When Braxton Miller was slammed to the ground by Josh Johnson no.28 of Purdue should of been penalized for a horse collar tackle. If you go back and look at the video it is clear it was a horse collar which injured Miller on the play with a concussion.Looking at the replay players should be penalized for plays like this.These kind of plays have no place in football.
LSU Tigers beat Texas Am 24-19, awaits Alabama.
LSU Tigers looked pretty shaky in the 1st quarter as they fell behind to the Aggies 12 to 0, but when the 2 nd quarter starter LSU responded with two touchdowns before halftime. LSU went on to win the game as Jeremy Hill had another big game and Spencer Ware ran the wildcat for the Tigers. Zach Mettenberger had 2 tds with a few long throws testing Texas Am secondary, and James Wright sneak behind the secondary for a touch down.
LSU will have the week off as it prepares for Alabama as the Crimson Tide Rolls into Baton Rouge for a showdown that’s been circle on LSU’s calendar since they had to play Bama for the BCS Title game back in Jan. 9th, 2012. I am sure whoever was on the end of that bench in New Orleans for the tigers remembers the videos that have been playing from Jan. until Nov 3rd, 2012. I spoke with one of the media guys for LSU in the beginning of the season, he said that Alabama is stacked and they have total respect for Nick Saban and his football team.
Wk7 vs. South Carolina Highlights
Andre Ware and Jeremy Hill came up big for LSU saturday night. Ware was put in the arizona wildcat offense and the South Carolina defense could not contain him, and when it came to Jeremy Hill a hometown native from Baton Rouge they surely couldn’t stop Hill. Actually the South Carolina defense had no answer to Hill, as he broke free for a game winning 50 yard run. Zach Mettenberger threw the ball with confidence and Eric Reid had a big interception as he picked off Shaw late in the 4th quarter and return the ball about 35 yards, Craig Loston intercepted Shaw again to end the game. A key note Montgomery and the defense had 5 sacks on the night as they put Shaw down, and Marcus Lattimore had 37 yards on 13 carries, talk about shutting down the run. The Tigers showed up big tonight and as Les Miles said when teams come into to Death Valley on a saturday night their dreams are denied, denied denied, remember that Bama and Saban as you come stumbling thru Baton Rouge Nov.3rd….. Wooooohhhhoooooo GEAUX TIGERS.LSU has a chance to knock off Alabama and face Florida again in Atlanta for the SEC Title, and possible chance to go on to Miami to face the Oregon or USC,or Notre Dame, but those two tough road games for the Irish, going to Norman,to play the Sooners and then going to LA to play USC,oh my that is a tough road trip.
Matt Barkley vs. Gangnam Style Rapper PSY
If you asked me a month ago if I would ever write about a Korean rapper on my blog, I would have been highly confident in answering no. I would have been even more cocksure that I would never write about one in comparison to a high level college football player who is likely to be a first round NFL draft pick. Clearly, I was wrong and this serves as a great reminder that being self-assured is not a panacea.
A few weeks before the 2012 college football season was set to kick-off, I was having lunch with a good friend of mine who happens to be a USC graduate. Since his favorite team was ranked atop several of the polls, he was obviously excited about their prospects of winning the national championship. The conversation naturally flowed to the point where he asked my opinion about the Trojans.
I told him that I thought they were in trouble for a few of reasons (only one of which I will be covering in this blog entry). By chance, I had read an article in the LA Times a few days prior about Matt Barkley teaching LA Times columnist T.J. Simers how to use a twitter account, and noticed a quote from Barkley that I found disturbing. Simers asked “Now if I’m sitting at one of your games and you’ve just thrown an interception …,” when Barkley interrupts and says “I don’t think that will happen this year,” said with a straight face.
Now on the surface this sounds like youthful bravado, but to me it showed a result orientation inside Barkley’s mindset, which more often than not leads to disappointment. Focusing on results can also lead to perfectionism which produces less than optimum production, as well as repeated letdowns. Meanwhile a process orientation enables you to deal with things as they come, so you are able to grow and thrive. When you focus on the process you relieve internal pressure and more often than not exceed your goals.
Let me be clear, I have no problem with Matt Barkley having a goal of not throwing an interception this season. However proclaiming that he does not think it will happen, is at best naïve (how many top college QB’s have ever gone through an entire season without throwing an interception?) and at worst self-destructive, as nothing short of perfection will meet his expectations.
I always say goals help and expectations hurt. Once you set a goal, you can set up processes/steps to reach it. All expectations do is add unnecessary internal pressure which makes you press and play tight when things are not going your way. You have to control what you can control and let go of everything else. Matt Barkley can control the reads he makes and where he delivers the ball, but he can’t control whether the ball is caught by his intended target or if it flies off the receivers fingers right into a defensive backs hands.
Now you’re probably wondering… Where does Korean rapper Psy fit into all of this? He’s a great example of what can happen if you focus on the process. When he made his hit music video Gangnam Style, he was not aiming to be the highest viewed video on YouTube or hoping it would become a world wide sensation. He was just focused on making a video he thought was funny and one that the Korean people would like. No one was more shocked than he was at the way it spread like a wildfire and in turn has blown up his career.
Likewise, if Matt Barkley can turn his focus away from results and back to the processes needed for improvement, he is likely to surpass his goals eventually. Just like I mistakenly thought I’d never write about a Korean rapper, I’m sure Matt Barkley never thought about asking Psy for football advice either.
Sometimes the best lessons come from the least expected places.
You can follow Sam on Twitter: @SuperTaoInc
Tyrann Mathieu Takes the Road Less Traveled
Less than one month ago Tyrann Mathieu, a 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist, who is also known as the Honey Badger, was dismissed from the LSU football team for failed drug tests. He’s not the first high level college athlete to get kicked off his team for a violation of team rules, and he certainly won’t be the last. In fact, multiple schools started this season with players suspended for violations of team rules ranging from alcohol and drug citations to burglary or assault arrests.
According to Arrest Nation, since the beginning of 2012, Oklahoma State University leads in athlete arrests and citations for major Universities with nine to date. They are followed closely by the University of Georgia, Iowa and Washington State all with seven arrests/citations to date. Usually when a player is dismissed from their team for repeated violations, they transfer to a lower division school where they are immediately eligible to compete in hope of keeping their professional aspirations alive.
This is where Tyrann Mathieu’s decisions following his dismissal set him apart. He could have enrolled and become immediately eligible at a lower division school, which would have had the potential to set him up for the 2013 NFL draft. Instead, he decided to go to Houston and check himself into the Right Step recovery center run by highly respected former NBA player and coach John Lucas, who battled drug and alcohol problems during his career.
Just this week Tyrann returned to LSU and enrolled in classes as a student. It is believed that if Mathieu stays out of trouble and keeps his grades up, he will have a chance to rejoin his former team in 2013. By taking the long road, versus the expedient one chosen by most people in his position, Tyrann has dramatically increased his odds of having both a happy and productive life, as well as a lucrative professional career.
Sadly, most people in similar situations are more focused on their goals than they are on the process necessary to achieve their goals. Mathieu said, “I’m still going to train and work out really hard, but it’s not going to be my focus right now. Instead, I’m going to stay humble, stay grounded and view football from a different angle this time around so I can appreciate it more when I do get the chance to play it again.” Based on this quote, it appears that Mathieu fully understands the importance of focusing on the process now.
There are no guarantees that he will be able to stay on the path he is on, but by choosing this road he affords himself the best chance of living his dreams. He will also undoubtedly set a new precedent for dealing with serious life issues and serve as an inspiration to many others if he does succeed.
Hopefully, things will play out the way he plans and he will end up better off than he ever was before as a person and a player.
http://supertao.com/2012/09/06/tyrann-mathieu-takes-the-road-less-traveled/
You can follow Sam on Twitter: @SuperTaoInc
LSU Tigers 23 South Carolina 21: recap of the game for LSU play by play.
This is a play by-play of LSU vs South Carolina, if you are a true LSU Fan you will enjoy this game on paper. I couldn’t believe as the game unfolded and LSU clamped down on South Carolina’s Shaw and disrupted the Gamecocks offense. It was a matter of time for Carolina’s defense to crumple and slow down as native Baton Rougean Jeremy Hill rushed for over 100 yards and the game winning touchdown. Enjoy the play by-play as LSU gains dominance again and they get ready for the showdown with Alabama Nov. 3rd.
LSU thrown the ball 8 times on the first drive, mixing up with the run. 1st in goal for the Tigers with a wildcat,Copeland leading the way. LSU 4 for 4 on first downs.Tigers inside the 3, on 3rd in goal. LSU needs to punch into the end zone, not doing good in the red zone. LSU takes the lead 3-0, got called for illegal motion, but guess what on the replay no one moved, Les Miles with his arms up saying where is the illegal motion. Actually LSU did get in the end zone with Spencer Ware in the wildcat. Oh South Carolina’s defense not looking so good as LSU drove down the field, but walked away with 3 pts. On the kickoff South Carolina got pounded, starting from there 11. Shaw just got back to the line of scrimmage, Carolina not looking good on offense. Lattimore picks up 7, but that’s about his total yards.Tigers all over Carolina’s tight end as he picked the 1st down. South Carolina calls time out, if Carolina didn’t pick up the 1st down would have been 3 and out again. Lattimore get’s pounded by Eric Reid.Qb sneak by Shaw and nothing, no gain, 3 and 9. Reid took Shaws head off, oh my. Odell Beckham,Jr takes a punt up the sidelines, LSU starting at their 40.Jeremy Hill picks up 20 on-screen pass by Mettenberger. LSU stuffs Lattimore for a loss, Carolina inside the 5 yard line. Spurrier burns a timeout, to think it over on the LSU 3 yard line, he burn one earlier because of the LSU Crowd. Carolina scores on a touchdown. After the interception Mettenberger needs to come back and lead the Tigers down the field. Alfred Ford with a big carry of 6 yards. Copeland picks up another 7 yards up the middle as LSU get’s in the Carolina territory. LSU Beckham picks up 15 on a catch. Ford picks up 10 on a run, Ford again with another 7, LSU on an up tempo, Gamecocks hands on their hips. Jeremy Hill picks up another 1st down. Mettenberger 2 incomplete passes and stalls the drive. Alleman hooks the field goal, as LSU drives down and scores nothing, score in 2nd quarter South Carolina 7 LSU 3, LSU not looking good on offense. LSU stuffs Carolina, looks like 3 and out, South Carolina force to punt. The Old Head Ball Coach almost threw his hat down. Herby said it was gonna be a low scoring game and it’s starting to look like that. I am surprised by Mettenberger, he is not throwing the ball real well tonight. Ford picks up 5 yards on the carry. Landry picks up 16 yards. Spencer Ware alittle sick tonight went into the locker room. Hillard picks up 15 on a run. Brad Wing just punted the ball 10 yards, LSU is not getting the breaks. LSU goes into the locker room down by 4, the score is 7 to 3 South Carolina. LSU gets the ball in the second half. I can’t believe the way the Tigers are playing, the defense is playing well, but Mettenberger threw a pick for a 77 yard return that change the momentum of the game. Alfred Blue on a 33 yard kickoff return. LSU driving down the field. LSU in the red zone again need to score, 1st and goal. No. 33 scores for LSU on a 7 yard run, finally in the red zone LSU scores tonight. Lattimore only 25 yard tonight, he has 15 to go to make my prediction. Minter having a big game tonight with quite a few tackles. LSU stops Carolina 1st drive in the second half, LSU has the ball on the 25 yard line. LSU offense needs to make a statement here as they need to drive down the field to put up another 7 pts, as they put more Gamecocks.The LSU crowd is making Shaw alittle woozy, not to mention the LSU defense front line. LSU running the ball again as no.33 picks up 10 for a new 1st down. As I am observing the game not a good idea to run to Clowney side. Carolina with a good kick return by Ace Sanders,but ball is spotted at the 46 with a 15 yard penalty. LSU should have got in field goal range and got some points. In a big game like this you need all the points you can get, the good thing LSU defense is keeping Carolina out of the end zone. Anderson drops a td in the end zone, oh my. So Lattimore scores and he still has under 40 yards on 13 rushes. Boy, Mettenberger just threw the ball down the field, could have led the receiver. Brad wing punts another bad kick, LSU kicking and punting game is going down hill. LSU will need to get the Gamecocks to punt the ball, Jalen Collin big play as he knocks the ball away as Carolina has to punt. Wow, Carolina defense coming after LSU Jeremy Hill with 7 guys on the ball after a 19 yard pick up. Spencer Ware picks up 7yrds,Ware with a big 1st down with a horse collar. I do not like the rough house defense that Carolina does, they need to play better ball. Start of the 4thquarter Mettenberger has a chance to drive LSU to victory and win the hearts of the LSU Fans. Ware with a big 1st down, oh boy yards after contact. LSU only 4 penalties tonight, need to focus in getting in the end zone, they need a big pass play in the end zone. Mettneberger with a big play as he throws the ball in tight coverage down field. Carolina putting in cheap shots, not good hitting after the play. LSU offensive line push Copeland almost to a 1st down with a 9 yard pick up. LSU needs to punch the ball into the endzone as they are soaking up the clock. 1st and goal for the Tigers, LSU needs to punch it in. Mettenberger tosses the ball out-of-bounds in the red zone LSU blows another red zone td, Alleman comes and kicks a 20 yrd field goal. LSU need to stop Carolina again and get the ball and win the game. Shaw incomplete pass, 2 and 10 not good for the Gamecocks. Lattimore still under 40 yards on carries.Tigers intercept the ball with Eric Reid with the run back chase down by a Carolina receiver with alittle rough housing again, even Carolina’s offense is dirty on defense. LSU big turn of events can go ahead and pound the ball and run out the clock as the clock runs down. Carolina’s Shaw not looking so sharp and Spurrier is ranting on the sidelines. Spencer Ware big run up the middle with a 10 yard scamper. Wow, back down in the red zone what is Mettenberger gonna do now, they need to score on this turnover. Here comes the field goal team again as Alleman comes on with a straight ahead kick, 22 yard kick is good. LSU has a good chance winning tonight but kicking field goals the whole night, you cannot do that against Alabama, unless Bama doesn’t score. LSU always shuts down in the red zone, the defense is gonna have to save the game and setup LSU again for a field goal or perhaps a touchdown. LSU Defense will have to come up with another turnover. LSU kicking team shuts down Ace, Shaw shut down by Anthony Johnson. The coffin is coming as Shaw throws it away again.LSU crowd getting crazy. Sam Montgomery comes in and sacks Shaw drops him for a 15 yard sack. Game over baby, Jeremy Hill from Baton Rouge, La ends the game and over 100 yards with a 45 yard scamper. South Carolina is done put a fork in them LSU dominating the Old Ball Coach and Carolina. LSU has the nations longest home winning streak to 18 games, I will say bring on Bama, and their weak schedule. The game is over and Carolina is reeling. LSU Defense is gonna clamp down, Shaw just got hit big time, 2 and 9 on third down conversions. Score 23 to 14 LSU leading, put a fork in them they are done. The Carolina fans should have stayed home instead of showing up at Tiger Stadium, I told you to stay home, Shaw gets sacked again by Winter, again. 2:19 to go LSU D is gonna put a stop to Carolina. Herby and Brent talking about Carolina’s chances, lol, 4th down what is the Old Ball Coach gonna do, 4 and 13. LSU ball, get the ball at the 45 yard line, nice try Carolina on the onside kick. LSU is gonna pound the ball, it’s not looking good for the no.3 team in the nation, thinking you are gonna come into Death Valley to win against the Tigers.
Carolina will get the ball back with 41 seconds with a tough LSU D at, and Carolina has to go to the Swamp.10 seconds to go and Carolina is 70 yrds LSU wins on another interception by Shaw, nice choke Shaw, oh guess what football nation Lattimore does not get 40 yrds. LSU wins 23 to 21 as the game closes out.
Les Miles beats Steve Spurrier again as LSU beats South Carolina 23 to 21. You don’t come in Tiger Stadium to try to get a win, and saying you are gonna win. I must say I heard Mark Packer say Carolina was gonna win, sorry Pack you should have listen to me, also Marcus Lattimore 13 carries 37 yards just like I said in my blog on Thursday LSU Defense was going to limit him to under 40 yards, amazing. Mettneberger wins the hearts of the LSU Fans as he drives LSU to victory, Victory for LSU. Les Miles had some words for opposing team, when you come to Death Valley you get denied, denied, did you here that South Carolina Fans and Football team, denied.
South Carolina will lose the next weekend in the Swamp and will have 2 losses, and LSU will go on to beat Alabama making up for last years lost, as the Honey Badger returns and will be off to play Florida in Atlanta for the SEC Championship and will smack Florida on a neutral field, and then they will be off to Miami for the BCS Championship.
LSU Tigers running backs on the prowl tomorrow night at Death Valley
LSU will need to get the running game going tomorrow night against the Gamecocks to open up the passing attack, so that means Kenny Hillard, and Alfred Blue will have to pick up the slack of LSU’s running attack with J.C. Copeland leading the way and Copeland is a big boy. I think LSU will have their way with South Carolina tomorrow night, Death Valley on a saturday night 7pm kickoff on ESPN, what more can you ask for and coming off a loss to the Florida Gators. I think we are gonna have a very upset LSU Tiger Defense and they are not gonna be playing around. Get ready folks for a good ole ball game with the Head Ball Coach Spurrier showing up with his football team. LSU are 12-1 against the Gamecocks, and Spurrier has never won in Death Valley with his South Carolina bunch, and the way the story goes I don’t think tomorrow night will be any different. I like Mark Packer today on his talk show talking about South Carolina’s chances in Death Valley, but I don’t think Packer has ever visited Tiger Stadium on a saturday night. Packer come monday when you get back on the air I will be tweeting and talking to you, because of the fact you were calling out Tiger Nation, saying not too many calls today. All I can say Mark Packer, is wait and see,wait for the Mad Hatter,Les Miles to have something up his hat, a few tricks in the bag.
Will Miles turn Mettenberger loose this weekend against the Gamecocks? Yes
Zach Mettenberger is gonna need to throw the ball this weekend against South Carolina, to loosen up the offense alittle bit, hopefully Les Miles turns him loose to throw a few to Russel Sheppard and Beckham Jr, in doing so that will open up LSU’s running game and then LSU’s defense will shut down Lattimore and it’s off to the races and Spurrier is on the 1st plane back to South Carolina. Sorry to be so blunt but LSU cannot afford another loss so I am sure the Gamecocks are coming off an impressive victory over Georgia, but I don’t think they realize the kind of game they will be entering into saturday especially in front of LSU’S home crowd at Tiger Stadium.Oh my talk about opening up a can of worms, this is gonna be a good football game on the Bayou Saturday Night in Death Valley. I would suggest the South Carolina fans stay home and watch it on tv, because this is gonna be interesting.
2012 Florida vs. LSU, 1st and 2nd Half
LSU tough lost in the swamp, if they meet up again when Honey Badger comes back it will be curtains for the Gators. The Gators look really good in the 2nd half which usually is the only half that counts. LSU needs more offense especially with the receivers and running backs, and Mettenberger is gonna have to step it up. If LSU beats South Carolina this weekend in Tiger Stadium they will need to stop Marcus Lattimore, and the way Florida score those two touchdowns on runs I am sure the Tiger front line is about to put the stop on Lattimore. I will be surprised if Lattimore gets 40 yrds on the ground on saturday night. This season reminds me of the 2003 season when LSU lost to Florida then went on to win the National Title that year as they beat the Sooners in the BCS Title Game.I don’t have alot of respect for Florida’s defense if LSU meets up with them again it will be a different game.I think the Gators will be good but they will struggle against South Carolina and Florida State, they are still a young team under the lights.The Gators won the game but they looked alittle shaky especially taking the Gators almost 3qts to score in the game, if there is a rematch in Atlanta,LSU and Honey Badger will be waiting.
no.3 LSU Tigers escape with a win over Towson, 38-22
LSU Tigers pulled out a win and it was a interesting fashion as they finished off the Towson Tigers. The LSU defense hasn’t let too many teams into the endzone and Towson got into the endzone twice on 1 yard runs. Towson was actually winning the game in the 1st quarter 9 to 7, amazing. Zach Mettenberg had a couple of td passes to Odell Beckham jr, and Zach threw for a high 232 yrds, but had a fumble, also LSU had 3 turnovers. According to the LSU announcers on XM Radio at least they are getting this out of their system now because when SEC play starts which is next week in Gainesville against the Florida Gators, and the following week back in Tiger Stadium against South Carolina and the Old Ball Coach,Les Miles and co better take it up a notch. Sheppard had a big run for LSU, 78 yrds for a td, and Michael Ford led LSU rushers with 11 carries and 76 yrds, 1 td.
Downers North 38 York High 21, highlights of 9-28-2012
Highlights and original content of the Downers North vs York High football game.
Highlights Notre Dame vs Michigan State, 9-15-2012
Highlights of the Notre Dame vs Michigan State Game, as Notre Dame pulled off the upset with a 20 to 3 upset over the Spartans. The Irish moved up to no.11 in the AP Poll, as Michigan State slipped to no.21.