Rattlers ready to get back to work

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - LeDawn Gibson wasn't buying into the hype that says so much pressure comes with playing at home. And who can blame the Florida A&M women's basketball coach, considering the Rattlers are on a four-game win streak — coming during the longest road stretch they'll play this season.

"We don't see it as pressure," Gibson said Monday. "We accept it as a challenge; just come home and continue to play well for your fans."

FAMU (7-5, 1-0 MEAC) will end its Christmas break today to begin preparation for the University of Alabama-Birmingham (8-2) on Jan. 2 at the Lawson Center. The Rattlers will be going into the game with plenty of momentum that's reminiscent of the 2009 season when they won seven of their first 12 games.

 Lawson Center

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Message to the MEAC: Let Them Play!!

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Just a few nights ago the Florida A&M Lady Rattlers visited and defeated the Tennessee State Lady Tigers. Beside the significance of old rivalries playing for the first time in years this game looked a lot like a MEAC game, but not in a good way.

Hopefully, it will not be an indicator of things to come. Having raised the level of media exposure, quality of coaching and recruiting in the league, the MEAC has made lady basketball well worth watching if the referees will let them play.

Basketball is a physical game. When you play some of the better teams during the non conference schedule you either learn to play physical or you’re not going to be competitive, which brings me to the Tennessee State versus FAMU game. It started out physical and you could tell that at least FAMU was a bit low on energy not doing their usual good job on the boards. Even without the normal high level of play there were few penalties in the first half.

The second half, however, more than made up for it. All of a sudden one particular referee—and these are Ohio Valley Conference refs—must have felt he wasn’t getting his quota and he began calling touch fouls. The game slowed and quality of play began to resemble high school competition.

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Mickell Gladness (AAMU) and Terrel Harris in for Heat; Eddie House out in final cut

MIAMI, Florida - Christmas came early for Mickell Gladness and Terrel Harris.  In a surprising move Saturday, the Miami Heat decided to keep the pair of free-agent rookies on their final 15-player roster, waiving guard Eddie House instead.  House, who was drafted by the Heat in 2000, was informed of the move Friday night.

"It was an extremely tough decision," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Eddie started his career with us, we drafted him and he’s part of our Heat family.  "(Gladness and Harris) simply overwhelmed us with their effort and their desire and their want this week. It was a little bit of a surprise and they continued to make us watch."



Miami was so intrigued that Gladness, a shot-blocking center out of Alabama A&M who spent time with the Heat in the team’s 2010 summer league, and Harris, a former Oklahoma State standout who went undrafted in 2009 and had played in recent years in France, Germany and the NBA Development League, will be with the Heat as they travel to take on the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day.

"This was probably the best Christmas gift that I’ve ever gotten in my life," Gladness said. "I probably would have said that when I was younger and I got a Sega Genesis for Christmas, but now this just tops that."

BOX SCORE
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A second look: Justin Durant played like he hadn't been to the playoffs since 1999

DETROIT, Michigan - While it hasn't quite been 12 years, it's been some time since Detroit Lions linebacker Justin Durant had played in such a meaningful football game.

After a successful college career at Hampton University which included three MEAC Defensive Player of the Year awards and three Divisison I-AA/FCS playoff appearances, Durant was drafted in the second round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2007.

In Durant's rookie year, he played in 13 games and the Jaguars went 11-5. They went on to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the opening round of the playoffs before being eliminated by the undefeated New England Patriots, 31-20.



The Jaguars fell on hard times after that season going 20-28 over the next three years, and missing the playoffs each time. After four years in Jacksonville, Durant opted to sign with Detroit prior to the 2011 season.



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HBCU Detroit Lions Spotlight 

ACTIVE 
#   NAME              POS   HT.   WT.   AGE      EXP.     SCHOOL
 31 Carey, Don       DB     5-11  192    24           3          Norfolk State

52

Durant, Justin

LB

6-1

240

26

5

Hampton

91

Hill, Sammie

DT

6-4

329

25

3

Stillman

39

Silva, Ricardo

S

6-3

225

23

R

Hampton

INJURED RESERVE

72

Culbreath, Johnny

T

6-5

322

23

R

South Carolina State

PRACTICE SQUAD/INJURED

86

Hughes, Nate

WR

6-2

195

26

3

Alcorn State

Seventeen BSU Student - Athletes Receive Degrees

BOWIE, Maryland -- Seventeen current and former student-athletes and cheerleaders were among Bowie State University graduates who received degrees in the 2011 Winter Commencement – Friday, December 16th in BSU's A. C. Jordan Arena.

“I would like to personally congratulate all of our graduating student-athletes that participated in the December 2011 ceremony. We celebrate many victories in the athletic department, but none more important than when we see our student-athletes walk across the stage. I know that our coaches and staff are just as proud of them as I am. The work that goes into being a student-athlete can never be underestimated. We wish all of our graduates the best as they transition into the next phase of their life”, said Athletic Director Anton Goff.

We thank you for your contribution to BSU Athletic Department and your respective sport. Congratulations and best wishes to you as you begin your next journey.

Current Student-Athletes
Tariq Jones – B.S. Social Work – Football

Former Student-Athletes
Duncan Aldous – M.A. Master of Public Administration – Football
Jennifer Geter – M.A. Master of Public Administration – Women's Track
Adeshola Ashira – B.S. Biology – Women's Bowling
Kirkland Beale – B.S. Biology – Men's Track
Arthur Bowers – B.S. Communications – Men's Basketball
Dominique Carroll – B.S. Elementary Education – Women's Bowling
Chelyce Fields – B.S. Sociology – Women's Tennis
Breaun Garner – B.S. Sports Management – Women's Volleyball and Softball
Carmen Herbert – B.S. Business Administration - Softball
Joel Lavela – B.S. Mathematics – Men's Track
Kyara Lombre – B.S. Communications – Women's Tennis
David Matthews – B.A. Fine Arts – Men's Track
Melissa Pate – B.S. Sociology – Cheerleading
Franklin Robinson – B.S. Sociology – Men's Track
Christina Rowles – B.S. Sports Management – Women's Track
Lakisha Walker – B.S. Communications – Women's Basketball

Courtesy BSU Athletics

Creative License - Fisk Jubilee Singers

Note: As we celebrate the Christmas and New Year seasons, let us not forget God and his role in our lives. Let us say a special prayer for my Florida A&M University family, especially the Marching 100, and the family of drum major Robert Champion.

Nowhere in God's vision and in his chosen creator of the FAMU Marching 100 -- Dr. William P. Foster, was the practice of hazing an acceptable behavior. Let us honor the legacy of those that have come before us and that contributed positively to building our HBCU institutions and organizations, so that the youth of today, can see God's glory and achieve greatness in his honor.

Without God, we are nothing!

It is an honor of the highest order to participate in these bands, ensembles, sports teams and attend college --  to earn degrees in our chosen fields of interest, and to become contributing members of society. Let us not forget who we are representing when we are blessed with these opportunities.

There is much we can learn from this documentary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers and the legacy they continue to carry forth.  Be blessed; and Merry Christmas! Amen

-beepbeep


Music video by Shania Twain performing "God Bless The Child."  The video features two choirs -- one included the Fisk University Jubilee Singers and the second was a local performing arts choirs singing along with Twain in a hanger at the Nashville airport.  It was filmed on October 3, 1996 and debuted on October 26, 1996. (C) 1997 Mercury Records.

Alabama State's Riley adds to honors

Kejuan Riley
 Walter Camp FCS All-America Team
6-1/208 Jr. Free Safety
Hometown: Wetumpka, Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Alabama State free safety Kejuan Riley added to his 2011 honors Friday by being named to the Walter Camp FCS All-America team.

Riley, a junior from Wetumpka, had career highs in tackles (75) and interceptions (nine), while tying a career-high in passes defended with 13. Riley's nine interceptions ranked second in the FCS this season and his 17 career interceptions are tied for the most in ASU history.

Riley also has been named first-team All-SWAC and first-team All-America by Boxtorow HBCU, College Sports Madness and College Sporting News.

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