Monday, October 22, 2007

Heart Attacks in Baton Rouge

I think I’ve figured it out Les Miles’ habit of taking crazy chances.

I don’t have any proof. After all, this is a blog… and from what I’ve seen, bloggers don’t need proof!  But, I think that LSU coach Les Miles MUST be getting kick-backs from some association of Louisiana cardiac surgeons.  After all, he must be a gold mine for those who re-start stopped hearts for a living.  What other way to explain some of the crazy things this man pulls?  He’s already responsible for two insane fake field goals (both of which worked), five fourth down conversions in a win over Florida, and then Saturday’s last second (literally, last second) touchdown pass to beat Auburn.  He’s probably trimmed five years off the lives of LSU Tiger fans in the last three or four weeks alone!

On Saturday, time was running down, and Auburn was content to put the game on the shoulders of LSU kicker Colt David (14-of-19 in field goals this season).  So, Auburn didn’t call their timeouts to preserve enough time to respond to any LSU score, depending on their defense to win the game.  The Bayou Bengals, likewise, seemed content to run down the clock and take their last shot.  But, when Matt Flynn dropped back to throw the ball with the clock at the :08 or :07 mark, I just about hit the floor.  Calling this gutsy just doesn’t cut it… it’s insane.  The throw was perfect… Jerraud Powers had no shot to bat the ball away or make an interception.  It would either be caught or fall incomplete.  And, of course, it was caught… Touchdown, LSU, with :01 left on the clock.  The ball was actually hauled in sometime around the :03 mark, and IF the ball fell incomplete, it’s reasonable to think that the clock operator would have gotten things stopped before time expired.  But, what if it had been bobbled? Tipped up in the air?  Released a half-second too late due to quarterback pressure?  LSU loses on a bone-head decision when a 40-yard field goal would have given them a win and preserved their National Title hopes.  Wow.  In an interview with ESPN immediately following the game, Coach Miles seemed to think the question of whether or not throwing the touchdown was a risky decision was silly… he pointed out that he had a timeout, and had plenty of time to call it.  I really want to know what he thinks now after watching the tape, and seeing just how close his team had teetered to the edge.

Of course, everything worked out, and it was Auburn’s fan base left with broken hearts and not LSU’s.  But, eventually that sort of seat-of-your-pants risk taking comes back to bite you.  Until then, Les Miles will be seen as a genius on the Bayou… and heart attack doctors will be on call everytime LSU plays a game.