...in my last post, we discussed the connection (if any) between academic prestige and athletic success. One of the residing themes in the comments was how the overall prestige and "identity" of a school can be increased by athletic success. However, while athletics can definitely increase the stature of a school, there are other ways to promote and project what a school represents to the general public.

A few weeks ago, as part of my Army JAG Internship, I was provided with the opportunity to visit Guantanamo Bay. As part of our four-day visit, we were asked to bring a memento of our school to display at the base. In e-mailing several friends for advice, including the BON authors, I wanted to take something special. I wanted to leave something unique. In short, I wanted to bring something that would make the entire UT Community proud.

After the jump, I want to share with all of you the two items that I took to Guantanamo and provide some additional pictures from the trip. Feel free to skip the post, but I think many of you will be moved by at least one of the images, especially those who attended UT during the 9-11 attacks.

Seeking further advice, I contacted some UT administrators and told them about my visit. After some back-and-forth discussions, I wound up receiving an image that absolutely blew me away. I was sent a picture of the UT Tower on 9-14-01, which showed the giant US flag hung to honor the victims of 9-11. I turned this picture into a plaque, which included a handwritten explanation of the picture.

Additionally, I had to bring an image of the UT Tower from our 2005 National Championship season. Once again, the image was provided by UT officials and turned into a plaque.

Hook 'em!