Amid Angel Reese’s ongoing beef with the President of the United States, Joe Biden officially invited UConn and LSU to the White House. A visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has become a staple for the winning teams across the multiple sporting leagues present in the United States.
The tradition dates back as far as 1865 when two amateur baseball teams visited President Andrew Johnson. The first professional team to visit The White House was baseball’s Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869. Over the subsequent 150 or so years, a visit to The White House has become a staple for most sports leagues. The first collegiate basketball team to visit is believed to be the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers. The practice has led to a number of notable incidents. In 1987, New York Giant Harry Carson dumped a tub of popcorn on President Reagan. Nearly 30 years later, President Trump was mocked for the fast food spread he had prepared for the visiting Clemson Tigers.
LSU Accept Invitation, But Reese’s Status Uncertain
According to CNN, LSU’s Athletics Department has accepted the invitation extended to the team by the Bidens. However, the report also points to Reese’s comments on the Paper Route podcast as evidence Reese may not be in attendance. Reese, nor any other member of the LSU team, has officially stated they will skip the visit. LSU Head Coach Kim Mulkey said she would attend if invited. Mulkey has previously visited the White House, visiting President Trump alongside her 2019 Baylor Bears National Championship squad.
However, skipping the trip to The White House is not an uncommon practice. Tom Brady skipped trips in 2015 and 2019 due to “family reasons”. Former Raven Matt Birk opted out in 2013 due to President Obama’s pro-life stance. Larry Bird famously chose not to visit President Reagan in 1984, saying “If the president wants to see me, he knows where to find me.” More recently, nearly three-quarters of Clemson’s Black football players did not attend their 2019 White House visit with President Trump. In short, it is not unusual for players to skip meeting the President for a variety of reasons. What makes the case of LSU so unusual is the incredibly public manner in which the pre-visit drama has unfolded.
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