Gov. Jeff Landry tells Fox News why a live tiger will ‘roar’ at the LSU-Alabama game.
ouisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is thrilled that a live tiger will return to the field at LSU’s Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
Landry appeared on Fox News on Friday to emphasize the significance of having a live mascot at the game against Alabama on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ABC), even though it won’t be Mike the Tiger himself. “This is about tradition. From Mike I through VI, we have had a live mascot on the field, like many other colleges,” Landry remarked. “Of course, we are honoring those Mikes. No one can take away the honor and respect we have for Mike VII. Our hope is that maybe we can get this tiger to roar a couple of times, and that will indicate how many touchdowns we’ll have—more than Alabama.”
Louisiana Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham also released a statement about the tiger’s appearance, mentioning that he has met the big cat. “We had numerous discussions and took every step to ensure this was safe for the tiger. I spent several hours with the tiger last night and you could tell he was comfortable around people and enjoyed the attention,” he stated. “He’s in great health, well cared for, and socially acclimated. As both a veterinarian and medical doctor, I couldn’t think of a better day to literally and figuratively be a tiger.”
LouisianaSports.net first reported on the tiger’s upcoming presence. Sources have indicated that the tiger’s name is Omar Bradley and that he is coming from Florida.
LSU football coach Brian Kelly, when asked about the tiger’s participation in the game, simply stated, “I’m a huge tiger fan.”
However, animal rights activists, including Klayton Rutherford, the associate director of captive wildlife research at the PETA Foundation, strongly oppose bringing any tiger into Tiger Stadium during a game. LSU has not had a live tiger in Tiger Stadium since 2015. “These are naturally shy animals that shun human contact. Death Valley is famous for being the loudest and rowdiest stadium, making it terrifying for Mike. LSU understood that when it stopped bringing Mike to football games nearly a decade ago.”
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