LSU, Oklahoma not concerned with Rose Bowl

By By Richard Dark/EMG staff writer
January 3, 2004
NEW ORLEANS – Regardless of what happened in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, it won't take away from the fact that the National Championship will be decided here in the Louisiana Superdome Sunday night, when the Oklahoma Sooners, the Bowl Championship Series' No.1 team, takes on LSU, the BCS' No.2. That was the consensus sentiment from every coach and player from each team the day after Southern Cal handled Michigan, 28-14, in Pasadena.
Friday was Media Day and approximately 1,300 media members from across the country descended onto the Superdome AstroPlay turf – a scene reminiscent of the Super Bowl to pose a myriad of questions to both LSU and Oklahoma players alike, concerning everything from where in the French Quarter they have frequented, to where their respective teams will end up in college rankings should their team come out on top.
Despite the fact that the Rose Bowl announcers and the national television media were already crowning the Trojans after their win, LSU coach Nick Saban was quick at the start of the day's activities, to remind reporters that this game is the one the "system" recognizes.
To Saban what the Trojans did means nothing to LSU. "I was so interested in the USC game (Thursday) I didn't even watch it," he said. His counterpart, OU coach Bob Stoops took the same road.
Paul Hoolahan, the Sugar Bowl Executive Director said the game's magnitude "remains unchanged."
Just before his team departed to practice in Metairie at the Saints facility, Saban also said the controversies that unfolded by any perceived shortcomings with the BCS can be easily fixed in the future by looking at this year. He admitted that he and his coaching fraternity were bound by the BCS to vote the Sugar Bowl winner as its No.1. But then he also said they should "vote with their hearts."
Stronghold
Friday morning work crews could be seen barricades and a hurricane-type metal fencing around the Superdome much as they did for Super Bowl XXXVI in 2001. Security meetings and news conferences were held in the afternoon. There won't be any parking in or near the Dome area as the game has been classified as a national security event.
Biggest Bash
Although this week's New Year's Eve celebration in the French Quarter was deemed one of the more boisterous in recent memory, LSU All-American defensive tackle Chad Lavalais said that holiday raucousness will pale in comparison to what will happen in the Crescent City if LSU beats OU. "Man, it's going to be crazy. It might be the craziest thing anyone's ever seen. This place will just be rough. This whole state will just explode."
Pop stars come out: Pop stars Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, as well as rap artist Snoop Dogg will be a part of the Sugar Bowl pregame and halftime festivities.
That close
Worth Repeating