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On Monday, some photos of the new $28 million upgrade to the LSU football locker room went viral on the internet.
As is the case with most big-time college football programs (see: Florida, Texas, etc.), LSU went above and beyond.
For instance, the new lockers can be turned into sleeping pods inspired by first-class airplane travel and are stocked with iPads and multiple charging ports for watching game film… in bed, basically.
There are locker rooms… And then there's the #LSU locker room pic.twitter.com/3f7FG8QDu8
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) July 22, 2019
Unfortunately for the football program, some people were not only unimpressed by the university spending $28 million on the football program, they were downright angry.
And by some people, I mean students, professors and at least one alumnus who currently plays in the NFL.
One LSU student, Cat McKinney, posted a couple of photos showing the stark comparison between the athletic facility and the school’s library.
https://twitter.com/catcmckinney/status/1153131175470358528
Ummm… I’m just guessing here, but I bet fixing that wall and throwing some carpet down wouldn’t cost the university $28 million.
LSU Media & Public Affairs professor Robert Mann also was not impressed.
“Meanwhile, across campus, I vacuum my faculty office with a Dust Devil I bought at Walmart,” he tweeted. “But, please, Louisiana elected officials, continue to brag that Louisiana higher education is now ‘fully funded.’ By the way, the LSU custodial staff are amazing people and work hard, but they are stretched beyond their capacity to much more than empty the trash, clean the restrooms, mop the floors, etc.”
Meanwhile, across campus, I vacuum my faculty office with a Dust Devil I bought at Walmart. https://t.co/fsVSPhmsOO
— Robert Mann (@RTMannJr) July 22, 2019
But, please, Louisiana elected officials, continue to brag that Louisiana higher education is now “fully funded.”
— Robert Mann (@RTMannJr) July 22, 2019
By the way, the LSU custodial staff are amazing people and work hard, but they are stretched beyond their capacity to much more than empty the trash, clean the restrooms, mop the floors, etc.
— Robert Mann (@RTMannJr) July 22, 2019
LSU alum and current Carolina Panthers defensive back Eric Reid also found the new locker room to be a bit much, especially considering the players don’t get paid for bringing in all the money that paid for it.
The locker room when I was at LSU 7 years ago was better than the current one in Carolina. But there’s no money to compensate these young men for the revenue they bring to the school #JustSaying https://t.co/hlQtMy8dwd
— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) July 22, 2019
When his tweet was misinterpreted as either a slam against LSU or the Panthers, Reid clarified.
It’s not a diss at all. LSU is my team. For the things I love, I criticize.
— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) July 22, 2019
It wasn’t a diss to Carolina either. The locker room is perfectly fine.
— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) July 22, 2019
Then he went even further, explaining why he thought the new locker room is so wrong.
Hey Emily! You interviewed me for a couple years. Now can I ask you a question? Dont u find it interesting that we can convince people 2 donate millions 2 renovate a facility that doesn’t need renovating? How many scholarships could have been given with the money used 2 renovate? https://t.co/piK2zdQjSc
— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) July 22, 2019
I am well Justin. Hoping the same for you. It’s great that there’s an endowment put more money in it. Give more scholarships. I disagree that the facility was outdated. Ops pre renovation was more state of the art than virtually every place I’ve trained since leaving LSU. I know https://t.co/QlMOGtbNTT
— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) July 22, 2019
there are folks who could use a scholarship more than our guys need a tv in their locker. Those who know me know the amount of love I have for LSU. This is too much though...
— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) July 22, 2019
Hey Michael. I’ve given 10% of my earnings since entering the league to various causes. My point is that instead of $28M to get a bed in lockers when the prior locker room was just fine, that $ could have instead been used to: 1) give folks scholarships or 2) put $ in your pocket https://t.co/92cXiNFIta
— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) July 23, 2019
Current LSU quarterback, Joe Burrow, however, disagreed, firing back at professor Robert Mann’s tweet in a since-deleted tweet of his own.
@Joe_Burrow10
That was a follow-up to earlier criticism he saw the program receiving.
Also the money we bring into the university could have more than paid for it even if we didn’t have such generous boosters. https://t.co/WeO6sYvI48
— Joey Burrow (@JoeyB) July 22, 2019
Burrow also re-tweeted this…
A great point until you remember 90,000 people don’t show up to watch Sally study for her Accounting 101 class. https://t.co/BoIzqDGnZy
— Jack McGuire (@JackMacCFB) July 22, 2019
Amateur athletics is so fun.