Lee and having heart

I don’t take joy in the failures of players, and I certainly wouldn’t boo or harass these kids who represent our university to the best of their ability for no pay. These guys sacrifice their bodies for our enjoyment, and most of them don’t have an NFL paycheck waiting for them. The payment they receive is the cheers of the crowd and the status of being an LSU football player. We should remember that before we open up our big fat mouths to talk bad about them.

Criticizing a player is certainly inbounds, but it shouldn’t cross the line into nastiness. Personal attacks, it should go without saying, should never happen. And taking a perverse delight in a player’s misfortune is just mean-spirited. So, on behalf of Jarrett Lee, who I think has composed himself with a great deal of class and dignity this season, I will say what I’m sure he would never say to those who have booed him, made fun of him, or threatened him: f*** you, you losers.

I’ll be honest. Jarrett Lee is becoming one of my favorite Tigers ever. Because it takes a lot of strength to listen to so many boos and so much negativity only to keep coming out there. I find it hard to relate to great players, but I can relate to Lee. He has failed, sometimes spectacularly so. I hate to lay the Alabama game on one player, but he did play a pretty miserable game. But he also had a great drive in the fourth quarter of that game. He never, ever gives up. He knows there is no one to back him up, he’s the only option. In the spring, he was our third string quarterback, and now he’s the only quarterback we have. He wasn’t ready, but he hasn’t whined or complained. The fans have turned on him pretty viciously, but he still plays his heart out for us. And he has delivered. Not always, but enough. He has this team at 7-3, which isn’t too bad for a third-stringer.

Lee, I’m cheering for you. I hope you turn into a great one.

Why do we fall? So we can learn to get back up. Keep getting back up.