LSU Atlanta

LSU Fightin’ Tigers

vs.
Alabama

This is War.

It’s time to put everything else aside and put on your game face. This is no time for LSU fans to be putting tickets up for grabs on Ebay, griping about interceptions, wondering how our defense is going to stop anybody, or feeling sorry for ourselves. All comments and sentiments heard after a Tiger WIN over Tulane.

Time to get your head screwed on right. Alabama and its arrogant, delusional, rude fan entourage is coming to Tiger Stadium this Saturday with a mind to chant that classless Ramma Jamma “we just beat the hayell outta you” cheer. What else do you really need to know?

Of course, we all know who’s riding on the elephant like Hannibal crossing the Alps (but we know him by other names.) We all know the rankings and what all the “experts” are saying about the matchup. It’s clear this LSU team is retooling and rebuilding for the future and is searching to find its identity. It’s also clear that an incredibly overachieving and admittedly well-coached team in red is riding the tide right now.

It doesn’t matter. Despite the evidence of his sociopathic and insincere nature,Nicky Bling was actually telling the truth for once in his press conference- this really isn’t about him. In Nick's mind, EVERYTHING is about Nick so he thought he was lying, but the joke is on him. Saban's return to Baton Rouge only adds a fresh layer of paint to a deeply-rooted "purple passion" against anything Bama. For longtime Tiger fans who endured the three decades of consecutive home losses, there is not greater love than to see an LSU victory over the Crimson Necks.

Saban has merely provided a way for us to make this even more personal. No one will forget how he left us with a lump of coal on Christmas Day,

which we could at least rationalize as his quest to reach new goals in the NFL. But then to return to the SEC and our most hated rival was a stab in the back with a twist. Time to return the favor and knock them off their Number One perch and any hope of a BCS title shot.

The football gods have set up the Dead Bear Society for a fall. Their expectations could not be higher. They revel in the thought that they "have our coach" and can even see Paul "Bear" Bryant on the sideline if they squint real hard. The turncoat coach is good at his craft but is a miserable human being and mistreats everyone while only thinking of his own preservation and profit. Perfect circumstance for the football gods to mete out some justice. But "WE" the purple and gold jury have to be the instrument of Karma...players, coaches and fans.

LSU faces a #1 ranked team that is living on borrowed time at the top. Outside of a pretty darn good whipping they put on Georgia, the Tahd has not played nearly the quality schedule as LSU, has not had to play from behind, and they have the habit of weakening after a fast start and playing four corners in the second half of their games. Kentucky, Ole Miss and even Tulane gave them a scare this season. We all like to say and believe that Tiger Stadium is the toughest place to play in the country. TIME FOR OUR FANS TO STAND UP AND SHOW IT.

HERE'S THE PERFECT VIDEO TO GET YOU IN THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_XXRr8dGTE

Atlanta alums, this is your call to action! The football gods look kindly on fan gatherings from afar. Let's turn out in big numbers at our two view ins Saturday afternoon to cheer and send some strong vibes through the heart of Dixie to Baton Rouge.

This Alabama team is good but definitely beatable. There is no question that Nick Saban is winning with Mike Shula’s players if you like to play those kinds of arguments. The 2008 team has a veteran offensive line, a 5th year senior quarterback, three seasoned defensive backs, a senior field goal kicker and a few young guys in key skill positions that are as good as advertised when they were recruited. The good news is that when the last of Shula’s boys move on the Tahd will be in the same boat next year as this year’s LSU team...long on potential but short on experience. The flip side is that this is now-our young team has to put it all together this week and send all those seniors home with bloody pouted lips and a lot less confidence that they can finish without another loss.

Prediction: Whatever the “line” may be, let’s make no mistake that Bama is coming in as the underdog to a team with more depth defending their turf and yearning to send a message to the opposing bench. Their starting 22 are good, but they lack depth and have stumbled and barely saved themselves more than once this year. Mikey says Bama can’t beat LSU – only LSU can beat itself with costly mistakes, lost focus and a lack of intensity on the lines of scrimmage. There was progress made by our defense with more guys getting some face time on the field who are responding to the opportunity. There was much less confusion in the secondary against Tulane and they actually forced a turnover. If LSU plays to its potential, they will shock the football world yet again. The key is for our defensive front to get penetration to clog running lanes and to put pressure on the quarterback.

This will be the most focused LSU will be to date coming out of the tunnel. And let’s remember that LSU is inside John Sally Jessica Parker Wilson’s helmet. He’s now a senior and has limited his mistakes, but when he is pressured he reverts to being an average quarterback. Expect the old cracks to show when he sees yellow in his face again.

LSU’s running game will be featured and we will dominate time of possession, particularly in the second half. This will be close, but the Good Guys will win and burst the Bama bubble. Broomsticks with Tide boxes and toilet paper rolls will be littering the South End Zone…along with the shattered hopes of the Dead Bear Society.

Deep down they will know that even if the Tahd does get to Atlanta, the Florida Gators will finish what the Tigers started and dash their dream season. LSU 21, Andalusia AL 17

Following the “upset” Bama could well tighten up and suffer another one of those trademark Saban meltdowns against an inferior Mississippi State or Auburn team and fumble the West crown right back to the Tigers - remember that the Tahd lost to both of those teams last season. Admittedly this is the best Bama team in several years, but we all know the modus operandus of our former head coach and It could happen. (Remember LSU stinker losses to UAB 2000, Bama and Arkansas 2002, Georgia and Iowa 2004, and the ULM disaster at Bama last year? Mikey does!)

At year’s end, the newsflash will once again come over the airwaves:

LSU Faithful in the ATL: Let’s have a big showing at our viewins this week and show our support for the Tigers! Come to Rio Grande Cantina in Buckhead or Buffalo Wild Wings in Alpharetta and watch with your fellow alums!

Your Pal,

Mike A. Tiger