Tinker Town: "The head football coach who runs the football program at LSU. Is talking about the upcoming Chick - Fil - A LSU vs Clemson Peach Bowl game in Atlanta Georgia.
What is that old saying that our parents kept telling us. "It's not what they say that matters so much, but rather, what they do." That is what truly tells us what we want to know about who they are. Can people do things that they really don't want to do. Yes, but not very often. What they keep doing is who they are. What is that other old saying. "Money talks, bull talk walks.
I wish that I felt good about Les Miles coaching the LSU football program over the past eight years. But I really can't be dishonest with the truth about the way that I feel about that. If I felt differently, I would be the first big Les Miles supporter. But I don't. Les Miles seems second best to me, until I see different.
I have a feeling that the LSU football players don't share my feeling about Les Miles coaching ability. And that the LSU football players don't give a flying blank how I feel about him. I think that they feel more like this song, that seems to be related to this subject matter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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http://www.tigerrag.com/?p=
Les Miles set for final lunchtime presser of 2012
© 2012 Tiger Rag
Miles, Alleva, Chick-fil-A Bowl president to talk Dec. 31 bowl at noon
By CODY WORSHAMTiger Rag Editor
Les Miles’ final lunchtime press conference of 2012 is imminent, and everyone’s wondering the same thing: will Chick-fil-A be catering?
While the menu remains a mystery, what’s clear is that Miles will join LSU AD Joe Alleva and Chick-fil-A bowl president Gary Stokan will all be in attendance to discuss the Tigers’ Dec. 31 contest against Clemson in the Georgia Dome.
Things will get started a little sooner than usual, with the proceedings kicking off right at noon. All three will be available for media questioning, fielding questions on a variety of bowl-related topics.
Tiger Rag Associate Editor Richard Fischer will be handling our Twitter page, which you can find here. I’ll handle the live-blogging duties on this website, which will be slower — but more unified — than Richard’s tweets, so follow along on the platform of your choice.
Stay tuned for the latest from the press conference.
11:45 a.m. update
In case you were wondering, yes, Chick-fil-A is catering. And yes, it is delicious.
12:15 update
Gary Stokan, CEO and president of the bowl, opened the discussions. He mentioned that the payout will be $7.1 million, which is irrelevant to LSU in so much as the SEC divides all bowl profits amongst its member schools.
Stokan dropped a few more pro-CFA Bowl facts: 15 straight sell-outs, 5 All-Americans participating in this year’s game, etc, and touched on the benefit LSU will have in reaching Georgia-based propsects.
“The LSU brand in Georgia will be important for recruiting,” Stokan said.
Stokan also mentioned that the SEC and ACC have split their 20 CFA Bowl meetings 10-10.
Stokan also mentioned a “Battle for Bowl Week” competition, in which players from Clemson and LSU will compete in events like milkshake making, basketball shooting, and other non-football activities. In addition to those fun sorts of events, Stokan said the players also take tours of Civil Rights Era sites in Atlanta.
12:20 update
After talking up the bowl, Stokan began speaking about LSU, mentioning that the 2005 matchup against Miami drew a 5.1 rating, best in bowl history and in the top-10 of all ESPN football broadcasts.
“We feel like we have a BCS bowl without the three letters,” Stokan said.
Stokan moved on to other particulars on LSU, praising their defense and Coach Miles, who just finished his third straight season with 10 wins.
“That doesn’t happen all the time,” Stokan said.
Stokan also noted that LSU QB Zach Mettenberger and LB Kevin Minter are Georgia natives.
12:25 update
Chick-fil-A president Steve Robinson took his turn next, turning to the charitable side of the bowl. He called it the most charitable bowl game in college football, and 2012 will mark the sixth straight year the bowl has donated $1 million in scholarship money.
He also noted LSU “could have all the Chick-fil-A you could eat.”
Stokan then turned to Joe Alleva and extended a second official invitation to the bowl game.
Alleva accepted and turned the compliments back toward Chick-fil-A before giving Miles the mic.
“We’re very excited to participate fully in the Chick-fil-A bowl,” Miles said. “We love the Dome. Atlanta is a city our players come from and like visiting.”
Miles mentioned Minter and Mettenberger by name, as well, saying that his team is “anxious for a quality game.”
“Our matchup may be one of the more exciting games in college football during the bowl season and very likely better than some of the BCS games,” Miles said.
12:30 update
Miles then sold fans on going to the bowl, saying that he would bring his wife to Atlanta, “find a place he could twirl his sweetheart,” and enjoy the game.
“Might get a kiss, too,” he joked.
With the floor open for questions, Miles said his team wants to use this game as a platform to another top-five ranking.
“The goal is not so much the finished number but how we play,” he said. “Playing and matching up against a quality opponent” is the real challenge.
Miles said Josh Williford, Tahj Jones, Evan Washington, and D.J. Welter will all be eligible and healthy for the game.
Next, Miles spoke to the seniors and underclassmen who could be in their final game, calling it their “last opportunity to play best.”
On to Clemson, Miles said he thought they played well against Florida State and that he is aware of their playmakers.
“You can see it in virtually every game,” he said.
Miles added that despite the additions through health and eligibility, he won’t tweak the lineup a whole lot.
“I don’t think we’ll change the starting lineup at this point,” he said.
Asked about Kevin Minter’s season, Miles praised the play of his All-American linebacker.
“He continues to improve,” he said. “He’s always been very physical. He’s now taking all the right angles, recognizing coverages.”
Miles moved on to Tajh Boyd, complimenting his talent.
“He has the ability to move his feet and extend plays,” Miles said. “He was named All-American for a reason.”
Read more...http://www.tigerrag.
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Tinker Town: "You can say that again."
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http://theadvocate.com/sports/
LSU Tigers expect reinforcements for bowl
By LES EAST
Advocate sportswriter
December 13, 2012
Advocate sportswriter
December 13, 2012
LSU expects to have reinforcements for its game against Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Tigers coach Les Miles said Wednesday that he expects guard Josh Williford, linebackers Tahj Jones and D.J. Welter and offensive lineman Evan Washington back for the New Year’s Eve game in the Georgia Dome.
Williford hasn’t played since suffering a concussion in a 14-6 loss at Florida on Oct. 6 and was replaced in the starting lineup by redshirt freshman Trai Turner. The other three players were declared ineligible, apparently for academic deficiencies, shortly before the season opener. Jones was a projected starter at strongside linebacker, and Welter and Washington were backups.
“I don’t think that we’ll change the starting lineup at this point,” Miles said. “Practice at bowl week will determine how that all goes and what we’ll expect. Certain guys come back with a lot of experience, and we don’t want to disregard that.
“There’s a point where you don’t want to put in someone who’s rusty when everyone else is tuned up. It’s a good measuring stick for a bowl practice. We’ll have to see who the best is.”
Miles was joined at the news conference by LSU athletic director Joe Alleva, Chick-fil-A Bowl CEO Gary Stokan and Chick-fil-A Senior VP Steve Robinson.
This game will mark the end of the college careers for the Tigers seniors and possibly some juniors. Several underclassmen likely will be tempted to turn pro after this game.
“A team that has a close bond and some real feelings for one another have that need to play well for a teammate, and I think this football team has it,” Miles said. “There’s a quality group of seniors and certainly some underclassmen that will certainly consider the NFL draft. This may well be a, for this team, a last opportunity to play best. I think they’re looking forward to it.” Read more...http://theadvocate.com/
Tigers coach Les Miles said Wednesday that he expects guard Josh Williford, linebackers Tahj Jones and D.J. Welter and offensive lineman Evan Washington back for the New Year’s Eve game in the Georgia Dome.
Williford hasn’t played since suffering a concussion in a 14-6 loss at Florida on Oct. 6 and was replaced in the starting lineup by redshirt freshman Trai Turner. The other three players were declared ineligible, apparently for academic deficiencies, shortly before the season opener. Jones was a projected starter at strongside linebacker, and Welter and Washington were backups.
“I don’t think that we’ll change the starting lineup at this point,” Miles said. “Practice at bowl week will determine how that all goes and what we’ll expect. Certain guys come back with a lot of experience, and we don’t want to disregard that.
“There’s a point where you don’t want to put in someone who’s rusty when everyone else is tuned up. It’s a good measuring stick for a bowl practice. We’ll have to see who the best is.”
Miles was joined at the news conference by LSU athletic director Joe Alleva, Chick-fil-A Bowl CEO Gary Stokan and Chick-fil-A Senior VP Steve Robinson.
This game will mark the end of the college careers for the Tigers seniors and possibly some juniors. Several underclassmen likely will be tempted to turn pro after this game.
“A team that has a close bond and some real feelings for one another have that need to play well for a teammate, and I think this football team has it,” Miles said. “There’s a quality group of seniors and certainly some underclassmen that will certainly consider the NFL draft. This may well be a, for this team, a last opportunity to play best. I think they’re looking forward to it.” Read more...http://theadvocate.com/
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/
Yahoo! sports
Miles: LSU has reinforcements coming for bowl
By Mark Clements (Associated Press)BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- LSU coach Les Miles sounds like he's ready to enjoy a trip to Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Bowl and not at all nervous about how his No. 9 Tigers will match up with No. 14 Clemson on Dec. 31.
After joking, perhaps only partially, about how he would enjoy bringing his wife to the game, dancing out on the town and ending the night with a New Year's kiss, Miles on Wednesday talked about what he sees as a promising outlook for his team, which is expecting the return of four players.
Offensive lineman Josh Williford, who has been sidelined since an Oct. 6 concussion at Florida, is slated to return along with fellow offensive lineman Evan Washington, as well as linebackers Tahj Jones and D.J. Welter.
Washington, Jones and Welter have all overcome issues with academic eligibility from earlier in the season. But even with the increased reinforcements, Miles didn't anticipate any changes to the starting lineups.
''Practice and bowl week will kind of determine how all that goes and what we might expect with certain guys coming back with a lot of experience,'' Miles said. ''There's a point where you want to put a rusty guy in a game when everybody else is tuned up. It's a good measuring stick, if you will, for bowl practice. We'll have to see who the best is.''
The bowl game also marks the final outing for 16 seniors and a possibly a number of juniors who could declare for the NFL draft, which Miles says is an increased motivator for a team searching for another 11-win season and a top-five finish in the final rankings.
''I think our football team wants to be seen as one of the best teams in college football,'' Miles said. ''The goal there is not so much the finish number, but how we play and what we can accomplish on the field. A team that has a close bond and some real feelings for one another have that need to play well for your teammates. I think this football team has that.''
It'll also be a homecoming of sorts for six Tigers who hail from Georgia, including All-American linebacker Kevin Minter and quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Minter will be one of five total All-Americans to take the field in the Georgia Dome, including Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd.
Boyd has racked up 3,550 passing yards and 34 touchdown strikes this season to go along with 492 yards rushing and nine more scores on the ground, catching the attention of Miles and the coaching staff.
''He's a very talented quarterback with a real strong arm,'' Miles said of Boyd. ''He has the ability to move his feet and run and extend plays. He was named All-American for a reason and it certainly is evident when you watch his film.''Read more...http://sports.yahoo.
Related Content
FILE
- In this Nov. 10, 2012, file photo, LSU head coach Les Miles leads his
team out onto the field before their NCAA college football game against
Mississippi …
http://www.usatoday.com/story/
LSU's Les Miles hungry for Chick-fil-A opponent
Glenn Guilbeau, USA TODAY SportsShare
Story Highlights
- The No. 8 Tigers have not played a team among those currently ranked since it lost 21-17 to then-No. 1 and now No. 2 Alabama on Nov. 3
- No. 14 Clemson is 10-2 entering the Dec. 31 Chick-fil-A Bowl in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta against LSU
- Chick-fil-A Bowl chief executive officer Gary Stokan sees LSU as one of the best teams in the nation
"Our football team really is anxious for a quality game to play. We're looking for a bowl game that's a great matchup," Miles said at a bowl press conference on campus.
PHOTOS: Les Miles, others in high school
The No. 8 Tigers (10-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) have not played a team among those currently ranked since it lost 21-17 to then-No. 1 and now No. 2 Alabama on Nov. 3. LSU's last win over a team currently ranked was on Oct. 20 when it beat No. 20 Texas A&M, which is now No. 9, by a 24-19 score in College Station, Texas. The combined records of LSU's last three opponents – Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Arkansas – is 18-18 and 9-15 in the SEC.
No. 14 Clemson is 10-2 (7-1, Atlantic Coast Conference) entering the Dec. 31 Chick-fil-A Bowl in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta against LSU.
"Certainly those Clemson Tigers are a very, very talented football team," Miles said. "I think that our matchup is likely one that will be one of the more exciting games in college football during the bowl season and very likely better than some of the BCS games."
LSU was heavily favored in its last three games but won the last two by seven points apiece against Ole Miss, which finished 6-6, and Arkansas, which finished 4-8. The Tigers' only two losses, however, have been to No. 2 Alabama by four points and at No. 3 Florida by eight points. A victory by LSU over Clemson could push them to or close to a top five finish.
"I think our football team wants to be seen as one of the best teams in college football," Miles said. "The goal there is not so much the finishing number (of wins), but how we can play and what we can accomplish on the field. We're playing a very quality opponent. There's a challenge there, and it's all the motivation of playing and matching yourself up against a very quality football team. We're really looking forward to that competition and a quality finish to a year of achievement."Read more...http://www.usatoday.
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http://www.nola.com/news/
Greater New Orleans
Les Miles pay raise may be more than 9 percent during time of steep budget cuts for LSU
By
Quincy Hodges, NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune
The LSU Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on -- and likely approve -- a pay raise of more than 9 percent for football Coach Les Miles, one of its members told NOLA.com, offering a new slant on an age-old debate: does a high salary for a football coach send the wrong message for an institution whose mission is education and which is currently facing significant fiscal challenges?
LSU Coach Les Miles and the Tigers take on Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.
The Times-PicayuneAnd Miles is worth the money, he said.
But this pay hike is set against a backdrop of severe budget cuts for the state's flagship university, which has resulted in faculty layoffs and a reduction in some services.
"It's unfortunate it's coming along at this moment," Kevin Cope LSU Faculty Senate President said of Miles' new contract, which came on the heels of an overture by Arkansas to take over their football program. "Faculty members have not gotten a raise."
The debate ultimately will be settled by the Board of Supervisors, which must approve both a contract extension and pay-raise. LSU officials said the contract was still being negotiated so complete details have not been released.
The board met last Friday to reaffirm consolidating the position of chancellor and president of LSU -- in part to save money -- and the issue of Miles' new contract did not come up; however, the board has the authority to call a special meeting at any time to discuss such matters.
And while a special meeting of the board has been called for Friday, Miles is not on the agenda. The board does not meet in January and the next regular board meeting is scheduled for February.
Cope, who's a frequent critic of the LSU Board of Supervisors, said the raise and contract extension of Miles emanates from an "imaginary" market.
"I don't think (LSU) would be utterly incapable of finding someone else other than Les Miles," Cope said, expressing a sentiment that some LSU football fans might consider sacrilege.
Read more...http://www.nola.com/
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LSU Football Geaux Tigers!!!
| Tiger Net | Video (10 min, 36 sec): Post practice interview with Dabo_Swinney |
|
| Texas Tech Sports | Texas A&M OC Kliff Kingsbury named head coach at Texas Tech |
| Georgia Bulldogs | Richt, Bulldogs preview Capital One Bowl |
| LSU Sports | Video (21 min, 25 sec): Les Miles Peach Bowl press conference |
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http://espn.go.com/video/clip?
Chick-fil-A Bowl: LSU-Clemson
LSU's
stubborn defense goes up against Clemson's high powered offense in the
2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl (December 31st, 7:30 ET - ESPN).
Tags: Chick-fil-A Bowl, Bowl Mania
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