There wasn’t a cloud in sight Friday morning, but a rather large shadow emerged over the Carter Plantation in Springfield.
The 7-foot-1-inch silhouette belonged to former LSU great, NBA superstar, television analyst and perpetual entertainer Shaquille O’Neal.
The big man made a return to Louisiana on Friday for the Life Skills Golf Classic, which is held annually on the Friday prior to an LSU home football game. The tournament, presented by Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, raises money for the Shaquille O’Neal Life Skills
Program.
While O’Neal claims he’s not a golfer, the tournament is something he looks forward to each fall, and he is never too busy to see old friends, make new ones and raise a bit of money, he said. Giving back to the University that provided so much for him in his developmental years is important to O’Neal, but the event itself is just about having a great time, he said.
“I have a lot of friends here … just a lot of great people,” O’Neal said. “I like to help raise money for LSU and do the right thing by helping with scholarships. I don’t really call it giving back. I just like coming back home, enjoying the lifestyle, watching the football game and the tradition continues.”
Through the Shaquille O’Neal Life Skills Program, LSU student-athletes are prepared for success in life after graduation. The program serves Tiger student-athletes by focusing on their academic and athletic excellence, community service and personal and career progress.
As a former student-athlete himself, O’Neal said he understands how important development in college is for what’s beyond campus. It’s pivotal to have something to fall back on once the playing field is no longer in plain sight, he said.
As stated in the Life Skills mission statement, the program prepares student-athletes for the “biggest game of all — the game of life.”
The event drew nearly 250 golfers while collecting a minimum of $1,000 for each group’s entry free.
Participants in the 2013 Golf Classic included a band of Baton Rouge familiars such as LSU basketball coach Johnny Jones, LSU women’s basketball coach Nikki Caldwell and former Tiger forward Collis Temple.
However, no name or frame was bigger than O’Neal’s. He said he realizes a title as recognizable as his own provides a platform to attract sponsors, raise money and continue his charity.
Even if O’Neal’s generosity doesn’t surpass his gigantic stature, his beaming personality certainly does.
“[The tournament]’s a great thing,” O’Neal said. “Everybody loves Shaq and I
love everybody.”