Notice what Ed Orgeron says here: hardly anything.
He doesn't spout pseudo-scientific theories about how 18-year-olds can "fight off" the coronavirus. He doesn't put a date on when football facilities should be open for business. He doesn't share his plans to jet set off to his vacation home for Easter weekend.
He just... listens.
LSU's head coach has been at the front of the coronavirus pandemic in Louisiana -- and not just among sports figures, but for the entire state. It was O, back on March 18, who unveiled Louisiana's coronavirus game plan. “Look, we all know we’re from Louisiana, we tough," Orgeron said. “We’re resilient. I encourage you to follow the game plan, just like I ask the Tigers, man."
As the weeks have passed and the conversation has turned to when football can begin, Orgeron returned with a message.
And that message was to sit and listen to an expert.
Pretty much all of the blowback I've received from writing about Mike Gundy's comments earlier this week has come in the form of, "Well, at least he's being positive. We need positivity in this time, don't we?"
And, yes, of course we need to be positive. Oregeron's -- or, really, Dr. Bankston's message -- is one of positivity as well, but it doesn't trade in pseudo-science or hopeful thinking. Instead, it focuses on the things we can all do in order to get to where we all want to be come August and September.