LSU `tradition' little more than hooliganism
Condoleezza Rice is headed in the wrong direction.
If the secretary of state wants to go to a game, and she cares about homeland security, she should skip Tuscaloosa and jet straight to Baton Rouge.
If there's a game in need of a high-ranking diplomat to help keep the peace, it's Auburn-LSU.
Consider Auburn's experience on its recent trips to Death Valley. The team bus has been rocked. The head coach's family has been taunted.
To say nothing of the rude manner in which the home team has treated the visitors on the field.
It all adds to the urban legend of Tiger Stadium as one of college football's toughest places to play.
Urban Meyer might believe it - his first trip there with Florida last week reduced him to tears - but it's really an urban myth.
Consider some recent scores that were settled in Tiger Stadium: Auburn 41, LSU 7. Alabama 31, LSU 0. UAB 13, LSU 10.
Three of this state's four Division I-A programs have let the good times roll there since 1999. Troy was a play away last year from making it four of four.
That near-miss, like the UAB upset in 2000 and the Alabama shutout in 2002, happened on Nick Saban's watch.
And Saban was the best coach LSU has known, the best coach the SEC has seen since Steve Spurrier lived in Gainesville.
But even the best man on the sideline didn't have the best home record. Only once during Saban's five seasons at LSU did the Tigers run the table at home. During the 2003 BCS championship season, they suffered their lone defeat at home to a Florida team coached by Ron Zook.
In contrast, Tommy Tuberville's Auburn teams have gone undefeated in Jordan-Hare Stadium twice in the past five years. In 2000, they won the SEC West. In 2004, they went undefeated everywhere and won the SEC.
For a real home-field advantage, see Spurrier at Florida. In 12 years there, his teams lost exactly five times in the Swamp.
Fans can make a lot of noise - LSU fans seem to think pregame and postgame intimidation of the visitors is a tradition - but the best teams tend to have the best home records.
A Tennessee official recently sent an Auburn official a picture. It was taken from inside a team bus during Tennessee's trip to LSU in September.
In the foreground of the picture is a broken bus window. In the background is a swarm of LSU fans.
The Vols were so intimidated they erased a three-touchdown deficit and bounced back to win in overtime.
Four years ago, the LSU chancellor apologized to Auburn for the unruly behavior of some fans after LSU's 27-14 win. Wideout Devin Aromashodu has ``bad memories" of Auburn's visit two years ago, and not just because the Tigers lost 31-7.
``They were throwing stuff at the bus," he said. ``We didn't have Tiger Walk. I had never seen anything like it."
Don't expect flowers and chocolates Saturday. Some actual security would be nice, but winning is the best answer.
Otherwise, objecting sounds like whining.
Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com.
