re: The Myth debunked!!

Face mask or no face mask, this was perhaps the greatest game ever in Tiger stadium. USC came in with a host of All Pro players. LSU was a slightly above average team with few players even drafted. And yet the Pro bowlers had to have a last minute desperation drive to win. This was a great moment in LSU football history.

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Yeah, I was there. It was the first year that I owned season tickets. Add Charles White to the list classless punks as he saluted LSU fans with the bird finger as he jogged off the field.

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ALthough that was immature at best, I can't imagine that any of the fams said anything classless to him before that. With that being said, he should not have stooped to their level.

Frequently asked questions

Light-hearted Frequently asked questions and Frequent comments with responses. Since similar comments and questions arise, I will just link folks here.

Question or Comment: He only grazed or brushed the mask. Benji T. admitted to grazing the mask years ago.

Response: The video shows Paul MacDonald moving in one direction. When Benji's hand is on the mask, his head suddenly and awkwardly moves in the opposite direction-the direction Benji's hand was pulling. Although Benji did report that he grazed the mask, simple grazing does not cause that head movement. In the heat of the battle, Benji likely believed his hand only grazed the mask. The likely scenario is that his finger(s) got caught in the mask when swiping his hand to make a tackle.

Question or Comment: Is this the play in question?

Response: Despite early allegations that it is not, this is, indeed, the play in question. It was 3rd and 9 with two minutes and change to go in the game.

Question or Comment: What about the illegal motion that was uncalled on USC?

Response: Yes, two SC players (RG and RT) moved slightly but noticeably just prior to the snap. I have never disputed that. The refs missed that. For some reason, this has not gotten nearly as much air play with LSU fans over the year.


Question or Comment: What about the people who claim that they saw the replay almost 30 years ago and saw no face-mask?

Response: They are either blind and the P & G glasses do not even help or have poor memory

Question or Comment: This was a non-issue until LSUTangerine brought it up.

Response: That is incorrect. The "phantom face-mask" has been discussed for almost 30 years. It was most recently re-hashed in the thread It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium thread. Each time the 1979 game comes up, many LSU fans claim the facemask did not occur.

Question or Comment: Shouldn't have the illegal motion negated the facemask?

Response: If it had been called, yes.

Question or Comment: Wasn't there a pass to a USC lineman on the play?

Response: It appears the QB flipped the ball toward a USC lineman. However, since it was a lateral, t is not considered a pass.

Question or Comment: Why post the video?

Response: This phantom facemask discussion, which has been mostlu one-sided has been around for almost 30 years. Also, people have asked that it be posted.

Question or comment: Now that it is shown to be a myth, do you think people will stop rehashing the "phantom" facemask call?

Response: Not really.

Question or Comment: Doesn't all of this change the outcome of the game?

Response: No, the final score remains the same.