Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
The Louisiana Tech Athletics department and Smoothie King announced Monday a partnership to make the Spirit of ’88 smoothie available ahead of the 2024 football season. Proceeds from the sales will be donated to the Bulldog Community Outreach NIL program to benefit student-athletes.
“We are excited about this partnership with Smoothie King and the creation of the Spirit of ’88 smoothie,” said Ryan Ivey, Vice President and Director of Athletics at LA Tech. “While the landscape of college athletics changes around us, the one constant that we have is great people who care about making a difference. Bradley and the team at Smoothie King have focused on their ability to make a difference, in which we are incredibly thankful.”
“We are excited to partner with La Tech Athletics on the Spirit of 88 smoothie,” said Bradley Walker, Smoothie King franchisee. “As a 2004 graduate, I am proud to be able to give back to the Bulldog Community Outreach NIL program. I want to thank Ryan Ivey and Wally Crittenden for their help in making this collaboration happen. This partnership is another way for Smoothie King to achieve our mission of inspiring everyone to live a healthy and active lifestyle.”
Fans wishing to enjoy the new Spirit of ’88 smoothie can expect a Power Slim Vanilla base with Blue Spirulina and multivitamin added. Ingredients are bananas, Califia Farms Almond Milk and Power Slim Protein.
“This collaboration is a creative and innovative way to have a direct impact on and in the lives of our student-athletes. Collaborations like these provide a great example of how we can “Bark Louder” together for our department and community. We look forward to more collaborations in the future.”
Fans wishing to support the Bulldog Community Outreach NIL program may contribute to the sport of your choice here: www.caringcent.com/latnil.
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SPIRIT OF ’88
For more than 25 years, a bronze Bulldog statue named the Spirit of ’88 stood at the south end of Joe Aillet stadium directly behind the goal posts, commemorating the 1988 Bulldog football team which blazed the path into Division I-A football for Louisiana Tech.
However, with the construction of the Davison Athletics Complex which opened in late August 2015, the Spirit of ’88 moved directly inside the doors of the hallway that lead from the Bulldog locker room onto the Joe Aillet Stadium playing surface in the southwest corner of the facility.
The statue, which every Bulldog football player touches as he walks onto the field prior to each home game, is symbolic of the challenges that the 1988 team endured, competing against one of the most difficult schedules in school history while playing with only 65 scholarships – the allotted amount for Division I-AA teams. In what was the nation’s 11th toughest schedule that year, the Bulldogs faced five I-A bowl teams including Houston, Florida State and Texas A&M.
Some wins have been more magical than others. The endings to three of the biggest wins in school history have taken place in the south end zone … almost as if the Spirit of ’88 willed the Bulldogs to victory.
Some may say the powers of that bronze Bulldog are a fluke. Tech fans won’t agree.
