RIP: Jefferson Pilot telecasts

No, this was under Jared Lorenzen

 

Yes.

My reference to the 1994 Auburn-LSU game at Jordan-Hare was a separate thought from my reference to the 2002 LSU-Kentucky game at Commonwealth Stadium. Wasn't it J-Load who called the timeout that frustrated Guy Morriss, because it stopped the clock with too much time left? Kentucky should have run the clock down to single digits, and Morriss knew it.

 

I know it was shitty playcalling. Still doesn't mean Howard shouldn't have been able to tell blue jerseys from white ones. Or at least that there were three blue jerseys between him and his receiver.

Oh, and Slappy...the game you're thinking of was the LSU-UK hail mary game. LSU got the ball on its 2 on the kickoff, caught a pass up to the 25, called a timeout, then hit the bomb to win it.

 

One of my favorite stories about the aftermath of the 1994 debacle was when Jamie Howard heard a Baton Rouge talk show host continue to rip him, and I think Howard either called and threatened to go down to the station and whip his ass or actually went to the station.

Not sure. Maybe someone here has a better memory than me about that.

 

The nadir of my JP existence was Alabama-Arkansas game in 95 where the Hogs scored the late TD for the upset, thanks in part to ROGERS REDDING AND HIS AMERICAN IMBECILES the referees failing to notice Arky's 12 men on the field during a crucial first-down conversion earlier in the drive.

 

To be fair to Howard, I think two of those picks involved a helluva lot of luck. Didn't the final two picks bounce off the hands of his receivers?

Seems right to me, but it's been a long time since I've watched that game.

 

Legend has it that when Amadee found out Hallman called for the pass play that turned into the final INT he, and his defensive coaches, ran down the sideline towards Hallman screaming for a timeout before the ball was snapped.

 

Oh, the cursing that I did that day. I was listening to that game on the radio, going to some crappy assignment way out in Hicksville. (At the time, I was working for a newspaper that covered your typical weekend festival like it was Woodstock.) The photographer who was with me couldn't get over all the cursing I was doing.

 

I didn't think any calls went against Bama. Ever. Every SEC ref has to graduate from the Alabama School of Officiating.
Just thought of another JP lowlight, from 1999...LSU's Josh Booty, dumbass that he is, tries to run into the end zone instead of throwing it away from the Bama 2-yard line with about 5 seconds left. Two Alabama players are badly hurt on the play. One of them has a broken leg. Ref blows the play dead after Booty is tackled, looks at the clock for about five seconds, then calls for the injury timeout at 0:00. If you watch, you can almost see his lips counting the time down.

 

I don't know if that story is true or not, but I've heard it too. It's become legendary.
Those were the days, if you were an LSU fan, you were happy if they would just go to the Poulan Weed Eater Independence Bowl....the Peach Bowl was a bit too much to hope for. Forget about the SEC Championship game. God bless you Kevin Faulk, Gerry DiNardo, Michael Clayton, Nick Saban and Rohan Davey.

 

I was at that game. Marvin Constant, he of the broken leg, never played again. Now a sherrif's deputy in T-town.

The quality of SEC officiating has gone to shit since Jimmy Harper retired. Actually, one of the better refs (Steve Landis) did go to Alabama, which means he can't call any Tide games.

 

Josh Booty...the only guy who left LSU early who I was glad to see go. I hope he's living under a bridge or turning tricks for pocket change.