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BATON ROUGE, La. -- The flag blends a symbol of the Confederacy with the school colors of Louisiana State University, a combination that provokes anger from blacks and creates headaches for the university. Black students held a string of game-day protests last year -- the largest attracting several hundred participants -- to demand that the school prohibit fans on campus from flying the banner, a Confederate-style flag in the purple and gold of the LSU Fighting Tigers. The protests resulted in a few scuffles and a lot of attention in the news media -- but no ban on the flag....

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -- When the White House called with an invitation to dine with President Bush, Dan Marino took it. But the coach of his former team said no. Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban said Monday that his obligations at training camp took priority over a chance to meet the president. "It was really a tough decision," Saban said. "I feel like my first responsibility is our team. That in no way disrespects the importance of the opportunity I would have loved to have had to spend dinner with the President." The invitation was for dinner with Bush on...

America’s universities are both the major targets as well as the incubators of a rapidly growing class of criminals—eco-terrorists. “The Department of Justice named them the number one domestic terrorist threat,” Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, told a college-age audience at the Eagle Forum’s annual summit on Capitol Hill in Washington, D. C. “Their direct actions include bombings, stalking of individuals and teaching members how to commit arson.” “They attacked and destroyed a ski lift, an SUV dealership, and an apartment complex.” Four hundred tenants were evacuated from that complex. Sen. Inhofe chairs the U. S. Senate Environment and Public...

BATON ROUGE -- Raymond "Smoke" Laval has resigned as head coach of the LSU baseball team, athletic director Skip Bertman announced on Sunday. Bertman will hold a press conference at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday to discuss the future of the LSU baseball program. “I have enjoyed serving as the coach of the Tigers for the last five years and will always remember the many players who came through this program during that time,” Laval said. “I feel like we accomplished a lot and achieved some great things in reaching the College World Series twice and competing in four NCAA Tournaments.”...

CBS) It's a long way from Louisiana to Baghdad, and it's a long way from a sorority house to a little radio station in the Iraqi capital. But, reports co-anchor Harry Smith on The Early Show Thursday, Army Specialist Kristen King has the patter and personality to make soldiers far from home feel like they're listening to the girl next door. She left Louisiana State University and her sorority house to join the Army. Now, after only a month on Armed Forces Radio in the Iraqi capital, King is already one of the troops' favorite disc jockeys.

The victims of Hurricane Katrina remain in the thoughts of Americans and the $85 billion in federal money that's been sent to the Gulf Coast is only the beginning of the help that's on the way, Vice President Dick Cheney said Friday. "We will not forget the great suffering and difficulty" endured by those along the coast, Cheney told Louisiana State University graduates at the school's commencement ceremony. Cheney received several standing ovations from graduates and other spectators inside the school's basketball arena. His 15-minute speech avoided politics and current events, aside from a brief reference to the war in...

An unexpected bizarre series of recent events has some legislators and LSU supporters fearing that Gov. Kathleen Blanco will try to strengthen the UL System by siphoning schools away from the LSU System. By Steve Clark | 5/17/2006 From the moment Kathleen Blanco was elected in 2003, LSU supporters feared the new governor and her husband, Raymond, would attempt to strengthen the University of Louisiana System — anchored by their hometown UL Lafayette — at the expense of LSU and its 10-campus system. When a bizarre series of events began playing out in recent months, the possibility of an LSU/UL...

BATON ROUGE -- The LSU baseball squad will wear a special, limited-edition jersey for Sunday's 1 p.m. game versus Arkansas as part of Military Appreciation Day in Alex Box Stadium. The jerseys are black with letters and numbers presented in camouflage colors as a tribute to the men and women of the armed forces. All military personnel will be admitted to Sunday's game for only $4 with their military ID. "We're proud in this small way to be able to show our appreciation to the military," said LSU coach Smoke Laval. "It is an honor to recognize the service of...

INDIANAPOLIS - UCLA used to be the most intimidating letters in college basketball. Under legendary coach John Wooden, the Bruins captured 10 national championships in 12 tournaments, won 88 consecutive games, the longest winning streak in NCAA history, and had four undefeated seasons. But since Wooden retired in 1975 after 27 seasons as the Bruins' coach, those four letters haven't meant as much in college basketball. UCLA has won only one national championship in the 31 seasons since Wooden retired, and the 1995 NCAA tournament title was tarnished when coach Jim Harrick was fired less than two years later for...

"He Could Have Played Blind" ‘The radio was playing and the morning news was on. I was startled to hear that Pete Maravich, the basketball player, had collapsed on a basketball court in Pasadena, just fell over and never got up. I’d seen Maravich play in New Orleans, when the Utah Jazz were the New Orleans Jazz. He was something to see – mop of brown hair, floppy socks – the holy terror of the basketball world – high flyin’ – magician of the court. The night I saw him he dribbled the ball with his head, scored a behind-the-back,...

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/colleges/14226163.htm INDIANAPOLIS - Glen Davis stood next to the dying man, holding up an IV bag while doctors worked furiously to save his life. "One of his lungs had collapsed," Davis said, his voice barely above a whisper as he recounted that awful day. "He couldn't breathe. You could see him struggling for air." In the days following Hurricane Katrina, Davis and the rest of his LSU teammates came face-to-face with unimaginable pain and incomprehensible suffering. They saw children crying out for mothers and fathers who were swept away by the floodwaters. They saw parents desperately searching for sons and...

What a great day to be a Tiger. First time in history that both the men and women are in the final four. In one week we have beaken the Dookies and have marched on to something real. Ah beating the Lady Vols in the final four would be magical. Well next its for the guys to take care of business and beat UCLA. Geaux Gators too and beat Mason

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/gamecast?gameId=264000038 LSU 66 Depaul 56

1 2 Total (4) LSU 31 31 62 Final (1) Duke 27 27 54

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/featured/2497681.html NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Top-seeded LSU managed to survive a battle of attrition to make its fourth straight Sweet 16 appearance. The Lady Tigers played the majority of the first half without center Sylvia Fowles and lost two other starters to injuries in the second half, but it didn’t matter. Senior All-American Seimone Augustus scored 18 over her game-high 26 points during a decisive second half that sent fifth-ranked LSU to a 70-49 victory Monday over ninth-seeded Washington in the second round of the NCAA tournament before 5,051 at Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gymnasium. LSU (29-3) advances to face fourth-seeded DePaul on...

ATLANTA -- Two members of the Miami football team were knocked unconscious Friday night moments after the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Hurricanes coach Larry Coker said. The incident took place after LSU's 40-3 win over Miami. Exactly what happened was hazy moments after the game. However, about a dozen Miami players ran toward the tunnel leading to the LSU dressing room after the game's final play. LSU tackle Andrew Whitworth said the dust-up stemmed from a misunderstanding. Whitworth said LSU wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, a Miami native, was kidding around with a Miami player at the end of the game and...

Young, now helping to rebuild three damaged New Orleans canals between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, said design drawings show that steel pilings reinforcing the levees should have been driven to a depth of 17 feet below sea level. That does not appear to have been the case, based on preliminary findings by an investigative team led by Louisiana State University civil engineering professor Ivor van Heerden. Using sonar, his tests have shown sheet pilings at the canal went to only 10 feet below sea level. Steve Spencer, chief engineer for Orleans Parish levees, said his agency did the...

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Southern California and Texas remain the top two teams in the BCS standings and only an upset in one of the final two weeks will prevent the two storied programs from meeting in the Rose Bowl on January 4 for the national championship. The Trojans (11-0) had a close call this past weekend with a 50-42 victory over a tough Fresno State squad, but they'll have this week off before facing city rival UCLA on December 3. The Longhorns (10-0), meanwhile, had their final bye this past Saturday and will play each of the next...

NEW YORK -- Southern California and Texas were at the top of the Bowl Championship Series again Monday -- and history says the only two unbeaten teams left in major college football are a great bet to play for a national title. With two games remaining for each, the Trojans and Longhorns are four victories away from locking up spots in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4 for a matchup that has appeared inevitable for months. And it's been rare for teams in the position that USC and Texas are in to slip up this late in the season. In...

Linked to the ESPN College Football Scoreboard. Should be a great day today for football! There is a nip in the air, the leaves have turned colors (mine are on the ground), and the sun is out and bright!!