Les Miles the pinata

[Saniflush]

How did I miss this little nugget?

Open mike, insert Miles, sparks fly
Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Are you giddy, like a little girl in the front row at a Hannah Montana concert, or a grown man in a small boat with Nick Saban?

Me too.

Les Miles is coming, and you know what that means.

Everyone within earshot of the LSU coach at SEC Kickoff 2008 this afternoon is going to have a great day.

The newest member of the SEC's national championship club, which is becoming less exclusive every year, is a human pinata.

Poke him, and unexpected treats spill out.

Just the other night, Miles delighted a crowd of more than 500 LSU fans at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans. Returning to the scene of the SEC's latest BCS beatdown of Ohio State, the current LSU coach managed to stick a needle right between the steely eyes of his predecessor without mentioning his name.

LSU 38, Ohio State 24 was the ultimate victory last season. LSU 41, Alabama 34 was the most dramatic, significant, stick-that-in-your-process-and-smoke-it, gotta-have-it win of all.

For the LSU coach, his team, the program and maybe the entire state.

They'd all been waiting to exhale from the moment Saban boarded a private plane in south Florida with Mal Moore.

Miles stuck out his tongue at Saban's shadow again Sunday. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, he told the crowd "not to make too much of that (Alabama) game as it seems like a lot of teams in Louisiana beat that team."

Ouch. Turn this cheek, and get slapped by Louisiana State.

Turn the other cheek, and it's Louisiana-Monroe.

Good to see that success hasn't spoiled Miles. He didn't keep anything under his hat before he led LSU to the SEC and BCS championships. He was making Spurrier-like cracks before he started making Saban-like bucks.

And what's so wrong with that? Doesn't anyone else in this league have a sense of humor?

Alabama fans suggest that popping off shows Miles lacks class. Considering that, at the conclusion of each and every victory, Alabama fans chant, "We just beat the hell out of you," they should know.

Miles may not be the best coach in the country, or the conference or the division at the moment, or at LSU in the past decade. If the election were held today, he'd be voted most likely to be the next Larry Coker.

Ten coaches at nine schools have won the first 10 BCS titles. Only two of them have left the school they led to glory: Coker (Miami, 2001) and Saban (LSU, 2003).

Only one of them left by choice.

This is not the time to choose between Saban and Miles - time will choose - or to renew the tired debate about Miles winning with Saban's players. Miles has made the most of them; Saban never won three straight bowls or posted three straight top 5s with Saban's players.

This is a day to listen closely to the only coach to hold a pregame press conference on the day of the SEC Championship Game to announce he was not taking another job.

This is a day to celebrate a coach who knows how to celebrate.

After acting like a true Michigan Man and blitzing Ohio State, Miles didn't stay in his New Orleans hotel suite and fret that agents might be down in the lobby mingling with his players.

He climbed into a police car and rode into the French Quarter. He walked out on a balcony and raised the BCS trophy, the crystal football, for all to see.

He might not raise anyone's blood pressure today, but you never know.

Hey, that's why they call it a punch line.

When Miles tells a joke, Alabama fans want to slug him.

Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com.

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports/121680107723450.xml&coll=2&thispage=1

[AUTailgatingRules]

I wonder what the bammers hate worse:

"A lot of teams in Louisiana beat that team"

Or

Tuberville walking off the plane in a fear the thumb shirt

[Snaggletiger]

I find it freakin' hilarious.  They're right.  That's very Spurrieresque. 

[wesfau2]

I'm starting to like Miles more now.

[AWK]

I'm starting to like Miles more now.

I know, I always thought he was semi-retarded, but if he hates Bama as much as I do then I like him. 

[Jumbo]

I know, I always thought he was semi-retarded, but if he hates Bama as much as I do then I like him. 

I'm still think he is retarded but funny as hell.

[AUChizad]

I don't care what anyone says, I've always liked him.

Or at least thought his image as a bumbling buffoon who stumbled his way into a MNC thanks 100% to his players and 0% to his horrid coaching ability, was far overblown.

To think otherwise is to lend credibility to the ridiculous theory that Saban is so magical his midas touch blesses a team for longer than he actually coached there.

[stewiegriffin]

I don't care what anyone says, I've always liked him.

Or at least thought his image as a bumbling buffoon who stumbled his way into a MNC thanks 100% to his players and 0% to his horrid coaching ability, was far overblown.






miles or saban? or works for both

[Jumbo]

Stewie getting worked by the quote function

[Saniflush]

Stewie getting worked by the quote function

See now that you know how to operate it, isn't it pleasurable to point and laugh at others?

[stewiegriffin]

Stewie getting worked by the quote function

it's complicated and I'm relatively simple minded, I did fist the dog when I saw what happened

[Jumbo]

See now that you know how to operate it, isn't it pleasurable to point and laugh at others?

It does feel good! :thumbsup: Except I had to delete my post because I fucked up the quote function again!