his name to it.
I know it's football season, but if this is all you can come up with...why not write a coherent post/article about basketball or baseball or hell..even women's soccer.
Good article Carl. I think you missed something though. In the past this would have been consider a devloping year, with nex year being the year or the one after. Last year was the slip you refered to. It happens to alot after a championship year, to alot of teams. Back to back hardly ever happens. There has been only one in the BCS era (wink, wink) and most of us on the bayou would debate that one. Remember Flynn was 5 years in the program alot of game film.
I can remember the days when moral victories were our chant of the week -- we only lost to Bama 3-0 in the rain and would have lost if Frank Matt hadn't fumbled - not to mention the horror on not winning against them in BR for about 30 years. Do any of you remember how excited we got when we went to the Weed Eater Bowl with Dinardo and slaughtered Saban's MSU, and beating ND with yellow jersey's. I like winning ugly better and being 5-1 with a chance for a great year.Let's hope we beat Auburn or the short memory fans will be looking for the highest tree to hang Les.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for the response. Every day I stand by what I write. It comes with putting my name on it, and it will always be on the Internet for all to see. There are those who don't get that it is an ongoing part of the concept of signing one's real name, and not an alias, to an opinion. But by putting it under my byline, by definition I am standing by it. I'm surprised by the angry reactions. I didn't think stating the case for Lee to see the field, and posing the question why not, was such a horrible thing to do. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey, Carl. You don't need me to defend you, but way too many Ranters here have made second-guessing and knee-jerk criticism Olympic sports. Then the herd mentality takes over and suddenly everyone knows more about everything from football to parlor games, and knowing more than those who actually coach the teams (and then, predictably, the players who actually play).
So then, you can imagine how much we have to "prove," early and often, just how greatly superior we are to our fellow posters here. Know what? I'm guilty of doing it, and sometimes have to resist the urge to do it again.
Then I remember that being a sportswriter, sports editor in major (and minor) markets in print and electronic journalism--and working as an SID and in public relations at community colleges and BCS universities for more than a quarter-century--makes me no better than anyone. And, certainly, not better than Carl.
Many of you flat-out ripped the guy, and any Ranters with whom they disagreed. And what does Carl say to you? A gracious, and not sarcastic, "Thanks for the response."
Think about that.
You may have played and coached sports, but how many of us have written columns, opinion pieces, and news articles--professionally and on deadline--for real newspapers and publications (before there were blogs, Internet message boards, etc. and when there was real competition and not many opportunities to do it)?
I pasted Carl's entire post above for a reason. For those Ranters who have convinced themselves they're somehow experts on any subject just because they own a computer and are fortunate enough have a damn solid outlet in TD.com in which to voice it (just as I'm doing now).
I don't care how much impact the incredible technological advances we've made recently when it comes to our ability to reach people anywhere at any time.
The basic tenet you can't teach, coach (and for many of you, can't even remotely begin to understand) just how meaningful it is to use your "real name" and stand behind what you've said or written, and to truly accept ownership of your work and your opinions.
Whether you agree or disagree with him, don't just read Carl's work. Take notes.
Great article, Carl. It appears that some folks just don't get it. It's perfectly okay to be a fan and offer criticism toward your beloved team of choice. You can be a fan and question the coaching staff when things appear to be headed in the wrong direction. It is a fan's perogative to hold high expectations and demand accountability from those in charge when those expectations fall short. This passion, if you will, is what many fans on this site display through their rants and raves regularly and I, for one, appreciate their honesty and point-of-view. And then there are the fans who never want to take off those rose-colored glasses and face the truth of a situation. They'll quickly flaunt that 5-1 record and question your loyalty toward the team should you point out an obvious flaw. When they finally wake up and stop drinking the kool aid, they might understand that there's nothing wrong with being pro-active and looking ahead. Here's wishing you all the best...and go Tigers!
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