Athletic departments across the country regularly tout their players as important community leaders. Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge is no different. Yes, there is a lot of great work done by college athletes, but schools love to publicize that work because of the public relations benefit to the university. But this week, LSU acknowledged that there’s a limit to the type of community leadership they’ll support from their athletes.
On Wednesday, when the Justice Department announced there’d be no charges filed against the police officers who shot and killed 37-year-old Baton Rouge resident Alton Sterling, the LSU athletics department sent its more than 350 players across all sports a note instructing them to not wear any school logos if they planned to protest that decision. If the players wanted to show themselves as community leaders on the topic of policing in America, the school didn’t want to be associated with it.
According to The Advocate, LSU senior associate athletics director Miriam Segar sent the email, offering counseling to the students in the wake of the decision and writing that the department would support the athletes, but offered a caveat to that support.
“We know this is a subject that many of you care deeply about and we respect and support your right to speak publicly and express your opinions,” the email reads. “If you choose to express your opinion on this issue, including on social media, we ask that you not wear LSU gear or use LSU branding”
After Sterling was shot in Baton Rouge last July, athletes joined in on the protests, including the Tigers’ star running back Leonard Fournette, who tweeted a picture of himself wearing a t-shirt with Sterling’s face on it.
The email reminds players that the relationship with LSU is mostly a marriage of convenience, namely what’s convenient for the university, not for the students. The school is perfectly happy to slap its logo on these unpaid athletes when the school stands a chance to make money or score an easy PR win, but when it comes to the students taking a leadership role in matters without easy answers, the university would prefer they didn’t. It’s ok for the school to use the likeness of their players for the university’s benefit, but the players can’t use the school’s branding for theirs.
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We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.