By Kent Lowe
Special to LSUsports.net
(1/18/00)
BATON ROUGE — Gee, the bandwagon seems to be listing a little bit after three straight losses. There are more people trying to jump off than tried to get in the life boats on the Titanic.
But there is no reason to get too excited over what happened. Sure LSU lost two road games last week and let’s just get the Florida game out of the way right now. It’s not worth discussing. Never in it. Never had a chance.
Those guys are too good with that atmosphere to be beaten too often in Gainesville.
That wasn’t the case in Nashville. Although I really thought this would be a win for the Tigers when we looked at the schedule before the season started, I did leave the game with a better feeling then I did after the Florida game. After the Florida game, I thought our offense had taken a slow boat into the middle of the Everglades.
But after watching the Vanderbilt game, I felt there was a bit of movement back in our offense and there was a plan of action again about LSU. There are a few things that need to be addressed as there is in just about any game, but the coaches know that and I think for the most part left Music City with a much better feeling. I left knowing too that Vandy is a much better team than anyone anticipated.
We’ve talked a lot about winning at home and trying to steal one or two on the road. Unfortunately, a good chance to get a road win and get back to even for the season has gone by the boards.
But now with five of the next seven games in the Maravich Assembly Center, with the two road games being contests that most might consider winnable, this will be an interesting stretch for the Tiger squad. If LSU could win three of the five home games and one of the road contests, the Tigers could be 5-5 in the league entering the final three weeks of the conference season and 17-5 overall.
The reason this part of the schedule is so important is that LSU is going to play four of the last six on the road.
Now winning three of the five home games will not be easy and the first task this evening is no cake walk either in the Georgia Bulldogs. Coming off a big weekend victory, the Dawgs and new coach Jim Harrick are beginning to find their stride here in the SEC. LSU’s offense has got to come out like it did at Vanderbilt and the defense has again got to make the statement that it wants to play from the very beginning.
The point being is that this is not a time for this team to hang its head after three losses. So much has been accomplished in the beginning of the turn around of this program, and there is still so much that can be achieved if this team will just stick together and play hard.
Speaking of sticking together, this is where the team really needs the fans to stick together and continue to support the team. I’m sure some people have already declared the season over and the team won’t win another game and talk show fodder like that.
I would be naive to expect that all 13,000 who showed up for the Tennessee game would be back. Once you lose, some people are tough to get to come back. But I know one thing. School is finally back in session and if you think the student section was wild the last time the Tigers were in town, I can’t wait to see what happens tonight.
So I guess the point is that so what about the Tigers three-game losing streak. Those games are over and done with. It’s time to move on, enjoy some good home cooking (food, not the referee’s calls) and see what happens.
All you ask your team is to give its all and try to do its best every time it steps on the floor. What happens after that you can accept. That happened in Nashville and that’s why there is a positive feeling heading into this homestand. It starts tonight and then continues in one week when Arkansas and highly-ranked Arizona visit the PMAC.
Get your tickets. And as always, enjoy the game!!!!