“And I’ve been tired so long, now I am sick and tired of being sick and tired, and we want a change.” – Fannie Lou Hamer, 1919
If visitors from outer space used an NFL fan base to gauge America’s togetherness, they’d consider us one nation under the groove.
They’d look at the supporters and see unity among wildly diverse groups: Blacks and whites, rich and poor, college grads and dropouts, believers and atheists, city slickers and country bumpkins. The left-right divide that carves the country like a scalpel doesn’t leave a mark as our offense marches downfield and our defense stuffs the opposition.
Based on three hours of an NFL Sunday, intergalactic observers would believe that all Americans belong to one clan.
As Florida A&M’s football team endured arduous training in
hot and humid conditions before the season began, head coach Willie Simmons
told his squad that they could be exceptional.
He said they could be remembered as one of the greatest teams
in FAMU history. The gold standard was minted in 1978, when the Rattlers became
the first and only HBCU team to win the national championship in Division I-AA
(now the Football Championship Subdivision).
On Saturday, exactly 45 years to the day of that historic victory, the Rattlers made more history by beating Howard in the Celebration Bowl to win the Black national championship.
Jay Walker said leading Howard University to the I-AA playoffs
(now the Football Championship Subdivision) in 1993 is among his most treasured
memories.
The Bison were undefeated (11-0) and ranked eighth in the
nation when they traveled to Marshall University for a first-round matchup. “The
experience we had up there is something I’ve carried my whole life,” Walker
said via phone. The Howard quarterback spent four seasons in the NFL and
currently calls games for ESPN. “I’ve also covered the FCS playoffs,” he said.
“I was definitely a playoff guy.
“But now, it’s not even close. It’s all about the Celebration Bowl. This thing is phenomenal in terms of what it brings together.”
Norfolk State guard Jamarii Thomas was cooking against Illinois
State, lighting up the home team Saturday night en route to a career-high 31
points. Then his coach got heated in the second half of the Spartans’ 64-58 victory.
NSU head coach Robert Jones went face-to-face in a screaming
match with his Illinois State counterpart, Ryan Pedon, as players from both
squads rushed toward them at halfcourt. Jones was hot about some ISU fans who
had just interacted with Thomas from their courtside seats.
“I’m not letting anybody call my players a racial slur,” Jones tweeted after the game in Normal, Ill. “Those are my kids and I will fight for them. We have come too far in society to be called the N word at a college basketball game.”
Selfishness is a relative concept. It’s a blight on society when
maxed out, but perfectly understandable when utilized sparingly. The degrees
between those extremes foster endless debates among friends, relatives and colleagues.
Take, for instance, USC quarterback Caleb Williams and
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Both have benefitted from recent NCAA rule changes on transferring schools and making money. Both are highly rated prospects at the NFL’s most valued position. Both have the option of returning to campus or entering the NFL draft in April.
In terms of diversity and inclusion (DEI) in visuals, marketing has come a long way since two candidates for the Fairfax, Virginia County School Board handed out campaign materials in 2011.
First, was Louise Epstein, who distributed signs and fliers that were graced with three smiling, multicultural teenagers in caps and gowns. Then, Jane Strauss circulated her literature, an election brochure that featured the identical teens in a similar pose.
Pickings were slimmer back then and multicultural representation wasn’t much of an issue, at least not in mainstream media. SRB Communications has been a champion for inclusion since our founding, well before a national awakening in 2020. We are grateful that our clients and others see the value of accurate snapshots because there’s no excuse for excluding diverse subjects.
After being nearly perfect through their first two campaigns in
the Southwestern Athletic Conference – losing just one league game each season
– the Rattlers ran the table this year. They capped their impressive run with a
35-14 victory Saturday against Prairie View
A&M to clinch their first SWAC championship.
“A great day for Tallahassee, FAMU, and these young men,” FAMU head coach Willie Simmons told reporters after winning his first conference title. “It warms my heart to celebrate a goal we set for ourselves long ago.”
Say what you will about Deion Sanders’ first season at
Colorado, because you have to say something. It’s the law.
No matter which side you’re on, silence isn’t an option after
he stirred up college football like no one ever. There are plenty of talking
points to bolster whichever stance you take, whether Colorado’s four wins were
an astounding success, or the eight losses represent an unmitigated failure.
The Buffaloes were 1-11 last year before Sanders rolled into town and gutted the roster. Las Vegas oddsmakers set the win total at 3.5 wins and one analyst said Sanders might have the nation’s worst roster. In the end, both predictions were close to accurate, though each seemed off when Colorado improved to 3-0 on Sept. 16.
In this corner is LSU star forward Angel Reese, the “Bayou
Barbie,” fresh off winning a national title and waving it in Caitlin Clark’s
face before enjoying newfound wealth and fame.
In the other corner is LSU head coach Kim Mulkey, the Louisiana
native and Hall of Famer, fresh off signing a $32 million contract after snagging
the title in her second season back home.
If giving up or no longer exerting maximum effort is ever understandable, Arkansas-Pine Bluff might’ve been in that position Saturday in the final game this year.
The Golden Lions were on the road, trailing by 24 points at halftime, with dim prospects for their second victory overall and their first in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
But instead of packing it in, UAPB poured it on. Quarterback Mekhi Hagens ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns and special teams contributed a touchdown for a stunning 35-34 victory against Texas Southern at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. The Lions scored the final 22 points in the final 12 minutes to complete the surprising finish. They finished 2-9 overall, 1-7 in the SWAC).
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