Bethune-Cookman: No other students coming forward to support hazing claim

Trudie Kibbe Reed, Ed.D
President
Bethune-Cookman University

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - A former member of the Bethune-Cookman Marching Wildcats said he could never predict when upper classmen baritone (horn) players would force him and other freshmen to do strenuous exercises behind a school building in August and hit them in the back of the neck after band practice.

"Our heads would be down the majority of the time and you couldn't see and it was dark," said Christopher King, about what he called hazing incidents after 9 p.m. behind the School of Business. "It was numerous times. You never knew (when it would happen.)"

The exercises, King said in a phone interview this week, included squatting with their arms out and heads down while being hit in the back of the neck. The breaking point, the 18-year-old said, was when he and the other five freshmen in his section were one day made to roll in the muddy water.

"We would run into the water and get back up and get slaps in the back of the head. Roll in the water again and slap in the back of the head again.

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Florida Classic lives up to hype

Orlando, Florida - There was a proposal at halftime, a battle of the bands that got downright vicious, soldiers doing pushups in the end zone, beauty queens, a mid-afternoon rainstorm, dancers and imagine tailgating and barbecue on steroids. Oh yeah, there was a football game, too.

The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats took revenge on the Florida A&M Rattlers for last year’s upset with a convincing 26-16 victory in this year’s annual Florida Classic football game played at the Citrus Bowl.

The super bowl between Florida’s historical black colleges felt exactly like that. A festive, playoff-like atmosphere started in the early morning and lasted throughout the contest that drew 60,218. Before the game, surrounding motorways and neighborhoods were paralyzed with revelers willing to put aside differing school colors and partying side by side, at least until game time.

Photo Gallery: Florida Classic



Bethune-Cookman beats Florida A&M in Florida Classic

Bethune-Cookman played one of its best all-around games of the season on Saturday, beating Florida A&M in the Florida Classic, 26-16. The game was played at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando.

Bethune-Cookman outgained Florida A&M in the rushing game, 256-58, led by 93 yards from Isidore Jackson. Jonathan Moment added 60 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Quarterback Jackie Wilson completed 13 of 18 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.

Florida A&M was led by quarterback Damien Fleming, who completed 21 of 38 attempts for 282 yards and two touchdowns. However, he also had three passes intercepted.

Bethune-Cookman didn't score in the first quarter and trailed 3-0, but outscored FAMU 10-0 in the second quarter and 14-7 in the third to take a lead it would not relinquish.

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2011 Florida Classic Battle of the Bands: FAMU vs. B-CU

Videographer: O-JAY, TheOProductions1907

New Citrus Bowl field could end up in legal fight

Delay those purchase orders for new turf shoes -- MEAC/SWAC Challenge teams Delaware State University and Southern University. Same for you also, Florida Classic rivals Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University. You are not out of the mud yet, with the Citrus Bowl. Read on....

You thought the mud debacle at the Citrus Bowl was bad?

Just wait. The long-anticipated installation of artificial turf could be caught up in a legal tangle, potentially damaging the hopes of putting in the new turf in time for the 2010 season. FieldTurf has questioned the way the city awarded AstroTurf the contract to put in the new grass, and is now threatening legal action. Darren Gill, vice president of marketing for FieldTurf, said in a phone interview, “This is not a case of sour grapes, but when the bidding laws aren’t abided by it should be a concern of the citizens of Orlando.”

Gill said the company has requested various documents from the City of Orlando through the Freedom of Information Act and is in the process of determining whether it should take legal action. Rather than go through a public bidding process for the artificial turf, the City of Orlando chose to go through national purchasing co-ops. Both companies already have established contracts through their respective co-ops. The city is a member of both co-ops, so they were allowed to utilize their services. The city then took a look at both contracts and went with AstroTurf “because of the quality, installation, history and pricing,” according to City of Orlando spokeswoman Cassandra Lafser.

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