Alcorn mourns huge loss in its family
WHETHER IT WAS the flags, jerseys or baseball caps, the Alcorn State presence was very evident Saturday at former football star Steve McNair's funeral at Reed Green Coliseum. Just as many people think of Brett Favre when Southern Miss is mentioned, Alcorn State will always be associated with the NFL MVP quarterback from Mount Olive.
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"Steve McNair is someone that Alcorn was very proud of and put the school on the map." said Charles Longmire, an ASU alum wearing his purple and gold baseball cap. When asked how the Alcorn community is handling the death of it's greatest legend, Longmire just let out an exhausted sigh, "sadness." "He was really a family member," the former ASU football trainer said. "Even if you graduated in 1955, you still know him as a true family member. He's a fallen comrade so I just wanted to come out and support the family."READ RELATED ARTICLES:
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Delaware State University
Carter ready for future at DSU
DOVER, DE -- It has been a whirlwind summer so far for Derek A. Carter, who was hired as Delaware State University's athletic director in April. Carter, who came to DSU after serving as athletic director at Bowie State University since 2003, has met all of the school's head coaches and all of the staff and has had to acclimate himself and his family to their new home. He knows it will only get more hectic as fall approaches, but he wouldn't want it any other way.
"I am excited with the opportunity and challenge to join DSU and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference," Carter said. "I am looking forward to all the great things that will take place." Carter has been involved in athletics for most of his life and was a starting cornerback for Virginia Tech, where he was a defensive teammate of former Buffalo Bills defensive lineman and 2009 NFL Hall of Fame inductee Bruce Smith. He even earned an opportunity to try out as a free agent with the Eagles in 1985. Now, Carter has taken on a new challenge. He has a plan to revitalize the 17 intercollegiate sports programs at Delaware State University.Tennessee State University
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Islanders Adds New Associate Head Coach
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Perry Clark has a new and battle-tested lieutenant at his side heading into the next Islander basketball season. He's added Cy Alexander as associate head coach. Alexander was let go by Tennessee State earlier this year after his sixth season with the Tigers. He led them to the conference title game in 2008, but had a losing overall record.
The legendary Cy Alexander is the winningest coach in MEAC and South Carolina State (277-202) history. He has a career record of 344-306 in 24 seasons, leading the S.C. State Bulldogs to five seasons of 20-plus wins, five NCAA Tournaments and five MEAC championships.
It was a stark contrast to his first stop at South Carolina State, where he spent 16 seasons and reached the NCAA Tournament five times. He replaces Billy Garrett, who left to take a job at DePaul. Garrett also served as the team's recruiting coordinator, a job Alexander should fit right into. Combined with Clark, the duo has piled up more than 600 career coaching victories. "I don't think there will be very many situations on the court that either one of us have not seen. I think that's going to bring a very positive influence to what we're trying to get done. I don't think we'll be outcoached," Alexander said.
Video: Islanders Coach Perry Clark Adds New Associate Head Coach
Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University
FAMU Marching “100” Hosts its Annual Band Camp and Parade
The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Marching “100” will host its Annual Band Camp from Monday, July 13 through Saturday, July 18. The “100” will lend its talent to hundreds of the nation’s best high school band students. More than 400 band participants will have the opportunity to master and emulate the style and concepts of the world-renowned Marching “100”. The participants will showcase their new skills and moves to the FAMU family and the Tallahassee community at the annual band camp parade scheduled for Friday, July 17, at 2 p.m. Ranging from grades 9 through 12, these young students have shown a sincere desire to better themselves as not only musicians, but as leaders of their respective band programs.
Sights and sounds from FAMU Summer Band Camp 2008 -- Building another generation of Incomparable Marching 100s...
The parade’s grand marshals are Linard McCloud (Class of 1976), director of bands for Burke High School in Charleston, South Carolina; Attorney Daryl Parks, Parks and Crump, LLC; Gallop Franklin, president of FAMU’s Student Government Association; and Mr. & Miss FAMU. The special guest will be the legendary Marching "100" director (retired), William P. Foster, Ph.D. This year’s parade will consist of both campus and community organizations.
Band participants will continue to showcase their new skills at events through the end of the week. Thursday, July 16, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., an ensemble concert is scheduled and from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., a symphonic concert is scheduled. Both concerts will be held in Lee Hall Auditorium. Participants attending the camp will travel from around the world such as California, Detroit, Bahamas and Virgin Islands. For more information, call the FAMU Band Department at (850) 599-3024.
Reserved Grice not shy when on the Rattler court
Jasmine Grice's father can't remember when he wasn't a part of his daughter's basketball life. It doesn't appear that will change now that she is taking her game to the college level at FAMU. Grice called on her father, Vincent, for just about every answer during her first sit-down interview since becoming a Rattler. But when it came to talking about what she brings to coach LeDawn Gibson's women's program, Grice was pretty succinct. And, by the way she puts it, not much is going to change in her approach that led to an average of 25.6 points per game when she played at East Gadsden High School.
2009 First Team All-Big Bend (Florida) and Co-Big Bend Player of the Year, Jasmine Grice, 5'-7" wing guard averaged per game - 29.7 points, 4.3 steals and 5.4 rebounds at East Gasden H.S."I've got to stay determined," said Grice, named the Big Bend girls' basketball co-player of the year as a senior. "I'll be more focused." Grice should be able to do that now that the recruiting frenzy is over. For at least a year, she said, a long list of schools that included Boston College, Wisconsin and LSU sought after her. She said she saw the onslaught of letters and telephone calls coming, but she wasn't prepared to handle them. Yes, that job was handed off to her father.
Rattlers' walk-ons vying for chances
There weren't too many significant offers for Austin Trainor when he was looking for a place to play college football. He listened to everyone's pitch anyway. Florida A&M football coach Joe Taylor and his staff struck the right chord with the former North Florida Christian quarterback. "When I went to FAMU and met all the coaching staff, everybody seemed sincere and real," Trainor said. "I asked them if I had a chance and they told me yes. They told me everything happens on the field and that's all I needed to hear. All I needed to prove myself was the opportunity."
Austin Trainor is a Rattler freshman QB prospect from Tallahassee's North Florida Christian H.S.
Trainor's situation could easily be that of the 29 other walk-ons who are hoping they'll catch the eyes of Taylor. The ones who make the mark could actually have a better-than-average chance of getting playing time next season with 24 players expected to graduate after this season. Considering the slots that will be opened up, Taylor has assigned assistants coaches Jimmy Tyson and Edwin Pata to monitor the walk-ons. "The program is going in the direction now that we could have some pretty good walk-ons," Taylor said. "I don't want anybody who looks at TV and thinks they're football players," he said. "Usually that's a hospital bill. We want the young man who the only reason is not on scholarship is because he came late or because we don't have the scholarship."
FAMU's Taylor preaches restraint
What a difference a 9-3 record makes. FAMU football coach Joe Taylor took a few minutes Wednesday to tell members of the Tallahassee Rotary Club how last season's success is affecting his team. For one thing, going from 3-8 to 9-3 has raised the expectations of Rattler fans. Then there are those who want to jump on the bandwagon — something that Taylor obviously is leery about. One of the biggest concerns is the outpouring of volunteerism when it comes to conditioning his players. He said he's warned them not to seek outside help and stick with what they're getting from strength and conditioning coach Antonio Wallace. Anything else, he said, is a distraction.
"So many people now want to jump on board and supposedly want to help," Taylor said, following his talk to the Rotarians in a small room at the Civic Center. "We need to stay in our tree, stay within our realm. When you were 3-8 nobody wanted to talk to you. Now everybody wants to talk to you." Taylor told the audience how he and his staff turned around the program in his first season as head coach, using the same blueprint that worked during 16 seasons at Hampton University. The change has more to do with the players' attitudes, he said.
Stevens offers a lot to FAMU
Recruit can be scorer and make impact early for team Curtis Berry, who coached Florida A&M basketball signee Amin Stevens, might as well have been talking about a prizefighter when responding to a question about his protege's tenacity. "He will fight back," said Berry, who coached at Mount Vernon Presbyterian High in Roswell, Ga. "That's one thing that will toughen him up — when someone is in his face challenging him." That's the very reason Eugene Harris didn't hesitate to get in the fray to recruit Stevens. Stetson and South Carolina State also made bids for Stevens.
"I knew that he would be a guy that didn't shy away from contact," Harris said. "He is a guy that likes to score and I like scorers. There should be no reason why he can't come in here and play as a freshman." Stevens, a 6-foot-6 small forward, is expected to get plenty of playing time in his first season with the Rattlers. He's already on campus attending summer school and spending his spare time in the weight room. His willingness to face up to the challenge that awaits him, especially during conference play, will give FAMU more options on defense.
FAMU's Battle is like a coach on the football field
A receiver chased a pass from quarterback Curtis Pulley, dropping the ball. Eddie Battle didn't like what he'd just witnessed. Battle, Pulley's second on FAMU quarterback depth chart, stood back, shook his head and folded his arms. His displeasure was obvious. Another play and the receivers pulled in the catch. Battle didn't take his eyes off the receiver as he trotted back to the huddle. The look on his face was one of approval. So went the afternoon for Battle as he took charge of running Monday evening's 7-on-7 unsupervised workouts.
Rattler QB Eddie BattleWith help from some of the veterans on the team, Battle has the undertaking of keeping order and structure during the 60 minutes that the Rattlers participate in the practice intended to stay sharp for the upcoming preseason drills. He seemed especially concerned about the timing between receivers and quarterbacks. "You could have a defensive lineman that is just causing hell up front," Battle said, "but if you have a receiver who is running perfect routes, the quarterback can give him the ball." Lallygagging annoy him as much as horse playing. He roams the field looking for the good and the bad, just like a coach.
FAMU able to fill some holes University's athletic dept. digging itself out of crisis
While Florida A&M's athletic department continues to crawl out from under a financial blanket of red, head coaches in two revenue-generating sports won't have to sing the blues over a shortage of money to hire assistants. FAMU is currently searching for coaches to run the men's and women's track program. Those positions as well as vacancies in football and basketball will be filled, said athletic director Bill Hayes. He also said Tuesday that cost-cutting measures that he implemented several months ago will stay in place.
The athletic department operated last year with a deficit of $7 million, prompting concerns about how the current economic crisis would affect FAMU athletics. Additionally, FAMU's administration is looking for ways to make cuts in other departments. "We are making every effort to be frugal and manage the monies that we have without being wasteful in any way," Hayes said. "That's the direction that we are going in.
Grambling State University
Grambling product welcomes challenge in Detroit
You have to hand it to James “Shack” Harris. He sure knows how look at his job with a “glass is half-full” point of view. The Grambling legend was named the Detroit Lions’ Senior Personnel Executive in February, joining General Manager Martin Mayhew and head coach Jim Schwartz in the task of rebuilding the franchise that recently became the first in NFL history to suffer through a winless season. But the Lions aren’t 0-16 any more. They’re 0-0. “It’s going good — we’re tied for first place, so we’re feeling pretty good,” Harris said of his first few months on the job.
Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University
Grades on A&M's mind
Eligibility of several Bulldogs depends on summer courses -- Defensive end Jeremy Maddox and wide receiver Nate Baxter are among a handful of key Alabama A&M players who are in summer school seeking to become eligible for the upcoming season, coach Anthony Jones said.
The Bulldogs report for preseason practice Aug. 2 and open the season at Tennessee State on Sept. 5.
"We have a couple of guys in summer school that have some issues this summer," Jones said. "The guys who are on the border ... all you can do is encourage them to go to class and monitor their progress. Ultimately, a lot of that responsibility has to fall upon them. They have to go to class and make the grades. The summer is always tough because everything is condensed and you have a ton of distractions. If it's important to them, they'll endure." According to Jones, approximately 40 players are in summer school, but most of them are trying to get ahead.
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