Bayou Beat Down

WELCOME to the first edition of The Samson Report. My intentions are to update this blog every Monday and Friday. The moday report, as you might expect, will be a recap of the game and my personal opinions on the Tiger's performance. The friday report will be a preview of the upcoming game and other weekend events. This first update was thrown together in a hurry, so please don't expect much. Future updates will be much more in-depth and comprehensive. And now, without further ado...



LSU vs. Virginia Tech
September 8, 2007
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
LSU-48 VT-7

Game Recap:
Shocking!! That’s all I can say. I thought we’d win, but Saturday night’s clobbering of #9 Virginia Tech could not have been predicted by anyone. In front of a national primetime audience, LSU made a statement. Actually, it was more like a declaration. It went something like this:


We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Tigers are created better, that they are endowed by their coaches with certain unalienable abilities, that among these are touchdowns, field goals, and the pursuit of the quarterback.

Well, you know the rest. On this night, LSU showed why they are considered by some to be the best team in the land; Stifling defense, innovative offense, and clever special teams. LSU was able to do anything they wanted to a very good defensive team. The margin of victory was LSU largest against a top 10 team, and it was Frank Beamers worst loss as well. At least 5 tigers had career nights on offense, including Jacob Hester, Matt Flynn, and Keiland Williams. In my opinion, the most impressive aspect of LSU's nearly flawless performance was the play on 3rd downs. Gary Crowton always had a go-to play when he needed one the most. And even when VT forced a punt, Patrick Fisher once again delivered.

If I must be critical, I think the Tigers could have done better with the penalties. They need to show a little more discipline after the whistle blows. But in their defense, the personal fouls could have gone either way. There were no blatant infractions. More disturbing was the kickoff coverage. Virginia Tech actually had more return yards than total offense.

Game Ball:
Wow, this is tough. This week, the game ball goes to Gary Crowton. I know this is usually reserved for players, but the performance of the offensive coordinator was beyond words. For once, I am speachless. Jimbo who??

Other Games of Interest:
West Virginia -48 Marshall-23
Oklahoma-51 Miami-13
South Carolina-16 Georgia-12
Penn St.-31 Notre Dame-10

South Florida-26 Auburn-23
Washington-24 Boise St.-10
Oregon-39 Michigan-7

Am I Wrong?
How is LSU not ranked #1 in the polls this week after that performance. Wait a minute... On second thought, don't answer that. We all know how the system works. And we all know the silly little rules that have been spewed out so many times that they are practically law. #1 USC can't be jumped because they had an off week. What?? Why?? Has anyone asked the question why?? USC beat Idaho; and not that impressively I might add. Did I mention they played IDAHO? LSU and Oklahoma have shown more through week two than any other teams in the country. Both teams have looked incredible. The rankings should be an indication of performance. Instead, they are used by media members to validate their own predictions.

My Top 5:
1. LSU
2. Oklahoma
3. USC
4. West Virginia
5. Florida

Just My Opinion:
Ok. You heard it here first. LSU will meet Oklahoma in the National Championship Game in New Orleans. Sound familiar?

Whack Stats:
-LSU held Virginia Tech to 40 offensive yards in the first half. That's Whack!
-LSU had 17 points before VT had a first down. That's Whack!

Most Ridiculous Item:
Responding to Kirk Herbstreit's assertion that LSU has the best defense in the country, Brent Musberger had this to say... "I'm not willing to say that they (LSU) are better than USC's defense. But they're pretty good."

Mr. Musberger, please educate yourself before you say something that ridiculous. USC gave up 14 points to IDAHO! It is clear that you are on the Pac-10 payroll.

Shame on You:
-Shame on you Auburn for losing to South Florida. For the second week in a row, you have embarrassed the SEC. Did you forget to pay the ref's this week?
-Shame on you, Michigan and Notre Dame. You guys are terrible. The entire country is laughing at you.

Did you notice?
Did you notice the look on Glennon's face after he was taken out of the game and replaced by the freshman QB? He looked just like Henig last week. At least Glennon didn't cry on the bench like a little girl.

Extra Point:
LSU set an attendance record on Saturday night with 92,739 fans witnessing the beat down in Death Valley. I am proud to say that I contributed to the record setting night.

Off the Field:
The tailgating experience was one for the ages. 8am till 1am. That's a lot of tailgaiting, and a lot of beer. Thankfully, reinforcements arrived just in time. I actually got a standing ovation from other tailgating groups that were impressed with my ability to carry that much beer. The rain held out. The satellite dish was a big hit, especially to those without tickets. Good food. Good people. Good game. That's what it's all about. Oh yeah, and riding a buzz for 17 hours!


The Rumor Mill:
It was only a matter of time, but Les Miles' name has surfaced as a possible replacement for Michigan's Lloyd Carr. Carr is sure to be sacked after this season, and Miles will be #1 on Michigan's wish list. Now we have to listen to this crap for the rest of the season.