The pregame response to LSU's Elite Eight loss to Iowa sparked a controversy that reached the governor's mansion on Tuesday.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry I posted a tweet The morning after LSU's 94-87 loss to Iowa State, they asked the Louisiana Board of Regents to create a policy requiring student-athletes to attend the national anthem before games. Otherwise, you risk losing your scholarship.
Several conservative commentators spent several hours criticizing LSU players and coaches for not being on the court when the national anthem was played ahead of the Elite Eight in Albany, New York. was spending.
Landry's full tweet:
“My mother coached girls high school basketball during the height of desegregation, and no one has more respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey. But even more so than for the game. There is a deeper respect for those who protect and unite us.''One Flag!
“It's time for all college boards, including the Regents, to institute a policy that if student-athletes do not attend the national anthem, they will jeopardize their athletic scholarships! This is a respect that all college coaches should instill.” This is a problem.”
As LSU head coach Kim Mulkey explained after the game, LSU players' absence from the court was not a protest of any kind. The defending champions' coach told reporters that his team followed its usual pregame routine.
“Honestly, I don't even know when the national anthem was played. There's some kind of routine when they're on the floor and they get off at 12 minutes. I don't know, we come in and we… Do your pre-game thing. I'm sorry, but listen, that wasn't done on purpose.”
It's actually not uncommon across college athletics for teams not to be on the court or field during the national anthem. Such was the case days before Colin Kaepernick began protests against racial injustice after consulting with a former Green Beret about how to respectfully protest during the national anthem.
The governor's request was met with general embarrassment from LSU and its administration. Jimmy Clark, chairman of the University of Louisiana System Oversight Board, told the Louisiana Illuminator that “I think there are some difficulties in trying to force something like that,” while the state's Higher Education Secretary Kim Hunter-Reed noted that the Board of Regents stated: It plays no role in decisions regarding scholarships.
Meanwhile, an LSU spokesperson said, pointed out in the statement Both the men's and women's basketball teams reportedly stayed in their locker rooms for long periods of time during the national anthem, instead preparing for the game.
“Our basketball program has not played the national anthem on the court for several seasons. The anthem is typically played 12 minutes before the start of a game, when the team is making final preparations in the locker room. .”
This isn't the first time the national anthem has become a political stage at LSU, with anonymous Louisiana state lawmakers threatening to cut LSU funding for players who kneel during the anthem like Kaepernick, The Illuminator noted. . Then-LSU President F. King Alexander responded by pointing out that the team would be in the locker room during the national anthem.
