I had the blindfold yanked from my eyes and experienced one of life’s most fascinating pleasures for the first time in 24 years, 51 weeks and three days last Saturday.

I’m talking about tailgating &045; Grove style. It was everything advertised &045; china, chandeliers, adult beverages in CUPS, partygoers dressed to the nines like somebody was either getting married or had died.

It was unique to say the least. If I ever get the opportunity to see a game from the stands of Vaught-Hemingway, I’d walk like a champion again.

But if you want to make me feel at home, gimme 180,000 of my closest friends and a shabby parking lot and don’t forget to crank the music up loud enough to shatter the sound barrier.

The game that followed the warmup stroll was even better. What’s the hex LSU has over opponents’ kickers this season? Georgia’s Billy Bennett goes 1 for 4 in LSU’s 17-10 victory in Baton Rouge earlier this year.

Then, last week Jonathan Nichols, who was 23 of 24 coming into the game misses two kicks &045; chip shots for him &045; and the Tigers caught so many breaks a team MRI had to be taken after the 17-14 win.

LSU was so lucky Saturday the house at the Mirage was calling in a &uot;cooler.&uot; Go see the movie.

But championship teams need those, right? Ohio State last year, Tennessee a season after Peyton, Oklahoma … in 2000. Not this year’s Sooner’ team; the next time OU loses it will be later rather than sooner.

The point of a national championship game is to see the country’s top two teams going at it. There isn’t another team in the country that can match up with OU’s speed and size.

It doesn’t matter who you put out on the new Superdome turf &045; USC, LSU, Michigan, the University of Hard Knocks &045; Bob Stoops will turn it into his own Madden 2004 game.

The ugliest trophy in all of sports will be given, gladly, away in Baton Rouge, following the LSU-Arkansas game today. Thank goodness the Tigers can, if they win, hoist up their second Southeastern Conference Western Division title in three years.

Otherwise, who wants to play for that 24-karat gold eyesore dubbed &uot;The Boot?&uot; A New York con artist pedaling phony Rolexes wouldn’t put that tacky item in his jacket.

It’ll take some time to rekindle the Ole Miss-LSU rivalry again, despite this year’s affair going a long way.

The Tigers and Razorbacks have had much more to fight about of late.

A defensive coordinator, John Thompson, joining LSU coach Nick Saban’s staff in 2000 before jumping ship days later to Arkansas and Houston Nutt; vicious recruiting battles; and memorable games, such as last year’s 21-20 Arkansas win, in which quarterback Matt Jones discovered he had an arm in leading his team to the comeback.

Since Ole Miss easily handled business over departing Jackie Sherrill and State Thanksgiving night, the Tigers must win to earn the West and the trip to Atlanta for the SEC championship game.

Or else the Grove will meet Peachtree.

Chuck Corder

is a sports writer for The Natchez Democrat. You can reach him at (601) 445-3633 or by e-mail at

chuck.corder@natchezdemocrat.com.