Louisiana State University is located in Baton Rouge. We enjoy college football and LSU is usually one of the top ranked teams. College campuses are always interesting to visit.
Tiger Stadium is also known as "Death Valley" because of the high level of crowd noise. It holds 102,321 fans and the noise level has actually been measured on a seismograph and has equalled a magnitude 4.7 earthquake.
The purple and gold colors are plentiful in Louisiana. It is amazing how many people wear LSU gear.
The LSU athletic teams mascot is the Tiger.
LSU does take it's mascot to a different level.
Meet Mike the Tiger.
In 2005, a new $3 million Mike the Tiger Habitat was created for Mike between Tiger Stadium and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (the basketball arena). It tops out at 15,000 square feet. It is pretty luxurious with a waterfall, lots of plants and plenty of places for Mike to climb.
This Mike is the 6th for LSU. Born on October 10, 1935, the first Mike was purchased from the Little Rock Zoo with money raised by collecting 25 cents from each LSU student for a total of $750. He arrived on the campus in October 1936 and was named after Mike Chambers, the athletic trainer at the time.
On home football game days, Mike's cage on wheels is parked by the opponent's locker room at the southeast end of Tiger Stadium. Opposing players must pass by Mike's cage in order to reach their locker room. (However, Mike is never forced into his trailer: if he does not go in on his own, he remains in his habitat. The current Mike, Mike VI, is known for rarely entering his trailer.)
With my love of tigers I could have stayed all day but there was more to see.
Those of us getting on in age will remember "Pistol" Pete Maravich and his amazing, unusual basketball shooting ability. He played for LSU from 1996 to 1970 and went on to play in the pro's.
Another famous player for LSU is Shaquille O'Neal. Between the Maravich Center and the basketball practice facility is a huge bronze statue of O'Neal.
There is lots to see on the campus and the LSU fans are loyal. Everywhere you go in Louisiana you find a sea of purple and gold, bumper stickers, LSU flags on houses and trucks decked out with LSU logos and colors.
Tigers are nice but Boise State Bronco's are the best.