re: So.... How many NCs did Les leave on the table?

Well in 2011, you can at least say that a flipped result in the Jan 9 game means we win it. So we did control our own destiny until the very end. Depends if you think we were really better than them and should have beaten them in the Dome.

I wanted to say 2012, from the standpoint that a flipped result with Bama means we play ND... but Georgia in ATL would not have been a given. Same with 2006 and Auburn... just means we get a rematch with UF, who was just as complete a team as LSU that year. 2005 we wouldn't have had a shot, even if 12-0... we wouldn't have jumped Texas or SC. 2008/2009 we were just not a very good football team and no one game on the schedule made a difference.

The most difficult thing to this day, is thinking back to 2006, where we had all the momentum in the world, Alabama was stagnant with Mike Shula, and yet between then and now they have completely bypassed us as a program.

I guess the answer to your question is, how much of Les' responsibility was it to stop Alabama's rise to prominence, or how much do we view this as inevitable on their part? They've run roughshod over the rest of college football... was LSU in a unique position to stop them, and just stood by idly while it happened? Or is it more acceptable just because they beat everyone else as well? Because they're the primary reason we don't own at least one more NC and maybe even two. Without them, the SEC and college football are basically ours.