Les Miles couldn't leave LSU (Have you seen that recruiting class?)

LSU head coach Les Miles reaffirmed his newfound love for all things bayou earlier this week: Saturday nights in Death Valley, SEC football, and yes, crawfish.
Miles' wife said it best: "This is home," meaning Baton Rouge's nice weather and beautiful snowless landscape compared favorably to the frozen tundra known as Ann Arbor in December.
Miles, of course, has his critics. His clock management skills, or lack thereof, are legendary and infamous.
But the man knows how to win, especially if you give him an extra down.
In Michigan, he is not thought of as highly.
Miles said Tuesday he would remain at LSU because of the commitment he's made to the university, the team, the young men he's recruited, and his family.
LSU in 2010 was picked to finish fourth in the SEC West, they very nearly came in No. 2. His recruiting class for 2011 will be in the top 5 in the nation and his squad may make a serious run for an SEC West title.
In other words, staying was the prudent thing to do, as some have noted.



Much maligned offensive coordinator Gary Crowton is bolting to greener pastures in, er, Maryland.

SEA DAT? Saints lose to Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch (video)

The New Orleans Saints got bumped from the playoffs with a 40-34 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday.

Before the game few spectators and commentators gave the Seahawks few chances of staying with the high-powered Saints, but all that is on paper.

In reality, the Saints were beat-up and broken down, shells of their former selves. They suited up without starting running backs Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory, safety Malcolm Jenkins and tight end Jeremy Graham.

By the third quarter of this one, Reggie Bush would be on the sidelines, saying that he had hurt "the same leg" that he broke earlier in the season.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks had nothing to lose, and came in confident and loose. The game came down to a stirring, theatrical 67-yard run by Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch. 

The word, "Beastmode" will forever be associated with this game.

The Saints, meanwhile, will have to regroup and retool and it will probably be without some of the people that got us here.

17-14: Saints avenge earlier loss to Falcons

Could this be the NFC Championship matchup? Saints edge the Falcons by three (although they should have won going away).
Drew Brees makes two awful mistakes that keep the suspense going in this one, but the Saints easily turn in their finest defensive performance of the season in beating Atlanta 17-14.

LSU piles on Texas A&M in Cotton Bowl

Well, the Fighting Tigers 2010 campaign has come to a glorious end.
The Tigers beat Texas A&M on Monday to claim an 11-2 mark in Les Miles' fifth year.
 Texas A&M's Coryell Judie returned the opening kickoff 69 yards to the LSU 31-yard line and scored first, then again to stake a 10-0 lead on the Tigers.
Jordan Jefferson's deep ball to Terrence Toliver closed the gap to three points, but it was the LSU running game bearing the brunt of the lifting. LSU had 187 yards at the half.
By the first possession of the second half, Jefferson and Toliver had hooked up for three touchdowns.