re: LSU Tiger life between 1958 - 2004

I can never forget that game. My dad was walking us out he got so nervous. LOL I used to fear "heart attack" he would get so worked up. He would physically hurt you (accident) if you were next to him for an exciting play! Grab and squeeze your wrist or arm! Its was worth it to see his joy. We were on a ramp walking out when things erupted and I thought we were really going to be trampled to death by everyone going wild all around us. What a great moment. Its was ear shattering for certain. You had no doubt it was an extreme level of noise. Its disappointing what the young fans have had to put up with the last 2 seasons. Us old coots are used to the ups and downs by now. Lets all pray and think positive the AD and his people make the right pick this time. Someone like a Sean Payton who can put down roots and a winning culture like Nick "Satan."

A LOT of people realized what a Sleeping Giant LSU was. The ENTIRE KEY was RECRUITING. In particular, recruiting the state of Louisiana.

All throughout the late 80's and 90's, the few of us who followed recruiting prior to the internet realized how deep and talented the state of Louisiana was. During the Archer and Hallman years, we'd watch every year as LSU might get one or two of the Top 10 players in Louisiana. Other schools would come in and steal all of Louisiana's top talent where these players would go and be vital cogs in their runs to championships. Michigan, Miami, Florida State, Florida, etc. all benefited from Louisiana players.

During those years, the only real way to follow recruiting was to buy a magazine or two (never timely) and to listen to certain recruiting shows on the radio. THAT WAS IT. And, year after year we'd have to hear about all the Louisiana stud being plucked by these other "national" programs.

Meanwhile, it seems like on signing day we'd have to hear on the radio how LSU beat out teams like Tulane, Ole Miss, USM, and NLU for second-rate Louisiana talent. It was disheartening.

I think Dinardo was the first coach we had to realize that we had to build a wall around Louisiana. He started off well but then hired Lou Tepper, became paranoid, and lost all control of the program.

The REASON why Saban came to LSU over other schools that were courting him is because he realized what Louisiana had in talent and what LSU could become with that talent.

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Then came Arnsparger who started rebuilding the program and left. Arnsparger made LSU into a modern program.

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Also, I love the argument, "Mac couldn't win the big games, but Arns was a great coach."

I liked Arns a lot, but he was 0-3 in bowls. Mac was 7-6 in bowl games, including wins over #4 Texas (1963 Cotton Bowl), Southwestern Conference Champs Arky in the 1966 Cotton Bowl and in the first ever Peach Bowl over FSU.

Mac also did well in the relatively high profile OOC games of the era, splitting the series against Notre Dame and regularly handling aTm, Wisconsin, GA Tech, Miami (FL) etc., when those games made it on the schedule.

Cholly Mac was an incredible coach..he consistently made a competitor out of an undersized less talented team.

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We did not really know what we were missing or sitting on all those years

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To be fair some teams had a huge recruiting advantage til the late 80's bc they were on TV a ton. I can remember when it was a big deal to have a nationally televised game. So I don't think we were missing out bc a lot of in state talent were going to ND, Miami, FSU, Michigan etc

Same here. I was I kid in the 80's. Even with the 87 year a national championship seemed so far away

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I remember thinking I would never see an LSU national championship in football.

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me and a friend were talking about that in 2003, when we were in school i thought we could get hot 1 year and win 6 NCAA Tourney games but would never win in FB because of the system and in fairness under the old MNC we would not have in 2003. Thank God for the BCS

Correct

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I remember thinking I would never see an LSU national championship in football. It just seemed unattainable to me. Then 2003 happened and I have been spoiled by that success ever since.

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Can’t say I was much different. It would so frustrating because men like Charles Alexander were warriors and could have been so much more with different coaching.

You damn right it is! We will see another. I’m just like you. Dad was at LSU when they won in 58. I dreamed of seeing them win one all those years. Was fortunate enough to procure tickets in 2003 and took my 13 ur old son. I was just petrified we would lose the game, however we prevailed! Dad died when I was young but I looked up at the stars that night and wept. Oh what a night!!!!