HBCU Sports Blog

Black Colleges Should Not Be Ryan Perrilloux's New Pond

Historically black colleges and universities have a unique mission that is unlike any other institution of higher education in this country. They were founded to educate the underserved and underrepresented, and to create a culture of excellence and achievement among the historically oppressed.

Today, they continue to afford access and opportunity to students who otherwise would not be afforded a chance at higher education. They take the best and brightest, those who haven't realized their academic and professional potential, and create the future leaders of tomorrow.

And this is the exact reason why Ryan Perrilloux should not have the opportunity to play football at an HBCU.

Arrests, fights, missed classes, missed meetings, general malaise towards the college experience are not the marks of a man who just three years ago was regarded as the best high school quarterback in the country. And yes there is room for redemption, but not for a big fish who prefers being out of water.

Perrilloux is not just a marginal talent with a troubled background, he was the star of the Class of 2005. He was the MVP of last season's SEC Championship game, which eventually qualified the LSU Tigers for their BCS National Championship appearance and consequent victory. Ryan Perrilloux is a young man who has come of age in the limelight, and acted less than his age outside of it. If his mentality would not change with national attention and the world at his feet, there's no reason to expect different at Jackson State, Grambling University, or Alabama State; three of the colleges allegedly interested in suiting Perrilloux up in the future.

Could there be room for maturity, under appropriate mentoring and guidance from faculty and staff at an HBCU? Absolutely. It happens all the time. But these institutions should not reward bad behavior and poor decision making in an effort to bolster their athletic profile. The trouble that Perrilloux regularly finds is not exclusive to LSU, because he can manufacture it wherever he goes. It is not the look that our black colleges need or should want.

There is redemption, love and respect to be found at any historically black college around the nation. That is their founding purpose, and reason for existence to this day. But Ryan Perrilloux should not consider these institutions the next stop on his football journey, but rather the most important stop on his road to real maturity and manhood.

Ryan Perrilloux deserves to be a student at an HBCU, but he has forfeited the precious right to call himself a student athlete at an HBCU.

Alabama A&M's Gladness Signs With Agent

Courtesy: Alabama A&M Sports Information

Former men's basketball standout Mickell Gladness has recently signed with NBA agent Mark Fleisher of Enter Sport Management Inc. based in Connecticut. They will be sending Gladness to Las Vegas to train with one of the NBA's top workout specialist. While in training, the company will be working on Gladness' behalf for an invite to the Orlando pre-draft camp held for all rookies.

Gladness finished the 2007-08 season third on the team in scoring with a 10.3 average. He also led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in blocked shots with 4.5 per contest - good for a No. 2 NCAA-DI individual ranking.

"Mickell is a player you can count on to work everyday. The hard work he has put in is a testament to the position he is in now," says Coach L. Vann Pettaway on Gladness.

Five Reasons Why the MEAC Basketball Tournament Belongs in North Carolina

From all indications, the MEAC Basketball Tournament will stake its claim somewhere in the state of North Carolina beginning in 2009. Whether that city is Raleigh, the location that yielded a 30 percent increase in tournament attendance last year, or Winston-Salem, where Winston-Salem State University hopes to host some of the tournament events, is still up in the air.

But no matter the city, North Carolina is the best state to host the MEAC Basketball Tournament. Here's five reasons why.

5. Recent success - The MEAC shouldn't fix what's not broken. It would be one instance if no city in the state wanted them, but if there are venues that can adequately support the event, they should remain where the identity and energy of the tournament is currently at its strongest.

4. No ACC Tournament competition - The 2009 ACC Tournament will be hosted in Atlanta, which allows more accommodations for MEAC fans, and presents the conference as a more affordable option for local basketball fans wanting to see great college basketball.

3. Member school proximity - Having attended the tournament last season, the drive from Maryland to North Carolina is not a bad one, and as long as the northern institutions are viable competitors in the tournament, they will still be able to draw large numbers. Which brings in the third point...

2. North Carolina pride - When you mix in Aggie Pride with delegations from North Carolina Central and Winston-Salem State, the tournament is guaranteed to be successful on the backs of North Carolinians. Because the state has a high concentration of HBCUs, a location in state will mean black college basketball throughout the month of March. Especially when you consider....

1. The MEAC can capitalize on the success of the CIAA - With the CIAA Basketball Tournament in Charlotte, and several of the MEAC schools resonating with CIAA loyalists as former CIAA teams, there should be an even greater turnout of fan support in 2009. When it comes to black college basketball, there's really nothing finer than North Carolina. 

Lonnie Blow Jr. Hired as St. Augustine's Head Men's Basketball Coach

Saint Augustine's College has named Lonnie Blow Jr. as its new head men's basketball coach. The announcement came during a press conference today on campus.

Blow comes to the Falcon program from Norfolk State University, where he was an assistant coach from 2006-08 following a brief stint at Hampton University from 2005-06. While at Hampton, Blow helped direct the Pirates to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and to the NCAA Tournament during the 2005-06 season. He coached four All-MEAC players, one All-MEAC Tournament player and a MEAC Tournament MVP while at Norfolk State and Hampton.

Blow's coaching philosophy places emphasis on playing hard, smart and together while setting high standards for academics. He was highly recommended for the Falcon coaching position by such notables as former University of Maryland coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell, AAU coach "Boo" Williams.

Prior to coaching college, Blow was the head basketball coach at Granby (Va.) High School from 1995 to 2005, and the men's assistant coach at Maury (Va.) High School from 1984-1995. At Granby, he coached the boys' team to a state title and was named AAA state coach of the year in 2000.

Before entering the coaching profession, Blow was an outstanding college basketball player from 1979-1982 at Virginia Wesleyan College. Blow was named Dixie Conference Player of the Year during the 1980-81 season. Blow was also a two-time All-American and All-South Atlantic Region player, and a three-time All-Dixie Conference player, including two selections to the first team.

Blow received his undergraduate degree from Virginia Wesleyan College and is currently pursuing his master's in counseling/higher education from Old Dominion University.

 

Fayetteville State, Virginia State Finish in Top Ten of NCAA Golf Super Regional

Courtesy: TheCIAA.com

Fayetteville State and Virginia State finished part 1 of a unique golf double event with sixth and eight place finishes in the NCAA Division II Southeast/Atlantic Super Regional in Belmont, NC

FSU could not close a four stroke deficit entering the final day of play to move up in the team standings.  The Broncos finished with an overall score of 930, 12 strokes behind fifth place Coker College.

FSU's Chip Lynn led his team with a final score of 221, just four strokes behind tournament medalist Daniel Castlebery of Barton College.  Lynn entered the final round in second place but slipped into a tie for third after shooting a 78 (=6) in the final round.

Virginia State's top player, Jerel Whiting, also lost ground in the final round.  Whiting shot a 79 (+7) to slip from a third place tie to a three-way tie for 10th place in the final standings.

The Trojan team finished the 54-hole tournament in 8th place with a team score of 964, exsctly 100 strokes over par.

Both teams now head to Port St. Lucie, Fla., to compete the second part of their week of competition in the 22nd Annual PGA Minority Collegiate Championship on Thursday.

 

Jackson State Women's Track and Field Honored By City of Jackson

Courtesy: Jackson State Sports Information

The Jackson State women's track and field team was honored by the city of Jackson with a resolution Tuesday morning during City Council meetings.

Councilman Charles Tillman's office honored the Lady Tigers for winning the 2007-08 SWAC Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

"We are very proud of these young ladies," said Jackson mayor Frank Melton.

Tillman also had the same feelings about the track and field team, as well as Jackson State University. "JSU is so special to all of us here at the City Council. Jackson State is key to our community," said Tillman.

JSU head women's track coach, Pauline Banks thanked the council for the honor and their support of JSU track and field.

"We are very appreciative for this honor and we want you to continue to support JSU women's track and field and we will have more meets on the JSU campus," Banks said.

Jackson State Women's Track and Field Honored By City of Jackson

Courtesy: Jackson State Sports Information

The Jackson State women's track and field team was honored by the city of Jackson with a resolution Tuesday morning during City Council meetings.

Councilman Charles Tillman's office honored the Lady Tigers for winning the 2007-08 SWAC Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

"We are very proud of these young ladies," said Jackson mayor Frank Melton.

Tillman also had the same feelings about the track and field team, as well as Jackson State University. "JSU is so special to all of us here at the City Council. Jackson State is key to our community," said Tillman.

JSU head women's track coach, Pauline Banks thanked the coucil for the honor and their support of JSU track and field.

"We are very appreciative for this honor and we want you to continue to support JSU women's track and field and we will have more meets on the JSU campus," Banks said.

Jackson State's W.C. Gorden Selected For College Football Hall of Fame

Courtesy: Jackson State Sports Information

Jackson State University's "Winningest" football coach W.C. Gorden has been selected for the College Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday.

Gorden coached at Jackson State from 1976-91 and compiled an impressive 119-47-5 record. During his 15 year career at JSU Gorden won eight Southwestern Athletic Conference Championships. Gorden's Tigers won three straight SWAC titles twice (1980-82 and 1985-87). JSU went on to win the SWAC crown in 1988 and again in 1990.

Gorden will also go into the 2008 College Football Hall of Fame class with another SWAC coach, Mississippi Valley State's Doug Porter. He won 166 games as the head coach for the Delta Devils (1961-65), Howard (1974-78) and Fort Valley State (1979-85, '87-96).

Also elected were former North Alabama linebacker Ronald McKinnon (1992-95), Mount Union quarterback Jim Ballard (1991-93), Texas A&M-Kingsville defensive end John Randle (1988-89) and McMurry halfback Brad Rowland (1947-50).

This year's class will be inducted July 18-19 during the Enshrinement Festival in South Bend, Ind.

Alabama State Accused of More Than 600 NCAA Violations

Between 1999 and 2003, Alabama State University's athletic department is believed to have allowed or participated in 670 NCAA violations, according to a recent report issued by the governing body of collegiate athletics. The NCAA Committee on Infractions will review the violations in early August, to determine what may become one of this stiffest sanctions handed down in NCAA Division I history.

Classified as a "lack of institutional control," the report list several former ASU athletic directors, compliance officers, and faculty representatives involved in numerous incidents in four sports, with football bearing the brunt of the violations. More than 500 infractions are believed to have stemmed from academically ineligible players appearing in games, practices and workouts. Administrative infractions point to compliance positions being held without appropriate training and certification, and a lack of institutional oversight within the department.

Other infractions regarding recruiting, improper grade changes, and other incidents are believed to surface once an internal investigation and resulting report are generated.

This is an unprecedented report in the way of institutional mismanagement, but it is not uncommon. Many institutions, historically black and otherwise, have great difficulty in overseeing recruitment standards, academic progress, and resource appropriation. There is no reasonable explanation to this magnitude of violations other than an entire department of misinformed administrators, or administrators with no regard for rules.

It could come in post-season sanctions, it could come in the form of rescinded scholarships, but Alabama State University will feel the results of this report, and will continue to feel them for many years to come.

Johnson C. Smith Celebrates Graduating Student Athletes

In a nice move by the Johnson C. Smith athletic department, the Golden Bulls honored their graduating student-athletes in the Class of 2008. 44 athletes in a variety of fields received baccalaureate degrees in the university's 141st commencement exercises last Sunday. 20 of the 44 student-athletes graduated with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Of particular note among the graduates was class valedictorian Zena Conway, who not only graduated Summa Cum Laude, but also participated in track and field and cheer leading during her undergraduate career.

It's not often that athletes are given the credit they deserve for their tenure and contribution on black college campuses. They are a significant part of student life, and help to sustain university pride among campus family, alumni and supporters. Kudos to the Johnson C. Smith athletic department for their recognition of these talented members of the university community.