“The Play” is over.
“The Bluegrass Miracle,” “The Miracle on the Bluegrass,” “Hail Henderson,” “The Bluegrass Bomb,” “Commonwealth Connection,” “Jack Hunt’s Phantom Touchdown” or “Let’s Make Up Some Other Neat-O Swell Nickname So We Can Sell T-Shirts” happened and needs to be forgotten, as far as the LSU players and coaching staff are concerned.
But that’s all anyone wanted to question LSU head coach Nick Saban about in his weekly Monday press conference.
Saban’s reaction mirrored his “it’s time to move on” attitude. As one would expect, the series of questions varying from the specifics of who was where on the last-second touchdown catch to how difficult it was to celebrate the win for only 24 hours wasn’t exactly what he wanted to discuss.
As the press conference went on, Saban became visibly angry at the line of questioning. After all, he only has to prepare his team for one of the most crucial games of the season when No. 10 Alabama enters Tiger Stadium Saturday night in front of a national audience.
The radio phone lines lit up saying that Saban shouldn’t have jumped all over the media for beating the subject to the ground.
Imagine if Saban danced around the podium Monday and talked for hours about that absolute goon from Kentucky in the sports coat and tie that cheered around Marcus Randall as the winning touchdown was in the air.
Or talk about how hilarious he thought it was for the Kentucky fans to attempt tear down the goal posts in a loss.
Or if Saban came out ecstatic and dressed in a clown suit as he referred to “The Play That Left a Soaked Guy Morriss As the Embarrassment of America” as part of the Barnum and Bailey circus.
Then Saturday rolls around and the Crimson Tide blow the Tigers out of the stadium, 58-0.
Baton Rouge would ask for Saban’s head on a chopping block as LSU fans will ask him to say his Hail Mary’s as he packs his bags.
Sure the miracle play ranks right up there with some of the best finishes in college football history.
And the play will be displayed repeatedly to our kids and their kids until their ears bleed.
Just don’t expect Saban and the LSU players to dwell and gloat about the win.
Expect them to study the ‘Bama defensive schemes.
LSU’s defense ranks first in the nation, but the Elephants from Tuscaloosa sit just two spots behind at number three.
Their defense remains susceptible to the pass, but LSU hasn’t exactly torched opponents through the air.
LSU’s reliance on the running game plays to ‘Bama’s strength, touting three NFL-quality defensive linemen who allow just more than 79 yards rushing per game.
Not to mention Alabama has outscored Southeastern Conference opponents 189-82 in thrashings of Arkansas, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State. Don’t forget about its near-defeats of national champion contenders Oklahoma and Georgia.
And don’t forget about that dastardly word that we journalists throw around after an exciting win or an improbable feat.
It starts with an “L.” Ends in a “down” with “e-t” right before that. You know the word.
No one will talk about that touchdown if Dennis Franchione and the Tide ruin the Tigers’ repeat trip to Atlanta.
I’d bet on it and wouldn’t need the help of those computer-hacking gamblers that win millions of dollars on one horse race.