After moving to Baton Rouge in 1953, I quickly became a passionate and fanatical LSU football fan. Although I love all LSU sports, my favorite is football.  I wear purple and gold every Friday and again on Monday, regardless of the outcome of the Saturday game and, of course, always to the Bengal Belle luncheons.   From 1953 until 2005, I missed only three home games: once when my son was born, once to attend a wedding (poor planning there) and, lastly, when I attended a high school reunion in Michigan.  When I moved here, Jim Corbett was athletic director and Gus Tinsley, the football coach.  TV coverage was still in the future, the south end had not yet been completed, tickets were available at a booth outside the stadium, you could leave home at 6 p.m. and never miss the kick-off, and what fun it was to walk across the playing field when the game was over.  I was there for Billy Cannon’s run, when we beat Notre Dame and Joe Theisman, and when Bert Jones threw that last-second touchdown pass to beat Old Miss.  I was a participant at the earthquake game, was witness to the foggy/orange game in 1982, cheered when the goal posts came down in 1997, was thrilled whenever we beat Alabama, and almost had a heart attack in that overtime game with Auburn.

 

Since I do not take losing well, I have been known to seriously question an official’s parentage, a coach’s decisions, the fates, weather or even the time of day. And, of course, no one is happier than me when we win.  I have hated Notre Dame ever since they knocked us out of the Cotton Bowl, cried when Tennessee broke our 13-game winning streak in 1959, despised Ole Miss because we had so much trouble beating them in Jackson, hated Florida because they were always so good, hated Cigars, and hated Alabama and Tulane, but didn’t all LSU fans?  I was in the stadium through all those awful losing years, but I was also there for all the great and memorable moments.  I have walked down the hill with the band, have cried “Tiger Bait” and “Go To Hell Ole Miss,” have felt betrayed when a coach left but then was 100 percent behind the new coach and I have spent all day Saturday tailgating, regardless of the weather, which is considered standard procedure for a true fan.

 

I was beginning to think I would never see LSU win another National Championship, but now my two crystal footballs have the top spot among my many precious Tiger treasures.  I have a brick at the new tiger cage, I own a number of LSU prints,  my Christmas tree is decorated purple and gold, my license plate says “LSU by 6”, and I have a tiger tattoo on my leg. I have worked for the attorney who was Homecoming Queen in 1996.  An LSU flag hangs on my porch and a six-foot inflatable Tiger greets passersby on game day.  I participated in the first Bengal Belle Football 101, which was a fabulous experience. Yes, I am obsessive.  Yes, I bleed purple and gold!!  I am happy. My dreams have all come true and I am 73 years old!!!!  While I am not an alumni, I am a TRUE TIGER FAN!!!

–Anne Strahan