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This past weekend the Southern University team and band traveled to your great city to play the Lobos. At one point during the week we did not believe we would be able to make the trip due to Hurricane Isaac’s slow and destructive move through Louisiana.

Our campus was shut down from Tuesday through Friday and most of our residential students left campus to either travel to homes out of danger or to assist families in harm’s way.

Athletes and band members remained on campus throughout the storm so that they could make the trip to Albuquerque, even though weather conditions prevented any opportunity to practice. Fortunately, Friday brought much-needed relief, the airports in Baton Rouge and New Orleans were reopened, the team was able to make flight adjustments, and the band departed by bus one day behind schedule.

Our reception in Albuquerque was beyond our expectations.

Everyone was friendly and genuinely excited to welcome us. From the friendly Lobos fan manning the counter at the car rental counter, who was happy that he was on duty when we returned the car on Sunday to tell us how much he enjoyed our band, to the staff at the hotel, to the personnel at the stadium happy to give us restaurant suggestions, to UNM President Bob Frank and his wife, Janet, and his staff, we can only say thank you.

Our team gave its all on the field, and we extend congratulations to Coach Bob Davie and the Lobos for a great performance and outstanding sportsmanship.

We especially thank the members of the community who came together to raise the funds necessary to support the band’s travel.

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Our band has played Super Bowls, presidential inaugural parades, NFL games and traveled abroad. The band’s Dancing Dolls performed with Madonna at halftime of this year’s Super Bowl, at her invitation.

They were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response received from your fans and all said that the sacrifices made to get to Albuquerque were worth it.

Finally, we are a small but proud university with a rich tradition and a strong alumni base across the country and abroad. We count 10 graduates who have distinguished themselves in the U.S. Army and Marines by attaining the rank of general, including retired Lt. Gen. Russell Honore, who distinguished himself by leading the recovery effort in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

We normally would have had a much larger contingent of fans with us, but several groups canceled plans due to the storm. We proudly call ourselves the Jaguar Nation.

So, on behalf of the Southern University Jaguar Nation, I say thank you, Albuquerque. You are truly a great city.