The person who would be most likely to blame, the athletic director, is unable to have any comment. Derek Carter just got there. Yet, he is fielding all of the questions, and most of the heat, thanks to the unwillingness of university administration to step up and acknowledge responsibility for what has become a public relations issue for the institution. From ESPN.com writer Gene Wojciechowski’s column on the foolishness:
Just caught this new brief on Onnidan about the St. Augustine’s Track and Field team making some appearances on CBS and ESPN this summer.
It’s only right. They are only one of the most dominant programs in the entire country. I’m surprised ESPNU doesn’t give the team it’s own reality show, considering how many Olympic hopefuls come out of the program.
It always made sense. Chowan’s size, proximity to other CIAA schools, and decent media coverage will open up new opportunities for rivalries and bolstered attention for the conference. Can’t wait to see the mix of faces at the CIAA Tournament, and how this will change Mr. CIAA’s perspective on color combinations.
With black colleges, there’s usually discussion on which teams can jump out of the historically black college conferences and into a more-recognized mid-major conference (looking in your general direction, FAMU). Chowan and the CIAA came together to make history in collegiate athletics, collaboratively ignoring any sentiments that decried the move.
Imagine the life of South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough. Fresh off of a conference championship and a notable appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs, his Bulldogs are the talk of black college football. They will play in what should be regarded as the black college football national championship in a few months, and are expected to compete for another MEAC football title.
And he does it all with the toughest gig in black college football today.
The long, strange journey of former Hampton forward Matt Pilgrim continues, with some reports surfacing that he may be headed to Memphis. I still maintain that Pilgrim would be better served by jumping down to Division II, tearing up the CIAA, and coming out as a top ten pick who didn’t have the pressure or scrutiny of playing power conference ball, but that’s just me.
But we’ve long heard that Pilgrim brings some baggage with him, and while he’s a super talent, he could be an instant headache for a coach trying to build team unity. Black college sports fans have long made the case for athletes attending the nurturing academic and athletic environments provided by HBCUs. Pilgrim has already proven that he doesn’t take too kindly to the black college experience, so the question is simple;
Just got word that Jackson State University has extended the contract of athletic director Bob Braddy. The good news, for Braddy at least, is that he has a well-paying job for at least one more year. The bad news is, Tiger faithful are likely going to make it the hardest year of his professional career.
Despite what these ornery fans would have you to believe, Braddy is a fine AD. His teams have won the Commissioner’s Cup three years in a row. Each of the revenue-generating sports at JSU have won conference championships in his tenure.
And please, don’t forget to pledge your financial support to the HBCU Sports Blog Fundraising Campaign. My objective is to raise $200,000 dollars in five dollar increments, in order to make the HBCU Sports Blog and HBCU Sports Talk Radio media projects full time gigs, for at least four years ($50,ooo per year). Several people have generously given to the project, and the plan is to generate a donor list for every $50,000 benchmark to signify the people who are the primary benefactors of one year of 24/7 black college sports coverage.
Don’t think I’m hating on one dollar or fifty-cent donations, either. Literally, every little bit counts. Thank you kindly, family.
How do you say farewell to an icon? In many ways, you don’t. The icon gets to live on through fond memories and frequent tributes to their greatness.
Fortunately, black college marching bands have long paid their respect to the musical legend that was Michael Jackson. Here are a few choice selections from some of the finest ensembles historically black colleges and universities have to offer.
FAMU Marching 100 – P.Y.T
North Carolina A&T Blue and Gold Marching Machine – Smooth Criminal
Morgan State Magnificent Marching Machine – Torture
Norfolk State Spartan Legion – Remember the Time
Alabama A&M Marching Maroon and White – Butterflies
Your alma mater is a different school than what you knew it to be. The obvious signs are the new construction, new programs, and many new faces around the campus. But the culture of these institutions is far more different than what you knew.
This is especially true for black college sports. The objectives and payoffs for attending an athletic contest are far different from what they were 20 years ago or even two years ago. Years ago, you called somebody up to talk trash about the big game between your school and theirs. Then it evolved to email. Now, groups on Facebook are dedicated to down-talking someone else’s school, band, dance squad, cheerleaders and concessions staff.
One thing black colleges must realize is that the culture of their sports, much like the institutions themselves, are changing far more rapidly than anyone could’ve anticipated. Students are attending HBCUs for far different reasons than they did years ago, and their expectations out of a black college experience are vastly different. And while there are moral and social debates that continuously rage about how to cultivate school pride on campus (parties, visitation, Greek life), there should be no debate about how to get young people involved and excited about sports on their campuses.
To replace Luke D’Alessio, Bowie State was going to have to look local and high for an appropriate replacement. It was going to need a coach with local ties for recruiting and marketability, someone who had not been a failure at previous stops, and someone who was familiar with the CIAA and the pressures that it brings to each member school competing for the basketball title.
In Derrick Brooks, Bowie State found everything it was looking for.
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The long, strange journey of former Hampton forward Matt Pilgrim continues, with some reports surfacing that 
