Handling the Ignorant Naysayers

Lately, we seem to have been bombarded with bloggers and minor journalists saying inane and critical things about the state of the LSU football program. "Critical" probably isn't the right word, because some may take it to to be used pursuant to its 3rd definition at dictionary.com, "involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc."

I won't link to them, because the purpose of this entry is to encourage LSU fans to ignore those guys, but I am sure you can easily find multiple examples of some minor commentator saying terrible things about the state of the football program. Just go on the message boards and look for the LSU fans calling it to your attention. I think 3 were brought up this weekend alone.

If it's a blogger making bizarre statements like LSU's recruiting is sub-par, or that LSU's program is currently on a steady decline, you know they're just trying to generate traffic. Look, I'm a blogger. I know how this works. The easiest way to generate traffic and interest is to find something a lot of people love and then stridently, viciously insult it. I know it gives a blog a big shot in the arm as far as readership goes.

If you write that entry, the fans will link to it at message boards, your traffic will increase 50-fold or more, comments will go through the roof, and you will make a name for yourself. It's the simplest, most direct, most reliable way to generate readership for a blog. Recognize that that is its purpose. So when you go to his blog and try to tell the guy what a fool he is, you're giving him exactly what he wants.

Don't do it. Don't play into his hands. Ignore it. Treat him like you would treat any obnoxious fan at the stadium by obscenities about how much his team is going to beat you. That's exactly what he is. He's one of those obnoxious and difficult fans who has discovered that the internet gives him another outlet AND that his obnoxiousness is actually rewarded here.

I am here to encourage all LSU fans, and fans of other teams for that matter, to just ignore trolls like that. By linking and by commenting, you are just encouraging them to do it more. If they get a lot of comments, then they become known for being able to bother the fans of other teams. Don't let the attention whores win.

Now if it's not a blogger, I think you need to do something a little different. If it's a "respected" journalist, like for example, Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com, who said before the BCSNCG a few months ago:

LSU coach Les Miles is lucky the BCS national championship game isn't a board game between the coaches. If they were playing checkers, Ohio State's Jim Tressel would quadruple-jump Miles into submission. If they were playing chess, Miles would ask to play checkers.

I don't think Les Miles is very smart. Sorry, I don't. He doesn't look smart, for one thing. He could have been the lead character in Sling Blade. His eyes are too close together. I bet I could jam a thumb over the bridge of his nose and poke both pupils.

Looks can be deceiving, of course. Despite looking dumb, Les Miles could actually be smart. Except he doesn't act smart. And this is why he cannot beat Jim Tressel on Monday night in the BCS title game.

We all remember how that turned out. I think, the way to treat these guys is to just take their number. Remember them, and when they say something else, use it against them. "Say, aren't you the guy who said that Les Miles could not possibly beat Jim Tressel? Why should we listen to you?" The last thing in the world these guys want is for you to remember their predictions that went horribly wrong.

Edit: I realized I let Monday pass without one word about our baseball team getting their 14th, 15th, and 16th wins in a row this weekend and winning the SEC West. I will have more on this tomorrow, but don't let it be said that I am ignoring this today. Congratulations on an incredible streak that no one could have seen coming.