LSU fans have every reason to be angry.The football team’s loss to Ole Miss on Saturday was heartbreaking for so many reasons. It puts coach Les Miles’ goal of finishing as a top-five team out of reach, plays havoc with the Tigers’ bowl chances and has made LSU plummet in national rankings and esteem.But the most tragic thing about the loss is how avoidable it was.In the wake of this defeat, fans all over the city are crying for, among other things we can’t mention in the paper, Miles to be fired. The venom being spewed at the coach and his staff is startling.While fans are right to blame Miles and the rest of the coaching staff for the terrible clock management and poor organization during that game, everyone needs to take a time out and cool down a little. Now is not the time to be calling for anyone’s head.Miles’ current contract lasts through 2012. If his contract is canceled, it would cost the Athletic Department as much as $15 million.That’s a lot of money, even for an organization as affluent as the Tiger Athletic Foundation.Besides, it’s not like the Tigers are a shame to the LSU name. The team still has the potential to go 9-3, quite a feat in the highly competitive SEC. And it’s important to remember Miles won a national championship roughly two short years ago.If Athletic Director Joe Alleva eventually decides Miles’ performance is unsatisfactory, he may be justified in firing him.But Alleva shouldn’t — and probably won’t — fire Miles this season.It should take at least one more season of lackluster results before such a decision is made.And that decision certainly shouldn’t be made now, while tempers are high and the anger is boiling over.—-Contact the Editorial Board at [email protected]
Our View: Take unfortunate loss in stride and try to remain calm
November 22, 2009