Southern University: “Remembering a Forgotten First: The Story of Charlie Granger”

The documentary World Premieres at 7 p.m. June 11 in the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union, Southern University and A&M College. This event includes: Meet and greet session (6pm) with filmmaker Cindy Hurst (Southern University alumna) and Charlie Granger and other NFL players with photographer available for pictures; Viewing the film (7pm - 8pm), and SU Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (8pm - 10pm) where former Southern University athletes are honored for their athletic sucesses.

Baton Rough, LA  -  Minutes before the final game of the 1961 NFL preseason, Tom Landry stood before his rookie right tackle from Southern University, prepared to issue one more steep challenge — the toughest yet for young Charlie Granger. The icy, mild-mannered Dallas Cowboys coach liked what he’d seen from Granger, but the regular season loomed, which meant that roster spots were in high demand and short supply.


The Film recounts the life of Charlie Granger, who played professional football during the NFL's reintegration of African-Americans into the league in the early 1960s. Mr. Granger is a 2-Time Southern University Football All-American, 4-Time Track & Field All-American, and a member of Southern University Hall of Fame and the SWAC Hall of Fame.

This last exhibition game, against the mighty Baltimore Colts, was Granger’s biggest test yet. And maybe his last chance. “I’ll never forget (Landry) saying to me: ‘Granger, tonight, I’m going to find out if you can play in the NFL,’” he recalled. Granger’s assignment: block Colts defensive end Gino Marchetti, a future Hall of Famer and seven-time All-Pro. Right. No pressure there.

Granger admits he took a severe beating that night. But he stood firm against Marchetti, and after the game, the Dallas staff gave him a grade of 100 percent. He made the final cut, and, in doing so, became the first black man to start on the Cowboys offensive line.

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Join Producer/Director Cindy Hurst, this Sunday, June 5, 2011 with host Robyn Merrick of "Inside the Southern University System" from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. Central Time on KQXL 106.5 FM CLICK HERE to listen live) as she talks about the WORLD SCREENING PREMIERE of "Remembering a Forgotten First: The Story of Charlie Granger.

Release Date	June 11, 2011
Genre	Documentary
Studio	The Sankofa Project, LLC
About	Biography

Description	This film depicts the life of Charlie Granger, a Former NFL player (Dallas Cowboys and Boston Patriots), SWAC Hall of Fame Inductee, and College All-American in track and football.
Plot Outline	This is the story of how a poor and determined boy from Southern Louisiana beat the odds of making it to the professional football league during the re-integration period of African-Americans into the league in the early 1960's. It recounts his college and professional experiences as an African-American player and how the racial climate of the times impacted his career as a professional player.
Starring	Appearances by: Eugene Daniel (Indianpolis Colts/Baltimore Ravens, Frank Pitts (Played in Superbowls 1 and 4 - Kansas City Chiefs), and Garland Boyette (Houston Oilers)
Directed By	Cindy Hurst
Written By	Cindy Hurst
Produced By	A Sankofa Project Productions

Dallas Cowboys' Marcus Dixon 'to make an impact'

IRVING, Texas -- Marcus Dixon (Hampton University) knows all about wanting -- and waiting -- to prove himself. After spending parts of his first two seasons on the practice squad, the Dallas Cowboys defensive end has high hopes to make it on the 53-man roster. "He's really reshaped his career as a football player," coach Wade Phillips said. "The first day he came in, two years ago, he couldn't run one lap without collapsing. Now he's on special teams runs and he's up to 294 now, and he was 270 when he came in."

Dixon will have steady competition for an end spot that is occupied by starters Marcus Spears and Igor Olshansky. The backups are Jason Hatcher and Stephen Bowen. Spears, Hatcher and Bowen are currently in the final year of their contracts. It's something Dixon has noticed. "My mindset is it's got to be my year," Dixon said. "This is a league of 'What have you done for me lately?' I know the coaches and the owner like me and they kept me, but it's still a league of 'What have you done for me lately?' I've been here. I got to show them something. I got to get this done and stay healthy, and I got to showcase my talents because I want to be here."

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'Crow' could fly: Bob Hayes' legendary career began in Jacksonville

"People are coming by the bus loads; it's going to be an amazing sight," said Bob Hayes Jr., a Dallas resident who will help present his father for induction along with Roger Staubach, the Cowboys' Hall of Fame quarterback." Many of Hayes' Gilbert High classmates and football players from the 1958 black state championship team are taking a charter bus to Canton. Dr. James Ammons, the Florida A&M president, and three past presidents of the school will also be in attendance.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — You called him "Bullet." But they called Bob Hayes "Crow." Long before he became the world’s fastest human by winning double gold medals at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo — and well before he came to Dallas to play for the Cowboys, earning a Super Bowl ring and in the process changing the game — he was "Crow."

On the brink of his posthumous induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, his former high school teammates and childhood friends shared their memories of Hayes as a youth. Not of the world-renowned "Bullet" Bob Hayes, who is still the only man in history to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring and was so fast that opposing teams had to revise how to play zone defenses. But of "Crow:" the playground speedster yet reluctant athlete who honed his skills in the sand and muck on the east side of Jacksonville in an area called the black bottom.

Sitting in a wheelchair outside a beat-up old house on the corner of Odessa and Iona, Charles Sutton started to laugh. "I would say 'Bullet’ and he would say, 'Stop that, Knotts,’ " said Sutton, whose childhood nickname was Knotts because he would bump his head so many times that it would swell up in, well, knots. "I said, I can’t call you Bullet. They call you Bullet. He said call me what you been calling me."

2009 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement
WHEN: 7 p.m., Saturday.WHERE: Canton, Ohio. TV: ESPN/NFL Network. Inductees: Bob Hayes, Ralph Wilson, Randall McDaniel, Rod Woodson, Derrick Thomas, Bruce Smith.

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USA wins the 4 x 100m relay at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in a then World Record time of 39.06 seconds. The improbable victory was made possible by the phenomenally swift anchor leg run by FAMU's (#702) Robert Lee "Bullet Bob" Hayes.

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Finally!! FAMU's Bob Hayes named to Pro Football Hall of Fame

Bob Hayes had run a 9.1 100 as an 18-year-old freshman at Florida A&M; he later changed professional football forever, bringing speed into the game in a way it had never been there before. A four-time All-Pro, Hayes is the only man that has won an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl.

TAMPA, FL – Bob Hayes' wait is finally over. On Saturday, Hayes, the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Olympic gold medalist, earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, nearly 30 years after he was first eligible to be selected and seven years after his death from kidney failure. "It didn't matter how long it took," his oldest sister, Lucille Hester, said not long after the announcement. "He's made it. This day is here

Hayes is joined in the Class of 2009 by Minnesota guard Randall McDaniel, Buffalo defensive end Bruce Smith, Pittsburgh cornerback Rod Woodson, Kansas City pass rusher Derrick Thomas and Buffalo owner Ralph Wilson. The induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio, will take place Aug. 8.

Hayes became the 11th member of the Cowboys' organization to earn induction, joining teammates Bob Lilly, Roger Staubach, Rayfield Wright and Mel Renfro as well as fellow Ring of Honor members Tony Dorsett, Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Randy White, Tom Landry and Tex Schramm.

Had Hayes not been selected this time, it would have been highly unlikely for him to come through the Senior Committee a third time. He made it to the finals in 2004 only to miss the cut. Five years to the day of that disappointment, however, came elation. "I guess the only downside is that he's not here to enjoy this moment," Hester said. "It's such a wonderful moment for him, a wonderful moment.



Across the state in Hayes' native Jacksonville, (Florida) Charles Sutton, Hayes friend from elementary school and teammate at Matthew Gilbert High School and Florida A&M, got a phone call from their high school coach, Earl Kitching.

"He says, 'Your boy made it. Y'all played ball so you're a part of it,' and all I could think was, 'Thank you, Jesus, thank you,' " Sutton said. "I can see Bob now. He'd be hugging me and saying, 'I made it, roomie, I made it. Let me kiss you.' He would've been so happy he would've started crying and I'd say, 'Man, what are you crying for?' "

Hayes' stats with Cowboys
1,000-yard receivers Pro Bowlers

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Justice: Don’t slight Bullet Bob Hayes for Hall any longer

Bob Hayes Letter:

October 29, 1999

Lucille,

You know I am not sure I am going to be around if I get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame so you must read this for me, I am not sure, I guess I am feeling sorry for myself at this time but you must remember everything I want you to do and say. Mother said you would do what I want because you always did. So read this for me.

I would like to thank everyone who supported me to get into the NFL Hall of Fame, the Dallas Cowboys organization, all of my team mates (sic) and everyone who played for the Cowboys, (thank the San Francisco 49ers too). Thank the fans all around the country and the world, thank the committee who voted for me and also the ones who may did not vote for me, thank Mother and my family, thank Roger Staubach and tell all my teammates I love them.

Thank the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all the NFL teams and players, Florida A&M University, thank everyone who went to Matthew Gilbert High School, thank everyone in Jacksonville and Florida and everyone especially on the East Side of Jacksonville. Thank everyone in the City of Dallas and in Texas and just thank everyone in the whole world.

I love you all.

COMMENTARY: Bad athletes are tolerated if they win

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if the Rockets had enough guts to take a stand with Rafer Alston? Don’t hold your breath. Hell will freeze over before a professional sports team holds an athlete accountable for bad behavior. Yes, the Chicago Bears waived Cedric Benson after his second arrest this year, but the fact Benson had been a bust on the field surely made it easier for them to take action regarding his behavior off it.

Maybe teams don’t care what kind of people they have in uniform because they know you don’t care. The Rockets were widely praised for obtaining a guy with baggage ranging from domestic violence to animal cruelty to an assortment of suspensions, fines and other bad behavior. Who’ll remember that stuff if Ron Artest smothers Kobe Bryant in the playoffs? That’s when Artest will become misunderstood.

An NFL guy recently joked, “If Jeffrey Dahmer could play, we’d say he had an eating disorder.” That’s especially true of the Rockets. A team that just acquired Ron Artest isn’t likely to get tough about a measly little misdemeanor drunk driving charge.

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Hampton's Alonzo Coleman hoping to be an eye-opener for Dallas Cowboys

IRVING, TX – This was before Marion Barber signed his seven-year extension and while first-rounder Felix Jones and fourth-rounder Tashard Choice were practicing for the first time with the Dallas Cowboys. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones reminded any and all of No. 30.

"Did you see No. 30 out there with that 4.3 speed?" Jones said. No. 30 is Alonzo Coleman. His name might not ring a bell because he spent last year on the practice squad and got all of eight carries for 27 yards in the preseason because of a sprained left ankle.

Coleman signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent after the 2007 draft. Former vice president of college and pro scouting Jeff Ireland liked his potential. Coleman left Hampton University as the school's all-time leading rusher with 4,707 yards and 62 touchdowns. He was named the MEAC offensive player of the year as a junior when he ran for 1,326 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also had a five-touchdown effort against Gardner-Webb.

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Former HU - Rookie Dixon Trying To Complete Trying Journey To NFL Cowboys

IRVING, Texas - Making the team will be hard enough as an undrafted free agent for rookie Marcus Dixon. The Cowboys signed Dixon to a non-guaranteed three-year, $1 million free-agent deal made up of three minimum base salaries, along with a modest signing bonus, and days later he found himself here at Valley Ranch for the rookie mini-camp.

"I haven't gotten any calls from Oprah, but I have gotten calls from people who have supported me," he said after his first practice. "I've gotten e-mails. Everyone is just overwhelmed."

Dixon was just like every other rookie that first weekend - cramming in an unfamiliar playbook and trying to keep up with the speed a pro team works at during these non-pad practices. He returned with the majority of the rookies this past week to also begin his off-season strength and conditioning program, along with taking part in the three-day OTA workouts, which continue with another three-day session out here on Tuesday.

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HU Rookie DE a free spirit for Dallas Cowboys

Faith and prayer carried Marcus Dixon through prison, and gave him the opportunity of a lifetime

IRVING, Texas – An elaborate tattoo stretches from the top of Marcus Dixon's left shoulder nearly to his elbow and contains a passage from Revelations 20: 1-3. On the inside of Dixon's left forearm, Psalms 91 is tattooed in cursive.

If you had been to hell and back like Dixon, you'd understand why he's permanently engraved religious passages on his body. You'd understand why he reads Psalms 91 every morning before he brushes his teeth. And you would understand why the defensive end from Hampton University spends his free time reading the Bible.

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Hampton's Marcus Dixon signs with Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys signed Hampton defensive end Marcus Dixon to a three-year deal as an undrafted free agent. Dixon spent 15 months in prison for aggravated child molestation and statutory rape before the Georgia Supreme Court ordered his immediate release in 2004.

Dixon, 6-4, 295, was a three-year captain at Hampton and was on the Dean's list. He finished his senior year with six sacks.

The Cowboys, "were the most aggressive during the day," Dixon's agent Joe Linta said. "They didn't have a seventh round pick, but they convinced me that they would've taken him had they had one.

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The mainstream media need to read the court transcript of the Marcus Dixon case before the Georgia Supreme Court. Dixon was cleared of the claimed aggravated child molestation and statutory rape charges. Moreover, he was wrongfully held in prison for 15 months due to racism by the Floyd County, GA District Attorney's Office. Read the case--these facts are not up for debate. The press need to stop slandering his character and reputation--simply add--Mr. Dixon was CLEARED of all charges by the Georgia Supreme Court. End of Story!

-beepbeep

Dallas Cowboys Hayes deserves better place in sports history

Photo: The late FAMU Rattlers Hall of Famer, Olympic Gold Medalist and Super Bowl Champion Robert 'Bob' Hayes deserves a better place in sports history. Once considered the world's fastest man, Bob Hayes was a handful for opposing defenses. Despite averaging 20 yards per catch and being largely responsible for the advent of zone defenses, Hayes is often overlooked when the topic turns to WR greats.

It is now official, beyond quarrel or question. Bob Hayes is captain of the all-time All-Snub team.

The monopoly of indifference toward the former Dallas Cowboys receiver's NFL career has received another jolt of nonsupport. This time it was from an ESPN.com panel that help select the top 10 receivers in NFL history. Hayes wasn't on the list even though Terrell Owens made it and Raymond Berry didn't.

The top 10 list included:

(1) Jerry Rice; (2) Randy Moss; (3) Don Hutson; (4) Michael Irvin; (5) Paul Warfield; (6) Charley Taylor; (7) Steve Largent; (8) Cris Carter; (9) Owens; (10) Marvin Harrison.

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