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James Parker).
Black College Sports
Life after the ME
Rattlers plot new
c
By BARRY COOPER
Syndicated Columnist
Never in its long and illustrious athletic history ha;
Florida A&M been embroiled in so much controversy.
The Rattlers have dominated the black college sport;
headlines the last two years, thanks to a lengthy schedul
ing dispute with archrival Bethune-Cookman College anc
the Rattlers' subsequent decision to withdraw from th<
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
So much negative publicity has been associated witt
FAMU's name lately that you'd think the Rattlers hac
traded in their orange and green uniforms for black hat;
and commie flags.
The truth is that Florida A&M is not the evil, pompou;
institution that some would have you to believe. Certain
ly, when it comes to looking out for No.l, FAMU has n
peers. But to dump on the Rattlers for exercising sucl
prudence is ridiculous and uncalled for.
Interestingly, FAMU's stock in the public opinioi
polls began to plummet just after Bethune-Cookmai
went on a media tirade, suggesting the Rattlers were try
ing to squash B-CC like a size-16 sneaker clamping dowi
on a waterbug.
While Bethune's tactics did not pay off as expected ii
the form of a football game, it did increase FAMU'
resolve to make what it felt were the best decisions
despite the wishes of the marketplace. FAMU's fan
warrtcd- the Rattlers to continue the popular series wit
^B^CC^aud to stay in a * league.
None of that was to be, though, and now the Rattler
are wading through uncharted waters, trying to navigat
a npw direction.
The outlook is good, even rosy. i
One reason FAMU was able to make such bold move
is that the school is still a hot property. When thinking c
black college teams to telecast, network officials seem t
consider the Rattlers first, and FAMU's name in footba
usually is worth'an extra 5,000 tickets when the Rattlei
are on the road.
Because of that, the line of teams willing to play froi
FAMU stretches far and wide. Now, FAMU must decic
whether it wants to continue as an independent or ever
tually join a conference.
The feeling here, determined after gathering inform;
tion from several well-placed sources, is that the Rattle
will do one of three things:
Remain independent for the 1984-85 athletic seasc
and then immediately rejoin the MEAC.
Remain independent for the next two years and r
join the MEAC.
Remain independent for the next two years and th(
join forces with several predominantly white schools
Florida, Georgia and Alabama toTorm a new Divisic
I-AA conference.
The best indications are that FAMU will not seek
enter the Southwestern Athletic Conference, whi<
already is top-heavy with powerhouse football clubs at
also has its fill of decent basketball clubs.
This is no knock against FAMU, but competing in t!
SWAC is like playing in the Super Bowl every Sunda
I
I 1
rd, return to playo
v X
By ROBERT ELLER
I Chronicle Sports Editor
I A few years back, one C
his team lose in the league toi
R State Rams, remarked, MT
tourney the 'Bighouse' Gainc
. That was b&W in the late
team has not won a CIAA tc
coach were in the MEAC tot
league's young tourney "Th
vitational."
Especially after watching
their third straight tournamer
the Greensboro Coliseum.
The win earned A&T yet a
SI some of the Division I heav
league's automatic NCAA pc
straight year.
And, as has been the cas
k seasons, Howard was the vie
In making the Bison the 1
Ik Ft season, the Aggies trailed o
given some anxious moment!
experienced team, which stai
overtime winner over Bethu
W round. 73-59. A&T got to
?knocking off Delaware State
Maryland Eastern Shore 6"
round.
After grabbing a 19-9 lead
the contest, the Aggies mair
tage until the Bison scored ei
a two-minute stretch to pull
the
The Aggies then outscorec
four minutes to regain the
able to close the gap to 35-2
In the second half, tfte Bi
point at 59-58 with four m
the
An ecstatic Don Corbett,
called this one the mo
titles, this one is special,"
"With the kids we lost from
1 Wynn defends (photo by ticipated our having a chan
Please se
i,Ar? Florida A&M's
course in athletics *
"Who needs that?" the Rattlers have got to figure
No one knows which direction the Rattlers will take,
5 but the third choice seems intriguing. If FAMU did help
start such a new league, it would be the first mixed I-AA
> conference in the country. And, with each of the teams
located within a five-hour drive of the other, travel costs
1 would be slashed.
i Among the teams thinking of participating in such a
venture are FAMU, Georgia Southern, Troy (Ala.) State
i and the University of Central Florida,
j If that league did get off the ground, the chance to
5 develop some natural rivalries and reduce travel costs
would be so great that even Bethune-Cookman would
s have to think of joining.
Nfiw wouldn't that he something?
ri BUILDING ON
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The C
i
ffs Give com
p
DKHUm supp
firm s
|?i|DA drive,
save
I Sf*ii_
IAA coach, after watching
jrney to the Winston-Satem
hey ought to rename this
?s Invitational/' p???m???
70s, and a Gaines-coached
>urnament since. But if that Jfc Jw^k i9JL J
iay, he'd probably call that
e North Carolina A&T In- ij
the Aggies walk away with
Saturday ^BHH^HBBP^^
mother chance to knock off
yweights by picking up the A
>st-season berth for the third M
e in each of the past three ^^^^B m
^^^^B I
bridesmaids for yet another
nly once -- 2-1 -- but were B
s by A.B. Williamson's less- B
rted three freshmen. B
f received a first-round bye, B
ing South Carolina State, an
ne-Cookman in the opening
the championship game by
70-62. Delaware had beaten ___
'-52 in Thursday's opening |Fl0 Pepsi Cold
ii ,u u. Salem salutes Will
I less than eight minutes into ^ . u T. _
itained that 10-point advan- helped the C
ght points in succession over vvnii? noipea . .
I to within 23-21 at the 8:07 ChaiTiplOnSftJp lOST t
dividual state title ir
I thp Ricrtn 1H-? nvpr thp npvt ^
10-point bulge. Howard was IN honor of Reyi
18 at the half. White, The Pepsi CC
ison edged to within a single Sdlem Will make O <
inutes remaining before the dthlotlC program. A{
st six points. Will White of Reyhol
who won his third straight ti- Week,
st satisfying. "Of the three
said the hoarse a&t coach. Listen each Wednesday
last year's team nobody an- SPORTS where
ce of winning 20 games, the Week
)e page B4 I????i
TERRY
Discoun
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MwijirPAVB WEAVES | AMWfwTOOO ALLEN
hronicle, Thursday, March 8, 1984-Page B3
American
oany blood drives a^e a Red Cross
art of our nation's blood
>ly. So please have your
tart planning for a blood
today And you can help
? many lives tomorrow
WUHelpWill^bu? REP
ATHLETE I
'HE WEEK
|_1 V ^
Bottling Company of WinstonWhite
of Reynolds Senior High
epsi Prep Athlete of the Week,
lemons win the state swimming
weekend. He also claimed an ini
the lOO meters competition.
nolds Senior High swimmer Will
tla Bottling Company of Winston
:ash contribution to tno Reynolds
gain, congratulations to swimmer
Ids, The Pepsi Prep Athlete of the
y
r _ at
8 p.m. on WSJS for Gene Overby
he highlights Pepsi's Prep Athlete of the
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