Ann Arbor, Michigan is no hotspot for tourism. Similar to Baton Rouge, it relies on its university to sustain relevancy. But home is home, and Bryce Underwood found his middle ground of more money and close proximity to that home.
When we asked for collegiate athletes to get paid, we should have known that this situation was possible. Players are humans who look at dollar signs the same way regular people do. LSU would have treated Underwood like a king, but that only mattered when the currency of admiration meant something. When 10 million dollars is dropped in front of you, who wouldn’t you bail on?
He stayed home. It’s hard for me to accept criticism from students who mostly come from the state of the university. In 2022, 67.5% of LSU’s freshman class were from Louisiana. Now, ask yourself, if you were to turn down 10 million dollars to move to Baton Rouge, would you find yourself looking foolish? Let me help you, yes.
It’s important to be honest; Baton Rouge is a terrible draw. Between our poor roads, high crime, and ancient infrastructure, we need lots of help. I’m not acting like Michigan is something spectacular, but if we look at crime rates, it’s not even close. Baton Rouge has a crime rate per 100,000 of 1028, while Ann Arbor sits at 308 per 100,000. US News ranks Michigan as the 42nd best state while Louisiana sits at 50th.
The irony is that I recently wrote about cringy fans, and the recent backlash Underwood has endured closes my case. When a 17-year-old is offered entry into realms of generational wealth, flipping a decision to play for a team is insignificant. Across X, Snapchat and Reddit boards, I’ve read hateful comments from fans who feel betrayed by Underwood. They seem to remain bamboozled because Underwood will be sitting pretty, playing for the 2024 champions, and looking at this bank account without disappointment.
The sad truth is that LSU fans think that this is Alabama. We have never been a football powerhouse beyond a year of glory that we grip on for dear life only to crash back down to Earth. Joe Burrow is gone. Get over it. Stop wearing your Burreaux jerseys to random games, imagining his ghost will possess Garrett Nussmeier. The man is from Iowa and chose Ohio State before coming to LSU. It’s a business transaction to the players and the universities.
LSU averages a natty every 20 years. Hell, it took 45 years to secure the second championship, and based on the last 20 years, we should be grateful with those results. If we win a championship in 2029, for example, it would be above my expectations.
LSU is a baseball school, not a football school. With seven titles, all since 1991, LSU baseball has outperformed its football contemporaries. We need to reassess our expectations and feel grateful that we are a big enough school to attract players that make us at least somewhat interesting to talk about.
Mohammad Tantawi is a 24-year-old mass communication senior from Smyrna, Tenn.