Walker, McCloughen heart of FAMU's special teams

Photo: FAMU's Special Teams Coach J.B. Gibboney

While the rest of FAMU’s football players who hold more glamorous positions practice on the main field, kicker Troy Walker and long snapper Kory McCloughen go through their skill drills almost unnoticed. When they get a chance on the field their entry usually serves as notice that practice is about finished — not so much that they’re participating in a special teams workout.

Neither Walker nor McCloughen mind, though. They know they are the heart and soul of special teams. So they toil in obscurity under the watch of special teams coach Justin Gibboney, attempting to improve their kickoffs, punts, field goals and extra points.

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UMES stays in winners bracket; downs Vandy and Arkansas State

Hawks get the bye and guarantee they will play on Saturday.

OMAHA, Neb. - In one of the most exciting matches in the history of the NCAA Women's Bowling Tournament, The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) and Arkansas State University (UMES) went to an extra game to decide who stayed in and who left the winner's bracket. The second ranked Hawks proved to be the better team on this day as they got down to ASU 2-0 but rallied to tie the series at two. They got down 3-2 but tied the match and sent it to a crucial game seven. It wouldn't end there as UMES and ASU tied at 173. The Lady Hawks came out on top however, and won game eight to send the Indians to the loser's bracket.

Brummell's team survived the spunky ASU team and now earns a bye until 6:20 p.m. ET when they play the winner of the University of Central Missouri and Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt edged Sacred Heart 4-3 in their second match of the day while Central Missouri fell to New Jersey City University (NJCU) 4-3.

Don't forget to follow the action via live web streaming at http://www.ncaasports.com/

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Norfolk State Spartans have plenty of depth for a change

NORFOLK, VA - Spring football practice at Norfolk State has been an embarrassment - of riches, that is. Even with the freshmen still a few months from arriving on campus, the Spartans are bursting with depth, particularly at quarterback.

This spring, five Spartans are on the roster with the letters "QB" by their names. UConn transfer Dennis Brown is getting the most attention but also on the list are Oscar Smith graduate Dexter Merritt, a redshirt last year; Rakeem Kersey; Tallwood graduate Brian Jackson, also the starting punter; and Jones, a rising senior.

With Brown taking the majority of the snaps this spring, Adrian said the Spartans are more versatile offensively.

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Robertson departs for South Carolina State Basketball Post

Photo: South Carolina State University women's basketball coach Douglas "Doug" Robertson will be introduced to the Bulldogs community on April 17 at Noon at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

(BOWIE, MD) Bowie State University Head Women’s Basketball Coach Doug Robertson has resigned his position to accept the head coaching post at South Carolina State University. South Carolina State, a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), finished the 2007-2008 season in 7th place with a record of 9-7 (13-17 overall)

“Coach Robertson did an outstanding job advancing our women’s program," said Athletic Director Derek Carter. “We wish him much success as he embarks on this newest phase of his coaching career.”

During his three years with the Bowie State Lady Bulldogs program, Robertson compiled a record of 53-33 (61.6%), led BSU to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Eastern Division title and was named the 2007-2008 CIAA Coach of the Year.

Prior to his stint at Bowie State, Robertson served as the number one assistant for the Delaware State University Lady Hornets (2000-2005) and helped guide them to an 82-64 overall record and three MEAC Championships game appearances in five years.

Bradenton resident's work honored - Black Golf Hall of Fame

Photo: G.D. Rogers Sr. turned Central Life Insurance Co., which sold policies to black people during the days of segregation, into a million-dollar business after taking over in 1933. [photo provided by Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library]

Black Golf Hall of Fame to induct land that G.D. Rogers donated to Tampa.

TAMPA, FL — Rogers Park has come a long way from the days when Tampa's black community met there to spread a blanket on the soft, billowing hills and have a quiet lunch outdoors in the shade of a fragrant long-leaf pine tree.

G.D. Rogers of Bradenton, who had business interests in Tampa, contributed the land for the segregated park. Rogers died before the civil rights movement took off. During the first half of the 20th century, the activist businessman started numerous projects on behalf of black people -- including a Bradenton school and a beachfront resort near Daytona Beach.

When local black golfers began chipping around the vast green open spaces at Rogers Park, they sealed the fate of the tract -- north of Sligh Avenue at the end of 30th Street. The Rogers Park Golf Club opened in 1952.

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Let's be honest here, as most of us would have flunked this black history test, as most are clueless on the life and achievements of Garfield Devoe Rogers, e.g., G.D. Rogers.

"When G.D. Rogers Sr. died in 1951, the funeral procession traveled nearly 50 miles, a convoy of Fords and Oldsmobiles streaming through Tampa's black neighborhoods and its white country estates, past the farming communities and pastures farther south before reaching a little Methodist church in Bradenton."

"Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, presided over the funeral. One newspaper later said that the "black Jesus" must have died," wrote the St. Pete Times.

Dr. Rogers was an extraordinary businessman becoming wealthy during an era where racial boundaries were clearly enforced, to limits one's prospects and future.

Here are a few eye opening articles on the man and his great achievements:

1. http://www.sptimes.com/2003/01/10/Floridian/Beyond_racial_boundar.shtml
2. http://www.bradenton.com/681/story/49036.html

If we don't learn our African American history and record it in books and electronic records, it will be lost forever, and the next generation will never know of our achievements nor of our existence during these periods of time, after slavery and the beginining of the Civil Rights Movement.

I've done the Lord's will and made my very small contribution of keeping our positive achievements and HBCU sports happenings at the forefront of America's consciousness.

-beepbeep

UAPB hoping to scrimmage today despite wet conditions

Preparation is one of the key ingredients of a successful football program. For Arkansas-Pine Bluff head coach Monte Coleman, he’s got the preparation part down pat.

With the weather conditions that have plagued the state of Arkansas this spring, the Golden Lions have been affected by the wet weather as well. UAPB was forced to call off Wednesday’s practice at Old Pumphrey Stadium because of poor field conditions that were caused by the storms late Tuesday night.

Instead of going outside and practicing Wednesday, Coleman and the Golden Lions watched film of Tuesday’s practice. Tuesday was the first day of the spring that UAPB had practiced in full pads.

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Monte Coleman Celebrity Golf Tournament

Arkansas-Pine Bluff head coach Monte Coleman and the Golden Lion Athletic Department will hold the first Monte Coleman Celebrity Golf Tournament and Meet and Greet reception on Thursday, June 12 and Friday, June 13 at the Pine Bluff Country Club.

Celebrities expected to attend this year’s tournament include NBA greats Scottie Pippen, John Starks and Dennis Scott; and former NFL stars Darrell Green, Art Monk, Charles Mann, Tony Peters, Ken Coffey, Jay Novacek and Eddie Payton.

This year’s tournament begins at 8 a.m. on June 13 with the women’s flight, followed by the men’s flight beginning at noon. There is a $100 entry fee for all participants and that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner along with a commemorative gift bag. Additionally there will be prizes available for the first through third place finishers along with closest to the pin and longest drive.

There will also be a silent auction with various pieces of autographed sports memorabilia set to be auctioned off with all proceeds benefiting the UAPB Football Program. In addition to the tournament, there will also be a Meet and Greet Reception on June 12 at the Pine Bluff Country Club beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Interested parties, whether to play in the tournament or become a sponsor, can contact either Coleman at (870) 575-8664 or UAPB Athletic Director Skip Perkins at (870) 575-8675 for more information. Spaces are limited.