LSU Athletics Director Scott Woodward has responded to Governor Jeff Landry’s call for college athletic teams to be present for the national anthem.
In a statement issued on Friday, Woodward said LSU will always be dedicated to the flag, the anthem, and the country. Woodward didn’t promise any changes to their pregame routines, but they will look at their processes.
Based on Woodward’s statement, it doesn’t look like the Tigers will move quickly to change their pregame routines for football and basketball.
Landry has called on the state’s higher education boards to develop a policy for college athletic teams to be on the field or court when the national anthem is played and if not, they could lose their scholarship.
Legal scholars have said it would be unconstitutional to take a person’s scholarship away because they intentionally avoided the anthem by staying in the locker room.
If the governor really wants results, he may have to threaten a cut in state funding to LSU.
This all started when the LSU women’s basketball team was not on the floor for the national anthem prior to the Elite Eight matchup against Iowa. The Hawkeyes were on the court.
For football, it seems it would be difficult for the Tigers to be on the field when the Golden Band from Tigerland plays “The Star Spangled Banner.” The band’s entrance on the field takes up the entire field, they spell out LSU and then play the national anthem. Again taking up the entire field.
You talk to any longtime LSU fan and they’ll tell you they can’t remember the last time LSU’s football team was on the field for the anthem.
Landry is also calling on the NCAA to mandate that student athletes are present for the national anthem. He’s hoping to see this act of patriotism during this weekend’s Final Four basketball games.