By KEVIN TRESOLINI, The News Journal
NEWARK -- The University of Delaware and Delaware State University have never played a football game against each other, despite being located less than an hour's drive apart and sharing the same NCAA Division I-AA classification.
Delaware, the more established and successful of the two programs, has been the unwilling partner, steadfastly refusing to even discuss setting a date for a game many fans from both schools have long craved.
That has led to frequent charges that UD's constant snubbing is a vestige of the schools' racial histories. Delaware had a segregated school system until the 1950s. Delaware State was created in the late 19th Century as a college for black students, who still make up almost 80 percent of its enrollment.
But the often-heated debate, which had largely been confined to the state of Delaware and fans and alumni of the two schools, spilled into the national media last week.
Jeff Pearlman, a University of Delaware graduate, wrote a scathing column on ESPN.com, the country's most widely viewed sports Web site. It was headlined "Is race the reason Delaware won't play Delaware State?"
Pearlman, as many others have, concluded it must be a factor, since UD has given no sound reason for its ongoing snub of DSU. He wrote the column as an open letter to a prospective UD football recruit, urging him to "Say no to the Blue Hens."
Pearlman wrote: "The University of Delaware's persistent refusal to face Delaware State University in football is cowardly, pig-headed, self-righteous and, worst of all, oozing with racism."
The story quickly became the talk of the town after being posted Thursday. On Friday, a printout of it sat on the check-in table at the Blue Hen Touchdown Club's weekly luncheon at the Newark Country Club, where all of the more than 50 who attended were white and most were more than 50 years old.
Still, some believed Pearlman had made some valid points, though they wished he hadn't worded it so strongly. Gene Trivits also has wondered why the state's two I-AA schools haven't met yet and hates the black eye it gives UD's reputation.
"How long are we going to keep taking this hit?" said Trivits, 75, who received bachelor's and master's degrees from UD. "I've said that to Edgar [Johnson, UD's athletic director], and we're friends. The easiest way is to just schedule the game. I don't understand why we don't -- it would be so convenient -- and then we go out and play Albany and Monmouth. And I don't like West Chester being here, either."
Albany, which Delaware played in 2006 and will play again in 2008, and next Saturday's opponent Monmouth are limited-scholarship I-AA programs from the Northeast Conference, which does not warrant automatic inclusion in the NCAA playoffs. Delaware State is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, which does qualify its champion for the NCAA tourney, as does Delaware's Colonial Athletic Association.
West Chester is a Division II school located 45 minutes away that Delaware has scheduled annually since 1968, always at Delaware Stadium, and beaten 36 of 39 times.
Some UD fans, however, believe Delaware State, which has never made the I-AA playoffs, hasn't earned the right to play Delaware, a perennial playoff contender and frequent qualifier that has won six national championships.
"Four or five years ago, I would have said, 'No way,' " said UD graduate Tom Runnels. "I just don't think Delaware State has played the competitive level of football Delaware has. They have gotten a lot better, so a couple years down the road, maybe ..."
Runnels added, however, that the schools' geographic proximity "cannot be denied" in reasoning why they should play and agreed that "the division clearly has racial roots."
A guest speaker at Friday's touchdown club luncheon was Nate Beasley, who has a unique perspective on the issue, having played football for both schools.
The Dover Air Force Base High graduate played a year at Delaware State, then transferred to Delaware and played three more. He became one of the Blue Hens' all-time leading rushers from 1973 to '75.
"A football game between Delaware and Delaware State would be such a wonderful thing for the state," said Beasley, who is black. "It just doesn't seem to make any sense that it hasn't happened. It makes you wonder."
Including, he added, for lack of any other valid explanations, where racial histories might fit in.
Pearlman's column had generated about 600 comments as of Saturday.
Johnson, as has been his policy, would not publicly discuss the issue or the ESPN.com piece, other than to deliver what has been his standard line for almost 20 years:
"The game will happen," Johnson said.
He wouldn't say when. Delaware recently scheduled three games with South Dakota State -- one there and two in Newark -- in the next decade, when West Chester also is on the schedule.
"My position, as an alum, is that the mere implication that race has anything to do with it is further proof that they just need to schedule the game," said Paul Zoppi, a 1990 UD graduate. "By avoiding Delaware State, Delaware has turned this into something much bigger than it should be, and I'm embarrassed."
New UD president Patrick Harker, in an e-mail response Saturday, said he is giving the topic close scrutiny.
Harker, who took office this summer, has spoken about the issue with athletic department personnel as he familiarizes himself with UD.
Delaware State needs no arm-twisting, new athletic director Rick Costello said.
"We want to play anywhere, any time," Costello said. "It'll be great for the kids, great for school sprit, great for the state. I see nothing but positives. ... It's mind-boggling that it has happened yet."
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