PETA commends Student Senate for denouncing Landry. Meet the local vendors of 2024 White Light Night.
SWAMPED
LSU football hits new low in loss to Florida.
Photo by Gabriella Guillory
DEAD ON ARRIVAL
Florida defense pressures LSU for four quarters in Tigers’ fourth loss
BY LIZZIE FALCETTI
Trailing 20-13 in the fourth quarter, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier scrambled on 3rd-and-11, trying to keep his offense on the field.
The Tigers were driving toward the goal line, but Nussmeier only gained one yard. LSU had to settle for a field goal.
There were five minutes left in the game, and on the next drive, Florida running back Jadan Baugh rushed up the sideline for 55 yards into the endzone, sealing the 27-16 win for the Gators.
This was the theme for the Tigers throughout the game.
While LSU controlled the ball with 41 minutes of possession time and 92 plays, the Gator defense held the Tigers to field goals.
“We can’t keep taking points off the board... Drives have to be converted,” head coach Brian Kelly said. “You can’t just continue to move the ball up and down the field and not convert it to points. They don’t give you a pat on the back because you had the ball longer.”
Florida was all over LSU, sacking Nussmeier seven times. The Gators red zone defense was on fire, only allowing one LSU touchdown.
“Players make plays in short fields,” Kelly said. “We haven’t made enough plays down there quite frankly.”
Minutes after Florida’s final touchdown, Nussmeier laid on the ground, shaken up after being hit hard. From all angles, LSU was truly being pummeled by the Gators.
Florida ended LSU’s hopes for an SEC Championship appearance and also ended Kelly’s chance at another 10-win season.
But LSU did show improvement. Going into the matchup
against the Gators, the Tigers’ running game ranked dead last in the SEC.
It only managed 24 rushing yards against Texas A&M and a little over 100 against Alabama. However, running backs Josh Williams and Caden Durham combined for 160 yards – a 136yard improvement compared to the A&M game.
Durham ran for 91 yards on 20 carries. With a more-balanced offense, Nussmeier was able to create big plays. He had two touchdowns and racked up 260 passing yards amid being pressured for four quarters.
But in a competitive backand-forth game, the LSU offense ultimately struggled with creating consistency. Almost every drive consisted of late downs where LSU put itself in tough situations, giving the Florida de -
fense a chance to create stops.
The Gator defense affected the pass game, keeping tight coverage on the Tigers’ top receivers.
On the opening drive, LSU turned the ball over on fourth down at its own 46-yard line. While the Tigers held the Gators to a punt, the offense proceeded to struggle against a defense that kept breaking through the line.
On the offense, Gator freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, coming back from injury, was making deep shots and perfectly placing balls for his receivers.
“They played well,” Kelly said. “We did not do enough to eliminate some of the mistakes that have been haunting us these past weeks.”
In this SEC battle, it came down to the last quarter. The
game was tied 13-13, and big plays were going to win the game.
The Gator defense came out with needed stops, even sacking Nussmeier at LSU’s 10-yard line on 3rd-and-8 with only 30 seconds left in the third quarter.
Trying to pull the upset, Lagway threw a 36-yard pass to receiver Elijah Badger, which placed the Gators at the oneyard line. Running back Ja’Kobi Jackson finished the drive, and Florida took a 20-13 lead.
LSU will have an opportunity to break its three-game losing streak against Vanderbilt at home next Saturday.
“Obviously, I wasn’t good enough tonight,” Kelly said. “But we’re going to go back to work, and we are going to look at the things we need to get better at.”
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Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.
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ERIN BARKER / The Reveille
LSU football freshman running back Caden Durham (29) and graduate student wide receiver CJ Daniels (4) run onto the field on Nov. 9 during LSU’s 42-13 loss to Alabama at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
GABRIELLA GUILLORY / The Reveille
LSU football redshirt junior tight end GiVanni Peterson (45) and junior tight end Mason Taylor (86) tackle each other during warm ups before LSU’s 16-27 loss against the University of Florida on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fl.
GABRIELLA GUILLORY / The Reveille
Players running moments after LSU makes a play against University of Florida during LSU’s 16-27 loss against the University of Florida on Nov. 16, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fl.
Court overrules judge
Federal court limits scope of judge’s ruling in Ten Commandments case
BY KEVIN MCGILL Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court in New Orleans on Friday temporarily limited the scope of a ruling that Louisiana’s law requiring public schools to post the Ten Commandments in all classrooms next year is unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge John deGravelles’ ruling that the law is unconstitutional remains in effect under the order from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. However, the appellate court temporarily blocked a part of the ruling that requires state education officials to notify public schools statewide that the law has been struck down.
State attorneys said in an emergency stay motion filed Wednesday that deGravelles’ finding that the commandments posting requirement is unconstitutional only affects five local school systems that are defendants in the case. They said deGravelles overstepped his authority when he ordered that schools in all 72 districts be notified of his finding. They asked that the notification requirement be paused immediately while they appeal all of deGravelles’ order. That broader appeal was filed later Friday night.
Friday’s 5th Circuit order was a temporary “administrative stay” granted in response to the state’s emergency request. The order may be altered or lifted as the appeal progresses. Judges Jerry Smith, nominated to the court by former President Ronald Reagan, and Kurt Engelhardt, nominated by former President Donald Trump, voted to grant the stay in a one-sentence order. A footnote said Judge James Graves, nominated by former President Barack Obama, would have denied the stay.
Attorney General Liz Murrill celebrated the ruling in a Friday evening social media post.
“I look forward to immediately working with all of our school boards who are not involved in this lawsuit to implement the law soon,” she wrote.
The law specifies a version of the Ten Commandments must be posted in all Louisiana public classrooms from K-12 and at public universities by Jan. 1. It was passed by the Republican-dominated Legislature this year and
PETA praises SG for resolution that condemns Gov. Landry’s tiger push
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME @aidanth
PETA is sending vegan chocolates to LSU’s Student Government after it unanimously passed a resolution opposing the appearance of live tigers at football games.
The resolution, passed on Wednesday, came after live tiger Omar Bradley was paraded on the sidelines of Tiger Stadium before a devastating loss to archri-
val Alabama.
PETA’s Klayton Rutherford, the associate director of captive wildlife research, issued a statement applauding LSU students and criticizing Gov. Jeff Landry’s advocacy for the live tiger mascot.
“After nearly universal public condemnation over this stupid stunt, the LSU Student Government’s unanimous response drives home the point that only one person thought it was a good idea to bring a stressed tiger to
a noisy football game: Louisiana’s Tiger King-wannabe governor, Jeff Landry, who didn’t even attend LSU,” Rutherford’s statement read. “Landry’s desperate bid for attention backfired spectacularly, and PETA hopes he’s learned his lesson and will leave tigers alone.”
David Perle, the media division senior manager at PETA, told the Reveille the vegan chocolates are “on their way” in an email Thursday.
TAKE A BREATH
‘Self-Care Fair’ teaches stress relief strategies
BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton
With the end of the semester looming over students and stress building as the days get colder, the Student Health Center reminded the LSU community to take care of themselves with its annual Self-Care Fair on Wednesday.
Even before it started, a line of students was waiting to experience the fair outside the Library’s Room 109. When they first walked into the event, students were greeted with a table of resources from the Health Center and pins with phrases like, “Self-care club,” “Keep going, keep growing” and “Fall into self-care.” Students received reusable LSU tumblers, stickers, mindfulness resources and more from the Health Center.
Throughout the room, there were different activities for students to learn from and relax
with. One table had a gratitude board that said “You are enough” in large calligraphy. According to the information provided by the Health Center, “Practicing gratitude and sharing positivity boosts mood, reduces stress and builds resilience.” Throughout the event, students wrote down things that they are grateful for on the board.
Roommates Madison Nguyen, a construction management freshman, and Olivia Colesman, a software engineering freshman, attended the event together.
“I think it’s another way to get active and kind of take a break from studying,” Colesman said of the fair, “especially with finals coming up.”
The students said their original reason for coming was to get the LSU reusable cups the Health Center was handing out, but they also used this as a bonding moment. Nguyen and Colesman talked about what they do
Professors analyze presidential election
BY ASHLYNN BAILLIO @ashlynnbaillio
Donald Trump will once again take office as America’s 47th president after securing 312 electoral college votes. Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris garnered 226 electoral votes and captured 48% of the popular vote, falling short despite a significant campaign effort.
In a striking turn from the 2020 results, Republicans managed to flip key swing states like Nevada, Arizona and Pennsylvania - states that Joe Biden had previously won. This shift in support highlights a renewed enthusiasm among Trump’s base and reflects a strategic focus on connecting with specific voter demographics.
“Rarely have we had a candidate who wasn’t the incumbent but was already so well-known to the American public,” said political science Professor Robert Hogan, the chair of LSU’s political science department. Trump’s broad name recognition played a significant role, according to Hogan, providing a strong foundation for his campaign to target voters in ways tailored to current public sentiment.
as a form of self-care, which included eating meals and lounging in bed. Both girls also go to the gym and talk through their day together to process and take care of themselves.
The rest of the activities at the fair were centered around painting. Some students painted canvases, others painted pumpkins and plastic designs. The tables had information about emotional self-care, which the Health Center’s information said is “taking intentional actions to understand and manage your emotions in a healthy way.” The benefits are improved stress management, reduced anxiety and a boosted mood.
Students ate snacks while they learned about mindful eating, which is the practice of being aware of oneself and surroundings while consuming a meal. Smoothie King and the
Notably, Trump saw a substantial increase in support from younger voters compared to 2020. According to the Associated Press, in 2020 61% of voters aged 18-29 supported Biden, while in 2024, Harris secured a slimmer majority of 51% among this demographic. Trump, on the other hand, captured 47% of the young vote this cycle – up from just 36% in 2020.
“Their support has propelled him to have a significant mandate for governing,” Hogan said. This growing support from young voters, especially young men, was pivotal. Trump’s appearances on popular platforms, including the Joe Rogan podcast, amplified his appeal and allowed him to connect with younger, predominantly male voters, bridging a gap that previous Republican candidates have struggled with.
Support among the working class also surged, with blue-collar voters turning out in droves for Trump.
“The working class came out hugely in favor of him,” Hogan said.
Trump also made unexpected inroads with the Latino com -
CATE EMMA WARREN / The Reveille Students group around a table painting and coloring at the Self-Care Fair held Nov. 13 at the LSU Library on Tower Drive in Baton Rouge, La.
LEGISLATURE
Tax plan slows, education and sentencing bills pass
BY QUINN MARCEAUX
LSU Manship School News Service
BATON ROUGE – Gov. Jeff Landry’s ambitious tax plan, which had previously encountered minimal resistance, hit its first bump on Thursday as lawmakers balked at applying sales taxes to more goods and services that are tax-free now.
Landry was unable to secure the 70 votes from the House of Representatives needed to pass a sales tax expansion that would tax more than 40 currently untaxed services. This bill, known as House Bill 9, would generate $500 million to partially offset the estimated $1.3 billion shortfall from cutting individual income taxes to a flat 3% tax. The proposed sales taxes would apply to several different services, such as streaming platforms like Netflix and online dating services like Tinder.
Rather than call this shaky bill for a vote, the House adjourned until Monday leaving time for back-room discussions for the governors and his allies in the House to round up more support.
Bumps popped up earlier in the day when the House recessed earlier than planned to give representatives time to discuss concerns about both House bills 9 and 10 which would reduce the existing .45% sales tax to 0.4%, repeal 84 current tax exemptions, and add new ones, such as exemptions for prescription drugs, baby and adult diapers and Bibles.
The House returned in the afternoon, but 90 minutes later than planned.
During the discussions, House Bill 10 gained support and was put to a vote, passing 71-23 after a lengthy debate over amendments and details that garnered support for the whole.
Early in the day, the House easily approved a $2,000 pay raise for certified teachers and a $1,000 increase for school support staff, passing the bill unanimously with a 99-0 vote. This raise will be partially funded by drawing from a $2 billion frozen education trust fund and applying it to reduce the debt in the separate teachers’ retirement system.
“We are freeing funds so that schools can give that pay raise,” said Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prairieville, the bill’s sponsor. “We are mandating they dedicate the savings to teachers’ pay raises,” he said.
Charter schools and other institutions that have not contributed to the teachers’ retirement system will not qualify for this raise. Additionally, some school districts will have money left over after receiving these funds from the state. Any leftover funds are mandated to go toward other school employees rather than being spent on things such as textbooks.
“This $2,000 just makes permanent the $2,000 that teachers
received as one-time payments in 2023, 2024, and 2025. They will know that this $2,000 is not a stipend and will now be attached to their salary,” said Rep. Tammy Phelps, D-Shreveport.
While the House was stumbling on the sales tax, across the Capitol the Senate passed a separate bill that could increase the number of juveniles sentenced to adult prison.
This bill will allow the Legislature to add to the list of crimes for which juveniles can be transferred to adult court without amending the Constitution. To achieve this, a constitutional amendment will be required, asking voters next March in a state-wide election to remove any language that limits which crimes can allow a juvenile to be transferred to adult court.
“I think they’re just looking for another way to lock juveniles up,” said Checo Yancy, policy director of VOTE From Chains to Change, which advocates on criminal justice issues.
“Changing the Constitution will make it very, very easy for them.”
Current law lists four crimes that are automatically transferable to adult court after a juvenile court finds probable cause. These include four of some of the most severe crimes, such as first and second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and first-degree rape are all automatically transferable under current law.
Several other crimes require the parish district attorney to decide whether a suspect should go through the juvenile or adult system. These include crimes such as manslaughter, armed robbery, second-degree rape, attempted murder and a second offense of burglary of an inhabited dwelling, according to the Louisiana Children’s Code.
“The bill isn’t changing anything; just availing discussions for the future,” said Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, the bill’s sponsor.
Minors are required by federal law to be separated from adults if placed in adult facilities to limit the risk of abuse. However, these limitations often mean that juveniles will end up in solitary confinement or special housing, restricting their access to rehabilitative services.
“We currently have young people in North Louisiana housed in shipping containers and I pray to God that it is at least livable, but some have them living as animals,” said Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge.
This bill is part of a larger trend towards harsher penalties for juveniles in Louisiana. This year, the Legislature passed a bill that sends 17-year-olds to adult prisons and requires some youth to spend more time in secure care.
Noah Martin contributed reporting to this report.
SELF CARE, from page 3
dining halls gave out food and drinks to students as they moved about the fair.
Carli DiLorenzo, the wellness coordinator for the Student Health Center, watched as students enjoyed the fair. She emphasized how impactful self-care can be, urging students to take
COMMANDMENTS, from page 3
signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry in June.
DeGravelles ruled Tuesday that the law was “overtly religious” and “unconstitutional on its face.” He said state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley and the state education board — who are defendants in the lawsuit — can take no steps to implement the law. And he told them to notify all school boards that it has been found unconstitutional.
Murrill, a Republican ally of Landry, said the state disagrees with the entire ruling. However, she said the notification requirement created an immediate problem because it will confuse school systems where, the state contends, the law remains in effect.
ELECTION
, from page 3
munity, winning 43% of the Latino vote this election cycle – up from 35% in 2020, according to the Associated Press.
“I really thought reproductive justice freedom, abortion, IVF, contraception and women’s rights narratives would be more significant, particularly with younger white women,” said LSU
care of themselves.
“You have to take time for self-care, or your body will make time,” DiLorenzo explained. “It’s also important to know that selfcare can be integrated through life. It can be in small doses; it doesn’t have to take multiple hours.”
DiLorenzo said she was happy with the student turnout at the
fair. Those who attended were able to take home resources and learn about self-care, implementing the practice in their days in small but impactful ways as the semester becomes busy again.
“The most important thing for students to know is that self-care is not selfish,” DiLorenzo said. “It is really important to do; if not, you will burn out.”
political science professor Melissa Flournoy. Despite these issues, Trump managed to capture 44% of the vote among women aged 18-44, a notable jump from 2020 when he received 37% of that demographic’s vote, according to the Associated Press.
The economy played a major role in voter priorities, with 39% of voters citing it as the most important issue facing the country
in 2024, up from 28% in 2020. This shift underscored voters’ concerns about economic stability and inflation, which Trump made a main point in his campaign.
According to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office, voter turnout declined this election cycle. In Louisiana, turnout was around 61%, down from just over 70% in 2020.
Hogan suggested that this decline in turnout reflects a general lack of enthusiasm for the candidates.
“There’s some evidence, certainly in early voting statistics, that Republicans were a little more enthusiastic this time about voting for Donald Trump,” Hogan said.
By contrast, enthusiasm among Democrats for Harris appeared to fall short of what Biden enjoyed in 2020. Hogan pointed out that lower engagement from Democratic voters could be attributed to reduced enthusiasm for Harris as a candidate, which likely impacted overall turnout and the final results.
While Trump’s return to office signals strong engagement among his base, Harris’ campaign highlighted issues like social freedoms and economic equity that resonated with nearly half of voters. As both parties take stock of the results, the challenges may be bridging divides and building broader appeal to connect with a diverse electorate seeking representation on the issues that matter most to them.
The choices made in the coming years may well determine the path of American democracy – and the candidates who can inspire it.
HILARY SCHEINUK / The Advocate via AP FILE - Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill speaks holds up a mini-display showing the Ten Commandments during a press conference regarding the Ten Commandments in schools, Aug. 5, 2024, in Baton Rouge, La.
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
A large American flag flies on March 23, 2023, over the LSU Parade Ground in Baton Rouge, La.
ENTERTAINMENT ONE CUP AT A TIME
Meet the 23-year-old owner behind House Brew, a new, affordable local business
BY EMILY BRACHER
@emily_bracher_
Behind a foliage-covered cart, a 23-year-old coffee shop owner carefully crafts different lattes, teas and specialty drinks.
Located in Pelican to Mars since June 2024, customers are able to enjoy House Brew’s freshly made coffee at its brick-andmortar location. House Brew is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., with special hours on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Inside Pelican to Mars’ Mid Century Lounge space, customers are greeted by founder Manning Bergeron, who started the business out of his love for coffee. Beyond coffee, baked goods from Mid City Bakery are for sale and all teas are sourced from Adornleaf Tea Co., also local to Baton Rouge.
“No matter what time of the day, whether we are here or not, people can just come into this room and hang out,” Bergeron said.
House Brew roasts its own coffee through its sister company Smoky Bean Coffee Roasters, making it unique to Baton Rouge. Bergeron created this company to funnel beans into the business, so House Brew doesn’t have to go
through a wholesale commissary. This way, the team can buy from companies like InterAmerican Coffee. As the business owner, he is able to get the best prices, making it cheaper for customers. By working with InterAmerican Coffee, Bergeron is able to hand pick green coffees from over 50 different countries. His choice is Colombia Huila Excelso EP, a coffee he describes as having a super dense, citrusy aftertaste—
almost like a creamsicle. This allowed him to go from pour overs to espresso, cold brews, drip and pretty much anything the shop wanted to.
“It’s just a very balanced and well-rounded coffee,” Bergeron said.
The process of sourcing coffee from a single origin is crucial to the brand. With every cup of coffee House Brew makes, it’s able to tell a story and pay honors to
where it came from.
It is popular now for some coffee makers to have blends where they will call their roast “Colombian” when only 25% is from there, while the other 75% is from Brazil, the cheapest place to buy beans. Bergeron wanted to tell the truth about his coffee by making it 100% from its origin.
“That’s also why our prices are so low,” Bergeron said. “Starbucks is charging $6.60 for a small latte
Olivia’s Order
Baton Rouge received its newest restaurant this past weekend.
Luna Cocina, located at 3109 Perkins Road, hosted its grand opening on Friday, Nov. 15 from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Its aesthetically pleasing exterior design catches anyone’s eye when driving near the Perkins Road overpass. Walking into the restaurant, customers are greeted with hostesses and servers in striped uniforms, matching the
chic and modern design of the restaurant.
The restaurant is open Sunday to Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Thursday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Downstairs holds the dining area with a bar and margarita machine. Upstairs is the main bar and lounge where guests can stay as long as 2 a.m. to drink and catch up with friends.
The menu was not released to the public prior to the grand
opening, so any expectation of meals would be a guess. Every table starts off with chips and salsa like any classic Mexican restaurant, and other appetizers include traditional dishes like nachos to unique dishes like caviar queso. The small menu incorporated American dishes such as burgers, making the restaurant have a Tex-Mex feel, while at a seaside resort.
My meal started off with chips, salsa and an order of tra-
ditional queso. The salsa had a sweet, marinara taste, with the tomato overpowering any sort of spice; however the queso tasted palatable, meeting my expectations.
and we’re charging $4.40.”
One permanent location is not Bergeron’s goal, even though he does like where he’s at right now. The concept is that if someone wants coffee in their business, they would be able to purchase a cart. House brew will then send a barista there to run it.
The plan is to land themselves inside a high-volume office building, library or hospital where someone might not necessarily be thinking about coffee, but it’s there and convenient to buy. Bergeron and his traveling cart have made appearances at festivals like Capital City Beer Fest and the Cannabis Festival, which he said brings the full cart experience to the middle of nowhere.
Bergeron said something special about House Brew’s current location is the sense of community that is present in Mid City. Originally from a suburb in Prairieville, where he would know his direct neighbors and not many others, he said it is nice seeing familiar faces everywhere he goes. Without limiting himself, Mid City is the only place Bergeron sees himself thriving.
“Mid City has a certain culture and this sense of community that
see COFFEE, page 6
For my main course, I shared the nacho appetizer and paired it with a tequila shrimp taco. Since the nachos are an appetizer, it made the perfect shared dish. For $14, the nachos should have been more extravagant. They were topped
with cheese, beans, guacamole and jalapenos, yet tasted as if it were still missing an ingredient.
The tequila taco shrimp was my favorite of the night. On the first bite, it tasted as if I entered a beach. The combination of the sweet mango, savory grilled shrimp and a specialty sauce, was perfect. For only $6, the taco met my expectations and I would definitely get two the next time I visit Luna Cocina.
COURTESY OF HOUSE BREW’S INSTAGRAM
Manning Bergeron and barista serving coffee at a Pelican to Mars event, prior to its permanent location.
Cocina
Tequila Shrimp Taco from Luna Cocina, Nov. 15.
A night of art and music: What to expect at White Light Night 2024
BY CAMILLE MILLIGAN
@camillemill333
Each year hundreds of vendors line Government Street and crowds flock to Mid City to shop, listen to music and mingle at Mid City Merchant’s biggest art festival of the year, White Light Night.
White Light Night will take place on Friday, Nov. 22 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Many Mid City businesses will host artists and vendors on its front lawns and open doors to the public for shopping and dining.
Baton Rouge Music Studios (BRMS) is one of the businesses participating in the festivities. In addition to hosting over 20 vendors on its property, eight different bands made up of BRMS students will perform throughout the night. The studio will also premier an interactive AI video installation that will change in time to the live music.
Doug Gay, owner of Baton Rouge Music Studios, likes to think of the night as one big party.
“You don’t get to really see people in your life all the time who you used to work with,” Gay said. “All night I’m just seeing old friends and old faces, and then you’re meeting new people, you know?”
Gay’s own band, Ramble Preamble, will be the headlining band at the studio during the festival. BRMS will also send two student bands to perform at Elec-
, from page 5
is trying to build something that’s better for everybody,” Bergeron said.
Before its permanent location, House Brew was just a young Bergeron’s dream. At 20 years old, he officially moved to Baton Rouge and was consistently working food service jobs. When he was a barista at Starbucks, he realized that he had a passion for coffee, so he bought his own espresso machine to make it at home.
“I realized it was better than Starbucks,” Bergeron said.
From there, he started studying what it took to start a business-like tax law, the mode of transportation for money and the best way to make money. Something that used to be a fun hobby quickly turned into something more.
Bergeron was working as a self-employed handyman and as a barista at a different coffee shop.
tric Depot for the evening.
For businesses like the studio, White Light Night provides a lot of visibility in addition to fun. It brings in lots of foot traffic, even from places outside Baton Rouge like Lafayette and New Orleans. Anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 people are expected to attend the festival
“You can’t beat it,” Gay said. “Small businesses like mine don’t have the kind of budget to put these full page ads in 225, and things like that, you know? I have to do a lot of it on my own. We’re there to have a party, but it’s just this incredible, affordable marketing opportunity.”
White Light Night is put on by Mid City Merchants, a volunteer-based collective of Mid City businesses that work to promote creativity and economic growth in the area. Amber Wroten, president of Mid City Merchants said the event doesn’t just stimulate economic growth. It also promotes a sense of unity among the Mid City businesses.
“It is exciting to see the community come together from one event,” Wroten said. “All of these businesses whether they are competing businesses or not, they are each other’s neighbors, and you can really feel the local love and pride of the event and the community because it’s an event for all.”
White Light Night also provides publicity for smaller artists and creatives who don’t have
With some extra free time on his hands, Bergeron set up a fold out table with a five-gallon water jug and an at home machine at private events. This hobby led him to getting fired from his barista job, but it gave him the proper kick start for his business.
As his coffee cart picked up, needing a new fridge turned into needing a prettier menu, which turned into the installation of a sink and water purifier. Everything spiraled from something so basic to a coffee shop cart. House Brew is still a pop-up, just with the aspects that a permanent location would have.
“Pick the thing that you enjoy, and you can see yourself doing,” Bergeron said. “When you care about it, it shows in your product.”
Bergeron has accomplished properly running his own business at the age of 23. He said since opening at Pelican to Mars, he has been able to hire a few baristas to help keep things go -
physical shops in Mid City. These vendors host booths with handmade jewelry, pottery, paintings, desserts and much more. Wroten said the festival plays an imperative role in promoting these small businesses.
“It’s a way for those artists and vendors to get their foot in the door.”
Mimosa Handcrafted is a Mid City jewelry business that got its start as a pop up. Madelin Ellis, owner of Mimosa Handcrafted, highlighted the importance of major festivals like White Light Night in aiding local artists.
“I can’t overstate how important it is to a start up,” Ellis said. “It’s great to have places like art markets and smaller pop ups at a random store on a Saturday, but to have a place where such a huge amount of the community is coming through that would never find you otherwise, you can’t ask for better exposure than that.”
White Light Night’s spirited celebration of Baton Rouge creativity is a great place to get a head start on Christmas shopping. From art to music to food, there will be something for everyone to enjoy at the festival. The event continues to draw in unique ideas and new customers while supporting a thriving artistic community.
“It never fails,” Ellis said. “People come in who have never been there before. It’s a showcase of the talent that we have here, and it’s always surprising. It’s a really cool, great night.”
ing. Even though everything is all his, he said that it was almost like a co-op now, because everyone is making the same amount. He said what would have helped him the most was not listening to those who didn’t believe in his goals.
Bergeron believes that the first step in achieving this mindset is having good ideas and thinking outside of the box. Find some values and see how you can bring them to the table. Then, keep your ideas to yourself and talk to people who are successful in the way you want to be, not how others are.
“I would say the turning point that allowed me to get ahead of that mindset and how it was affecting me was, when if they weren’t doing something, I wanted to do actively, I wouldn’t talk to them about it,” Bergeron said.
House Brew will be present at White Light Night, Mid City’s largest art festival on Nov. 22. They will also be posted outside of Pelican to Mars with a full menu.
COFFEE
CAMILLE MILLIGAN / The Reveille
SPORTS CHANGES COMING?
Trump’s presidency could affect college sports and NIL
MENS BASKETBALL
BY GABBY GRAY @Gabbygray06
Taxes, immigration policies, reproductive rights – all of these and many more were issues at the front of many people’s minds as the people of America cast their votes in the presidential election last week.
Another much lesser known issue on the ballot was the future of sports and college athletes in America.
As we all know by now, Donald Trump carried both the electoral and popular vote against the Democratic competition, Kamala Harris, and was named the 2024 president-elect.
So how will his time in office likely affect the future of both college and overall sports in America?
Well, let’s start with the facts and take a look at what Trump’s direct policy says on sports.
If you visit his official website, and click on the link to his platform, you will find a list of Trump’s “20 core promises” to America.
No. 17 reads, “Keep men out of women’s sports.”
These promises can also be found on the 16-page 2024 GOP Platform attached to his website, where the same idea is filled under the ninth chapter of his tenchapter political agenda.
The fifth point of this chapter is titled, “Republicans Will End Left-Wing Gender Insanity,” where Trump’s policy again repeats the promise to keep men out of women’s sports, referring to transgender female athletes.
“So how do you stop it?”
FOX News Channel Host Harris Faulkner asked Trump in a town
the Pittsburgh
burgh.
hall style interview that took place while he was campaigning in Cumming, Georgia back in October.
“Do you go to the sports leagues? Do you go to the Olympic councils?” she asked him.
“You just ban it,” Trump responded. “The President bans it. You just don’t let it happen.”
“We will, of course, keep men out of women’s sports. I promise,”
Trump later said at a Nov. 2 rally in Virginia before shaking the hands of the Roanoke College women’s swim team, who he praised for rejecting a transgender female’s request to join the team.
He promises that to enact this ban, he will prevent taxpayer dollars from funding transition sur-
the New York Jets football game
geries.
While the state of Louisiana already passed a law in August 2022 that prevents transgender females from participating in women’s sports in elementary, middle, high-school and public university sports, it is unclear how Trump’s ban will play out throughout the rest of the nation and potentially college sports.
Trump’s affiliation with collegiate sports is nothing new to the public as he recently traveled to the University of Alabama to attend the Alabama vs. Georgia game, where he stayed for less than a full half of the game.
While his platform makes no direct comments on collegiate
sports, as a representative of the Republican Party, it’s important to understand how Republicans view certain issues regarding college sports.
One of the largest of these issues – especially for schools who have a massive media presence, like LSU – is if student athletes should profit off of their name, image and likeness.
Recent court settlements have college sports headed toward potential revenue sharing where athletes are treated like employees with salaries and receive a significant cut of the income generated from their sports.
However, the NCAA has been involved in a five-year wrestle on Capitol Hill, where they have pleaded for their rules to be passed in a congressional bill.
These rules would prohibit college athletes from being listed as employees and also prohibit them from unionizing against unfair laboring conditions, since they are not listed as employees at their university.
As of right now, the bill that the NCAA has poured millions of dollars into has yet to have been adopted and is at a stalemate within the House of Representatives. This is means there are too many conflicting opinions on the bill within the House, and it has made no progress in deciding to be moved to the Senate or not.
However, this was when the House of Representatives existed with primarily Republicans and the Senate with primarily Democrats.
As of last week, the Republican
Cam Carter stars against former team
BY TRE ALLEN @treday0314
The Tigers played their first game on the road, where they traveled to Manhattan, Kansas, for a victory over the Kansas State Wildcats and won 76-65.
The Tigers now move to 3-0 and get their first Power Four win on the season.
Watching this game, it was clear that LSU wanted to be aggressive on the offensive end. LSU scored 49 points in the first half, and senior guard Cam Carter scored 14 of his 20 in the first half.
It was sweet revenge for Carter as he led the way against his former team. Carter shot 54% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.
LSU was highly efficient in shooting the ball from the field. Although the Tigers only shot 33% from three, they combined for 50% from the field.
It wasn’t just Carter who led the Tigers to victory. Jordan Sears added 15 points, and the LSU bench combined for 32 points thanks to freshman guard Victorius Miller, who scored 15, and Daimion Collins with 12.
The Tigers led by as much as 17 in the first half and didn’t look back. LSU should be highlighted for its ball movement and aggressiveness. Four players, including two from the bench, scored in double digits.
There weren’t too many bad shots, and even when the shot
LSU soccer season ends with tournament loss to Texas Tech
BY AINSLEY FLOOD @ainsleyflood
In a season that was anything but straightforward, LSU soccer ended their run in a back-and-forth 2-1 loss to Texas Tech.
The NCAA Tournament has never been a breeze for the Tigers, and this year proved no exception as they were slated to play the No. 8 seed Texas Tech in the first round. In their fourth-ever matchup, LSU head coach Sian Hudson was looking for her 99th win with the purple and gold.
“All credit to Texas Tech,” Hudson said. “They were clinical in terms of their finishes inside the 18-yard box, but I thought we managed the game in possession so much better in the second half and created some really good moments.”
The game kicked off with an opportunistic LSU finding the ball and two shots on goal in the initial 15 minutes. The Red Raiders were quick to counter with shots of their own and tightened the playing field.
Audur Scheving made her return in goal for the Tigers. After this year, she’s completed her debut season with 58 saves, ranking her among the top goalkeepers in the SEC, even after a four-game intermission.
The team was bested by Texas Tech in the 23rd minute after a free kick sent into the 18 was knocked in before any LSU defender could beat it. The Red Raiders built on their lead right before the end of the half when another ball was sent into the 18 and then headed and redirected into the goal’s top corner.
In a game for all the marbles,
the Tigers found themselves with a very difficult task at hand heading halftime.
“I am really proud of the players and the way that they handled the environment tonight,” said Hudson.
“I’m disappointed at the two goals that we conceded because I think that we have to defend our box better in both of those moments.”
As the second half began, LSU answered in just under 30 seconds with a breakout run and assist by senior Mollie Baker for freshman Amy Smith to tip into the goal. With 45 minutes still up for grabs, it was game on.
The match went on with each team putting more shots on the board - close call after close call, but to no avail for the Tigers.
“Over the course of the game, we had some really big chances,” Hudson said. “Danielle Shannon’s
one-versus-one with the goalkeeper in the first half and Ava Galligan’s shot off the crossbar were two of our biggest moments.”
As the clock ran down, LSU experienced a repeat of last year’s devastation when they lost 2-1 to Memphis in the NCAA first round after falling behind in the first half.
As the Texas players rushed the field and the fans cheered on, the LSU team said goodbye to the pitch for now.
Texas Tech came close to doubling LSU in shots, a common story for the Tigers, but the teams were almost even in shots on goal by the end of the night.
“Maybe on a different day a couple of those chances would have dropped in for us, but looking at the last seven games of the season, when our backs were to the wall, I thought we came up really big in
some big moments,” said Hudson. In total this season, LSU was outscored by their opponents 34-33 with Ida Hermannsdottir leading the pack with a career-high of eight goals.
“I think if there’s a lesson to be learned, we have to turn it on a little bit earlier in our SEC season,” Hudson said.
This was Hudson’s fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in her five years as head coach.
“Overall, I’m really proud of the team’s effort tonight and wish Texas Tech the very best as they move on in the tournament,” said Hudson.
After a long and turbulent season, the Tigers finished with a 9-9-3 record. They will be looking to improve upon those numbers in their 2025 run.
see CARTER, page 9
EVAN VUCCI/ AP Photo
File photo of Donald Trump attends
against
Steelers at Acrisure Stadium, Oct. 20 in Pitts-
see TRUMP, page 9
ELIGIBLE?
Some athletes play for six, seven and even nine years, so how does NCAA eligibility work?
BY ETHAN STENGER @itsethanstenger
Utah quarterback Cameron Rising, a seventh-year senior, has played his final snap of the 2024 campaign. But it might not be his last collegiate game.
Rising could return to play NCAA football with an eighth year of eligibility. He will be 26 at the start of the 2025 season.
Miami tight end Cam McCormick is 26 years old and in his ninth year of NCAA eligibility.
But how this possible? How are these college football players playing well into their late 20s?
To find out, we first need to understand what it means to be NCAA-eligible.
College athletes must first pass 16 Core Courses while in high school while maintaining a Core Course grade point average of 2.3 for Division I and 2.2 for Division II; the Core Course GPA only considers the NCAA-necessary classes. Student-athletes register with the NCAA’s Eligibility Center by the beginning of their junior year of high school.
If the student-athlete graduates high school with these requirements, they must be given
amateur status. While NIL rules allow collegiate athletes to receive payment for the use of their name, image and likeness, the laws vary state by state and institution by institution. Student-athletes are recommended to tread lightly during their high school journey, as breaking the NCAA’s NIL rules could lead to self-sabotage and the loss of their eligibility.
If you’ve been following these steps down to a tee, pop the champagne — you are officially academically eligible to play in the NCAA.
Once the student-athlete graduates to the collegiate level, college athletes must stay at or above the GPA required by your university to remain academically eligible to play NCAA sports. Fall below it, and they remain ineligible until they improve their grades.
Now that we know how to become NCAA eligible, how do college football players like Rising, and McCormick stay eligible for so long?
The NCAA allows for five years of academic eligibility to compete athletically for four seasons. That extra season of academic eligibility grants stu-
dent-athletes a redshirt season that they can take, allowing them an additional year before competing in collegiate matches. Student-athletes whose college career was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic earned an extra year of academic eligibility by the NCAA, granted six years to play four total athletic seasons.
Rising was a four-star recruit in 2018. He committed to Texas and spent his first year with the Longhorns redshirting. When Rising wanted out, he transferred to Utah. However, transfers were then forced to sit out the subsequent year up until the rule changed in April 2024.
Rising finally got his number called and was set to start for Utah in 2020. The Utes only played five games, and Rising didn’t finish one, suffering a shoulder injury in the team’s opener against USC. Rising’s shoulder injury actually earned him an extra year of eligibility. How?
If an athlete suffers a seasonending injury or sickness before participating in more than 30% of team competitions and before the season’s halfway mark, they can petitition for another year of eligiblity. For Rising, the timing
of his shoulder injury ended up being a blessing in disguise.
When Rising actually got to play, he was productive. He led Utah to the program’s first-ever Pac-12 Championships, back-toback in 2021 and 2022. Rising led the Utes to the 2023 Rose Bowl, where he tore his ACL. He missed the entire 2023 season with another medical redshirt year.
Rising suffered a lacerated finger on his throwing hand this season in a win over Baylor, Utah’s second game of the season. After Rising returned in a loss to Arizona State, he injured his throwing hand. Rising pulled out of the rest of the 2024 campaign, potentially granting him an eighth year of academic eligibility.
“Seven is good enough for me,” Rising said at Big 12 media day back in July. “But you never know. The cards are always on the table.”
Whether the NCAA will give Rising an eighth year of eligibility remains to be seen. Studentathletes must request medical redshirts; they aren’t guaranteed just because they fit the criteria. The NCAA individually reviews each request to determine
3TAKEAWAYS
BY JASON WILLIS @JasonWillis4
whether a player will be awarded the medical redshirt season.
McCormick’s circumstances are very similar to Rising’s. McCormick first arrived at Oregon as a three-star recruit in 2016, opting to redshirt during his first year. He appeared in 13 games for the Ducks in 2017. In the 2018 season opener against Bowling Green, McCormick suffered a broken fibula and tore a ligament in his left ankle. Due to surgery complications, he was held to only three contests in 2019 and was held out entirely of the 2020 campaign.
Two games into his 2021 comeback season, McCormick suffered a torn Achilles tendon. The NCAA granted him a ninth year of eligibility, making 2024 McCormick’s farewell tour three years later as a member of Miami.
The NCAA’s eligibility rules have highlighted some of the sport’s quirkiest and most fascinating stories about regular people juggling their complicated lives with competing as student-athletes. It’s part of the reason why America is so captivated by college football, and why the sport will always have an intriguing tale to tell.
LSU football lost its third straight game on Saturday to what was previously a hapless and injury-ridden Florida squad. It’s the first time the Tigers have had such a streak since 2021, and it marks the continuation of a brutal turn for the worse for LSU’s season. The No. 22 Tigers will likely drop out of the Top 25 rankings entirely, and head coach Brian Kelly said the team’s focus will now shift to making sure it has “fighters” out on the field. “If you’re not somebody that’s saying, ‘I’m going to work and continue to work to be better,’ then we don’t have a place for you in the last few weeks,” Kelly said.
LSU has struggled mightily finishing drives
Since halftime of the Texas A&M game three weeks ago, LSU has had 15 drives that went into opponent territory. Just three of those have finished in touchdowns.
Kelly said after the Florida game that one of his biggest takeaways was that LSU needs to do better in the red zone.
“We haven’t made enough plays down there,” he said. Against Florida, LSU settled three times for field goals after reaching the 30-yard line. Each time, the drive was derailed by penalties or sacks.
Perhaps the failed possession that was the toughest to stomach came in the third quarter, when fifth-year wide receiver CJ Daniels scored a touchdown that was called back due to offensive pass interference. The touchdown would’ve given LSU the lead; instead, the Tigers were faced with a 3rd-and-24 that stalled the drive.
LSU greatly outdid Florida in time of possession, first downs gained and yards amassed. The Tigers also had a solid 54.2% third down conversion rate on the day.
The team had no trouble sustaining drives; finishing them off was the glaring issue.
“They don’t give you a pat on the back because you had the ball longer or had first downs,” Kelly said.
Garrett Nussmeier threw zero interceptions, but it was another rough performance anyway
Redshirt junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has come under fire over the last few weeks for his risky decision-making that has led to interceptions, but he had none against Florida.
However, another issue came to light: Nussmeier’s ball security when being hit in the pocket. He fumbled the ball twice on Saturday, and both times the ball went to the Gators.
Nussmeier faced much more pressure on Saturday than at any other point during the season. Heading into the game, he’d only been sacked six times. Florida took him down seven times in one day.
Kelly said although the pass protection struggled, there was blame to go around, including to Nussmeier, who needed to get the ball out quicker and make better judgments on protection pre-snap.
“We have to look at it in its entirety,” Kelly said. “Did the ball come out when it needed to? Did we protect the way we needed to?”
The pressure forced Nussmeier to throw on the run and offplatform on many occasions, which didn’t help LSU’s offense.
LSU’s defense is still not equipped to carry the team to wins
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the LSU defense had held Florida to 13 points. It was by all accounts an improvement on the unit’s recent outings against Texas A&M and Alabama.
However, the defense got no support from LSU’s offense, which twice gave Florida the ball in LSU territory off of turnovers. The offense’s inability to finish drives put even more pressure on the defense to hold strong and win the game for the Tigers.
That’s too big of an ask for this LSU defense, which, while leaps and bounds better than last year’s unit, is still not ready to carry the team. The Tigers slipped badly in the second half, allowing six plays of 15 yards or more. Giving up explosive plays turned out to be the defense’s undoing.
BY MARTIN SULLIVAN
At a university where nearly every athletic program is nationally relevant, there’s never a shortage of options. There are always electric playmakers to be found.
The Reveille Athlete of the Week is LSU women’s basketball Flau’jae Johnson.
Last week, Johnson both reached 1,000 points in her collegiate career and released the deluxe edition of her summer album.
LSU is currently 4-0 after surviving an upset scare against Murray State, much thanks to a strong fourth quarter by Johnson.
After trailing by nine at half, LSU brought the game within one in the third. Johnson ensured the victory with a strong performance in the final quarter.
She produced 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal in those last 10 minutes. That’s on top of strong team defense that held Murray State to six in the quarter.
Her performance on Friday made her the third LSU player in 25 seasons to have multiple games with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists, joining Angel Reese and Khayla Pointer.
This season she has 92 points, 29 rebounds, 12 assists and nine turnovers forced. She is shooting 61% from the field and 40% from three.
CARTER, from page 7
clock got low, LSU kept its composure and made plays in the end.
Victory slips through LSU volleyball’s fingers in loss to South Carolina
BY BRETT KEMPER @kemper_brett
Coming off of a tough weekend on the road where the Tigers went 0-2 and 0-6 overall in sets against Tennessee and Kentucky, LSU volleyball hosted the South Carolina Gamecocks in a mid-week matchup on Wednesday.
After a contested first ten points, the score was 5-5, but a kill by Jurnee Robinson earned a point for the Tigers.
LSU had set point late in the frame at 24-23, but an error by the Tigers evened the score at 24-24.
After a quick point by Bailey Ortega to make the score 25-24, Tigers all over the floor started battling for the set win, throwing themselves all over the court and finally finding the point they needed after freshman Lainee Pyles got the final kill.
The Tigers began set two with the same ferocity attacking the ball, but two costly errors evened the score at 4-4. Shortly after, they found themselves down 7-4 to the Gamecocks.
bounds and forced a Gamecock timeout, with LSU brandishing its biggest lead of the set, 18-16.
The bench has played a huge role when the Tigers have been in tough spots this year.
Her ability to generate offense with fast drives, a diverse package at the rim and good court vision are vital to the team’s success. She affects the players around her, continually growing her chemistry with top scorers like Mikaylah Williams and Aneesah Morrow.
“Flau’jae is playing effortlessly,” head coach Kim Mulkey said after the season opener. “And why is that? She’s in the greatest shape she’s ever been in her life. It’s coming very easy for her.”
After losing Reese to the WNBA, Johnson has become the face of the team and a leader both in the locker room and on the court.
“I just try to take the best shots, and if I don’t have good shots, I just try to pass it,” Johnson said. “I really like when I have five or six [assists]. I feel like that’s just super cool.”
Johnson balances her play on the court with a career in the studio. Her top song “Came Out a Beast” has 1.6 million streams on Spotify. She has featured Lil Wayne, NLE Choppa and 2Rare on her latest album.
On Friday, she released “Best of Both Worlds Deluxe.” The album features four new songs.
A big week in many ways for Johnson ended with a hard-fought win, secured by her own hand. With depth and talent at all positions, Johnson hopes to lead LSU back to a championship in the spring.
Another significant stat that carried the Tigers to victory was the battle on the glass, as the Tigers out-rebounded the Wildcats 43 to 25.
The Tigers were fighting hard and trying to “give each other confidence,” head coach Tonya Johnson said, but they were leaving too many opportunities for USC to stay in the game, a trend that would continue throughout the night.
At the media timeout, USC led the Tigers 15-14 and never gave the lead up again, winning set two.
Through the first ten points of set three, it was again neck-andneck as the score was tied 5-5.
Robinson started a 3-0 run before the Gamecocks answered, which tied it again at 10-10.
After a heroic save by freshman libero Aly Kirkoff, the Tigers managed to take the lead with a momentum-shifting kill, 14-13.
LSU, with its bench cheering them on, managed to avoid an errant USC ball screaming out of
TRUMP, from page 7
Party officially has gained control of the House with 218 representatives elected so far, as well as control of the Senate with 53 Republican members – compared to the 47 Democratic members.
So what does this mean for the NCAA’s wishes of their congressional bill moving to the next stage of becoming a law? It means that this proposed bill is mostly in the hands of the Republican Party.
Julie Sommer, who spoke to Yahoo Sports about this issue, is an attorney and proud advocate of college athletes’ rights and gave her expert perspective on what a
Corey Chest led the team in rebounds with 13, with Jalen Reed and Sears having eight and seven rebounds. Grabbing 11 offensive rebounds, the Tigers capitalized on their opportunities and put in 16 points from second-chance opportunities.
The theme that coach McMahon has been preaching to start the season is coming to reality as the Tigers’ defense made the storyline.
The Tigers held Kansas State to 36.4% shooting from the field in the
“Our bench has been awesome this year. They’ve been very supportive of the players on the court,” said Johnson.
And the bench was heavily relied upon as LSU reached set point at 24-19. The Gamecocks took advantage of LSU’s unsteady lead and tallied three to make it 24-22, forcing an LSU timeout. Eventually, LSU took the set despite allowing four straight Gamecock points.
Set four began with LSU down 3-1, but the Tigers took the lead in the 11th point of the set, 6-5. It didn’t last long, as USC went on a scoring run that killed any momentum that LSU had.
LSU later went on a 3-0 run to make the score 17-19; still trailing, but forcing a USC timeout.
The Tigers were looking to win the match in four, but still were behind 19-21 to USC.
Down 24-20, the Tigers were grasping for life but couldn’t find it
Republican-controlled Congress means for college athletes.
“Republicans want to limit employment status and give protection to the NCAA and power leagues to grant them oversight and regulation,” Yahoo Sports published from Sommer.
Sommer also disclosed how Democrats, on the other hand, are more concerned with protections that come with being an employee, meaning gender equity rights, education and even health benefits.
Yet, even if the Republican Party has complete control of Congress, there are still plenty of things that can continue to prevent the NCAA’s bill from advancing
first half and 37.7% for the game.
The Wildcats also shot 23.8% from beyond the 3-point line.
LSU’s pressure on the ball and focus on allowing the Wildcats to adjust offensively were significant parts of their great defensive showing.
as a huge block for the Gamecocks gained them the final point of the set to even the match at 2-2.
Set five began with an energetic and communicative LSU battling for every touch and scoring first.
A huge block by Robinson extended the Tigers’ lead to 5-2, but some gritty play by USC leveled the score at 6-6.
USC then surged and took the lead 11-6 after going on a 7-0 scoring run.
The score was 13-8 when the Tigers successfully challenged two calls in the waning moments of the match, but to no avail as USC found its final point to win set five and the match.
“It was the game of missed opportunities,” Johnson said.
LSU did not play bad volleyball; in fact, Robinson had her eleventh double-double and Angelina Lee tallied 19 kills and hit .630, a new career high. AC Froelich also added 11 kills and six digs.
“I think we are better than we showed tonight. We have to not get in our own way when we make mistakes, and we didn’t do a good job of that tonight,” Johnson said.
into law.
Stalling, filibusters, legal challenges – there are dozens of hoops that would have to be jumped through to prevent college athletes from becoming employees with their universities and reaping those benefits.
However, that doesn’t mean that it’s not impossible that could change.
Is it something for athletes to worry about at the moment?
No, especially given that Trump hasn’t made a direct statement on the issue itself. But that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be in the back of our minds, especially at a sport-based school like LSU.
The Tigers recovered well on rotations and got active in the passing lanes and on the ball.
Great defense and forcing missed shots gave the Tigers a chance to get out in transition, and they scored 12 points from fastbreak points.
GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT
@marty_sulli
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU volleyball middle blocker freshman Jessica Jones (7) and setter graduate student Bailey Ortega (2) block a hit by San Diego at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Sept. 20.
You have to accept your mistakes in order to create success
AMYRI’S VANTAGE
AMYRI JONES @acamelliasssss
Failure is often seen as a setback, but it is a vital stepping stone in both personal and professional growth. It forces us to face our shortcomings, readjust and think bigger. Though it is difficult and sometimes hurtful to experience failure, the lessons we learn along the way are worth it. Plus, it adds to your lore and gives you thick skin. How can you beat that? You can’t.
I used to struggle with perfectionism. Any time I failed or at least believed that I did, it felt like the end of the world for me. My emotional responses would always be heavy and filled with negative self-talk that didn’t make it any better for me.
The trick to combating perfectionism is all in your perspective. Failure is an option and, in my opinion, it’s a necessary one. Life has ups and downs. You will aim high and fall short. You will try to win and lose. You will try to get things right and end up wrong. That’s life.
Perfectionism turns the inevitable into the impossible, in the sense that it blinds us from seeing that we won’t always need to succeed in our pursuit for achievement. We end up sabotaging ourselves by refusing to accept that something might go wrong, even if it’s likely that a negative outcome will occur.
You have to plan to fail, if you want to succeed. It’s as simple as that. If you accept this reality, then you are less likely to be discouraged after a setback or two. Whereas if you do not acknowledge the possibility of failure, when something does fall through, so will your hopes and motivation.
A lack of hope and motivation kills dreams and passions. Without those two things, you will never chase after your goals, which means you will end up settling for the life you are given instead of the life that you want. Navigating life without
hope is a vicious journey, there is no growth to be found there.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to not only continue to try after failing, but also to reframe your mindset on failure. It is not anything to fear or loathe; you should welcome it with a warm embrace. It’s there to birth a new version of yourself that is wiser and more adaptable.
Success and failure cannot live without one another. Besides, isn’t success much sweeter when you know that you worked from the ground up and didn’t give up on yourself? There is an instant self-esteem boost that success gives you when you have had to fight through failures.
Failure should never be the end goal, but it should be seen as a step in the right direction. Every pitfall provides valuable insights so that we can refine our approaches. Instead of avoiding or fearing failure, we should see it as a necessary part of our journey and a moment to pause, reflect and continue to chase our goals.
To quote one of my childhood heroes, Hannah Montana, “life’s a climb, but the view’s great.”
Don’t hate on The Sexiest Man Alive if you’ll never be one
BODACIOUS
BLAIR
@BernardBla36479
People Magazine’s infamous Sexiest Man Alive has once again claimed their victor for the 2024 season, John Krasinski.
Now, if you happen to be one of the few people who aren’t familiar with Krasinski, you will recognize him from his very successful run as Jim Halpert on The Office. His other very iconic roles include being opposite of his wife, Emily Blunt, in A Quiet Place, with whom he’s had a very long and loving 15-year relationship.
The sexiest man alive lore is deeply rooted in my personality. Tabloids played a really big part in my childhood. I can still hear my mom and grandma discussing who they would’ve liked to see being named the sexiest. I have been so indulgent in pop culture and magazines since I could read. It’s a strange connection you feel for a celebrity crush, one hot photo, and you’re a giddy school girl who’s obsessed.
We have learned as viewers, though, that we get an inch, and somewhere they take a mile. Sexiest Man Alive, a
once lighthearted ego boost for most, has become an actual hot or not competition. The outpour of negativity that Krasinksi has received since being awarded this title is so disheartening. It’s even worse considering that he also wasn’t the first or second choice, according to a TikTok, posted by the Daily Mail.
The elites have their own society; of course, we see certain celebrities pushed by different brands or exposed in the media. But taste is not one dimensional, and tabloids have always been a way, in my opinion, to finally bridge that gap for society to feel important with interactive quizzes and comical paper fragrant samples. Different details like these in magazines gave purpose to the readers. I’ve kept every single page I’ve read that was significant to me, interviews from my favorite actors and pictures of Justin Bieber that I couldn’t print out on my own. Unfortunately, for many of you, I must be honest. I think they draw the line at giving us power when it comes to this. I have to remind myself sometimes that it is perfectly healthy to root for your sexiest pick, but a full-fledged hate train for a randomized selection is bor -
derline parasocial. At the end of the day, there are a select few people who do get this immense privilege of crowing the many attractive men like in the past.
With the spark of controversy with this year’s pick, I wonder if, personally, these men feel affected. Anyone with self-esteem would be hurt by cruel comments on the internet. Considering some of these men who have been crowned in the past with this honorable title might not even have social media, I’m sure their friends, family and children might see such crude conversations surrounding their loved ones.
Then again, is it a double standard to feel a little more sorry for men who receive this treatment compared to women? I will conclude that Kraskini is a certified DILF. Halpert is by far one of the hottest characters to come from 2000s sitcoms. He’s got an incredible dad bod, and his wife is naturally gorgeous. Kraskini is winning at life. Do your research, learn the lore and you’ll get it; especially if some of you out there are crushing on cartoon characters.
Blair Bernard is a 21-yearold theater performance major from Lafayette, La.
The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions. Editorial Policies and Procedures Quote of the Week
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”
Dolly Parton
Amyri Jones is a 22-year-old digital advertising and religious studies senior from Baton Rouge, La.
GRAPHIC BY ALLEN CONEY
EVAN AGOSTINI / Invision/AP, File
Emily Blunt, left, and John Krasinski attended The Albies, hosted by the Clooney Foundation for Justice, at the New York Public Library, Sept. 28, 2023, in New York.
Free speech doesn’t protect threats against Gov. Jeff Landry
ANDREW’S ANGLE
ANDREW SARHAN
@sarhanandrew
Recently, an LSU student was arrested after making a joke on X (formerly known as Twitter) about killing the governor. Was this joke in poor taste? Absolutely. Even though I’m not a big fan of Jeff Landry, political violence is never the answer. I do not wish harm on Landry, and I condemn anyone who threatens another person, regardless of their political status.
However, what strikes me most is that the First Amendment of the Constitution never mentions a clause about violent speech. It never mentions how the First Amendment can be temporarily suspended in favor of civil protection. The plaintext of the First Amendment reads:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
What I noticed from the plaintext is that it’s against the Constitution to make a law prohibiting free speech. Still, according to the Louisiana revised statute 14:122, public intimidation is illegal. Public intimidation is the act of threatening violence against a public official. If we were to read the Constitution from a purely literal perspective, this law would be illegal.
So, what does the free speech clause of the First Amendment guarantee you? Quite a lot, actually. If you’re on public property, and as long as you don’t break any other laws in the
process, you can say anything, and it wouldn’t be illegal. Albeit, there are a few caveats to your free speech.
The common caveat mentioned about free speech is the fact that you can’t yell “fire” in a crowded theater. Technically, you can yell “fire” in a theater, and you wouldn’t be in trouble for the words you said, but you’d be responsible for the consequences of your words. If there was no fire, and you yelled “fire,” you’ll likely get a disorderly conduct charge. But if people die, as seen in the Shiloh Baptist Church stampede, you could be potentially charged with murder.
Another law that exists that can limit free speech is disturbing the peace. According to Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:103, disturbing the peace is basically being a nuisance to someone on purpose with the sole purpose of being a nuisance. While I can technically say whatever I want to somebody, if I’m bothering them or being aggressive to them, it then becomes a crime.
All this to say, the First Amendment’s free speech clause does protect you from saying whatever you want; however, it does not free you from the consequences of your words. What the student said is not covered under the First Amendment due to the threatening nature of the words stated.
An argument could be made that what she said wasn’t a “credible threat” due to the fact that it was done over a social media platform. I can see a point in that argument, but in a case like this, wherein the accused threatens the Governor of Louisiana, all threats are credible.
Andrew Sarhan is an 18-yearold mass communication freshman from Baton Rouge, La.
House
The backlash against LGBTQ+ representation in media is failing
GARRETT’S GAVEL
GARRETT
MCENTEE
@9are_bear
Some say that you know a piece of media has made it when it earns itself a review bomb maelstrom for being “too woke.” This new age rule has been proven by several shows, video games and movies.
You may have heard the term “go woke, go broke” on the internet recently. For those who don’t know, however, that funny little colloquial term is used by troglodytes who think that including gay or, heaven forbid, trans themes, stories, companions or love is morally wrong and corrupt.
This group of predominantly white men want stories that reflect them and them only.
They voice this through review bombing. This includes them actively going out and leaving reviews and sending tweets that either falsify or blow things out of proportion within a show or game.
Sen-
One such recent display of this issue was Disney+’s new show Agatha All Along. This series has been called a liberalwoke-propaganda-spreading machine since its announcement of a predominantly female
cast with a leading queer man in it. It was considered unnecessary, and people believe that its lower budget meant that even Marvel/Disney+ wasn’t feeling particularly hopeful about its development.
The show went on to get an 82% rating from Rotten Tomatoes and was a total win in the viewer-ship-to-cost portion of the business. This is a certifiable victory considering that later on, the main character and namesake of the show is a queer witch who may or may not be in love with a cosmic entity that is also female presenting.
Now, whilst review bombs are common in the show and film industry, they are absolutely omnipresent in the gaming industry.
Games that feature queer storylines or even just offer trans and non-binary friendly options in the character creator are flamed on X (formerly known as Twitter) and review bombed online. A specific incident with the game, Dragon Age: The Veilguard included reviews on MetaCritic that use words like “DEI,” “woke,” “propaganda,” and “agenda-driven.”
Later on in this game, you help a player companion discover and eventually come out as non-binary as a portion of their character-specific quests. Dare I say that the alt-right grift-
ers who try and make a profit off of falsely accusing the media as woke to spark engagement to their posts had a ball with this one?
Grown men trying to demerit hard-working artists’ pieces for the sake of spreading agenda when most often the “woke” parts of games, be it character customization options or queer options in games, are there because those stories exist in real life and make for a compelling, realistic and diverse world stage.
Funnily enough, when I was a kid, people used to tell queer people that if they wanted representation in games, then they needed to make games, and now that they are people still aren’t happy.
To put it short and sweet, review bombing is bad. It is almost always used to put down artists’ blood, sweat and tears for the sake of spreading an “anti-woke” agenda. The people responsible for these reprehensible acts will never be satisfied. If you’re curious about a game, don’t be afraid to check the reviews; however, don’t allow toxic rhetoric to poison your perception of the real world or that of a game or show.
Garrett McEntee is a 19-yearold English sophomore from Benton, La.
GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT
HILARY SCHEINUK / The Advocate via AP, File
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry addresses members of the
and
ate on opening day of a legislative special session, Feb. 19, 2024, in the House Chamber at the State Capitol.