Some of us tried to warn LSU. Greg Sankey certainly has been clear about the risks LSU is taking by adding professional players to its roster. Apparently, no LSU decision-maker, including Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, understands that the SEC is bigger than LSU.
Based on the always-best-connected Ross Dellenger, Greg Sankey has enough support to impose dire consequences on LSU. "High-ranking SEC university executives are exploring legal and internal avenues intended to address the school's plans to add former professional athletes to its rosters, including extreme measures such as boycotting competition against the Tigers, sanctioning the school with probation or even expulsion, and/or filing a federal legal challenge."
Note Dellenger wrote 'university' executives, meaning the main impetus is coming from other SEC schools, rather than being led by SEC conference officials.
Dellenger did not cite which 'university officials', but he attributed comments from inside sources stating: "Tensions are high", and "It is fair to say we are discussing multiple options ... Enough is enough. This is ridiculous", and "These conversations are serious."
No quick decision is expected. The SEC will wait for Thursday's review of the current TRO, anticipating their legal arguments will result in a reversal. If that fails, at least the SEC is expected to appeal to a federal court.
Going beyond Dellenger's reporting, there are rumblings that some SEC schools are so serious, they would consider a boycott against at least the LSU football and men's basketball teams. And perhaps all LSU teams.
Apparently sanity is lacking in Baton Rouge
An apt, old Southern saying perfectly describes what LSU is doing. It is too vulgar to quote on this platform, but it describes an action involving a necessary bodily function and a whiskey bottle. It means an egregious mistake. One that is irreversible.
Some LSU backers might actually think the Bengal Tiger football program is bigger than the SEC. The school's recent private equity arrangement orchestrated by Landry may have created investor sentiment that LSU can successfully sell its brand outside the SEC. A predicted SEC response might be 'don't let the door hit you on the way out.'
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