Memorial Day; Remembering Two National Champions from Morgan State

It is a tradition since the Civil War on Memorial Day to place American flags on the grave sites of soldiers, and veterans. The practice will be followed this year from Arlington National Cemetery where 300,000 flags will be placed to veterans cemeteries across the country to smaller neighborhood burial sites.

On Saturday I was able to find and place a Flag at the grave site in New Rochelle, NY of Eugene Lee Evans, a college football player of sixty years ago. Evans who was known as "Dippy" played on the CIAA national championship team of Morgan State in 1949, then as a young Army officer, died heroically in the Korean War just three years later.

His teammate in high school in Pelham, NY and later in college was Eli Page Howard, Jr. another extraordinary athlete of the late 1940s who also died while serving our country in Vietnam. Lt. Col. Howard is one of those heroes at Arlington for whom a Flag will be placed, a hero of the Vietnam War. Perhaps for a moment we can remember him as the star quarterback at Morgan College throwing the ball ...

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Memorial Day 2011: Observe the National Moment of Remembrance

Honor fallen soldiers on Memorial Day by observing the National Moment of Remembrance. The National Moment of Remembrance, endorsed by President Clinton in 2000, takes place every Memorial Day at 3:00 p.m. local time. At that time, all Americans are urged to observe a moment of silence or to listen to "Taps," in tribute to those who died for our country.

Prompted by a group of school children who didn't understand that the holiday had significance beyond being a day off from school, the moment of remembrance is intended to remind Americans of the true meaning of the holiday and "unite the nation in acknowledging the contributions made by the men and women who gave their lives for our country's freedom."

In 1971, federal law changed the observance of the holiday to the last Monday in May and extended it to honor all who had died in American wars.


Videographer: OtakuBozu; Battle Hymn of the Republic: Soloist Ms. Sherry Hunt; the late Dr. Nathan Carter, Conductor; Morgan State University Choir, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Videographer: OtakuBozu; Soloist: the late countertenor Earnest Saunders; Conductor, the late Dr. Nathan Carter and Morgan State University Choir.

Videographer: PBS; Under the direction of J. Weldon Norris, DM, the Howard University Choir sings "Lord, I Don' Done" in this web-exclusive clip from their performance at the White House.

Videographer: robdayungstar; Morehouse College Glee Club, "My Good Lord's-A-Done-A Been Here"

Fisk University Jubilee Singers: "Rise, Shine, For Thy Light is a' Comin'" at Carnegie Hall.

Videographer: CharlieBladeRemus; Livingstone College Concert Choir: "Oh How I Love Jesus" by Shelton Becton

Videographer: tdavidray; The Dillard University Concert Choir performs Moses Hogan's arrangement of "My God Is So High." Soloist is Alvarez Kennedy.

Videographer: jaredbbrownmusic; Bethune Cookman University Marching Wildcats Band; Soloist: Jared Brown

Videographer: FtnessFan; Florida A&M University Wind Ensemble and the Marching "100" perform the late Dr. William P. Foster's favorite song - "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral," by Richard Wagner. Conductor: Dr. Julian E. White at historic Lee Hall Auditorium, Florida A&M University.

B-CU Signee: On bad knee, Pikesville's Smallwood wins 4th pole vault state title

Sasha Smallwood, Bethune-Cookman University
2011 Track and Field Signee, Pikesville High School
(Baltimore County, MD)

Baltimore, MD - Even though Pikesville senior Sasha Smallwood has spent most of her high school career winning pole vault competitions, her victory Thursday night is one she'll never forget. Smallwood won her fourth consecutive Class 1A state title despite vaulting on a torn meniscus in her left knee that will require surgery in the coming days. The senior's vault of 11 feet at Morgan State ended her career in a manner that left Smallwood stunned.

"I am amazingly surprised," Smallwood said as she left to go to her senior prom. "I'm shocked. I'm just grateful that my knee held up for so long."

Smallwood's knee has ruined most of her senior year. She tore her left anterior cruciate ligament in a cheerleading mishap, underwent surgery in October and spent the winter in rehabilitation. The senior, headed to Bethune-Cookman, returned for some of the indoor season.

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VISIT: BETHUNE COOKMAN UNIVERSITY
VISIT: B-CUATHLETICS


Videographer: livestrong351

Jackson State Taylor's situation remains in limbo

Coach Denise Taylor-Travis

Jackson, MS - If Jackson State fires women's basketball coach Denise Taylor without cause, the university would owe her nearly $190,000. Taylor, who just completed her 10th year with JSU, is heading into the third month of paid administrative leave.

Taylor, through her attorney, said she was asked to resign or be fired on May 13.

School officials have refused to discuss Taylor's situation, citing personnel matters. Even when asked if Taylor remained the women's basketball coach, interim athletic director Robert Walker would not comment. Taylor is in the second year of a contract that pays her $91,000 per year and runs through June 30, 2013.

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KEYS: What will new Southern University A.D. need?

Baton Rouge, LA -- The football team posted its worst record in school history.

So did the men’s basketball program.

Both teams face NCAA postseason bans next year, thanks to substandard performance in the classroom.

Revenue streams have dried up. The fan base is fractured and shrinking.

This is what Southern University faces as it searches for a new athletic director. This is, obviously, a tough sell.

And the perfect man (or woman) has not yet emerged.

Interim athletic director Sandy Pugh has said that come July 1, she wants to return to “calling timeouts.” In other words, she wants to return to her full-time job as women’s basketball coach.

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For 2nd time in 3 years, XU's Green is state Coach of the Year

Hassan Abbas

Zach Taylor

Coach Alan Green

NEW ORLEANS — For the second time in three years, Xavier University of Louisiana's Alan Green is Coach of the Year on the All-Louisiana men's tennis team selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

The team, announced late Saturday, includes two Xavier players. Senior Hassan Abbas made the first team, and junior Zach Taylor is on the second team.

Green, a New Orleans native in his eighth season at Xavier, led the Gold Rush to a 13-9 record, a third consecutive berth in the NAIA National Championship, the program's first top-10 ranking and the first victory against a top-10 NAIA opponent — 6-3 at Vanguard on March 4. XU had five victories against teams in the final NAIA coaches poll and two victories vs. NCAA Division I. All the losses were to ranked NAIA opponents or D-I.

This was the first Xavier team in any sport to be ranked in the top 10 of a final NAIA poll since women's basketball in 1997-98. XU was top 10 in four of the last five polls.

Abbas, from Saltaire, England, and a graduate of Bingley Grammar School and Ventura (Calif.) College, is the first XU men's tennis player to make the All-Louisiana first team twice or in consecutive seasons. Abbas was 15-6 in singles and 15-8 doubles this season and was 31st in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association/NAIA singles rankings.

Taylor, from Monroe, La., and a graduate of St. Frederick High School and Ventura College, was 11-10 in singles and 15-8 in doubles. He was 24th in ITA/NAIA singles rankings. Taylor and Abbas are 15th nationally in doubles.

2010-11 All-Louisiana Collegiate Men's Tennis Team

First Team Name School Class Hometown Idan Mark Tulane So. Santana Hod Hasharon, Israel Neal Skupski LSU Jr. Liverpool, England Sebastian Carlsson LSU Sr. Uppsala, Sweden Dmitry Kozionov Nicholls State So. Ivhevsk, Russia Hassan Abbas Xavier Sr. Saltaire, England Abdelrahman Zaki New Orleans Jr. Egypt Second Team Name School Class Hometown Hossam Meligy New Orleans So. Egypt Julien Gauthier LSU Sr. Repentigny, Canada Joe Young Tulane So. Redlands, Calif. Palash Tiwari Nicholls State So. New Delhi, India Zach Taylor Xavier Jr. Monroe, La. Yanick Mandl Louisiana-Lafayette Jr. Thalwil, Switzerland
Player of the Year:  Neal Skupski, LSU Newcomer of the Year:  Idan Mark, Tulane Freshman of the Year:  Hossam Meligy, New Orleans Coach of the Year:  Alan Green, Xavier

By Ed Cassiere, Xavier University of Louisiana
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

NC A&T Requiring Game Tickets For Aggie Game Zone

Greensboro, NC--Tailgating right next to the "Greatest Homecoming on Earth" may cost you more. NC A&T State University will kick off "Aggie Game Zone" this coming football season. The Game Zone will be a fenced-in area in the Sullivan, Benbow, East Lindsay street area near the stadium. You'll have to have a ticket to the game to get into the Game Zone area to tailgate. The athletics department says they're trying to be proactive and make tailgating safer for fans.

Assistant Athletics Director Brian Holloway told WFMY News 2 there have not been any tailgating security issues. He also said requiring game tickets will also bring in more money for athletic scholarships and the university's 15 athletic programs.



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