---------------------- Forwarded by Matthew Lenhart/HOU/ECT on 07/31/2000 
02:15 PM ---------------------------


Chad Landry
07/31/2000 12:45 PM
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cc:  

Subject: Its getting closer.

If you get a chance read the article below; but if you need a quick summary 
b/c you don't have time to read the whole article here it is:  

   "The Southeastern Conference is unequivocally the paragon of the college 
football conferences-"

CKL







SEC TRADITIONS
                                           A weekly column by Chris Warner

                                           Perspectives on SEC Football and 
Thoughts on
                                           the Impending Football Season



                                           I would like to kickoff this 
column with a few choice quotes from the
                                           annals of a most colorful, and 
telling, SEC gridiron history:

                                           "Southern football fans are 
knowledgeable, fair and loud. They are proud
                                           of their football heritage, their 
schools, and their teams. And they share a
                                           deep pride that goes with being 
from the south" --George Mooney, the
                                           irreplaceable "Voice of the 
Volunteers" in the 1950s

                                           "The true football fan pays no 
attention to time or mileage when there is a
                                           big game to see." --John Heisman, 
head coach, Auburn University

                                           "In Baton Rouge, the focal point 
of everything is Tiger football." --Jim
                                           Corbett

                                           "In Baton Rouge, it's not a law to 
love LSU, but the city fathers could
                                           probably get one passed if they 
needed to." --Charles McClendon, head
                                           coach, LSU

                                           "After so many years at a school, 
you become a member of the football
                                           family." --Bob Fulton

                                           "I don't care where a man comes 
from or how he spells his name. All I
                                           ask is that he be loyal to 
Georgia, proud of that jersey, and try like the
                                           devil to win." --Wally Butts, head 
coach, Georgia

                                           "Deep inside, we're still the boys 
of autumn, that magic time of the year
                                           that once swept us on to America's 
fields." --Archie Manning

                                           "Tradition is a rich asset for any 
team. Tradition and success are traveling
                                           companions." --Wallace Wade, head 
coach, University of Alabama

                                           The above quotes were excerpted 
from Criswell Freeman's "The
                                           Wisdom of Southern Football" 
(1995).


                                           As football season creeps ever 
closer, the avid enthusiast finds it difficult
                                           to contain the unbridled 
excitement and anticipation that bubbles like
                                           summertime sweat within their 
pigskin-thirsty souls. Football season is
                                           that special time of year that not 
only means the beginning of another
                                           healthy slate of competitive 
gridiron contests filled with spectacular plays
                                           and high drama--it's also the 
definitive rallying point for the onslaught of
                                           all the expected pomp, pageantry, 
and circumstance that goes
                                           hand-in-hand with the college 
game. In no conference in the country is
                                           this statement more true than the 
tradition-rich Southeastern Conference.
                                           The ongoing rivalries, the 
colorful histories and traditions, the premier
                                           tailgating, the coquettish 
southern bells in their gameday garb, the reunion
                                           of lasting friendships, and the 
competitive fire and spirit that accompany
                                           the game, all make the entire SEC 
football experience a very real, and
                                           visceral one--even to the most 
casual observer. 

                                           The Southeastern Conference is 
unequivocally the paragon of the college
                                           football conferences, and the 2000 
season figures not to disappoint the
                                           thousands of rabid fans that flock 
to the stadiums each week throughout
                                           the southeast; as well as the 
millions more who tune in from home on the
                                           tube to follow their respective 
teams. Quite frankly, SEC football has
                                           never been bigger, or better. The 
southern cultural phenomenon only
                                           continues to grow with each 
passing season. The number of fans, and the
                                           competition that they long for 
each and every weekend of the football
                                           season, has never been bigger or 
better. In 1999, the SEC again set
                                           attendance records for its games, 
and with the many recent expansions to
                                           existing stadiums in the 
conference, those records should again fall at the
                                           end of this season. 

                                           Five Reasons Tiger Fans Can Be 
Excited About the 2000 Football
                                           Season

                                           1. Lou Tepper is no longer in 
Tiger Town.

                                           Heralded by professional defensive 
coaches as a "guru" and a "defensive
                                           genius" prior to his arrival at 
LSU, the former Illinois head coach led the
                                           LSU defense to its worst two-year 
performance in the history of the
                                           school (1893). If you are 
interested in immortalizing the Tepper legacy at
                                           LSU for your scrapbook, copies of 
his book "Complete Linebacking"
                                           can still be obtained (at a 
discounted price no less) at most local book
                                           outlets. In Tepper's absence, 
maybe the Tigers will return to the days of
                                           coach Charlie Mac and the standout 
defensive units that were his
                                           trademark while at the Ole War 
Skule. Speaking of Coach Mac, I caught
                                           up with him last week at his home 
and he sounded as spry as a spring
                                           chicken. He told me that he is 
doing great and that he enjoys cycling in
                                           the mornings to stay in shape. 
Coach told me that he hopes that the LSU
                                           players have fun this year, 
because, he said, "...having fun is what it's all
                                           about. If you can't have any fun, 
you're in big trouble."

                                           2. Contrary to popular belief, the 
Tigers are deep at quarterback.

                                           Preseason prognosticators have 
cited the injury to Rohan Davey as a
                                           core reason why the Tigers will 
have trouble at the quarterback position.
                                           They all opined early that both 
Booty and Nall had difficulties leading the
                                           offense and that the injury to 
Davey was a major setback to the Tiger
                                           offense. However, reports from 
summer camp indicate that Rohan is now
                                           within 95-100 percent of his 
normal range of motion on his knee, and in
                                           light of this it would appear that 
the Tigers are again three-deep at the
                                           quarterback position. The 
resurgence of Rohan is a tremendous boost to
                                           the team. Known for his leadership 
ability both on and off the field,
                                           Rohan possesses the true grit that 
wins ball games. I caught up with
                                           former LSU All-American and coach 
Gaynell Tinsley at his Highland
                                           Road home a few weeks ago, and he 
told me that he thought that
                                           Rohan's performance against 
Arkansas was the best he had ever seen by
                                           an LSU quarterback. True frosh 
Marcus Randall impressed in the LA
                                           High School All-Star game last 
week, but he is a likely redshirt with the
                                           logjam of experienced competition 
ahead of him.

                                           3. Nick Saban.

                                           Derided unfairly early by most SEC 
media outlets as being "incompatible"
                                           with Louisianians' unique culture 
and high football expectations, Saban is
                                           easily the best thing to happen to 
LSU football since Kevin Faulk. A
                                           consummate professional, Saban 
exudes confidence and paints a clear
                                           vision for the future of the 
program. His presence in Red Stick has made
                                           an immediate impact on the 
program, evidenced by the recent glowing
                                           comments at media days by seniors 
Louis William and Fred Booker.
                                           Saban was also unfairly chastised 
heavily by the media for his inability to
                                           bring any assistants with him to 
LSU from his previous staff at Michigan
                                           State. However, Coach Saban 
recently aptly stated at the SEC media
                                           days that only a couple of his 
previous staff members had ever been
                                           "south of the Mason-Dixon line." 
That notwithstanding, you cannot argue
                                           with the fact that Saban has 
compiled a great staff of southern coaches.
                                           Tiger fans should find further 
solace in the fact that coach Saban has
                                           never had a losing record as a 
football coach.

                                           4. Trev Faulk & Bradie James at 
Linebacker.

                                           All good defenses have a common 
trait--great linebacking play, and you'll
                                           be hard-pressed to find two better 
young horses than these two. Outside
                                           linebacker and pass rushing 
specialist Jeremy Lawrence is another super
                                           sophomore to keep your eyes on. 
These guys all have good wheels, and
                                           will put the leather on you when 
they get the chance. James' number 11
                                           Faulk's recent acquisition of 
Mealey's lucky 7 will undoubtedly prompt
                                           many fans and commentators to make 
countless puns and jokes related
                                           to LSU's 7-11 linebacking duo.

                                           5. Predictions Don't Mean Diddly

                                           The other day I was scouring 
through the many rolls of microfilm in the
                                           basement of Middleton Library at 
LSU, and I stumbled upon this most
                                           interesting fact: 

                                           In August, 1958, LSU was picked to 
finish 8th out of 10 SEC teams.
                                           Auburn, which had won the national 
championship the year prior with
                                           Shug Jordan, was picked to repeat 
as conference champs, followed by
                                           Ole Miss and Mississippi State. 

                                           Of course, in spite of the dismal 
preseason ranking by the SEC
                                           sportswriters, the Bengal Tigers 
went on to record their only unblemished
                                           season and national college 
football championship to date. This story
                                           should only serve to encourage 
fans that are despondent over the
                                           outcome of the past two seasons in 
Tigertown. Anything can happen in
                                           the SEC, and remember, the old 
adage says that "history repeats itself."

                                           Keep the faith Tigerfans!

                                           Until next time...