Broncos’ Football Off To Good Start
Staff Report
The Fayetteville State Universit)-
football team is talking CIAA
Championship.
If earK' play is any indication, the
team just may be well on its \\ ay to
bringing the school its first
championship crown.
After a come-from-behind win
over Benedict College, a close loss to
Division I-AA Tennessee Tech. and
wins over rivals Elizabeth City State
UniversiU' and Livingstone College,
the Broncos sport a 3-1 record, and
set up a showdown with two-time
defending champion Winston-Salem
State University. That game is slated
for 7 p.m. in Luther "Nick" Jeralds
Stadium on the FSU campus.
During the first three-quarters of
the Benedict game, the Broncos
looked as if they weren't ready to
challenge conference power WSSU.
The fourth quarter, however,
proved differently. With their backs
against the wall, the Broncos rallied
for 17 unanswered points to beat
Benedict 23-17 in front of 3.043 fans
at Jeralds Stadium. Tori Callowav
had the biggest play of the game.
When it appeared the Tigers were
attempting to run out the clock \\ ith
a 17-14 lead. Calloway came to the
rescue. With 2:32 remaining,
Benedict safetv’. the Broncos got the
ball back on their own 26 with 1:30
remaining. Four plays later, running
back Nathaniel Benton fumbled.
Willie Smith recovered the ball on the
Broncos 33.
Benedict quarterback Ro) ton
Williams completed a 32-^■ard
pass to Curtis Rampersant on
four-and-15 from the Broncos 38.
But Williams was called for an
illegal forward pass on the play.
The ball was bought back to the
43. Williams'next pass fell
incomplete, giving the Broncos the
win.
Benton had 96 yards on 17
carries for the Broncos.
Against Tennessee Tech. the
Broncos led 10-7 in the second
quarter before TTU reeled off 24
straight points to win 31-10 Aug.
30 in Cookeville. Tenn.
"The kids plaved their behinds
3^TF O
Venus and Serena Williams celebrate tournament win.
Tennis Phenoms
Raising A Racket
By Tonya Jameson
TMS Campus
The Williams sisters need to
concentrate on tennis. A killer
sene is a temble thing to waste.
Venus and Serena stormed
professional tennis nearly four
vears ago with strength, speed
and a mouthy dad who predicted
they'd eventually be No. 1 and No.
2. Instead, they've spent the last
two vears splitting their attention
between tennis and fashion
school, and tennis has suffered.
Venus IS ranked fourth in the
w orld and Serena 10*. which is
respectable except past seasons
have shown they have the talent
to hold the top tw o spots. Playing
too few tournaments and early
exits ha^■e hampered their status.
The sisters met in the finals of
the U.S. Open a few- weeks ago.
The match was a typical Venus-
Serena matcup - lots of unforced
errors and double faults.
The Williams sisters see
fashion as post-tennis careers,
which IS good planning. But
school w ill always be there, tenms
won't.
If they don’t focus on tennis,
thev won't become No. 1 and 2.
A\'in all four grand slam titles in one
year or silence Martina Hmgis.
who told Time magazine being
black helps the sisters get
endorsements.
Besides, I'm tired of them losing
winnable matches - like Serena at
W^imbledon or Venus at the French
Open - because they're physically
and mentalh rusty after playing
about a dozen tournaments
instead of the 17 to 20 like their
competitors.
To be fair, they attend Art
Institute of Fort Lauderdale, a
]unior college in Florida, during the
off-season. Thev plan to design
their own lines in three years,
readv-to-wear for Venus and
evening wear for Serena. They're
already kno'\\n in fashion circles
Serena has a srgnature line with
Puma and they posed m Vogue
wearing Carolina Herrera gowns.
They've forsaken bland white
temiis outfits for brightly colored
mini-skirts. such as Serena's
yellow and black outfit at the U.S.
Open.
Venus recently told the New
Haven Register she might play
more tournaments next year so she
can go to school m the fall. If she
does, she'll need WD-40 to get the
rust out of her game before spring
play starts.
Tonya Jameson is a
columnist for the Charlotte
Observer.
Phillips is pleased with team
off.’' Phillips said after the game.
"Right there in the third quarter
we had some opportunities we
didn't capitalize on and. plav'ing a
team like Tennessee Tech. you
have to capitalize on your
opportunities. It was 14-10 and
we blew 14 points in the third
quarter. That really hurt us."
Not only did FSLf fans witness
a win against ECSU. but they also
had the chance to see a remarkable
comeback of one of their players.
DeAngelo Bridges, who 11
months earlier suffered a stroke,
went 65 yards in three plays to
give FSU a 21-14 win before a
sellout crow d of 5.146 at Jeralds
Stadium.
Bridges, playing in his second
game since his illness, had carried
the ball only five times before
making his wav onto the field with
12:37 remaining. The Broncos had
just surrendered the lead and
desperately needed a lift.
Phillips called on Bridges and
he delivered.
Taking a handoff at 35. Bridges
bounced off a tackle and broke free
down the sideline. He was pulled
down from behind after a 59-yard
run. Two plavs later, the junior
dove into the end zone for w hat
appeared to be the winning
touchdown.
After a week off. the Broncos
returned to action Sept. 22 with a
26-9 win against Livingstone.
Nick Green had 90 yards on 12
carries and scored a touchdown.
"The break w as needed." Phillips
said. Although the team is health\’
and hasn’t suffered an\' major
injuries, the rest gives the team
time to work on certain areas and
focus on the next game.
"It (the break) gives you a
chance to heal up." Phillips said.
"Of course you have a tendencv’ to
be a bit rusty, but as the game goes
on. you tend to pick up the
momentum and get back to w hat
you are doing. The open game is
designed to get guys back and get
them rested up for the long haul
we are getting ready to go into"
Phillips isn’t one to look too
far ahead, but for many FSU fans,
that long haul could mean the Sept.
29 match up against WSSU.
FSU and WSSU played a close
game last season.
FSU Cheerleading Squad
Motivating The Crowd
By Aisha Brooks
Staff Writer
It’s 7 p.m. Decked out in blue
and white pompons in hand, ready
to enjoy another night of Bronco
football. Stroll to the concession
stand to purchase popcorn. An
unusual amount of cheers are heard.
Throw the money on the counter,
grab the food and make a mad dash
to the stands.
Kickoft"’
No. Cheer Phi Smoov.
This bright and energetic group,
led bv captain Shauna Jones, is able
to get the crowd hvped w ith their
presence alone. Voices are loud. Feet
are in sync. It's enough to make you
wonder. "That's hot. how do they
do thaf’"
It's not easy. Daily practices of
foot-stomping, leg-kicking routines
prepare these Smoov Broncos for
long nights of "Go. Broncos. Go!’'
Even the four-hours per w eek to a
local climbing facility help prepare
Cheer Phi Smoov for those
spectacular stunts w e are eager to
see. Enduring a rope course improves
their team building skills of trust and
communication.
However, the smoov squad would
be nothing without a smooth coach.
LaWanda Miller, a receptionist in the
chancellor's office, has been the
squad's ad\ isor for two vears. Miller
has also been doing her homework to
prepare herself for the long nights of
practices and games. Fresh from
attending the National Cheerleading
Coaches Conference. Miller came
back to FSU equipped with new
strategies and ideas to held this
squad of 20 progress to a higher
level.
"I look forw ard to another
exciting season, " Miller said about
the upcoming year.
Miller isn't the only one enthused
about the \ ear. Sakiv na Peets. a
freshman criminal justice major from
Charlotte, called Miller one w eekend
to express how much she is enjoying
cheerleading season. Miller said that
makes her proud because there are
other university squads the young
ladies could haA e cheered for but
thev chose FSU. She said she would
make them proud of their decision.
Miller said there are certain
characteristics she looks for in a
cheerleader. She said she seeks
dedication to the sport, a
commitment to improve, to carrv’ out
their motto. "Image is Evervlhing".
and Miller's personal motto.
"Attitude is a little thing that makes
a big difference"
Got what it takes to be a
cheerleader? Trial for the basketball
squad will be held Oct. 26 at 5:30
p.m. on the football field.
"I know that an\’ organization is
only as good as its members, and I
honestly can't say that I could ask
for a more enthusiastic, dedicated,
talented group of people." Miller
said. "Each year I think it gets better
for me. Each \ ear I enjoy it more. I
think Fayetteville State is blessed
w ith a wonderful group of students,
and I do think w e are the best-kept
secret of the south"
Lack Of Division-I Coaches
Evident On Football Sidelines
By Fred McKissack
TMS Campus
Football season is upon us. but
the college gridiron is not a w elcome
place for black head coaches.
Of the 117 NCAA Division I-A
football teams, only five ha^•e
blacks as head coaches. The news
doesn't get an\' better if you total
the coaches from Division I-A and
I-AA. The percentage drops from
4.3 percent to 2.9 percent. e\ en
though Division I-AA football
schools include a number of
historically black colleges such as
Gramblmg. Florida A&M and
Howard.
If\ou remove such schools, the
percentage of black head coaches in
Division I football further falls to
1.1 percent, according to NCAA
statistics taken from its website.
Indeed, there are more black head
coaches of tennis teams at the
Division I level than there are black
coaches heading football programs,
according to NCAA statistics.
The lack of black head football
coaches is not a result of old w hite
coaches hold on to their jobs. Of the
156 openings for head coaches at the
Division I level since 1992. only 12
percent w ent to black coaches. This
figure boggles the mind w hen you
consider more than 20 percent of
assistant coaches in Div ision I-A and
I-AA football are black.
The differential between black
and w hite head coaches could be
partly a result of one of the last
unw ritten dictums of football: Black
coaches do not have the necessary
strategic skills to run major college or
professional-level football teams.
In football, which is fast replacing
ba.seball as the American pastime,
think of how many years \\ e all
heard black players w ere not smart
enough to play quarterback. Now.
w hite college coaches from the PAC -
10 to the SEC have no problem
having their offenses led bv a black
player.
But coaching seems to be another
thing.
The ignorant prejudice that blacks
can't coach is easily exposed: Just
consider the achie\ ements of Tyrone
Willingham at Stanford, w here he led
the Cardinal to the Rose Bow I last
year
Sports have played a significant
role in race relations in this country.
Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson.
Althea Gibson and Tiger Woods not
only excelled in their individual
sports, but reshaped how blacks
viewed themselves and. in some
cases, how w hites view ed blacks.
No one is suggesting that anv one
unqualified should be given a head
coaching position because of his ski
color. We're not talking restitution
issues.