re: LSU Fans Rift; Generational?

An analysis I wrote in another thread a few weeks ago:

"The real chasm amongst LSU fans is a product of age. There is an older set of fans who grew up under Charlie Mac and endured the volatility of the 1980's and 1990's. They remember being annually humiliated by Bama in the 1960's and 70's. They vividly recall the misery of the Archer and Hallman tenures. Given their historical experience and their emotional ties to the Mac era, they are satisfied with simply having a consistent winning program. That's why many members of this demographic bristle at the notion of firing a coach who goes 7-5 or 8-4. In my view, they set their aims too low.

On the other hand, you have a new breed of LSU fans who have never known anything other than national prominence and success. They require BCS championships each season. Even the appearance of failure is intolerable. That is why many members of this demographic overreact to fleeting struggles.

Somewhere in the middle lies the truth. Namely, that LSU should be a perennial contender for the SEC West and the SECCG, that LSU should be a serious threat for a national championship periodically, that LSU should typically win nine or ten games (in the era of twelve game seasons), that LSU should always recruit well given its locale and geographic advantages, that LSU is a strong program that lies somewhere between the extremes of mediocrity and perfection."