Bobby Petrino Doesn't Give a Fuck What You Think: LSU '11

[bakervscarrr]

As always, brought to you with minimal statistical or video analysis.  This is the third game this year that I missed live, so any insight I stumble upon was seen through the eyes of a CBS HD camara lens. Beverage of choice was, for the third straight week, Jack Daniels and Sprite.

I'll be honest. I haven't been emotionally drained like this since the 2006 LSU game. Apologies in advance. This may suck. Nevertheless, let's get to it.

Winning this game was a tall order before the tragedy that befell our program last Sunday.  Factoring that in, it was just impossible. I knew it. All week I knew it, but I talked myself into believing. I should have known better.  Whatever, that's my job as a fanatic.  I'll do it again the next time I know we're up against it, same as I did this time.  That might be a long time, though.

Through no fault of his own, Bobby Petrino led his team in a classic Nuttian effort today. Difference being is that there was really no other scenario that could have played out. Petrino has spent four years not only building our program, but developing our psyche. We are no longer a team dependent upon emotion to win. We win by being better prepared mentally and physically than our opponent, and capitalizing on that preparedness through our execution. The events of Sunday compounded by a short and unusual week completely undermined our greatest strength as a football team.

There is nothing Petrino could have done to keep us from coming out sky high. The letdown was inevitable, and it was brutal and devestating. You could see the game being a blowout as soon as Jerry Franklin slipped on the painted dirt of Tiger Stadium and gave Mathieu a seam. I can't fault Petrino or the players. The script was written for them in this one. And it just fucking sucks.

People are getting on Wilson for taking the sacks he took. Yes, I wanted him to get rid of the ball, too.  But it seemed to me that he was doing the right thing. He stepped up into pressure, as he should have. Unfortunately, he was stepping up into a collapsing pocket most of the time. The tackles of LSU just close entirely too fast. Wasn't Tyler's finest hour, but he competed.  He's a tough sonofabitch. I'm thankful for him.

It occurs to me that even with the emotional letdown, 21-0 makes scenarios completely different. Highsmith getting that 15 yard facemask was huge. A few years ago, that's a five yarder without an automatic first, and it's conceivable that a whole different ball game plays out. Just a thought I had.

Did we ever make LSU punt if they got the ball outside their own 10-yard line? 

Not once did Joe Adams get a chance to find the edge. Even if we think they're too fast, I feel like you have to at least attempt it once or twice. Might have opened up the middle for DJ if nothing else. I want to second guess Bobby on this issue. Not nearly enough touches for #3.

Remember the difference a year made for Juice Leon and Rudell Crim?  We need The same light switch effect for Robert Thomas. He underwhelmed as the year went on. Absolutely got blown up at times out there today.

How in the hell did Cobi get run down like that?  Same sideline that saw McFadden get chased down by Chad Jones in 2007. Darren got some help from Casey Dick and managed to score, but it seems  to happen along that boundary.

Even with the fumbles, Johnson was our only hope.

Surely Petrino wasn't mad over a field goal. I wonder what the underlying reason that we will undoubtedly never know was.

So, it's over. 10-2.  10 wins that seem very small in the face of two very demoralizing losses.  As crazy as this season played out, it somehow played out EXACTLY the way it should have on paper. We had a team that could pass and catch and run with the best of them, but blocking and tackling bring you the hardware.  We knew that coming into this season.  This wasn't going to be the year.  Not playing those two monsters at their respective lairs.  It's important to remember that and to not lose those 10 wins over the next days and weeks. This team delivered the success that 9 out of 10 fans called for, and overcame setback after setback in doing so.

We just kept plugging along and plugging along. Lose Knile.  Lose DJ. Lose Tank. Lose Jake. Get some back, lose some more. And aside from the two monsters who most of us thought we'd have a hard time beating when healthy and 100% focused, we just kept winning. That is ONE mark of an elite team.  That is something LSU can do. It's something Alabama can do. The difference in us and them is just the bodies. We don't have them yet.  I know Bobby Petrino knows that and is working to change it. All I can do is trust in him and enjoy the season that most of us optimistically hoped for back in August.

It's been fun this year. Orlando or Dallas, it's crucial that we get to 11.  Seeing that we don't have to play Alabama or LSU, I like our chances. In any other conference we'd be 12-0 and thumping our chests, waiting for our shot at one of them on January 9 in New Orleans, unaware of the coming beatdown. At least we got it out of the way during the regular season this way.

Saved me $700.





 

[Sliver72]

This loss didn't bother me as much as the Bama loss did this year. I don't know if I still have some remnants of the old regime's mindset still buried deep down within. Jeebus, I hope not. I thought I had rid myself of that a few years ago. But for some reason, I told my brother that I really didn't think we'd win that game. LSU is good this year. Hell, they're good every year. But you don't go undefeated in the SEC unless you are elite. I have faith that Petrino will get us there. Shit, he's gotten us farther, quicker than I thought possible. DJ fumble didn't help a fucking bit, either. Momentum killer to the Nth power.

I hate Leslie Miles' smug ass more than I do anything else about the corndogs.

That is all.

[hogggdadi]

I don't think petrino was pissed about the field goal, but attempting bombs when you are up 21 with five minutes to go with all of your starters in there.  If you recall, with five minutes left in the gump game, both teams had the 2nd teamers in.  Miles is exactly where he should be, down with the trailer trash in corndogs land. 

It was all about turnovers, just like BP said.  We didn't force a punt from the 2nd quarter on.  The only real stops were the pic in the 3rd & field goals. The team will rebound, & with all the red shirts we have, new recruits, things are looking up.  As stated in the game thread, a bowl win will prove improvement on last year, & hopefully the schedule doesn't change & we get both teams at home next year. 

On the finger pointing & MF calling; I like petrino doing that, he's sticking up for our team.  You lose a player you have to attend a funeral for, short week, games in hand, & he's trying to run up the score.  Frick the hatter, frick his grass eatin ass. 

[Razordoc]

I think that the long drive they had after we went up 14-0 was crucial.  We had three chances to turn them back over, including the first snap, which george jefferson fumbled.  Then, he made that stupid little toss when under pressure, and had Highsmith closing hard for a pick, but he was just too far away.  Go up 21-0, maybe it's a different story, I don't know.  Hatter is a douce canoe and can die of a colon perforation for all I care, no need to be throwing passes with your first team in that late in the game with the outcome decided.  Frick you, mother fricker, payback's a bitch, and it will come one day.

Congrats to our players, coaches, and Hog fanatics everywhere on a great season.  I've sure enjoyed the Starkville out of it.  On to the bowl, and kick some ass there.

[hogeyeblind]

Going 10-2 with this offensive line and no running game and all the injuries was impressive.

Shitting the bed on national TV in your 2 marquis games was not.

Hopefully Willy heads back to coach the defensive backfield of some NFL team to get those 2 years in the league that he needs for his pension. 

Recrootin.  Lineman on both sides, LB and secondary.  I believe Hogs finish strong in February.

Dallas would be nice, I'll be there.

[Tampa TechnoHOG]

Petrino has spent four years not only building our program, but developing our psyche.

This is one thing I've come to realize especially after this game.  The question at the half from the reporter about our team's mindset being emotional and fragile was batted back by Bobby saying that we're not.  This is one of many examples of where when asked a question that seems to place us in the inferiority complex light, Bobby says no dice.  We're not going down that road.  Since he took over, he's tried to get our mindset to realize we must execute and eliminate our mistakes and we win.  Yes, we need the talent in the trenches which is the hardest group of elite positions to acquire, but I know Bobby will eventually get that area addressed.  When you don't get the 5 star recruits, it takes a few years of redshirting to build that area up.

Seeing on video him speak at the candle light vigil and then seeing him at the game with the pointing and the MFing was such an interesting dichotomy.  I absolutely LOVED it.  For me, this demonstrates Bobby's passion.  I know he will not only take care of the players, but has a fire in him that speaks volumes of his competitiveness.  He will not accept that we will be a perennial 3rd place team in the toughest subdivision in America.

Our next step is the all important bowl game.  We will be playing a good team regardless of what bowl we play in.  Win that and next year will be set up nicely!  It's a good time to be a Razorback fan.   

[Rob]

BP was not pissed about the FG.  He was pissed at the celebration after Jefferson's TD.  CBS should have looked a little harder before they showed that.  But hell.  What ever.  LSU is suppose to be better and we will be much better.  I hope we play those cocksuckers in Fayetteville next year and 76K strong yell FUCK YOU MOTHER FUCKER as we take a knee with 1:00 left.

[Satriale]

I expect the sting of this loss will be mostly gone by the time we play the bowl game.  I was thinking that 9 or 10 wins would be a reasonable yardstick of success with the youth of the offensive line, and that was before KD went down.  On paper, we didn't have the horses to beat these two teams.  Saban and Miles kept up the pressure where 1st team matchups and overall position depth were clearly in their favors.  Any realistic scenarios to win yesterday involved defense and special teams scoring early and often to get in Jefferson's head & force more mistakes.  They broke us physically before we could break their spirits.

Didn't most of us think that this year would be a small dip in team potential between better years before and after?  I like our chances of getting #11 in the bowl game & I'd be interested to know if there is another D1 coach in America that has improved his win total for these four years.  If we can finish strong with recruiting and pick up a few "impact" players that most fit our needs, we're in fine shape for next year.

Still, I wouldn't mind it if Scott's Turf Builder sent Les Miles went into anaphylactic shock.

[Tampa TechnoHOG]

Still, I wouldn't mind it if Scott's Turf Builder sent Les Miles went into anaphylactic shock.

Priceless

[marine4ark]

Willy was the one Petrino should have directed his wrath toward. 

[cotte]

Weird feeling today. Im not excited about Gameday. Its on, but my hunger is gone.

I better make a few bets and wipe the dirt off my shirt.

[hogeyeblind]

Weird feeling today. Im not excited about Gameday. Its on, but my hunger is gone.

I better make a few bets and wipe the dirt off my shirt.

yep.  told my neighbor last nite im done with football for a month or so

[The Cowboy Tiger]

I'm heartened by the fact that BMFP is the sorest loser on planet earth.  He doesn't give a fuck.

[big_pig]

Both losses were due to the lines and the running game.  But for different reasons.

The Bama game was lost because our D-line was depleted with injurues, our O-line was young and unsettled.  Because of that we didn't have a chance to run, and being down to basically one RB didn't help.

The LSU game was over when LSU's bigger, faster, and stronger lines decided to wake up. They took over against our lines and won the game. Our inability to run or protect the QB isn't because we didn't have Knile, it was because we didn't have experience/depth on the O-line.  Our D-line was simply outmanned, and once the opening game high wore off, they were popping off 4 yards per run. This game was over when they made the game 14-7.


That's not to go all Debbie downer on the year.  Most expected us to struggle mightly due to inexperience on the line and the loss of Knile.  Instead we ended up a game away from the dance. But when it counted, those two weaknesses are what bit us.

Winning the bowl game is priority number 1.  We have over a month to get over this. We need to win 11.

Replacing Willy us next.  He's running a defense that would be pretty stout if we had the horses and depth of an Alabama. If Petrino is running the D, he needs to let go and turn it over to a true coordinator.

[Mike Slive]

BMFP definitely doesn't give a fuck what ESPN has to say about his antics.  They have an employee who used to throw chairs on the court, slap kids, ect…

[The Cowboy Tiger]

BMFP definitely doesn't give a fuck what ESPN has to say about his antics.  They have an employee who used to throw chairs on the court, slap kids, ect…

and held up someone who covered for a child rapist as some sort of paragon of virtue.

[Cerdo]

Weird feeling today. Im not excited about Gameday. Its on, but my hunger is gone.

I better make a few bets and wipe the dirt off my shirt.

I felt like this.  I started thinking about things though, kind of meditated on stuff in a reflective way.

We need to really root for Auburn today, for a couple of reasons.  First, AU winning would knock those whiny fricktards out of the NC game which would make them suicidal, keep the heat on $aban and maybe be another brick in the wall to eventually drive him off, save all of America from a dumb rematch and maybe, MAYBE, still put us in to the Sugar Bowl.   It's a small chance, but it's something.

If we do end up doing the Cotton or Citrus Bowl, we need to win and win large because preseason rankings next year are on the line. 

[Death By Sooiecide]

If we do end up doing the Cotton or Citrus Bowl, we need to win and win large because preseason rankings next year are on the line.

Damn right.

[labhawg]

Both losses were due to the lines and the running game.  But for different reasons.

The Bama game was lost because our D-line was depleted with injurues, our O-line was young and unsettled.  Because of that we didn't have a chance to run, and being down to basically one RB didn't help.

The LSU game was over when LSU's bigger, faster, and stronger lines decided to wake up. They took over against our lines and won the game. Our inability to run or protect the QB isn't because we didn't have Knile, it was because we didn't have experience/depth on the O-line.  Our D-line was simply outmanned, and once the opening game high wore off, they were popping off 4 yards per run. This game was over when they made the game 14-7.


That's not to go all Debbie downer on the year.  Most expected us to struggle mightly due to inexperience on the line and the loss of Knile.  Instead we ended up a game away from the dance. But when it counted, those two weaknesses are what bit us.

Winning the bowl game is priority number 1.  We have over a month to get over this. We need to win 11.

Replacing Willy us next.  He's running a defense that would be pretty stout if we had the horses and depth of an Alabama. If Petrino is running the D, he needs to let go and turn it over to a true coordinator.

 Also, in Mallett's first year, he was alot like TW just needing more experience under the belt. I realistically thought 2 losses would be what we would end up with due to the fact of a new starter at qb. I wish we wouldn't get blown out anymore. I'm not looking for moral victories but blowouts cast a "second tier " pall on our program. It makes it that much harder to convince recruits and BCS pollsters that we are an elite program. I'm very proud of this season but I hate the blowouts.

[big_pig]

Yesterday was a disappointment, and you've all had time to vent. You were given ample time to dog Petrino, Willy Robinson, our team as a whole, and other Hog fans. Many of you took full advantage of that opportunity. 

Having said that, if when you awoke this morning your mindset was to log on for round two of your negativity, let me be clear.....

that ain't happening.

Two have already been given a one week involuntary vacation. More can easily join them. I am seriously proud of the efforts our coaches and players have given this year, and I'm in no mood to tolerate nonsense from those who aren't.

 

[bakervscarrr]

I felt like this.  I started thinking about things though, kind of meditated on stuff in a reflective way.

We need to really root for Auburn today, for a couple of reasons.  First, AU winning would knock those whiny fricktards out of the NC game which would make them suicidal, keep the heat on $aban and maybe be another brick in the wall to eventually drive him off, save all of America from a dumb rematch and maybe, MAYBE, still put us in to the Sugar Bowl.   It's a small chance, but it's something.

If we do end up doing the Cotton or Citrus Bowl, we need to win and win large because preseason rankings next year are on the line.

Sorry. Can't do it.

First of all I haven't forgotten 2010. Auburn Family All In can't get their shit pushed in enough this year.

Second, I want Bama in the title game so they can beat the everlasting hell out of LSU in their own back yard.

Third, no way in hell Virginia Tech, Stanford, or Oklahoma State deserve to play for it all any more than we do. And we don't.

[SoldierSooie]

I'm heartened by the fact that BMFP is the sorest loser on planet earth.  He doesn't give a fuck.

This made me lulz.  But i absolutely agree with this.

[Fairweather Hog Fan]

If we do end up doing the Cotton or Citrus Bowl, we need to win and win large because preseason rankings next year are on the line.

This!  I'm tired of getting beat in bowl games, for once it would be nice to roll a Big10 team or someother ESPN darling.

[Cerdo]

Sorry. Can't do it.

First of all I haven't forgotten 2010. Auburn Family All In can't get their aMm pushed in enough this year.

Second, I want Bama in the title game so they can beat the everlasting Starkville out of LSU in their own back yard.

Third, no way in Starkville Virginia Tech, Stanford, or Oklahoma State deserve to play for it all any more than we do. And we don't.

Rematches suck.
Bammer had their shot, at home, and pissed it away.
I'd rather see Houston play LSU than OR or bammer in a rematch.

Fuck Bama.  Fuck them straight in the ass.  Fuck Auburn too and we all know they're a bunch of brazen cheaters but last year was last year - this year Auburn beating those rednecked frickers would help US.  I only care about US.  Always.  I am myopic that way.   

[TheOtherWhiteMeat]

Willy was the one Petrino should have directed his wrath toward.

This.