re: What's so special with Alabama? Like really?

One reason gifted athletes are by-passing LSU MAY be the reputation of the team environment.

CR opted for a program that apparently has much more discipline, personal and team, and whose linemen consistently and publically get better every year. When was the last time you could say that LSU linemen developed year by year?

Beginning with Perrouloux every year there seem to be members of the LSU team in bars at 2 AM, beating up people, smoking dope, kicking heads, acting like fools... which is all you find in bars at 2 AM.

The viral video of Hill sucker punching a student is now used in many lectures nationwide of "what not to do." Like it or not, when Miles publically ignored that event he threw away a lot of good will with parents who want their son to matriculate, not degenerate.

This is a reason I think LF is not going to LSU ... because of the Hill event pass. He is smart and education oriented and will not want to be a part of a semi gang-culture. Personally I think he will go to Michigan.

Like it or not, LSU has developed a team reputation off the field much like Miami's in the '80s (note - on the field LSU is not the dirty thuggy team Miami was). And the fans who think that doesn't matter are ostriches.