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Started By
Message
Stewart Mandel Mailbag- (i'm sure its German)
Posted on 8/10/11 at 2:34 pm
Posted on 8/10/11 at 2:34 pm
Stewart, I'm a devout LSU Tiger fan living amidst the Pac-12 conference fans in Northern California. As much as I love the Tigers, can you explain to me how they can possibly justify their high preseason rankings given they have one of the toughest (if not THE toughest) schedules in football this year?
-- Curtis Barthold, Danville, Calif.
Knowing the way the voters think, it's no secret how the Tigers garnered such a lofty ranking. They went 11-2 last year while playing in the big, bad SEC; they won a January bowl game; and, like Alabama, LSU is a recent national-championship program that recruits well year in and year out. But is it asking too much of the pollsters to dig a little deeper?
This is a team that caught every imaginable break en route to 11 wins last season -- the last-second mulligan against Tennessee, the fake field goal that bounced just right against Florida, the remarkable Les Miles fourth-down reverse against Alabama. I know many feel Miles is immune from typical football karma, but generally speaking, teams that eke out so many close wins one year tend to go the other way the next.
For example, Iowa, which went 11-2 in 2009 with a slew of comebacks and last-second miracles, then, with mostly the same core of players, reverted to 8-5 last year with several last-minute losses.
Throw in a murderous early schedule (non-conference games against Oregon and at West Virginia, and a trip to pesky Mississippi State all in September) and the continual enigma that is quarterback Jordan Jefferson, and you've got all the ingredients for a textbook "flop" team. In fact I'm puzzled why the Tigers are 10 spots ahead of the same Arkansas team that both beat them head-to-head last season and earned a BCS berth. Mark it down here: The Razorbacks will finish at least 10 spots higher than LSU in the final poll.
Read more: LINK
-- Curtis Barthold, Danville, Calif.
Knowing the way the voters think, it's no secret how the Tigers garnered such a lofty ranking. They went 11-2 last year while playing in the big, bad SEC; they won a January bowl game; and, like Alabama, LSU is a recent national-championship program that recruits well year in and year out. But is it asking too much of the pollsters to dig a little deeper?
This is a team that caught every imaginable break en route to 11 wins last season -- the last-second mulligan against Tennessee, the fake field goal that bounced just right against Florida, the remarkable Les Miles fourth-down reverse against Alabama. I know many feel Miles is immune from typical football karma, but generally speaking, teams that eke out so many close wins one year tend to go the other way the next.
For example, Iowa, which went 11-2 in 2009 with a slew of comebacks and last-second miracles, then, with mostly the same core of players, reverted to 8-5 last year with several last-minute losses.
Throw in a murderous early schedule (non-conference games against Oregon and at West Virginia, and a trip to pesky Mississippi State all in September) and the continual enigma that is quarterback Jordan Jefferson, and you've got all the ingredients for a textbook "flop" team. In fact I'm puzzled why the Tigers are 10 spots ahead of the same Arkansas team that both beat them head-to-head last season and earned a BCS berth. Mark it down here: The Razorbacks will finish at least 10 spots higher than LSU in the final poll.
Read more: LINK
10
Posted on 8/10/11 at 2:41 pm to bbuisson
Yeah why would a team returning the amount of talent wr have be highly ranked... Mandel is a bag of douch, Alabama has a brand new QB and a "superior" defense that got straight up rolled by south Carolina and out coached by LSU with the worst QB in D1
Posted on 8/10/11 at 2:44 pm to nwaLSUfan
LSU and Arky should probably both be ahead of BAMA this year. I guess we'll see.
Posted on 8/10/11 at 2:51 pm to bbuisson
quote:
Mark it down here: The Razorbacks will finish at least 10 spots higher than LSU in the final poll.
I would put down $1,000.00 on a handshake that won't happen.
Posted on 8/10/11 at 2:54 pm to bbuisson
I actually get the Tennessee game. We should have lost that game. But we flat outplayed Florida and Bama, and we were definitely not "lucky" to win those games. Hell, in the case of the Florida game, we actually dominated them.
Mandel almost acts like the 4th down reverse against Bama was some fluke play that was the reason we won against Bama. And despite the bounce on the FG against Florida, the play worked exactly as it's drawn up to work: Flip-Run-1st down
Mandel almost acts like the 4th down reverse against Bama was some fluke play that was the reason we won against Bama. And despite the bounce on the FG against Florida, the play worked exactly as it's drawn up to work: Flip-Run-1st down
This post was edited on 8/10/11 at 2:56 pm
Posted on 8/10/11 at 2:57 pm to JPLSU1981
All valid points
Posted on 8/10/11 at 2:59 pm to JPLSU1981
We dominated Tennessee, as well.
Fans only remember the ending. Go back and watch that game. We dominated....same thing against WVU, but fans recollection of how the game actually played out is distorted by the final score of those games.
I understand the score is what matters, so spare me that, but I'm just pointing out that fans tend to say we should have LOST the Tennessee game and that's not true.
Tennessee should not have been in that game at all based on how the game actually played out physically.
Fans only remember the ending. Go back and watch that game. We dominated....same thing against WVU, but fans recollection of how the game actually played out is distorted by the final score of those games.
I understand the score is what matters, so spare me that, but I'm just pointing out that fans tend to say we should have LOST the Tennessee game and that's not true.
Tennessee should not have been in that game at all based on how the game actually played out physically.
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:03 pm to bbuisson
And? He has a point. Nothing he said is wrong. I don't think LSU is going to a NC personally but we won't be a 8-5 team either. We were young last year and those young players are developing more, so I can't see us taking a step back even with the loss of three key players.
I think people are underrating Ar-Kansas way too much. Most of their team returns and they were a 1 loss team going into the bowl game. The key is their QB but the times he played last year, he actually looked better than Mallett...
Voters will favor a much weaker schedule in Bama with 1 loss to LSU than a 2 loss LSU team with a much higher SOS. Which is wrong, IMO. I hate how the college system is setup, wish we had a playoff.
I think people are underrating Ar-Kansas way too much. Most of their team returns and they were a 1 loss team going into the bowl game. The key is their QB but the times he played last year, he actually looked better than Mallett...
Voters will favor a much weaker schedule in Bama with 1 loss to LSU than a 2 loss LSU team with a much higher SOS. Which is wrong, IMO. I hate how the college system is setup, wish we had a playoff.
This post was edited on 8/10/11 at 3:07 pm
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:05 pm to bbuisson
ESPN hates LSU...
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:06 pm to bbuisson
quote:
Curtis Barthold, Danville, Calif.
NegaTiger????
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:07 pm to deuce985
I just don't like his attempt at "discounting" our 11-2 season from last year with emphasis on supposed lucky breaks in the Florida and Alabama games.
That's like saying, "well, Auburn wasn't really all that great last year, they just got the breaks in their wins over Clemson, Kentucky, MissSt, LSU, and Bama."
That's like saying, "well, Auburn wasn't really all that great last year, they just got the breaks in their wins over Clemson, Kentucky, MissSt, LSU, and Bama."
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:08 pm to deuce985
For all the "breaks" he talks about, he fails to mention how LSU created problems for itself, not the opposition. We didn't capitalize on many opportunities and while, true, that's our own fault, it wasnt like we won games that we didn't physically dominate.
We dominated just about every game we played, but the score didnt always reflect that.
My point is, the problems we faced, we created. Those "breaks" were kinda like pulling a rabbit outta the hat after the magic show had some technical difficulties.
We dominated just about every game we played, but the score didnt always reflect that.
My point is, the problems we faced, we created. Those "breaks" were kinda like pulling a rabbit outta the hat after the magic show had some technical difficulties.
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:09 pm to prplngldtigr
Did he forget who was ranked higher at the end of the year last year?
Did he forget that we played Arky on the road last year and, thus, play them at HOME this year?
Did he forget that we could just as easily have been 12-1 or 13-0 and playing in the national title game as we "could have been" 8-4 or whatever?
I mean, he is entitled to his opinion, but his reasoning is seriously flawed. Arkansas, to pick the team he chose as his great comparison, did beat us last year but finished the season 10-3. Also, for all of the love Arkansas is getting, they and the media are pinning their hopes on a quarterback who played one meaningful quarter last year against Auburn. Did he play well against them? Yes, but Auburn's defense was not really prepared for him at all. This year, their defense (and all the others) will be ready for him.
Did he forget that we played Arky on the road last year and, thus, play them at HOME this year?
Did he forget that we could just as easily have been 12-1 or 13-0 and playing in the national title game as we "could have been" 8-4 or whatever?
I mean, he is entitled to his opinion, but his reasoning is seriously flawed. Arkansas, to pick the team he chose as his great comparison, did beat us last year but finished the season 10-3. Also, for all of the love Arkansas is getting, they and the media are pinning their hopes on a quarterback who played one meaningful quarter last year against Auburn. Did he play well against them? Yes, but Auburn's defense was not really prepared for him at all. This year, their defense (and all the others) will be ready for him.
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:11 pm to bbuisson
quote:
Stewart Mandel
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:12 pm to bbuisson
quote:
the remarkable Les Miles fourth-down reverse against Alabama.
When was LSU struggling in that game?
LSU had a 10 point lead for 12 min of the 4th qtr before Alabama scored a TD with 3 min left to cut it to 3.
And Bama is ranked #1
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:15 pm to deuce985
quote:
I think people are underrating Ar-Kansas way too much.
Who?
Half of the preseason all-SEC team is from R-KS. All I hear about is how they are the "dark horse" to win the SEC and how they are this year's Auburn yada yada.
Where should they be ranked? They finished the season last year at 12 and they start this year around 12.
Also, they were a two loss team going into the bowl game. We actually tied with them for second in the SEC West.
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:20 pm to Tigerpaul1969
Almost everyone I've seen has LSU or Bama taking the West. I don't think I've seen anyone say Arkansas will take the West.
Also, MSU is underrated. They get better every year. Almost all the power in the SEC has shifted to the West and the East can only go up from here with traditional powers like Georgia/Florida regaining prominence. I just don't see LSU going to a NC unless offense has significantly improved. This schedule is probably the hardest on paper I've seen us play in recent memory, IMO. Even the shitty teams in the SEC will give us fits. Tenn will be pissed and isn't exactly easy to play under their lights even when they're a crappy team. Nutt makes a career at trying to embarrass LSU, so I think we can just say that will be a tough game...
Also, MSU is underrated. They get better every year. Almost all the power in the SEC has shifted to the West and the East can only go up from here with traditional powers like Georgia/Florida regaining prominence. I just don't see LSU going to a NC unless offense has significantly improved. This schedule is probably the hardest on paper I've seen us play in recent memory, IMO. Even the shitty teams in the SEC will give us fits. Tenn will be pissed and isn't exactly easy to play under their lights even when they're a crappy team. Nutt makes a career at trying to embarrass LSU, so I think we can just say that will be a tough game...
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:22 pm to deuce985
No doubt, it's a brutal schedule. No arguments there, but I'd rather be LSU in each one of those matchups than any of our opponents.
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:35 pm to RealityTiger
quote:
I would put down $1,000.00 on a handshake that won't happen.
I really don't get the Arkansas hype this year. Yeah, the skill position players....etc..but Mallett is gone and Wilson has to grow up now.
Posted on 8/10/11 at 3:37 pm to bbuisson
quote:
Mark it down here: The Razorbacks will finish at least 10 spots higher than LSU in the final poll.
Noted!
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