LSU is a "thing" because of - Huey P. Long

Sep 20, 2019, 9:26 PM

Saw the TNET post: ESPN's Emmanuel Acho has LSU at #1 - not CU. The big polls say CU is #1. Dabo I think would say "Who cares?" about anyone's rankings in Sept.

But it makes me think of my 40-year study of former Louisiana "dictator" - LA Governor/U.S. Sen. - Huey Long. We're going back 85-90 years to look at Long. He was assassinated in 1935.

I consider Long one of 3 of the most dangerous people who've ever held power in the U.S. That said, after the top 3, there's hardly a milligram of difference between the top 3 and the next 200-300 most dangerous. And it's subjective as all rankings are.

My "Top 3" is based solely on their political skills, utter ruthlessness and what they did with their power - or were capable of doing. At the top of my list are: J.Edgar Hoover; LBJ; Huey Long.

Long rose from nothing in rural LA to governor, then U.S. Sen. from LA. He controlled everything in the state with an iron fist - more completely than anyone I've ever found in U.S. History. And just one of his pet projects was LSU. He loved it, controlled it, and without Long, it's certainly probable that LSU (and LSU Football) would not be what it is today.

After rising to governor in 1928, Long began a massive building spree at LSU - tripling enrollment, doubling the faculty, increasing the band from 28 to 240 members, wrote the school song "Touchdown for LSU" (still used today), stalked the sidelines during games, gave halftime pep talks, drew up plays he wanted run & had a coach or 2 fired that dared to defy him.

Long hated big business & billionaires, wanted to distribute wealth evenly throughout LA and America (a socialist to his core) and successfully fought some of those "robber barons" - but was equally ruthless with the power HE weilded.

He successfully argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court against a powerful phone company. Long possessed a genius mind, but as an attorney, his legal genius was unrivaled. He had mostly been home-schooled, never finished high school, but attended Tulane Law School ONE year & then passed the bar & was licensed. Brilliant. As a debater & orator, few have ever equalled him. Genius, skilled & unmatched oratory, utterly ambitious & ruthless - these things made Long a dangerous man.

He wanted desperately to be U.S. President, supported FDR in 1932 but wound up despising him. After inviting Long to the White House (FDR feared Long) - Huey showed his contempt by leaving his straw hat on & calling Roosevelt "Frank" instead of "Mr. President."

Had Long not been assassinated in 1935, he might we'll have become president (essentially dictator). Long was either fiercely hated or loved. No "in between." He received so many death threats, he formed his own private army in Louisiana to protect him - quite like Hitler's SS in Germany. Still, he was shot on a visit to the LA Capitol Building. The shooter, a physician Long had wronged, was shot by Long's army over 100 times. Long died a day or so later saying, "I can't die. I've got too much to do - and who's going to watch over my beloved LSU?" Then coma and death.

Long's wife succeeded him in the U.S. Senate for the one year left of his term, but didn't run for reelection. His son Russell was elected senator in 1948 - served until 1987 & was very powerful (& looked almost exactly like Huey).

I could tell you a million things about Huey Long, but I'll stop. Long is a fascinating & alarming American figure. A true enigma.

But the LSU we've known for decades & know today? It's all attributable to Huey P. Long.

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LSU is a "thing" because of - Huey P. Long

Their stadium

Re: LSU is a "thing" because of - Huey P. Long

Re: LSU is a "thing" because of - Huey P. Long

Re: LSU is a "thing" because of - Huey P. Long

Long..... you sure got THAT right.

Re: LSU is a "thing" because of - Huey P. Long

How about this politician?

Re: How about this politician?

Hoover was strait scary,

Take the crackpot politics to the politics board..

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