Yo Les, just let winning do the talking

Tuesday, June 15
June 15, 2010
Thursday, June 17
June 17, 2010
Tuesday, June 15
June 15, 2010
Thursday, June 17
June 17, 2010

LSU football coach Les Miles has been doing lots and lots of good, ole-fashioned public relations this spring.

After a 9-4 season – a season that saw LSU mismatched both mentally and physically at times, Miles has reworked – or rather, tried – to rework his image throughout the spring in an effort to get the polarized LSU faithful to believe again in his ability to lead the program.


That’s a pretty epic and rapid fall from glory, considering the Tigers are still just two and a half years removed from a national championship season. But this is still LSU, and patience isn’t exactly a virtue when it comes to Tiger fans. Remember that time the school let go of men’s basketball coach John Brady two years removed from the Final Four?


I guess when one puts it that way, a little polish couldn’t hurt Miles’ image after all, right?

The first PR move on the coach’s part happened in the spring. Where most teams (LSU included prior to this year) treat spring as a fundamental-based, evaluation period for younger players, the Tigers flipped the script and were ultra competitive and feisty in their practice sessions.


The team introduced a one-on-one, hitting drill called the “Big Cat” in the spring where Tigers basically annihilated one another just for the sake of popping the pads for 10 or so seconds. During the duration of the hitting, Miles stood with a whistle, almost like a drill sergeant, deeming when enough was enough with a single, monotone tune of his noise instrument.


And, of course, the PR orchestra with the LSU athletic department made sure fans saw this drill every step of the way, posting videos of it on its website, which prompted writers (like me) to talk about the new-look, physical Tigers.

Granted, the LSU athletic department has never been one to share information, and the only other times cameras are allowed into practice areas are when the team stretches, but that’s just how PR works, I guess. You see what they want you to see.


The next plastic surgery on Miles’ image has come in various speeches throughout the state – including Thursday’s in Morgan City.


The coach has apologized.

Yes, apologized.


For not fielding a championship-level team the past two seasons.


For not playing Russell Shepard enough.

For not beating the big-time teams.


Blah, blah, blah.


Enough.

If Miles wants to earn the respect of LSU’s fans again, you know what he needs to do?


Win.


That’s it. Ditch the image surgery and save that for President Obama and the politicians – just win.

Want to be liked again, coach? Why don’t you try beating Alabama once in a while?


Want to get cheered when you and your family go out to eat at a restaurant?

Why don’t you manage the clock well and avoid the spike with one second left against Ole Miss?

Want to ride in a Mardi Gras parade or two again?

Why don’t you come up with a game plan that can scratch out more than three points against Florida?

Just win.

That’s all people care about – winning.

I appreciate the effort to reach out to the Tiger faithful, and I definitely think it is a true sign of class, but class doesn’t fly if you’re not winning.

That’s sad, but that’s just how it is.

I really hate to play the “Nick” card, but sometimes the circumstances warrant it. Miles’ predecessor, Alabama coach Nick Saban is hands-down the best coach in college football.

After taking Alabama from rags to riches in just a few short years, I’d go ahead and say that’s close to a given at this point.

Why is Coach Saban the best? Because he is ruthless. He knows what he needs to do to win, and he will follow his plan, no matter who gets stepped on along the way, and no matter who gets offended.

There are no apologies for losses. There are instead comparisons to 9/11 after losses (like the UL-Monroe loss in 2007).

The Alabama media doesn’t get to see the team’s new-look mentality after a rough season.

You know why?

Because Saban instills the same steady, but aggressive mentality in all of his teams, so nothing would be different to catch the reporters’ eyes.

He trusts what he can do with a program, and he changes for no one.

That same lesson needs to be instilled in the lifeblood of the LSU program ASAP.

It’s still several months away, and no one has any idea how the 2010 college football season will play out.

So someone please go tell Coach Miles that no one will buy what’s said in June if it doesn’t translate into wins in October.

If that message doesn’t get across soon, this may indeed be his last Tiger Tour as the football coach at LSU.

And with good reason. That guy over in Alabama was a lot better.