Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Oct. 20, 2005, edition 1 / Page 19
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3C SPORTS/tCtt CtMirUnt $ot Thursday, October 20, 2005 C. JEMAL HORTON Class a factor in who turns pro and when Continued from page 1C socially respected aren't ques tioned when they pursue pro fessional careers. But kids in sports dominated by the broke and disenfranchised usually are told they must wait before finally getting financially stable. I swear, sometimes, it seems as if this country is determined to find reasons to keep poor people in the same miserable existence for as long as possible. Now, I am going to mention race here for a moment, folks. But only to illustrate a statis tical point: The professional football and basketball leagues in the United States are inherently black. Last season, while all of golf was 84 percent white, according to The Associated Press, 69 percent of the play ers in the NFL were black. In the NBA, blacks accounted for 76 percent of '^e play^. And, according to the National Poverty Center, the poverty rate for Afiican- Americans is hig^i^ than any other race in the U.S. (24.7 percent, compared with 8.6 percent for whites). Hence, poor people dominate sports such as football and basket ball, while rich people lead the way in “country club sports,” such as golf and ten nis. Again, the anphasis here is on socioeconomics; not race. And I have yet to understand why sports dominated by poor Americans have such silly rules about age restric tions. OK, I do understand it. And, ironically, that, too, relates to economics - the adults in college and profes sional sports who stand to profit the most financially fix)m “farm systems” claim it’s in the best interests of the kids to stay in schod. longer. Whatever. At the same time, in other professional sports, multi millionaire wunderkinds are allowed, if not encouraged, to take on the world. Eighteen-year-old Sidney Crosby, considered the best hockey prospect in two decades, is being asked to revitalize the NHL; 16-year- old Afiican American Donald Young, who turned pro at 14, is being touted as the next gi'eat male tennis player, and Wie takes the mantle for the LPGA and, perhaps, the PGA. I know; What about base ball? While many young and his torically poor people (see: Latinos) play Mqjor League Baseball, the Institute for Ethics and Diversity in Sport reports AfricEin-Americans (see: America’s poorest peo ple) make for just 9 percent of big-leaguers. But, despite that, at least you’re allowed to be a poor American teen-ager and pur sue baseball millions without being perceived as someone trying to cheat the system. And, hey, if you’re really lucky, you might land a car commercial with the great Michelle We. Whenever she finally does get her driver license. E-mail Post sports columnist C. Jemal Horton at seejemal- MTite&aolrom. Dye ready for long awaited return trip to World Series By Janie McCauley WE ASSOCIATED PRESS ANAHEIM, Calif.—Jermaine Dye never got past the first round of the playoffs during three October runs with Oakland. He spent parts of five seasons losing in Kansas City StiU, Chicago’s right fielder is one of just four White Sox players to take part in a World Series before this year. Jose Contreras and Orlando Hernandez pitdied for the New York Yankees in the post season, while Tlmo Perez did so for the New York Mets against the Yankees in 2000. “Just getting back to where I was my rookie year, this is everybody’s dream,” said Dye, who played in the 1996 World Series with Atlanta. "We’re just living a dream so far. Hopefully we can get that jewelry at the end.” It’s been a long road back to the top for Dye. He had hoped to stay with the Athletics, but . they coiildn’t afford his $14 million mutual option and Dye didn’t want to take a huge pay cut to return. ♦ Oakland made Dye the highest-paid player in team history when he signed in January 2002, six months after the A’s acquired him fix>m the Royals in a three-team trade. Dye wasn’t the same player after breaking his left leg _ he fouled a ball off himself - in the 2001 playoffs against the New York Yankees. He spent much of that winter on crutches. After hitting .252 in 2002, he felt better going into the following spring training, but then faced two more iiyuries that threw off his 2003 season. Dye had arthroscopic knee surgery in April 2003 that forced him to miss 30 games, then he was sidelined for 50 more with a separat ed ri^t shoulder. He never regained his rhythm at the plate. He hit .172 with four homers and 20 RBIs that season — all career lows. He hit 23 homers with 80 RBIs in 2004, then had 31 homers and 86 RBIs this season. He signed a $10.15 million, two-year con tract with Chicago last December that includes a club option for 2007. “This means a lot,” he said. WSSU, N.C. A&T renew rivalry Todd By Craig T. Greenlee HBCU SPORTS PRESS ASSOCIATION GREENSBORO - One of black college football’s most unique rivalries will be renewed for the 2006 season. For fans of N.C. A&T and ^finston-Salem State, the game can’t come soon enough “The tradition is back,” said Dee Ibdd, N.C. A&Ts athlet ics director. “When these schools get together in foot ball, it’s like a big family affair. There’s respect on both sides, but it’s also very com- petitive. Really, it’s like having a sec ond homecom ing on the schedule,” O ffi c i a 1 s fiom both schools announced at a press conference earlier this month that the Aggies will play the Rams next season on Sept. 2 in Greensboro, ending a seven-year hiatus. I^th the exception of each school’s homecoming game, A&T- WSSU is historically the biggest draw at the gate for both schools. During the 1990s, the game’s average attendance was 18,191. The revival of this series coincides with Winston’s move fiom NCAA Division 11 to Division I. The Rams are expected to be accepted as membCTS of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the same league that the Aggies compete in. “Being 25 miles away and not being able to play this game was sad,” said Chico Caldwell, WSSU athletics director. “Now we’re able to play and we’re looking for ward to it.” The Aggies-Rams rivalry has special ties that tran scend the usual battle for annual bragging rights. It takes about 30 to 35 minutes of drive time to travel fix)m one school to the other. But proximity is just part of the story Not only do these schools have a stroi^ alumni base in both Greensboro and ^%iston-Salem, but there are a substantial number of fans who live in Greensboro and work in \Vinston-Salem, and vice versa. A&T and WSSU fiequently go after the same athletes in recruiting and many of the players already know each other as training partners during smmner workouts. These ties that bind also include school administrators and coaches. WSSU Chancellor Harold Martin is an N.C. A&T alumnus; Tbdd graduated from Winston- Salem. Coaches (Jeorge Small of A&T and Kennit Blount of WSSU are gradu ates of the schools they now coach. They competed against each other in this rivalry in the late 70s. “As a player, what I remem ber most about those games is the atmosphere,” Small said. “It was electrifying. It was always a game that you had to get up for.” Blount agrees. “Starting this s^es again is going to be a good marriage for the long inn,” said the for int quarterback who led the Rams to wins over the Aggies in 1977 and 78. “Tve always PROFESSIONAL FLOORING MOBLEY’S Visit Our Showroom 4936^'”’°' Albemarle Road Charlotte, NC 28205 Residential & Commercial Carpet Cleaning,Sales & Service • New Carpet Sales • VCT • Hardwood Flooring • Ceramic & Marble Tile Thanks U thU U cm New Carpet Installed Carpet Installed Carpet, Pad & Labor 99 per yard Only $21. Carpet Cleaning “3” Rooms & Hallway Only $105‘^ 400 Sq. ft. Vinyl Floor Congoleum & Armstrong 99 per yard Only $15. Duct Cleaning Only $20 per vent “For Your Health" Remove the Dust Prom Your Vents! “SPECIALS” Valid With This Ad Only Eddie Mobley, Sr. • Eddie Mobley, Jr. Ph: 704-531-0155 • Fax: 704-536-4272 felt that WSSU-A&T is one of the best things going in black college football. When I played, we had lots of incen tive because we were Division n and we wanted so badly to knock off a Division I-AA team.” Seven years ago, A&T was forced to drop WSSU fixjm its sdiedule because of adminis trative mandates. The NCAA issued an edict limiting all Division I-AA programs to play only one game gainst Division n competition. Tb play more than one Division II game would result in a fine of $25,000. Aside fium the Rams, A&T regular ly scheduled another Division n school — North Carolina Central — in the season-open ing Aggie Eagle Classic. The classic attracted larger crowds, as many as 50,000 in some years. As a result, WSSU became the odd team out, and the series ended. The Aggie-Eagle Classic is now history The last game was played last month, which created an opportunity for the renewal of the annual I- 40 showdown. 1A5th A&T and WSSU alternating as the game’s host, both schools fig ures to do fairly well finan cially &nce the game won’t be played at a neutral site, the schools get a bigger portion of the income fix)m parking and concessions, and paying sta dium rental won’t be as much of a concCTiL “It was never a case of if this rivalry was going to be renewed,” Ibdd said. “It was only a matter of when it would happen.” Whether you're visiting Chapel Hill. Durham, or Raleigh, The Comfort Inn University is the perfect place to stay. With amenities such as a deluxe conti nental breakfast, full fitness center, outdoor pool, and free high-speed wireless internet access, we know how to make you feel comfortable during your stay. 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 20, 2005, edition 1
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