Ryan Clark Interview: Honored to Speak to Team, Former Players More Involved

Ryan Clark's interview on Finebaum highlights Orgeron's campaign to get former players more involved in the program. The 12 minute Podcast is a great listen from a man who grew up wanting to play for LSU, and the NFL. His LSU & NFL 13 yr career are remarkable:

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"The average NFL career lasts 3.3 years, according to the NFL Players' Association; 78 percent of players go broke within three years of retirement and 15.7 percent file for bankruptcy within 12 years of leaving the league, according to a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research."

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“Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger.” Coach O is co-opting a Pete Carroll USC approach to alumni, maybe your best recruiters, where former players have open access to all team facilities and practice. This omission is so obvious that it should have never been overlooked. More than 50 alumni joined the pre-game walk. Ryan Clark and former players infuse the program with NFL experience and serve as role models. Combine this with the open exchange of coaching ideas like Tom Herman, Saban, Sweeney, and Chad Morris do along with hosting of high school coaches to re-energize our program. Many programs host high school coaches 3 hrs a day and in return they get their recruits. LF's coach tried his best to steer him to Saban and almost did. Miles promised to visit modern offensive programs with open invitations and did not. Herman says what are you hiding from? Sharing is good for the game. The hard part is paying the price for championships, set long before me, and will be the same long after me. You have to be the best, from facilities, to players, to outworking, out scheming, and outhitting everyone else.

Many of you may have caught ESPN alum Ryan Clark on Finebaum. If not here is the podcast audio link - he is in the first 12 min: LINK

2 min video excerpt: LINK
The video is out of context because you get the false impression that he thinks Orgeron should be the next Coach. Please listen to the Podcast. He is well-informed, runs an NFL training facility in Baton Rouge, trains High School athletes, and donates considerable time to LSU when not away doing his NFL ESPN analyst job. His 13 yr career includes a Super Bowl and a Pro Bowl. The Super Bowl in 2008 came 1 yr after he collapsed on the field in Denver, had emergency surgery, and lost 30 lbs. His 2010 Pro Bowl was for leading the Steelers with 100 tackles. He does a lot of community work and treats LSU as sacred, something he says all former players share.

After a 4 yr stellar career at LSU he played 13 yrs in the NFL, retiring last year with a Super Bowl. Living in Baton Rouge, he has always been around the program mentoring DBs, working with Corey Raymond, exchanging ideas and coaching tips. He said that Miles just walks by him 99.9% of the time, but all of that changed when Coach O took over and immediately invited all former LSU players to join the pre-game walk, carrying signs "Once a Tiger, Always A Tiger". In addition Asst AD Sharon Lewis who oversees Recruiting and Alumni relations asked him to speak to the team before the FLA game.

LSU interim coach Ed Orgeron’s campaign to get former players more involved in the program doesn’t stop at inviting them to practice and the traditional walk down Victory Hill.

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Orgeron has revitalized the program since taking over for the fired Les Miles on Sept. 25. Dozens of ex-players accompanied the team on its walk to Tiger Stadium last Saturday, some holding a banner that read “Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger.”

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Former LSU Safety Ryan Clark Speaks To Tigers ahead of FLA



He said Coach O is "one of Us, the LSU Family", and that he has reunited the LSU alumni Family, the fans, the school, and the community. O has opened practices and facilities to former players who think of LSU football as something they help build and maintain with work and donations.

He commended Miles for his service to the program and LSU family but explained that there has been a disconnect with former players. As an NFL analyst he was once asked what would be his dream job after football and he said to be the 1st Black HC at LSU. He then joked maybe that is why Miles doesn't talk to me. He explained that Miles does not make involving alumni players a top priority and that left a disconnect that does not help the program.

There was a lot more in the interview with the ESPN analyst including his criticism of FLA as dishonorable, cowardly, and classless. He also talked about the Coaching Search and the expectation that all of Louisiana has that Alleva will open the checkbook and get the very best Coach available, a proven leader, builder, and winner.

Some fans have overlooked the past 3 yrs and said "remember when" and settled for good when good is the enemy of great. 10-10 SECW, 15-11 SEC with Miles and Cam is inexcusable when you consider this is the best Roster he has had and that he has had a #2 SEC roster, #5 national Roster since 2012.