The Every Once in a While WEEkly Report - A Winter and Spring Review; Let the Post Ryan Perrilloux Era Begin

Do you remember the micro machines guy?  You know....the fast talking guy who resembled the real life version of Super Mario.  I feel I need him to do a recap of everything that has taken place since I last wrote any type of blog, or hosted a Geaux Show episode.

Alright, so in the beginning of January, LSU became the first team to win two BCS Championships.  During the winter months the LSU men's basketball team struggled mightily in SEC play, leading to the firing of John Brady (way overdue), while the women's team went to a 5th straight Final Four, only to have their hearts ripped out again by eventual national champion, Tennessee. 

The men would go on to replace Brady with Trent Johnson, formerly of Stanford.  Not a home run hire, but someone who should be able to come in and do some good things.  Given the current state in which men's basketball dwells, I don't think the LSU die-hards could ask for more. 

Now in the spring, the baseball team has shown improvement throughout Paul Manieri's second year as head coach.  The post-season is still within reach for the young baseball Tigers. 

Spring football came and went without much of a hitch.  Those who many thought would step up in the spring did, and some others were not allowed to participate.

The "others" to which I was referring is of course Ryan Perrilloux.  Former major league baseball pitcher Steve Howe didn't get as many second chances as Perrilloux.  Incident after incident over the past year has led to speculation among fans as to whether he would be on the team come the beginning of fall practice.  This past Friday, Les Miles finally decided enough was enough.  After failing to meet unspecified team rules, Miles was left no choice but to dismiss Perrilloux from the LSU football team. 

So, the LSU football Tigers must now move on, minus Ryan Perrilloux.  The logical LSU fan has been preparing for this moment since Perrilloux signed his letter of intent a little more than three years ago.  That may sound harsh, but it is the truth.

The good news is that the cupboard isn't exactly bare.  The bad news is that there is little to no game experience to work with at the QB position.  But alas, there is a silver lining.  How about five starters returning on the offensive line.  A slu of running backs who all had valuable touches in big games this past year.  And a receiving corps that will not skip a beat since the one person who is gone from that group, Early Doucet, missed half the season due to injury.

It would also be unfair of me to focus primarily on how this effects the LSU football team.  Let us not forget how this effects Mr. Perrilloux.  A young man who had an outstanding opportunity and was given chance after chance to straighten out, is now facing the reality of finishing his college career at a Division 1-AA school. 

Who knows what would have become of Ryan Perrilloux had he been able to adhere to team rules and lead one of the top teir football programs in the nation for the next two years?  Would he have eventually become a top draft choice?  Would he have led the Tigers to a 3rd BCS Title?  Would he have emerged as a Heisman candidate in a couple of years?  All questions that will never be answered.  Not just for us as fans, but I would like to think he is somewhere pondering these same things right now.  Then again, it may not matter to him.  Otherwise, he would have straightened his act out already.