University, SU fans celebrate downtown
By Dennis Mitchell, Staff Writer
Fight songs, school cheers, sirens and chants of “We’re No. 1” filled the air Saturday as the LSU and Southern football teams rolled through the streets of downtown Baton Rouge.
Unity was the obvious theme of the Parade of Champions. Fans and players from both schools cheered alongside each other all throughout the day.
Brad Browning, a Baton Rouge resident, sat on a curb prior to the parade, anxiously waiting for it to begin.
“Everyone is out here mingling and having a good time – it is great,” Browning said. “It’s great for the community.”
The parade, which featured more than 30 vehicles, began with both schools’ presidents and chancellors, as well as Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu.
Each schools’ band, who played as they marched, was followed by fire trucks topped with players, cheerleaders, coaches and support staffs.
Players waved to the huge crowd, held up their fingers showing “No. 1,” and fans saluted back with the same.
“It is good for downtown, Baton Rouge and the state,” said Nicole Bellard, a business administration junior. “It’s great the way they commingled the teams together and are giving both teams recognition.”
Vendors also cashed in on the festivities. The Main St. Market was lined with fruit stands, wine sellers and other tables for people to browse.
Joseph Merritt, a kinesiology senior, stood near the starting point and enjoyed a cold drink as the parade got under way.
“It is great that they put this all together,” Merritt said. “It is a good reason to come out and party.”
At the end of the parade both university’s teams, bands and administrators gathered on the steps of the State Capitol.
Although the weather held out through the entire parade, fans broke out their umbrellas halfway through the ceremony at the Capitol.
Despite the rain, the area around the Capitol remained full of people until the ceremony ended.
The bands played the Star Spangled Banner together before speakers from both schools took the stage.
The community bonding was evident as players from both teams cheered, high-fived each other and danced together as the bands played their school songs.
“This is a good experience,” said Darren Jarbis, a Jaguars fan. “It unites both campuses and shows that they can come together.”
Officials fly 2003 Championship flag
By David Theard, Sports Writer
It might have been wet outside, but nothing could rain on LSU’s parade.
More than 25,000 fans braved the elements Saturday to celebrate LSU’s national and Southeastern Conference football championships, as well as head coach Nick Saban’s numerous coach of the year awards.
And Saban showed his appreciation.
“I can promise you one thing,” Saban said to the raucous crowd. “The weather might be better in California, but they’re not having this kind of celebration, because they don’t have these trophies.”
Saban was referring to the University of Southern California, which was voted No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, but did not receive the ADT National Champion Trophy and the crystal football that came with it.
LSU also received the SEC Championship Trophy from Conference Commissioner Mike Slive, and the Nokia Sugar Bowl Trophy from Sugar Bowl Executive Director Paul Hoolihan.
Saban was then presented with three national coach of the year awards, including the Associated Press National Coach of the Year, the Bear Bryant Award and the Eddie Robinson Award.
In usual Saban form, the coach deferred many of his accomplishments to his coaching staff and his players.
“To receive an honor like this, these trophies have to be split up many, many ways,” Saban said. “But most of all, these trophies should be split up about 120 different ways, because every player, regardless of what his role was on our team this year, trusted each other, respected each other and was responsible for their own self-determination.”
When Saban was presented with the AP award, the crowd promptly booed the AP representative because of her organization’s voting of USC as
No. 1.
The AP representative was not the only dignitary the crowd expressed disapproval of, as Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu was booed when he spoke. When he announced new governor Kathleen Blanco could not attend, the crowd’s disapproval grew even louder.
Team captains Matt Mauck and Michael Clayton, both of whom opted to enter the NFL draft in 2004, accepted the trophies with Mauck.
“Next year, Coach Saban, I won’t be here,” Clayton said. “But the Tigers will be running again for another national championship. I promise you that.”
The celebration ended with the raising of the 2003 National Championship flag in the north end zone.
“[The national championship] has provided a national spotlight for the University like nothing that’s happened in 50 years,” said LSU Chancellor Mark Emmert. “For about three weeks straight, we had the entire nation watching LSU and this community. It’s been a huge, huge shot of adrenaline for the University.”