Why such peril over Perrilloux?

BATON ROUGE - It's funny how the media business works sometimes.

On Monday there was a media feeding frenzy feasting on quarterback Ryan Perrilloux and his latest non-arrest at a bar where there were about 25 of his closest teammates. The story, which was actually first written about in Gannett newspapers on Sunday, was on the front pages of several news sections around the state today and Monday. It was a national story Monday. It's all anyone was talking about.

Meanwhile, Monday night at the LSU football facility, defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey openly discussed how he had just practiced that afternoon for the first time since injuring his knee against Auburn on Oct. 20. Representatives from only two major news organizations were there - the Gannett News Service of Louisiana and the Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News. Congratulations Louisiana media, other than Gannett, you got scooped by an out of state paper on your own beat.

Now tell me who is more valuable to the LSU football team - Dorsey or Perrilloux?

Here's a hint. Dorsey may be the best defensive lineman in the nation. At 75 percent because of his knee injury, he's still one of the best defensive linemen in the nation. Perrilloux is a backup who only plays in spots. He's very talented, athletic, has in-game savvy and could be the LSU quarterback in 2008 and 2009. I think he should have been playing much more this season and passing much more. But he's till just a backup who plays in spots. LSU will be just as good without Perrilloux. Starting quarterback Matt Flynn is coming off the best game of his career and can run pretty well, too. LSU doesn't need Perrilloux to win. LSU needs Dorsey to win.

And there Dorsey was talking about how he might play with a knee brace against Alabama and how badly he wants to come back and the two largest newspapers in the state and area television stations were not there.

The Perrilloux story is a big story, but it's getting old. It broke Saturday. He was not arrested, but he was mentioned in a police report. Plus there is his track record of other near arrests and questionable behavior and iffy status on the team.

If Flynn gets hurt and Perrilloux is not available, it's big. It's a legitimate story, but it shouldn't create such a frenzy. He's a backup. There may continue to be developments here and there on it, but whether or not Perrilloux plays or not is not as significant as whether Dorsey plays or not.

Funny. I was on a radio show in Alabama Tuesday and there were a few questions about Perrilloux. Then they asked if linebacker Derrick Odom, who was not arrested but mentioned in a police report along with Perrilloux, was going to play. They didn't know that Odom has not played all season. The only reason they knew about Odom was because of his arrest history. He hasn't made a tackle this season unless you count cars and doors.

Perrilloux could help LSU beat Alabama. His running style could relax some of Alabama's blitzes, but so could Flynn's. Flynn has thrown for 1,266 yards this season and rushed for 138. Perrilloux has run and passed for 606.

Now if Flynn or Dorsey were in a bar fight and almost got arrested. Now that would be a story.