An article on Rivals.com told the story of how LSU coach Les Miles used a rallying cry as a public relations tool to get into the BCS championship game last year.

Miles’ wife suggested that since LSU lost only in overtime, LSU should use that to their advantage. Perhaps she was only consoling her husband after the loss. Nevertheless, with the help of the athletic department, Miles told anyone who would listen that the loss in overtime to Kentucky was not the same as losing in regulation.

In the last game of the season, LSU fell to Arkansas in overtime and Miles repeated the mantra of “only losing in overtime.” While there are a host of reasons why LSU shouldn’t have used the strategy, the most obvious reason would be that the two teams beat LSU in the end. Good sportsmanship means the losing team’s coach speaks positive of how well the other team played and what steps need to be taken before the next ball game. Miles might have said the other team wanted the victory more, but he didn’t.

“We only lost in overtime,” he said.

LSU’s public relations “spin” worked, and the BCS put them in the National Championship game.

Julie Cooper believes the Concordia Parish Police Jury needs a good PR spin doctor to educate the public on why they deserve a new raise.

Maybe Les Miles, his wife and the athletic department at LSU could offer some strategies to the jury members.

Better yet, the voters will use their ballots in the next election to voice their concerns about their police jury.

N. Leslie Carpenter III

Natchez resident