'They Don't Have To Play The Sport' - Louisiana Governor Doubles Down On Anthem Stance

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Apparently, the Governor of Louisiana was not just tweeting around.

Newly elected Republican Jeff Landry appeared on FOX News' "America Reports" with Sandra Smith on Wednesday and doubled down on his promise to try to take away scholarships from college athletes in his state, unless all teams begin being present and accounted for at national anthems played before athletic events.

"Everybody should respect the flag," he said. "If you don't like it, well, guess what? You don't have to play the sport."

Landry learned that the LSU women's basketball team is routinely not present for the national anthem before games from a question by OutKick.com writer Dan Zaksheske to LSU coach Kim Mulkey Monday night in the postgame press conference after Iowa defeated LSU to reach the Final Four.

OutKick Asked National Anthem Question After LSU-Iowa That Started It All

"Coach, your team wasn't on the floor during the National Anthem," Zaksheske said. "Was that a conscious decision on your part? Second, can you say what the team was doing during that time?"

RELATED: Was Kim Mulkey Outcoached?

Mulkey said, "Honestly, I don't even know when the anthem was played. They come off the floor at the 12-minute mark (before tip-off). I don't know, we come in, and we do our pregame stuff. I'm sorry. Listen, that's nothing intentionally done."

RELATED: Louisiana Governor Starts National Anthem Furor

On Tuesday Landry tweeted this on his X account:

"It is time that all college boards, including all Boards of Regents in Louisiana, put a policy in place that student-athletes be present for the national anthem, or risk their athletic scholarship. This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill."

And the story circulated fast and hard around the country.

Louisiana newly elected Republican Governor Jeff Landry is a University of Louisiana (Lafayette) graduate, but is also an LSU fan. (Getty Images)

Landry, a two-term Attorney General for Louisiana prior to winning the gubernatorial election last year, explained his position more on Wednesday with Smith.

"Look, I'm not calling out the players or coach Mulkey," he said. "I support coach Mulkey. This is a bigger question, a bigger problem, for collegiate sports nationally and in Louisiana."

Governor Wants Statewide Policy For College Athletes And National Anthem

Landry just sent a letter to all university and college boards in Louisiana asking them to put a policy in place requiring all athletes be present during national anthems played before games. LSU is like many schools across the country. Their teams are often not on the floor during the national anthem as they are in the locker room going through last-minute preparations, meetings and sometimes a team prayer. Iowa's team, however, was on the floor and holding hands for the national anthem.

"It's unfortunate that LSU was not three at the particular time," Landry said on FOX News. "Iowa was. That highlighted the particular problem. The national anthem is as much a part of American sports as is the actual game that’s being played. And the fact that there is not a policy that says, ‘These players are going to be out there and respect the flag and respect those that go out there and protect us,’ is really disrespectful in and of itself."

Landry, a native of St. Martinville, wants unity for the anthem.

"What we’re going to do is work in Louisiana and say, ‘Listen, college athletes need to understand that in order to be truly united, in order to truly have civics and civility, we all need to be united under one flag and respect that anthem.'"

FOX Host Sandra Smith Is A Former LSU Track Athlete

Smith, an LSU graduate and former LSU track athlete, made an excellent point about the last-minute "pregame" preparation Mulkey mentioned.

"Well, I'm sorry. Well, then get your stuff done earlier to get out there," she said.

Smith then explained how people attending all levels of games across the country make time for the national anthem. Why can't the coach and athletes?

"I know so many of our viewers firmly agree with you," she told Landry. "And so many of us – the America we know – you’re at the concession stand, the anthem starts, you throw down your food, you run to find the flag. You chuck your hat. You do anything you can to stand up and be there when the national anthem is sung, whether it’s Little League games or March Madness, or whatever it may be."

Smith also asked if when the athletes do make it out for the anthem, should they stand?

"They should," Landry said. "That's what the universities should put in place. I would hope all the Final Four teams would be out there respecting our nation and letting everyone know that we're united under one flag."