By Michael – Louis Ingram 12/26/08
BASN & FRO
As we head into bowl season in college football and the NFL playoffs loom over the horizon, it's time to take a step back and recognize former and current players in a unique tribute.
For the past six months, I have been working on this compilation of talent for two specific reasons. One, when you refer to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) on the gridiron, the first thought most lay people conjure up is that of Grambling State University.
The contributions by its great Hall of Fame coach and teacher, Eddie Robinson, are second to none; which brings us to the second reason: so that, respectfully, the world can know the HBCU universe does not rotate around the Black and Gold sun of Grambling State.
Every HBCU has long radiated its own special light, and their input into professional football's "Good Book of Bad" has so many "John Henrys" singing their names, it puts the Declaration of Independence to shame.
Now we know All – Star teams are always lightning rods for conversation; who was badder than whom and "How could you leave off this guy?" are about as expected as eight in the box on third and short.
But (with a lot of help from some friends and colleagues) we came up with not just a first, second and third team.
Because the dearth of talent coming from Black schools is so firmly etched in the fabric of pro football, we are unveiling the creation of 11 full All – Star teams; offense, defense and special teams complete with an all – Universe bench (taxi squad) which will ultimately bring you to those who we feel are the best of the very best – for an even dozen full squads in all.
My BASN colleagues, Editor – in – Chief, Tony McClean, my fellow Sports MCs Chris "Professor K" Murray and Wendell "MC Good Foot" Simpson and Finley "Doc" Pinkard, Big Play Football's main man Lloyd Vance, Staff Writer and host of Blog Talk Radio's hit talk show, "The Batchelor Pad" L.A. Batchelor, Dr. Bill Chachkes of footballreportersonline.com and some very special guests will chime in as they will also throw their two cents into the pot!
We will also roundtable on some of these picks and their worthiness in terms of consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame – in America and as well as our neighbor to the north and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, located in Hamilton, Ontario.
THE BENCH:
The HBC – Universe bench is a 66 man – squad that was compiled of players who have played in every known professional sports league: NFL, CFL, the old American Football League, the Arena Football League, the United States Football League (USFL), the All – American Football Conference (AAFC), and NFL Europe (nee the World League of American Football).
A six – man "taxi squad" for each of the 11 teams with two significant selections, a bench coach and Honorary HBC – Universe member was chosen.
QBS: JOE "747" ADAMS, FLORIDA A&M; MATTHEW REED, GRAMBLING STATE; BRUCE EUGENE, GRAMBLING STATE; JOHNNIE WALTON, ELIZABETH CITY STATE; PARNELL DICKINSON, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE; DAVE WEBSTER, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M;
(Super Scout's notes: Webster led Prairie View to the Black College Championship in 1958; Walton was a solid starter during his career in the USFL; Eugene's strong arm was matched and surpassed by his stronger intellect, as his 41 out of 42 on the ballyhooed Wunderlich test should have had him under center playing in the NFL if they were as consistent about what is required to play the position as their bullshit about who can't play the position)
RBS: PERRY HARRINGTON, JACKSON STATE; MIKE COLLIER, MORGAN STATE; HENRY DYER, GRAMBLING STATE; CLEO MILLER, ARKANSAS – PINE BLUFF; DERRICK NED; GRAMBLING STATE
(Super Scout's notes: Although Harrington never made significant waves in the NFL, he will always be remembered as the man who broke the great Walter Payton's rushing record at Jackson State)
TE: CHAD FANN, FLORIDA A&M; THORTON CHANDLER, FLORIDA A&M; GREG LATTA, MORGAN STATE; MORRIS STROUD, CLARK ATLANTA; ALVIN REED, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M; CHARLEY FERGUSON, TENNESSEE STATE
(Super Scout's notes: Until the selection of seven foot lineman Richard Sligh by the Oakland Raiders, Stroud, at 6'10" was the tallest position player in the old AFL)
WRS: CHARLIE BROWN, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE; COREY BRADFORD, JACKSON STATE.; DWIGHT SCALES, GRAMBLING STATE; SCOTTY ANDERSON, GRAMBLING STATE; NATE SINGLETON, GRAMBLING STATE
(Brown was a two – time Pro bowl receiver with Washington; Bradford was part of the expansion roster of the Houston Texans)
LINEMEN: QASIM MITCHELL, NORTH CAROLINA A&T; MIKE ST.CLAIR, GRAMBLING STATE; LAWRENCE TERO "MR.T", PRAIRIE VIEW A&M; BOOKER REESE, BETHUNE – COOKMAN; BENNIE ANDERSON, TENNESSEE STATE; KWAME KILPATRICK, FLORIDA A&M; DEXTER NOTTAGE, FLORIDA A&M; ELVIS FRANKS, MORGAN STATE; CHARTRIC DARBY, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE; FRANK MOLDEN, JACKSON STATE; BOB BROWN, ARKANSAS PINE – BLUFF; ELEX PRICE, ALCORN STATE; ROBERT "BIG BIRD" SMITH, GRAMBLING STATE; MARQUES DOUGLAS, HOWARD; CLETIDUS HUNT, KENTUCKY STATE; ROBERT MATHIS, ALABAMA A&M; ANTHONY COOK, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE; CLEVELAND ELAM, TENNESSEE STATE; CHARLES PHILYAW, TEXAS SOUTHERN; RUBEN STUDDARD, ARKANSAS PINE – BLUFF; MANNY SISTRUNK, ARKANSAS PINE - BLUFF
(A little mix of fame and infamy with the additions of Tero, Studdard and Kilpatrick; you decide what belongs to whom)
LBS: LOUIS GREEN, ALCORN STATE; SIMON SHANKS, TENNESSEE STATE; MARCUS WINN, ALABAMA STATE,; LES BARLEY, WINSTON – SALEM STATE; ROBERT TAYLOR, GRAMBLING STATE
DBS: FAKHIR BROWN, GRAMBLING STATE; GENE ATKINS, FLORIDA A&M; TONY STARGELL, TENNESSEE STATE; OLIVER CELESTIN, TEXAS SOUTHERN; RUFUS BESS, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE; GREG WESLEY, ARKANSAS PINE – BLUFF; DWAINE CARPENTER, NORTH CAROLINA A&T;ANTOINE BETHEA, HOWARD; MEDGAR EVERS, ALCORN STATE; TIM WATSON, HOWARD UNIVERSITY; TONY STARGELL, TENNESSEE STATE
(In addition to everything else in his brief but distinguished life, Evers excelled on the gridiron and ran track as a Brave)
STS: MIKE COLLIER, MORGAN STATE; CALVIN MUHAMMAD, TEXAS SOUTHERN; DARIAN BARNES, HAMPTON; ALPHONSE DOTSON, GRAMBLING STATE
BENCH COACHES: ERNEST JONES, ALCORN STATE; GEORGE RAGSDALE, NORTH CAROLINA A&T
HONORARY HBC – UNIVERSE CONTRIBUTOR: P/PK GENE MINGO*
*(I specifically wanted to honor Mingo because he was the first Black specialist to excel in football. In 1960, Mingo led the AFL in scoring his rookie season for the Denver Broncos, and as a placekicker/halfback and punt returner was a one – man scoring machine, leading the league in points scored in 1962.
Born in Ohio, Mingo's opting for military service may have taken college out of the equation, but not his desire to excel.)
The Countdown
For the teams, I went with a 26 – man roster, for offense, defense, specials and the head coach, applying the same variables as the bench, with extra consideration for league awards and longevity.
ELEVENTH TEAM
HEAD COACH – JAMES CARSON, JACKSON STATE
OFFENSE
QB - CONNELL MAYNOR, NORTH CAROLINA A&T
OL – DAMION COOK, BETHUNE – COOKMAN;
OL - COURTNEY VAN BUREN, ARKANSAS PINE – BLUFF;
OL – DWAYNE WHITE, ALCORN STATE;
OL - LAWRENCE SMITH, TENNESSEE STATE;
OL - JOHN BROWN, N. CAROLINA COLLEGE
TE – ALVIN REED, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
WR – ALFRED JENKINS, MORRIS BROWN
WR – AL DENSON, FLORIDA A&M
RB – RONNIE COLEMAN, ALABAMA A&M
RB – LEWIS TILLMAN, JACKSON STATE
DEFENSE
DL – EZZRET ANDERSON, KENTUCKY STATE
DL – PEPPI ZELLNER, FORT VALLEY STATE
DL – JIM OSBORNE, SOUTHERN
DL – LAWRENCE PILLERS, ALCORN STATE
LB – MARLO PERRY, JACKSON STATE
LB – ISSAC KEYS, MOREHOUSE
LB – GUY PRATHER, GRAMBLING STATE
DB – FRANK WALKER, TUSKEGEE
DB – JAMES HUNTER, GRAMBLING STATE
DB – ISSAIC HOLT, ALCORN STATE
DB – NICK FERGUSON, MORRIS BROWN
SPECIALS
PK/P – CARLOS LEECH, SOUTHERN
KR – CARLOS PENNYWELL, GRAMBLING STATE
PR – WALLACE FRANCIS, ARKANSAS – PINE BLUFF
ST- CHRIS BURKETT, JACKSON STATE
Next Time: We roll with Teams #10 and #9; and if you think there's some great talent out here already, wait until we continue up the ladder to Number One!
michaelingram@blackathlete.com
mike@footballreportersonline.com
Florida 31 Alabama 20
SEC Title Belongs to Florida
By Rafael Garcia
Senior Contributing Writer Southeast Region-Football Reporters Online
12/07/08
Ring. Ring ring. Hello: AT&Tebow how may I help you? With Percy Harvin out the Florida offense had to go a different route. They needed to call on someone to step up and it was their boy phenom quarterback Tim Tebow with all the answers. When his team needed a big pass he threaded the needle. When they needed a run he hit the holes hard and often. He was 14-22 for 216 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He ran 17 times for 57 hard earned yards. When his team needed motivation he provided that too. In the fourth quarter he told his team “let’s go win it here” and they marched down the field and scored the game clincher. With the win the Gators are the SEC champions and now have a shot to play for the BCS title for the second time in three years. Tebow also made his case for his second Heisman in a row. As I watched this young man operate I realized that we may be seeing the last of this special athlete in the collegiate ranks. What more can he do if his team wins another national title? As for Florida they showed they can win a close game after the big wins they have had. My question is still with the BCS system. Florida will jump in the polls for sure and that won’t please the fans in Oklahoma or Texas depending on the outcome of their games. USC is just plum out of luck no matter what they do in their bowl game. It’s a complicated system that keeps screaming for a playoff. Another prime example would be the losers of this game, Alabama. They had been the most consistent team all year holding on to the number one spot in the polls after they seized it. Yet that will do them no good as they will fade away in the polls when it’s all said and done. This is one of the big flaws of this system. Why should the Alabama’s of the world lose a season because of one loss? Don’t most of us feel that they still deserve a shot at the title? Of course they do but that doesn’t matter in BCS land. Guess there are no style points when you lose huh? All that work just to go down in a game they were in all the way until late in the fourth quarter. So now we await the latest Bogus College Standings to see who the brains think should play for it all. Either way the arguments will continue about the BCS. Still we got to see the best conference in the land put on a show as these two teams battled and fought for 60 minutes. It was like a prize fight between the two fighters everyone wants to see. The game lived up to all the hype and then some. The two teams pounded each other nut neither gave in. Florida just had too much AT&Tebow and the 'Bama defense ran out of gas late. Afterwards, Tebow completed a lap giving high fives to the Gator faithful. Full of energy that kid huh? What a season he gave to college football. The only question now for him is does he or doesn’t he?
Virginia Tech 30 Boston College 12
Once again Va. Tech beats BC for ACC title
By Rafael Garcia
Senior Contributing Writer Southeast Region-Football Reporters Online
12/07/08
Back in the days of the Big East these two teams used to battle it out. The battle continued Saturday and once again the Hokies came out victorious when a BCS bid was on the line. For the second straight year Boston College won during the regular season only to lose in the big game. They did it in front of a very small crowd that watched Hokie freshman running back Darren Evans run 31 times for 114 yards and a touchdown. QB Tyrod Taylor ran for two more scores and the Tech defense held BC to 45 yards on the ground. They also forced four turnovers and the offense controlled the ball for almost 12 more minutes than the Eagles. After a bad start to the season Virginia Tech will represent the ACC in the Orange bowl. They really put it together on this day as they clicked on all phases of the game. They are in line to win 10 games for the fifth year in a row as they await their opponent in the bowl game. As for the Eagles, they will have to wait another year again. QB Dominique Davis was making his second start and was 17-43 for 263 yards and two picks. He was sacked five times and fumbled a ball that was returned for a BC score. Receiver Rich Gunnell had seven catches for 114 yards but he fumbled a catch in the end zone that Va Tech recovered. They were 3-15 on third down conversions as well. Nothing went right for BC and they will now have to regroup and try to make it back here next year. Davis was really hard on himself after the game saying that he did not want to ever let his team down like this again. The offense will eventually be his, and he will get his chance, but he best be careful that it isn’t this same Hokie team waiting for him again next year.
THE Vols Get their Man
Some of Our Photos from Covering a Season of Tri-State area college Football.......
“The Express” Is Right On Time
By Michael – Louis Ingram for Football Reporters Online
“From the time I started in sports, I was always the player who got the limelight, who had the nice stories written about him; all this I gained merely by doing what I liked to do most.”
--Ernie Davis, the first African – American to win the Heisman Award; from an article entitled “I’m Not Unlucky” in the Saturday Evening Post, March 30, 1963 (with Bob August).
It has long been something most people take for granted, especially in the era of self – promotion and media commotion; to be able to translate their talents into real – world affectation, benefitting not only themselves, but mankind as well.
If you were a Black person living in 1950s America, those opportunities to do something you loved and prosper from it were few and far between; and as prior generations of Black people sought to channel their frustration into realization, waiting for that one source which could not only burn, but illuminate.
In 1959, Syracuse University would produce such a source in Ernie Davis.
The life of tailback Ernie Davis is put on display in a new film, “The Express,” to be released nationwide today. As the first African – American to receive college football’s highest honor, the Heisman Trophy, Davis, who was nicknamed “the Elmira Express” for his community in Elmira, New York, would do the thing he loved; while transforming into a conduit for the aspirations of civility and humanity for Black people during the Civil Rights era.
As herculean a task as Davis had thrust upon him, there was one who had previously blazed a trail for him. The great Jim Brown, first to wear the now mythic #44 for the Orangemen of Syracuse, revealed that Davis was made of the right stuff. “Ernie Davis was a quiet storm of courage and self – awareness,” assesses Brown. On the field, he was everything you could want in a talent – big, quick and powerful.
“But off the field, with the eyes of the world on him, he stared perception in the face with his reality of knowing who he was and knowing what he did and what it meant to everyone at that time.
“You have to remember cats like Davis saw the big picture; they didn’t come out of school with no degree and little life experience. If anything, Syracuse kept its word in guaranteeing an education to us.
“Out of the Black men who would go on to play professional ball in that era, over 90 per cent of these men had their degrees – real degrees -- and knew there were more things than football we had to contend with.”
Syracuse head football coach Ben Schwartzwalder was one of those things; a hard, focused man who was tough but fair – and Davis’ enduring spirit endeared himself to Schwartzwalder, helping him and the program to become one of the strongest in the country during a time resistant to change and more sensitive to transition.
Davis’ story is a lightning rod for the growing civil rights movement that would take the country to task in the 1960s. The covert and overt racism Davis would run over around and through would change the face of college athletics; but Davis, unlike many after him, didn’t have the luxury of opting out of the challenge and ignoring the unspoken calling for commercial gain.
Brown cites this as the quintessential difference between then and now. “You take a Michael Jordan,” pauses Brown,”…and all you can really say about him is that he was a great basketball player – but that’s all. Jordan is no hero to me.
“There were cats like Jordan back in our time, too – and whatever motivations sparked them to do what they did was just something unsaid; but we knew (who they were), and they were far in the minority in our overall approach of what we collectively had to do.
“Ernie Davis never gave his manhood up – and still managed to sign what was at that time the largest pro contract at the end of his college career.
“There is no question Davis would’ve been a great pro player; that he never got the chance to fulfill it pales in comparison to the commitment he made in earning it and making things better for those who came after him,” Brown said.
In addition to being the first Black player to be awarded the Heisman, Davis would become the first Black player to be selected as first overall in any NFL draft in 1962.
When his rights were traded from the Washington Redskins and their racist owner George Preston Marshall (in part because Davis refused to play for him), Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell laid the foundation for a dream backfield of Brown and Davis. Although leukemia would end Davis’ life at age 23, the Browns retired #45 in honor of him.
The ‘one who came after’ Davis at Syracuse was Floyd Little, who, compared to Brown and the 6’2” 220 pound Davis, was the smallest of the titanic triumvirate (5’ 10”, 190) and Little still smiles in recalling the day he committed to Syracuse. “We were all at home, watching ‘The Beverly Hillbillies,’” laughs Little. The door was answered and here’s Ernie and Ben Schwartzwalder. Ernie had on this camel hair coat and this huge smile on his face as he said hello and my sisters are all goo – goo eyed, staring holes through him.
“We then went to dinner and what I remember most was the university promising that they would ensure me that if I played for Syracuse, I would leave with an education and something else besides Saturday afternoons in the fall – and they kept their word.”
While Little may have been the runt of the litter, his heart was huge. As the sixth player in the AFL – NFL common draft in 1967 after an All – American career as an Orangeman, he singlehandedly saved the Denver Broncos with his efforts at Mile High Stadium.
In Denver, Little was merely “The Franchise” – but suggests Davis was of even greater stature. “I would have to say this movie about Ernie has been in the works for over 40 years. In terms of scope and its effect on our society, it has to rank right up there with Jackie Robinson’s story in baseball.”
What is clear about “The Express” is this is not a football movie, a sentiment Little echoes. “This is a story of a young man who knew he was sick; who should’ve had everything to look forward to after overcoming so much refusing to dwell on ‘what if’ or ‘why me?’ – and doing it with a desire to live and class that I sincerely hope will give some of these young men out here pause to start thinking again.”
I see “The Express” as an “Old School” primer in knowing what to do and how to do it; and as these great men have stated, will hopefully serve as a wakeup call to many athletes and non – athletes to reconsider the unspoken covenant made between those who came before and the expectations in holding down those values intrinsic to all cultures.
This flick is worth more than a bucket of popcorn, and seems to be pulling into the station of self - awareness – right on time.
Mike is F.R.O's Director of scouting and Also hosts a Weekly show on Blackathlete.com's website. You can e-mail him your comments at the address below
mike@footballreportersonline.com
Freshman Phenoms Julio Jones, A.J. Green, and Michael Floyd boast the best freshman receiver class since 2002
By John Kelly for Football Reporters Online
It has been six years since we truly saw freshman receivers steal the scene in
College Football. Pittsburgh Freshman Larry Fitzgerald, an unknown player from Minnesota, dazzled us with a spectacular diving catches including one in the Insight bowl versus Oregon State. Reggie Williams hauled catches in double coverage while, taking several short slants to the house versus Oregon. USC’s Mike Williams made an effortless one-handed catch that was on numerous College Gameday highlight reels. In 2004 Deshawn Jackson breathed life into Berkley for the first time since the SDS was doing sit ins in the 60’s. He became an instant weapon for the Golden Bears as a punt return specialist and a consistent home run threat. Last year Michael Crabtree reeled in over one hundred catches and the Blinkoff Award to boot.
Some freshmen receivers seem to make impacts before others and while others gain national attention. The last six years has only seen one really steal the show and the others make an important impact. Freshman receiving studs tend to crash the college football party every year now, none compare to the class of 2008. This class is set to make an instant offensive impact quicker than any other freshman receiving class.
We look at the 5 star rival’s receivers and hope to see them make an immediate impact every college football season. Since 2003 most top Rivals receivers have been busts, kicked off teams, or just disappeared. For every playmaker like a Deshawn Jackson there is a Patrick Turner who is a bust in my estimation after being ranked the #1 receiver by rivals in 2004. Fred Rouse was the #2 rated receiver in 2004 according to rivals and was thought to carry a game emulating Randy Moss. He ended up being kicked off Florida State’s football team and transferred to UTEP.
So why are the three top wideouts from the 2008 recruiting class so special
opposed to the other past successful and disappointing blue chip receivers?
Well 5 weeks into the season all three have scored a touchdown and they all
look like the future go-to playmakers in their respective offenses.
While Julio Jones and Michael Floyd scored during the first week of the season , A.J. Green finally put himself on the map in Tempe versus Arizona State catching 8 balls for 157 yards and a touchdown. His impact is huge for Matthew Stafford and Knowshawn Moreno and the Bulldog offense.
Michael Floyd had 7 catches for 87 yards and a TD versus Michigan State in the loss and his impact along with Golden Tate makes Jimmy Clausen’s job a lot easier in South Bend. Floyd is only a freshman and I knew after
watching him in the high school All-America game he would be turning heads already. He is shaping up to be the next great Notre Dame receiver since the days of Derek Mayes. He will only get better which is an issue for opposing secondaries who already are being smoked by him thus far. Plus this week versus Stanford he had another 100 yard game compounded by burning a Pac-10 track star champion for a 48-yard touchdown bomb.
Julio Jones clips in Alabama’s fall practices had multiple you tube hits and he finally got into the end zone in his first game against Clemson. He is definitely the real deal in Tuscaloosa. He also was big in their upset win over Georgia a week ago as he hauled in two touchdown catches. Alabama’s strong ground attack will lead to more one on one opportunities for him. His combined size and speed are the best out of the three and do not be surprised if he is a Blinkoff Award nominee this year.
All three players are first round draft picks to me in the 2012 draft and can aid certain NFL teams with an impact receiver (Are you listening New York Jets or Baltimore Ravens). All three have the ability to take a short pass the distance, catch the fade route, and burn you deep on a fly pattern.
Floyd reminds me of Larry Fitzgerald and it is not because he hails from
Minnesota. If you watched the Michigan State game he can go up and get the ball from anywhere. He has the speed to burn you deep but his ball skills and receiving instincts are what separate him from Green and Jones.
Outside of AJ Green’s circus catch last week I have yet to see Julio Jones make a catch like that but I am confident he can. Speaking of A.J. Green he is mix between Randy Moss and a Chad Johnson with the speed to burn you deep, the ability to make a catch from anywhere on the field, and the athleticism to make major mismatches with even the best corners in the league.
Floyd is getting comparisons in the South Bend Tribune to Terrell Owens but it is Julio Jones to me that best mirrors the mold of a T.O. At 19 he has enormous strength and speed to be a mismatch against any corner in the land. Like Floyd he also likes to go out and rip the ball down from opposing corners. By playing in the SEC he will face top defensive competition like A.J. Green week in and week out which will help him develop a lot more. He is the biggest physically of the three and his strength now and in the future will allow him to muscle smaller and athletic cornerbacks that cover him. By the end of his Crimson Tide career he will be the next freak of on the outside.
The next three seasons are only going to get better if you’re a Bulldog, Irish, or Tide fan and these three look to provide many memorable moments.