Iowa Standing For National Anthem While LSU Walked Off Tells You Everything

LSU women’s basketball

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Louisiana State University’s women’s basketball team found itself embroiled in a controversy after staying in the locker room during the national anthem before their Elite Eight game against Iowa on April 1.

Fiery debate

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The incident sparked a fiery debate, with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry calling for a policy change and social media speculation about the team’s actions.

Woke

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In recent years, it’s become increasingly popular for “woke” athletes to promote left-wing social activism by protesting the National Anthem. LSU went on to lose to the Iowa Hawkeyes, who punched their ticket to the Final Four. Iowa knocked off LSU 94-87. Superstar guard Caitlin Clark scored 41 points.

Governor Jeff Landry

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Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry condemned LSU’s absence during the national anthem, advocating for a policy that mandates student-athletes to be present for the anthem.

Disappointment

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He emphasized the significance of the national anthem in American sports and expressed disappointment at the absence of a policy respecting the anthem.

Social media posts

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Social media posts insinuated that LSU skipped the national anthem as a form of protest, leading to widespread speculation and backlash. However, this narrative was refuted by the university and the team’s head coach, who clarified that it was part of their regular pregame routine and not a deliberate protest.

Kim Mulkey

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LSU’s women’s basketball head coach, Kim Mulkey, explained that the team’s absence during the national anthem was not intentional and was part of their routine pregame preparations.

Several seasons

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The university also affirmed that the basketball programs had not been on the court for the anthem for several seasons, emphasizing that the anthem is usually played 12 minutes before the game when the team is in the locker room finalizing their preparations.

Team’s absence

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In response to the speculation and misconceptions, the university and sports reporter Chessa Bouche clarified that the team’s absence during the national anthem was not a conscious decision or a form of protest.

Team’s routine

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Bouche highlighted that the football team also follows a similar practice and that the absence during the anthem was consistent with the team’s routine for several seasons.

Controversy

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The controversy surrounding LSU’s absence during the national anthem underscores the complexities and sensitivities associated with public displays of patriotism and protest within the realm of sports.

Speculation

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While the initial absence sparked condemnation and speculation, the subsequent clarifications shed light on the routine nature of the team’s actions, dispelling misconceptions and reaffirming that the absence was not an intentional protest.

Nothing intentionally done

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LSU head coach Kim Mulkey told reporters that it was “nothing intentionally done” when the team skipped the National Anthem.

Don’t even know

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“Honestly, I don’t even know when the anthem was played,” Mulkey said.

Pregame stuff

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“We kind of have a routine when they’re on the floor and they come off at the 12-minute mark. I don’t know, we come in and we do our pregame stuff. I’m sorry, listen, that’s nothing intentionally done,” the coach claimed.