Jake Gaither House starts brick campaign to raise money

JGH WEBSITE

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Gov. Rick Scott may have vetoed a $125,000 state grant for the Jake Gaither House. But owner Cornelius Jones is not despairing.

The Tallahassee real estate entrepreneur has launched a brick campaign to raise money for the home, once owned by the legendary Florida A&M football coach. He is also receiving donations from members of the American Football Coaches Association, which has endorsed his efforts.

The Jake Gaither House is at 212 Young Street, near the FAMU campus. Gaither and his wife, Sadie, lived there more than 40 years. Jones bought the house for back taxes ($35,000) in late 2013, intending to re-sell it. When he discovered it had belonged to Gaither, who died in 1994, Jones spent more than $100,000 to restore it.

Jake Gaither coached at FAMU from 1945 to 1969. He mounted a 203-36-4 record and won seven black college national championships. Gaither was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975.

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Xavier University's Otis Washington, the coach who didn’t want to coach, enshrined in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- When Otis Washington graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1961, he was your typical college graduate.

He had no idea what he would do next.

He did have three options: head west to California, become involved in the Civil Rights Movement or accept a job as a coach.

With the paltry sum of $16.82 in his pocket, California was out of the question.

The Civil Rights Movement was probably too serious for many in his age group.



He’s not sure why, but he took the least appealing road at the time and accepted a coaching position, even though he wasn’t interested in a coaching career.

“I figured I’d stay at St. Augustine for a year and then get the heck out of there,” he said.

One year turned into 18 and produced one of the state’s most successful high school coaching tenures, and the coach who wasn’t interested in coaching was enshrined in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches on Saturday.

When your 11-year head coaching résumé includes three state championships and a runner-up trophy, seven district titles in the ultra-competitive Catholic League, an 80 percent winning rate and more than 120 players sent to colleges around the country, it’s difficult to believe coaching really wasn’t on his radar.

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Mickles: For affable Avery Johnson, life is all about timing

COACH AVERY JOHNSON
Courtesy: University of Alabama

NATCHITOCHES, Louisiana — Upon being fired by the Brooklyn Nets two days after Christmas in 2012, Avery Johnson knew one thing: He was going to coach basketball again.

He just didn’t know where or when.

Actually, he sort of knew the when part of the equation.

With son Avery Jr. entering the final year and a half of his high school career in the Dallas area, Johnson was going to take some time to take it all in.

“I didn’t want to coach that first season (2013-14) because he was going to be a senior,” Johnson said Saturday before his induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. “Last year, I wanted to be there for him in the transition to college, and actually, I wanted to see some college games.”

Johnson accomplished those two things, and when the University of Alabama called about a week after his 50th birthday, he jumped at the opportunity to get out of the ESPN studio and back onto the court.

“At some point last season, I knew I wanted to get back into coaching,” he said. “Whether it was the NBA or college, if the right situation presented itself I was going to take a look at it. Alabama called, and the rest is history.”

If you think it couldn’t have worked out any better, it may have.

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The President Honors the Life of Reverend Clementa Pinckney

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (June 26, 2015) -- President Obama travels to the College of Charleston in South Carolina to deliver a eulogy for Reverend Clement Pinckney and 8 other congregation members of Emanuel AME who were killed on June 17, 2015.




Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) delivered an emotional speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday, remembering the nine victims of the shooting in Charleston.

Tuskegee Football Ranked, All-Americans Named

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- Tuskegee has rankings of 22 and 24 in the Lindy's and Sporting News's preseason polls for division 2.

Coach Willie Slater's team is the lone representative in the poll from the SIAC in either poll. Tuskegee opens the season at home against Clark Atlanta on September 5th.

Tuskegee's Jewell Ratliff is preseason division 2 All-American and Julian Morgan earned honorable mentioned nods.

Last season, Ratliff who rocks number five, had 79 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and one sack. He also led the team with three interceptions. The senior from New Orleans, was in on two pass breakups and five passes defended in 2014 for the Golden Tigers.



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Three ex-FAMU students sentenced to 10 years probation in fatal hazing case

ORLANDO,Florida -- State Attorney Jeff Ashton wanted to send a harsh message Friday during the sentencing hearing of three ex-FAMU Marching Band members convicted in the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion.

But Circuit Judge Renee A. Roche, in determining their sentences, had other considerations:

First, she said, Champion willingly participated in the ritual that ended his life that November evening in 2011.

Second, the young men convicted of manslaughter and hazing in April will have to live with felony records for the rest of their lives.



Finally, Roche said, it was important to balance their sentences against the other nine former FAMU band members charged in the case.

Most were given probation.

At the end of the day Friday, so were Aaron Golson, Benjamin McNamee and Darryl Cearnel. All received 10 years probation.

"The court recognizes that perhaps Mr. Champion had thoughts or philosophical objections or reservations about this conduct, but there was no evidence of that presented in this case," Roche said prior to handing down the sentences.

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UMES grad Myers working hard for pro hoops career

MICHAEL MYERS
6"-9"/245 lbs. Forward
HOMETOWN: CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY
Photo Courtesy: UMES ATHLETICS

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- When the NBA draft is over on Thursday night, University of Maryland Eastern Shore graduate Michael Myers doesn't expect to have received a phone call making him one of just 60 picks over two rounds.

But that doesn't mean he's given up on making it to the NBA.

"I'm more worried about what comes after the draft," he said. "I'm probably not going to be a draft pick because of all the high major guys. But I'm still going to be working hard. I'm just going to try and get more workouts and try and make someone's summer team."

Ever since he left Princess Anne after graduation, he's been working toward his goal of being a professional basketball player.

A morning workout with his trainer in the morning at a college campus is how he starts his day. He runs through various drills to work on different aspects of his game including his handle and shooting.

In the afternoon, he'll go and put up shots on his own and then head out to the gym or the pool for a workout.

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