LSU should thank Beamer
BATON ROUGE - It's a cliche, but that doesn't mean it's not true. What goes around, comes around.
After Virginia Tech ripped LSU 26-8 to start the 2002 season in Blacksburg, Va., the Hokies were supposed to return the game to Tiger Stadium in 2004. But ESPN, the great schedule maker, set up a game pitting the Hokies and defending Associated Press national champion USC to kick off the 2004 season. For obvious reasons, Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer did not want to play the defending APchampions and the defending BCS champions - LSU - early in the same season.
So he got out of the LSU game, delaying his trip to Baton Rouge to Sept. 8, 2007.
Then-LSU coach Nick Saban and LSU fans were very upset.On Sept. 8, 2007, LSU exacted some revenge with a 48-7 victory in Tiger Stadium, thoroughly manhandling the Hokies.
That victory helped mightily in getting the Tigers into the BCS national championship game on Jan. 7, 2008, against Ohio State. LSU had already gone into the season ranked No. 2, but that win on national television really cemented LSU in the minds of virtually everyone that it was the best or one of the best teams in the nation and on its way to the national title game. As other teams fell and LSU kept winning for the most part, the Tigers became a glamour team and the first-ever, two-loss team to reach the national championship game.
Interestingly, had Virginia Tech stuck to its original scheduling of LSU in 2004 or got it in 2005 or 2006, Virginia Tech would be preparing to play Ohio State in the Jan. 7, 2008, BCS national championship game instead of LSU.
Had Tech scheduled some typically easy, early-season opponent instead of LSU, it would be sitting at 12-1 on the season right now with some of the most impressive, late-season victories of any team in the nation.
So thanks, coach Beamer, ESPN and thank you, USC.
After Virginia Tech ripped LSU 26-8 to start the 2002 season in Blacksburg, Va., the Hokies were supposed to return the game to Tiger Stadium in 2004. But ESPN, the great schedule maker, set up a game pitting the Hokies and defending Associated Press national champion USC to kick off the 2004 season. For obvious reasons, Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer did not want to play the defending APchampions and the defending BCS champions - LSU - early in the same season.
So he got out of the LSU game, delaying his trip to Baton Rouge to Sept. 8, 2007.
Then-LSU coach Nick Saban and LSU fans were very upset.On Sept. 8, 2007, LSU exacted some revenge with a 48-7 victory in Tiger Stadium, thoroughly manhandling the Hokies.
That victory helped mightily in getting the Tigers into the BCS national championship game on Jan. 7, 2008, against Ohio State. LSU had already gone into the season ranked No. 2, but that win on national television really cemented LSU in the minds of virtually everyone that it was the best or one of the best teams in the nation and on its way to the national title game. As other teams fell and LSU kept winning for the most part, the Tigers became a glamour team and the first-ever, two-loss team to reach the national championship game.
Interestingly, had Virginia Tech stuck to its original scheduling of LSU in 2004 or got it in 2005 or 2006, Virginia Tech would be preparing to play Ohio State in the Jan. 7, 2008, BCS national championship game instead of LSU.
Had Tech scheduled some typically easy, early-season opponent instead of LSU, it would be sitting at 12-1 on the season right now with some of the most impressive, late-season victories of any team in the nation.
So thanks, coach Beamer, ESPN and thank you, USC.
posted by Glenn Guilbeau at 9:48 AM
1 Comments:
A better reason to thank Coach Beamer might be for his ranking LSU #1 in the Top 25 Final Coaches' Ballot.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/graphics/coaches_fb_poll_2007/flash.htm
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