Getting to know Austin Peay State University

I wanted to learn more about our first round opponent, which wasn't hard since I didn't know anything about them to start with.  Sure, we'll probably all hear more than we ever need to know about their basketball team, but what about the important things?

The school is located in Clarksville, Tennessee, which also happens to be The Volunteer State's fastest growing city, and fifth largest overall (sixth if you count all the missing sports reporters rumored to be trapped within the many folds of Phil Fullmer's expansive belly, hereby known as Fullmerton).  Look out Chattanooga, here they come!

It was founded in 1927 as Austin Peay State Normal School for Rural White Teachers, but in more recent times have begun allowing Urban White Teachers as well as the clinically insane, and thus have dropped most of that name.

Total enrollment currently stands at a little over 9,000 students, but don't get too attached to that number, because Austin Peay is also the fastest growing university in the state! (Though the other UT holds the title as the fastest growing campus, with Fullmerton having been annexed by the University as part of his latest contract.)

The name of the athletics teams is the Governors, in honor of the man Austin Peay himself.  So what about this man of such import to have a state university carry on his revered name?  Well, while governor, he signed The Butler Act into law, which forbade the teaching of evolution in Tennessee's public schools.  This is the law that resulted in the Scopes trial.  Here's what he had to say on the issue.  "I never had any idea my bill would make a fuss. I just thought it would become law, and that everybody would abide by it and that we wouldn't hear any more of evolution in Tennessee."  Truly a man firmly on the side of the people.  Mr. Peay is also remembered as the only Tennessee governor to have died while in office.  How could they not name a university after a man of such distinction?

Austin Peay also offers the state's largest selection of online courses.  Phew!  I know that like me, you all were probably worried as to how their players would continue with their reknowned Austin Peay education while competing in Little Rock.  Fear not, because APSU is surely at the forefront of 21st century educational technology.

A lot of you may be wondering how to pronounce "Peay".  Well, it's easy.  You simply pronounce it like the word "pee".  The popular chant at sporting events being, "Let's go Peay!"  On a completely unrelated note, Austin Peay fails to list any varsity watersports.  Ironic, don't you think?

Finally, a school with these kind of credentials has surely graduated some famous, world-changing men and women, right?  Of course they have.  Famous almuni include Bubba Wells, the NBA record holder for the quickest disqualification due to personal fouls.  Also, Trenton Hassell, you may remember he was part of the deal Dallas made with the Nets to get Jason Kidd, but what you didn't know was that Hassell went to high school with Shawn Marion at Clarksville's own Clarksville High School.  A hometown hero!  There's also Chonda Pierce, "The Queen of Clean", and the most sought after Christian comedienne of our day.  Nothing says funny like eternal damnation!  And of course, James "Fly" Williams, legendary basketball player who was cheered on by his clever peers at APSU with the phrase, "Fly is open, let's go Peay!"