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Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The HBCU experience
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Welcome to the HBCU experience, our look at what makes attending a football game at an historically Black institution more than a game.
Using Saturday’s Atlanta Football Classic matchup between Tennessee State and Florida A&M as an example, a contest involving two HBCU institutions is always much more than a game. Granted, the final outcome is extremely important for the combatants on the field - and those off the field who enjoy good-natured ribbing with their rivals.
But let’s keep it real - the parties, tailgating and step shows make the experience great, and the battle of the bands takes it over the top. And it’s always good to see how the old flame is holding up (or not) year after year …..
You can’t talk about HBCU Classics without mentioning the Bayou Classic between Grambling and Southern in New Orleans. Thanksgiving weekend in Nawlins? Enough said. And the driving force of the Classic — the late great Eddie Robinson — was the first college coach to win 400 games and will be remembered as one of the best coaches and teachers in college history.
The Florida Classic between FAMU and Bethune-Cookman , scheduled for Nov. 22 at the Florida Citrus Bowl, has drawn more than 70,000 fans in each of the last seven seasons and has staked its claim as the nation’s largest game between HBCU schools.
While FAMU and TSU duel at the Dome, Morehouse takes its show on the road this weekend to play Prairie View in the Angel City Classic in Los Angeles. Closer to home, the Maroon Tigers and Tuskegee will meet next month in Columbus, Ga. in a Classic event that’s been alive and well for more than 70 years.
Not all HBCU games feature two or three-day weekends with corporate sponsors footing the bill, but most, if not all, feature an atmosphere in which everyone feels like family and it’s more than just a game — it’s an experience. On a somewhat smaller scale, long-time Atlantans can recall the sounds of the AU Center bands warming up early Saturday morning and the parades on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Please share some of your HBCU experiences - which Classic game is the best in your opinion (and why), who has the best bands among HBCU schools (and why) and what’s the tradition at your school that stands out among all others.
Send us your photos: Have any photos from any previous Atlanta Football Classic experiences that you would like to share? How about any other HBCU Classic games? Send us your photos by clicking here and following the instructions.
It’s all about you: In nearly 15 years at the AJC, I’ve been asked often about the coverage of black colleges - or lack thereof - at the newspaper. Now, you have an opportunity to let us know what you would like to see. As a former college sports editor now totally immersed online, I can bring print and digital experience to this forum — but it’s not about what I want you to see, it’s about what’s important to you. Let us know and let’s begin the discussion.
