re: What does the nation outside of Louisiana say about LSU?

My children attended Columbia, Harvard, NYU, Georgia Tech and my son LSU. He's as smart as the others, has an entrepreneurial spirit and will do just as well in life. In the end, he didn't want to go anywhere to college where he was too far away to duck hunt.

Two of my children played college ball: volleyball and baseball. I have a perspective of what LSU means to others, academically and in sports, that is unique, in this regard. You don't get a better education just because you attent an IVY league school, but what you do get, is a culling of academic talent at the admissions process. Top employers focus their attention there because those schools have already narrowed the pool of prospective employees to the top 5%. There are great students at LSU, the education is just as good, but it takes a little more effort to find the best.

I've watched IVY versus LSU baseball, and the biggest difference is speed. Columbia's baseball program back in the mid 2010's was very strong, but never made it past the first round of the playoffs. Yale did pretty good this year. They were a 3 seed but drew Oregon State in the super regional and got trounced. There will never be parody with the Ivy League schools because there are no athletic scholarships. The gift is really the degree.