re: Besides more hardware, what makes a recruit from Louisiana go to a hated rival?

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I cant wrap.my mind around his premise that SOUTHERN could steer a player away from LSU. Whn does a top recruit talk to southern?

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It's obviously hard for you to wrap your head around any of this.

Open your mind and try to understand that the HBCU people I'm talking about are their fans and alumni. Those people are the mentors, friends, and families of those big-time athletes LSU wants to recruit. If those adults have had a frick racist LSU attitude around that recruit for 17 years, do you really think LSU will get that recruit?

It's all about perception. Imagine yourself in a poor black area. You grow up not knowing one person that went to LSU. Do you actually feel like LSU would be for you?

Also, as I said before, they have friends and family with first-hand perceptions about LSU. They have absolutely zero knowledge about Alabama besides what they see on TV. Some of these kids have never even been to TX or MS. They haven't checked the diversity numbers.

If you haven't noticed, these people cheer for anyone who's beating LSU. You can believe what you want. I have been dealing with this most of my life being a black LSU fan and alumnus.

I'm not making excuses, I would like to change this perception. I have personally spoken highly about my time at LSU and provided an example for recruits to see a black LSU grad. I have told kids plenty of times how the Army was sent to the University of Alabama in order for black kids to attend. We have to connect with that particular demographic who believe those things about LSU. That may be a starting point.