GeauxTo
12-03-2005, 01:34 PM
SEC official pulls a fast one
December 3, 2005
By Glenn Guilbeau gguilbeau@gannett.com (gguilbeau@gannett.com)
ATLANTA -- The coordinator of Southeastern Conference officials pulled a fast one at the SEC Championship Game's fan luncheon on Friday, and no one threw a flag.
Bobby Gaston had his wife Gail send up a question to opposing coaches Les Miles of LSU and Mark Richt of Georgia. The best question would win a two-night stay at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency.
Mrs. Gaston's question was, "Who did a better job this season, the officials or the coaches?"
The question was later judged the best, but Gaston turned himself in.
"I'm surprised it got by everyone," he said.
Miles had the best answer. After lip servicing the officials, as did Richt, Miles said, "The coaching on the other hand is spectacular. I think they all deserve every raise in the world."
DOME PATROL: There's nothing like Saturday night in Tiger Stadium, everyone says, but LSU has apparently been house broken. The Tigers have won their last 10 games in domes -- either the Louisiana Superdome or the Georgia Dome, where today's 5 p.m. SEC championship game with Georgia will be played.
LSU has won its last six in the Superdome -- 41-36 over Tulane and coach Mack Brown in 1987, 27-7 over Tulane in 1989, 39-20 over Tulane in 1991, 49-25 over Tulane in 1994, 47-34 over Illinois in the Jan. 1, 2002 Sugar Bowl and 21-14 over Oklahoma in the Jan. 4, 2004 BCS national championship game in the Sugar Bowl.
The Tigers have won their last four in the Georgia Dome -- 10-7 over Clemson in the 1996 Peach Bowl, 28-14 over Georgia Tech in the 2000 Peach Bowl, 30-21 over Tennessee in the 2001 SEC Championship Game and 34-13 over Georgia in the 2003 SEC title game.
HOME AGAIN: The SEC West is the home team in the SEC championship game every odd year. LSU has only been to the title game in odd years, so it is home for the third straight time. The Tigers will also be wearing their home whites after asking Georgia permission. Most college teams wear their colors at home.
CHECK AGAIN: A popular factoid item circulating around the buildup of today's SEC championship game was the possibility that this could be the first time in the 14-year history of the game that two African-American, starting quarterbacks will square off.
Several reporters were asking about this on Friday and throughout the week. It is not true.
Georgia's D.J. Shockley and LSU's JaMarcus Russell will not be the first pair. In 1998, Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin directed a 24-14 win over Mississippi State and quarterback Wayne Madkin.
In fact, many black quarterbacks have played in this game. The previous ones were David Palmer of Alabama in 1993, Dameyune Craig of Auburn in 1997, Martin of Tennessee in 1998, Madkin of Mississippi State in 1998, Andrew Zow of Alabama in 1999, Rohan Davey of LSU in 2001 and Jason Campbell of Auburn in 2004.
Palmer usually played receiver for Alabama but began playing quarterback when starter Jay Barker went down with an injury late in the 1993 season.
December 3, 2005
By Glenn Guilbeau gguilbeau@gannett.com (gguilbeau@gannett.com)
ATLANTA -- The coordinator of Southeastern Conference officials pulled a fast one at the SEC Championship Game's fan luncheon on Friday, and no one threw a flag.
Bobby Gaston had his wife Gail send up a question to opposing coaches Les Miles of LSU and Mark Richt of Georgia. The best question would win a two-night stay at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency.
Mrs. Gaston's question was, "Who did a better job this season, the officials or the coaches?"
The question was later judged the best, but Gaston turned himself in.
"I'm surprised it got by everyone," he said.
Miles had the best answer. After lip servicing the officials, as did Richt, Miles said, "The coaching on the other hand is spectacular. I think they all deserve every raise in the world."
DOME PATROL: There's nothing like Saturday night in Tiger Stadium, everyone says, but LSU has apparently been house broken. The Tigers have won their last 10 games in domes -- either the Louisiana Superdome or the Georgia Dome, where today's 5 p.m. SEC championship game with Georgia will be played.
LSU has won its last six in the Superdome -- 41-36 over Tulane and coach Mack Brown in 1987, 27-7 over Tulane in 1989, 39-20 over Tulane in 1991, 49-25 over Tulane in 1994, 47-34 over Illinois in the Jan. 1, 2002 Sugar Bowl and 21-14 over Oklahoma in the Jan. 4, 2004 BCS national championship game in the Sugar Bowl.
The Tigers have won their last four in the Georgia Dome -- 10-7 over Clemson in the 1996 Peach Bowl, 28-14 over Georgia Tech in the 2000 Peach Bowl, 30-21 over Tennessee in the 2001 SEC Championship Game and 34-13 over Georgia in the 2003 SEC title game.
HOME AGAIN: The SEC West is the home team in the SEC championship game every odd year. LSU has only been to the title game in odd years, so it is home for the third straight time. The Tigers will also be wearing their home whites after asking Georgia permission. Most college teams wear their colors at home.
CHECK AGAIN: A popular factoid item circulating around the buildup of today's SEC championship game was the possibility that this could be the first time in the 14-year history of the game that two African-American, starting quarterbacks will square off.
Several reporters were asking about this on Friday and throughout the week. It is not true.
Georgia's D.J. Shockley and LSU's JaMarcus Russell will not be the first pair. In 1998, Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin directed a 24-14 win over Mississippi State and quarterback Wayne Madkin.
In fact, many black quarterbacks have played in this game. The previous ones were David Palmer of Alabama in 1993, Dameyune Craig of Auburn in 1997, Martin of Tennessee in 1998, Madkin of Mississippi State in 1998, Andrew Zow of Alabama in 1999, Rohan Davey of LSU in 2001 and Jason Campbell of Auburn in 2004.
Palmer usually played receiver for Alabama but began playing quarterback when starter Jay Barker went down with an injury late in the 1993 season.