Former LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu saw his career end due to marijuana and synthetic marijuana.  According to one story making the rounds before the NFL draft, Mathieu allegedly told one pro team that he’d failed double-digit drug tests while a Tiger, but he later denied making that statement.

Well, tell that to Bud’s Glass joint, a head shop that sells drug paraphernalia in Phoenix.  The store placed an ad in The Phoenix New Times welcoming the Arizona Cardinals’ newest player to the area.

“Honey Badger.  Welcome to Phoenix!  We have what you’re looking for.”

Such an ad is hardly fair to Mathieu, of course, and one wonders if his agent won’t try to take legal action of some sort against the shop for using his likeness in its ad.  But with so much smoke surrounding his college career — pun intended — it will be interesting to see if there are any more fires moving forward into the pro ranks.

The Cardinals have reportedly put provisions in Mathieu’s contract forcing him to submit to drug testing more often than his teammates.

SEC and ESPN will announce plans for new SEC television network on Tuesday…
New channel expected to launch in August of 2014
Security detail to monitor Auburn players curfew cost the University approximately $75,000 last fall
Ole Miss basketball coach Andy Kennedy getting a raise and contract extension…will be seventh-highest paid coach in SEC
Status of Tennessee running back Marlin Lane unclear…missed practice time dealing with family illness
LSU officials dispute story that former cornerback Tyrann Mathieu failed at least 10 drug tests before being suspended
Kentucky expects record crowd for spring game this weekend
Follow SEC news year round at MrSEC.com and on Twitter at Twitter.com/mrsec

SEC and ESPN will announce plans for new SEC television network on Tuesday…
New channel expected to launch in August of 2014
Status of Tennessee running back Marlin Lane unclear…missed practice time dealing with family illness
LSU officials dispute story that former cornerback Tyrann Mathieu failed at least 10 drug tests before being suspended
Kentucky expects record crowd for spring game this weekend
Follow SEC news year round at MrSEC.com and on Twitter at Twitter.com/mrsec

“I quit counting at 10. I really don’t know.” That’s a quote attributed to Tyrann Mathieu in a USA Today column that was allegedly in reply to a question about the number of drug tests he failed at LSU before receiving a suspension.  

As you might imagine, that’s caused quote a stir today.  Enough so that LSU felt compelled to issue statements from both Mathieu and school A.D. Joe Alleva.

Mathieu, who received a one-game suspension from LSU in 2011, and was booted from the team in August of 2012, says LSU went to great lengths to help him.

“It is irresponsible and shows a lack of integrity for anyone to disclose medical information regardless of how it was gathered,” Mathieu said.   “I would expect that conversations regarding my drug testing history during the course of my medical treatment would be private.  LSU has a strong drug testing program and LSU went to great lengths to help me in my treatment and recovery.  I understand that many people enjoy reading about the negative side of sports, but to publish those second-hand comments without being given a chance to address that comment prior to the publication of the article is irresponsible.”

A coach was quoted anonymously in the USA Today story regarding Mathieu saying, “If he flunked 10 tests before they suspended him, it shows that he got no kind of help.”

Regarding the drug testing at LSU, A.D. Joe Alleva says “it is a program we would put up against any in the country.”

Appearing in an ESPN interview with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit yesterday, LSU coach Les Miles sounded off on everything from Cam Cameron’s impact on the Tiger offense to Tyrann Mathieu’s pro potential.

But it’s what the coach didn’t say about LSU’s 2013 schedule — aside from an opening joke that drew laughs from Herbstreit — that should be noted:

“Certainly they’re putting us in a position to play in either division.  You know, we’ll play certainly the toughest schedule in the West and they’re picking the best teams that they can to give us out of the East. 

I have to be honest with you, we kind of accept that schedule.  We look forward to the competition.  We like to think that maybe there’s only one team in the country that could go through it and kind of look forward to it.”

Good answer.

The SEC once again cut a transitional schedule for 2013.  At some point in the near future the league is expected to create a new scheduling rotation of eight league games per team per year (though we still believe a nine-game slate is inevitable).  But the last two years have been hodge-podged together and that’s raised complaints from schools who’ve had to travel to the same opponent in back-to-back years, from schools who’ve been forced to play the best teams outside their division, and from schools who’ve felt their chief rivals did not have to play the best teams outside their division.

Given an opportunity to open up on national television, Miles didn’t whine.  He didn’t moan.  He didn’t cry.

Granted, LSU athletic director Joe Alleva has done his share of bellyaching about the league’s need to do away with permanent cross-division rivalries, but Miles wouldn’t take the bait when Fowler and Herbstreit pointed out the Tigers’ drew Florida (home) and Georgia (away) from the East.

Instead he responded with what we assume is his message to his team: “We’re the only team that could pull this kind of thing off.”  Kudos.

A tough schedule isn’t always something to cry about.  Miles and LSU should know better than anyone that a rough slate of games can actually open the door to BCS glory.

It was just six Januarys ago that the Tigers were handed a slot in the BCS Championship Game despite having two losses on their ledger.  They took advantage of that opportunity, whipped Ohio State, and gave Miles his only crystal football to date.

With LSU’s schedule in 2013, a loss — maybe even two — might not close the door completely on the Tigers’ title hopes.

Tyrann Mathieu

With the NFL draft just a few weeks away, Former LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu is making the rounds of pro football teams.   He’s reportedly in Arizona today and will be in Cincinnati Monday, making his case to team officials in a suit and tie.

USA Today columnist Jarrett Bell notes that Mathieu has repeatedly stated he’s been clean since an arrest in October for marijuana possession and then adds these details…

During one visit, Mathieu was asked how many drug tests he failed before he was suspended in college.

According to an assistant coach for the team, Mathieu responded: “I quit counting at 10. I really don’t know.”

The coach, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment about the evaluation, doesn’t dump all of the blame on Mathieu. He points a finger at LSU.

“If he flunked 10 tests before they suspended him, it shows that he got no kind of help,” the coach said.

Mathieu was dismissed from the LSU team in August.  He received a one-game suspension back in 2011 after a drug test revealed synthetic marijuana in his system. He’s considered a likely third-round pick in the draft but could go in the second-round.

Update: LSU spokesman says the school denies the charge and will issue a statement later today.

SEC Saturday Basketball…Early Finals…South Carolina 75, Arkansas 54…Tennessee 54, Alabama 53
…Kentucky 75, LSU 70…Missouri 81, Vanderbilt 59
Former LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu says he will attend NFL draft combine in February
A facelift of Missouri’s Memorial Stadium that will expand seating capacity by more than 6,000 seats is underway
Friends and family remember former Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant who died 30 years ago on January 26, 1983
Get all your SEC news from MrSEC.com and twitter.com/mrsec

January has been a rough slog for LSU football fans.  One junior after another has announced his intentions to leave Baton Rouge early for a spot in the NFL draft.  The total has now reached 10 players from last year’s team, 11 if you count Tyrann Mathieu who drugged his way out of school prior to the season.

One person who’s not worried?  Les Miles.  At least that’s what he’s saying publicly:

“I like the state of the program.  I like the fact that we send guys to the NFL early and recruit guys with the potential to go to the NFL early…

I could go down every guy and I could tell you that the reasons are personally compelling.  Were they my decisions?  No, but frankly I understood them.

I think some guys are looking forward to having great and long pro careers and some guys are trying to optimize a lower position in a draft spot and maximize the number of years they get to be there…

Some guys think they may never be most optimally positioned for the NFL and this may be the best that they’ve got.  It may be bad, but they think it’s the best that they have.”

Miles also told The Baton Rouge Advocate that his staff “anticipated the departures, to a certain extent, and we recruited guys right along that we anticipate would come in and have a great opporunity to play very early and play big roles on next year’s team.

Sounds good.  But here’s guessing Miles is actually pretty frustrated by all the turnover.  How could he not be?

ESPN analyst Jon Gruden reportedly canceled a meeting with Tennessee AD Dave Hart yesterday
Louisville coach Charlie Strong has denied reports that he’s interviewed for the Auburn coaching job
Former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino is being connected to the Auburn job
LSU coach Les Miles received a raise and contract extension yesterday, soon after speaking with Arkansas AD Jeff Long
CBS analyst Gary Danielson on critics of the SEC: “Until somebody beats them, everybody should shut up.”
Fans are growing impatient as Auburn’s coaching search is on Day 4 and Tennessee’s is on Day 11… it took Kentucky 23 days to hire Mark Stoops
Former LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu is expected to enter the NFL draft in April
Alabama fan who sexually assaulted an LSU fan after January’s BCS title game has been sentenced to 2 years in prison
Kentucky hoops coach John Calipari says he expects to be at Kentucky another 6 or 7 years
Follow the SEC every single day at MrSEC.com

Defensive back Tyrann Mathieu was one of four former LSU players arrested on drug charges on Thursday
SEC commissioner Mike Slive tells ESPN.com that the site for the new Champions Bowl — either New Orleans or Arlington, Texas — will be announced next week
Arkansas AD Jeff Long says he will most likely hire someone who is currently employed as a coach
Sources have told MrSEC.com that TCU’s Gary Patterson is Arkansas’ top choice
Sources have told MrSEC.com that if Tennessee replaces Derek Dooley, Jon Gruden and Bobby Petrino would be 1-2 on UT’s list of replacements
Hurricane Sandy could create a windy day for the Georgia-Florida game
Kentucky will try to play three quarterbacks versus Missouri on Saturday
Texas A&M DL Damontre Moore leads the nation in sacks with 9.5 and tackles for loss with 17
Follow the SEC every day at MrSEC.com or twitter.com/mrsec…
Athlon Sports and Maxim Magazine have named MrSEC as a Twitter feed every fan should follow