Lonn Phillips Sullivan
Aug 31, 20206 min
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LONNPHILLIPS
2020...geaux F**k yourself....seriously.
In an off-season where a global pandemic gripped and froze the entire world, depraved shootings and outrageous police brutality hit a fever pitch, protests swept the nation and political divisions ratcheted up, a near-double hurricane grew into the strongest storm to ever hit the Gulf Coast....there have been an innumerable amount of changes, tragedies and surreal happenings we didn't think we'd witness and all under 6 months time....simultaneously...our "everything now" culture feeling an ultra-dose of the inevitabilities we've been trying to escape for years.
Little by little, the changes of 2020 have begun to shape this team....first by throwing the team's continuity into disarray throughout the entire off-season, despite the best efforts of our #1 coaching / support staff:
First, LSU had 14 players from the 2019 team drafted in the NFL back in April (guys like Breiden Fehoko, Michael Divinity, Adrian Magee and Derrick Dillon also became big players on NFL rosters as undrafted free agents); immediately, LSU lost big names and even bigger personalities, true character in our locker room now playing on Sundays...but this was expected;
Second, the Tigers' coaching staff lost passing game coordinator Joe Brady, offensive analysts D.J Mangus (Brady's boi), Jorge Munoz (Burrow's guy) and defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, all key to LSU's 2019 success as the greatest collegiate force of all time;
Third, LSU lost transferring backup safety Eric Monroe...Monroe would later enroll at Texas Tech, joining their football team...this was a smart choice from Monroe, hellbent on receiving enough playing time somewhere else to propel his NFL stock; shortly thereafter, Marcel Brooks transferred to TCU, citing family health, being closer to his family in Flower Mound, Texas and Covid as the reasons.
This was the first devastating blow...Marcel was expected to become one of LSU's most dominating defensive forces; although many would call Brooks "an unproven talent" (1.5 sacks in limited reps as a freshman), any true football analyst could see the realities of Brooks' multi-dimensional capabilities in a Pelini-run 4-3 defense....Gary Patterson, Dave Aranda, Nick Saban, Brent Venables and every other top coach in the country wanted him out of high school and when he became available again in late June.
However the loss of Kary Vincent Jr, Jamal Pettigrew, Neil Farrell Jr made opponents cheer and pound their chests while LSU fans wondered if the season was worth it or could even happen...
Then, the SEC schedule was ironed out, the buzz continued to skyrocket for a group led by Myles Brennan and an offense looking to break records for a second straight year....momentum swung towards a strong season for LSU as we watched Ja'Marr Chase and Derek Stingley squaring off in practices, Arik Gilbert's statuesque authority or Myles chucking bombs for breakfast...things were looking solidified.
But a historic week happened at Louisiana State University:
Among rising police brutality, disturbing allegations against former player Derrius Guice, social unrest and political tensions in the wake of Jacob Blake's paralysis, Breonna Taylor's murder and many many many more acts of racist violence against black people, our players formed an alliance and marched through campus led by Coach Corey Raymond, Jacoby Stevens and DE Andre Anthony.
Criticism later arose as to who supported who and when, all while a global pandemic threatened the immediate future of Louisiana high school football...before this, two hurricanes hit the southern shores of the state, Laura becoming the strongest and largest to ever make landfall in the Gulf of Mexico, destroying thousands of homes and buildings, killing 14 as well as knocking out power for weeks on end...our close friend (from Lake Charles) Jamie was lucky and still has life altering consequences from this hurricane....it seemed like 2020 couldn't get any worse.
As fans looked to sports for hope, hope slapped us in the face with the realities of 2020 yet again:
Over the weekend, we were made privy to info about Ja'Marr Chase leaving the team...we heard about agents, Covid, NFL stock...but while remaining quiet on this info, we looked online and saw the upheaval amongst fans in the wake of the players' protest.
The majority of LSU fans, 99.5% were all in favor of the players protesting the injustices and murders, many finally joined the cause...however there existed an element which gave me a shocking pause...LSU fans willing to quit on the program completely and stop being Tiger fans...I couldn't believe my eyes and this wasn't an isolated person...there were 10-20 making these seditious claims.
Now, after all the anger, suspicion and debate, it seems the inevitable has arrived:
Ja'Marr Chase, the best player in college football, will opt out of the 2020 season and begin his NFL Draft preparations.
The loss is unquantifiable...this is a player who scored the momentum, swagger-establishing touchdowns vs Clemson in the title game (2x while we were behind), the lead-taking leap and grab over Trayvon Diggs vs Alabama...he posted an NCAA record 20 TDs and averaged 21.2 yards per catch!
How do you account for that production?
How could LSU even begin to replace the best player in college sports who could possibly have shattered every single LSU, SEC or collegiate record in sight with only 10-13 games left in his Tigers career?
Losing guys like Ja'Marr and Kary, Neil...it's a huge blow...while some of these coaching departures were expected, and the hiring of Bo Pelini (replacing Aranda), Scott Linehan (replacing Brady) as well as new analysts Carter Sheridan and Russ Callaway have all been firmly astute hires, the loss of core leaders and champions such as Ja'Marr Chase, Kary Vincent Jr, Marcel Brooks and Neil Farrell Jr is a different prospect altogether.
LSU have more than enough talent to replace their losses on the field in some respects, although you'll never come close to immediately finding a guy who can drop 20 TDs in a year while another two guys drop 10+ TDs...right???
Why would Ja'Marr need to play in 2020? He did it for his teammates and the fans, he wanted another Biletnikoff, national title and every record in the book...he wanted it all...he was selfless in his domination, he was brilliant, he was transcendent, Ja'Marr worked harder and longer than any receiver has since Jerry Rice and much like every other great Tigers legend, he exploded like a shooting star and at the apex of majesty, he was gone...for all the understandable 2020 reasons.
Ja'Marr recently lost his grandmother, he gave us a national championship, memories for a lifetime in such a short, unbridled, unparalleled span and at the end of the day, Ja'Marr has a family to take care of....and he can take care of them now.
At the base of my brain, I always wondered if this eventuality would come...and it has: Chase has chosen to opt out and keep himself whole for the 2021 NFL Draft....and how can anyone fault him?
This isn't about the players' protest, at least that we know of at this point: Ja'Marr was a full participant and seemed to have no bitter feelings towards the staff....I doubt any player does.
Could it be that tiny sliver of fanbase who pushed the decision over the edge? Or a slick NFL agent with ties to a Saban trust fund???
Let's don't get carried away here....there's no cracks within this team, there's nothing that can't be overcome.
Our head coach supports his players 100% in their protest, in their lives, for their futures...the decision made by Chase and Vincent Jr were business decisions...no way around it and no bones about it.
At the same time, LSU's 2020 team will move forward together in solidarity, unity and intensity in their quest to defend their 2019 title, whoever is wearing purple and gold...because no matter who has worn or still wears purple and gold, we will cheer for and support 100% with no let up.
Mickey Joseph's WR corps still boasts a frenzy of talent: Terrace Marshall is the #1 guy, Racey McMath must ascend to his advertised level, Jontre Kirklin, Trey Palmer, Jaray Jenkins, Alex Adams (Hey Bando), Koy Moore, Kayshon Boutte need to explode, Arik Gilbert must stake his claim to greatness, Kole Taylor and Nick Storz must become suitable options.
We wish it didn't have to come to this, but we understand. Thank you for playing for us, Ja'Marr, Kary, Neil, Jamal, Marcel, Eric....you made us proud.
Tigers forever.
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
GEAUX TIGERS
COPYRIGHT 2020 UNINTERRUPTED WRITINGS INC LLC
SHOUTOUTS TO:
EVERYONE...WE NEED JUSTICE AND PEACE.
I LOVE YOU ALL.