Saturday, November 28, 2015

Les Miles to stay at LSU as head football coach

Breaking news: just minutes after the LSU Tigers defeated the Texas A & M Aggies, LSU AD Joe Alleva announced that Les Miles is and will continue to be the head coach at LSU.  This ends rather quickly, the week-long speculation that Les Miles is out.  If indeed Les Miles was to continue as head coach why did that decision have to wait until tonight and why did a victory over Texas A & M make a difference.

I don't think winning tonight made a difference.  In part, I'm betting that the signals coming from Florida State about their head guy Jimbo Fisher were absolutely not positive for LSU.  Couple that with an ever growing groundswell from sports analysts, broadcasters and entire sports networks that this would be like major stupid public opinion began to swing wildly.

Les Miles looked like a conquering hero tonight.  LSU fans and students, among some of his greatest critics all of a sudden were in love with Les.  He was carried off the field like a war hero with almost everyone chanting his name.  His players, 100% to a man came to his defense.  Even the Governor of Louisiana got involved and stated publicly that Les Miles should not be fired.

Do tonight we learn Les is back.  On balance I'm very happy because I did not see the feasibility of this move right now.  Why?  Let me count the ways:

1. Too darn expensive.  $ 15 million is $ 15 million even if wealthy boosters and members of the TAF were willing to bail out LSU football. 
2.  Just a month ago Les Miles was coach of the #2 team in America and ran head long into the Alabama juggernaut; the resulting 3 loss streak placed Les Miles from hero to zero. 
3.  Les Miles is the all time winning coach at LSU and was just in a national championship game 4 years back.
4.  Les Miles is a great recruiter and according to ESPN already holds the # recruitment class for 2016, provided all this foolishness does not spook these guys.
5.  There is no classier act and no better ambassador for LSU than Les Miles!

All that being said, much needs to be fixed:

1. LSU needs a fix at the QB position like tonight!
2.  Reevaluate the hire of Kevin Steele as the defensive coordinator.
3.  Reevaluate if the current offensive coordinator is the right guy.
4.  Do not let Leonard Fournette get disinterested or disgusted with all this crap.
5.  Roll the dice more and become the mad hatter over and over again.
6.  When you play the pushovers, push them over; no mercy!
7.  Beat Bama next year at home!
8.  Speak to us straight and often; tell us as fans what is and is not working and that you have a handle on it.

So Les Miles stays!  For now I am pleased.  And yes, this does not mean he can go 4-8 and not get me fired up or begin the craziness all over again.

Geaux Les; Geaux LSU; forever LSU!

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