Grambling wins annual Bayou Classic

Grambling State defeated Southern University 36-12 in the 38^th annual Bayou Classic Saturday in New Orleans, LA.

The Tigers (7-4, 6-3 SWAC) led 10-0 in the second quarter when D.J. Williams connected with Mario Louis for a 27-yard score.

Grambling State led 10-6 at halftime.

Southern (4-7, 4-5) came within five (17-12) when Dray Joseph threw a 5-yard strike to Michael Berry. The following 2-point try was unsuccessful.

Grambling put the game out of reach with 19 consecutive points which consisted of two touchdowns, a field goal and a safety.

The win clinches the Tigers a SWAC West Division title and a spot in the 2011 SWAC Championship game on December 10 in Birmingham, AL versus East division winner Alabama A&M.

The Tigers end the regular season on a six game win streak and have now won the last four Bayou Classics.

The Bayou Classic has been played under its moniker since 1974 and is the only black college football classic shown on network television.

Alabama State wins 88th Turkey Day Classic

Alabama State defeated Division II Tuskegee 30-21in the 88^th annual Turkey Day Classic Saturday in Montgomery.

The Hornets (8-3) led 17-0 with 2:22 left in the first quarter via two Greg Jenkins touchdowns and a 29-yard Bobby Wenzig field goal.

Tim Clark added another score for Alabama State in the second quarter with a 17-yard TD run to give them a 23-7 lead at halftime.

Tuskegee (4-6) mounted a comeback in the second half with a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown and a touchdown run by DeMario Pippen to pull the Golden Tigers within two, 23-21, with 12:41 remaining.

Clark ended any possible Tuskegee comeback with a 1-yard TD run with 1:20 left in the fourth, preserving the nine point win.

Alabama State outgained Tuskegee 455-270 in total offense despite having the ball for 24:19. Greg Jenkins passed for 167 yards for the Hornets before leaving the game with a broken hand injury.

The Turkey Day Classic has been played since 1924 however both teams first played each other in 1901, making this contest the oldest black college football classic.

Norfolk State ousted from FCS playoffs

Norfolk State lost to Old Dominion 35-18 Saturday in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

The Spartans (9-3, 7-1 MEAC) took an early 7-0 lead on a 98-yard touchdown pass from Chris Walley to Derrick Demps. It was their only lead of the game.

Old Dominion (10-2, 6-2 CAA) showed their dominance after the Spartans’ early score. The Monarchs scored 21 consecutive points to lead 21-7 at halftime.

Taylor Heinicke threw two more touchdown passes for ODU in the third quarter of 2 and 18 yards, respectively. Monarchs led 35-7 at that point.

Norfolk State scored in the final period to bring the deficit to 17 but they got no closer.

The Spartans were the only team from an HBCU conference in the FCS playoffs as first time champions of the MEAC.

Chris Walley ended the day with 363 yards passing on 28 of 43 completions, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Heinicke passed for 269 yards and five touchdowns for Old Dominion.

Texas Southern beats Southern on senior night

Riko Smalls’ three total TDs helped Texas Southern defeat Southern 29-15 Saturday night in Houston.

The Tigers led 15-0 in the second quarter and never trailed for the remainder of the game.

Jaguars’ quarterback J.P. Douglas connected with Jared Green on a 50-yard touchdown pass late in the quarter. Texas Southern led 15-8 at halftime.

The Tigers (4-5, 2-5 SWAC) increased their lead to 22-7 early in the third quarter on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Smalls to Artie Collins.

Southern (3-6, 3-4) came within seven of the TSU lead when Douglas threw to Michael Berry for 24 yards and did not get any closer.

Smalls later connected with Joe Anderson for a 13-yard touchdown pass in the quarter for the final score.

Smalls led the game in passing going for 26 of 39 for 365 yards and rushing with 71 yards.

Texas Southern played their final game at Houston ISD’s Delmar Stadium and move into a brand-new stadium slated for September 2012.

Douglas completed 16 of 35 for 207 yards and was sacked four times.

Alabama State maintains first place in SWAC East with win

Alabama State ruins homecoming for Arkansas-Pine Bluff with a 28-12 win Saturday afternoon.

Tim Clark opened the scoring for the Hornets with a 2-yard TD run on the game’s first drive.

Devin Dominguez threw a 51-yard TD pass to Nehemiah Henry to give Alabama State a 14-0 lead with 3:57 remaining. 

Both teams did not score in the second quarter and the ASU lead remained the same at halftime.

Clark added two more touchdowns in the second half with runs of seven and 71 yards to give the Hornets a commanding 28-3 third quarter lead.

Justin Billings scored on a 40-yard TD run and Chris Ewald made two field goals for the Golden Lions (4-5, 3-4).

Dominguez passed for 254 yards and one touchdown while Clark rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns for the Hornets.

Alabama State remains in first place in the SWAC Eastern Division with the 16-point win.

Benjamin Anderson led UAPB with 31 of 48 passing for 274 yards and two interceptions including one that ended a 15-play, 70 yard drive to the ASU 6 late in the first half.

Florida A&M beats NC A&T with game-ending INT

Florida A&M defeated North Carolina A&T 26-20 Saturday night in Tallahassee.

The Aggies led 20-7 midway through the second quarter behind two touchdown runs by Mike Mayhew. FAMU then scored 13 straight points including two Trevor Scott field goals to tie the game 20-20 at halftime.

Scott broke the halftime tie with a 40-yard field goal to give the Rattlers a 23-20 lead with 11:08 left to play in the third quarter. He then added another field goal in the fourth quarter to increase the lead to six (26-20) with 4:41 remaining.

Lewis Kindle led North Carolina A&T from their own 7-yard line to the FAMU 39 before John Williams intercepted his in the end zone as time expired, preserving the win for the Rattlers.

Florida A&M (6-3, 4-2 MEAC) has now won three straight games while NC A&T (4-5, 3-3) have lost three in a row.

Damien Fleming passed for 254 yards and two touchdowns for Florida A&M and Mike Mayhew rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns for the Aggies.

35 consecutive points help Bethune-Cookman upend Morgan State

Bethune-Cookman rallied to beat Morgan State 49-23 Saturday in Daytona Beach.

Jackie Wilson scored the opening touchdown with a 1-yard run to give the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead.

Morgan State (5-4, 4-2 MEAC) responded with 10 unanswered points to lead by 3 in the second quarter.

 Bethune-Cookman (6-3, 4-2) took the lead for good by scoring 35 straight points in a stretch of 22:43.

During that span, Johnathan Moment scored on runs of 28 and 3 yards, Jackie Wilson scored on four and 45 yards and Isidore Jackson scored the fifth touchdown on a 21-yard run to give the Wildcats a 42-10 fourth quarter lead.

Morgan State scored twice in the second half but the damage was already done.

The Wildcats’ defense also contributed to the win with nine tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions.

Isidore Jackson led all BCU rushers with 93 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.

Travis Davidson rushed for 138 yards on 17 carries for Morgan State.

Norfolk State clinches MEAC football title

Norfolk State routed Savannah State 45-3 Saturday behind Chris Walley’s five total touchdowns.

Walley’s two first-quarter touchdown passes and a 17-yard touchdown run helped the Spartans to a 21-0 lead. Ryan Estep added a field goal as time expired in the second quarter to give Norfolk State a 24-0 lead at halftime.

Walley continued to torch the Tigers defense with two more touchdowns in the in the third quarter. Norfolk State led 38-3 at that point.

Nico Flores scored the final touchdown for the Spartans in the fourth quarter from four yards out much to the chagrin of Savannah State.

The win clinches the Spartans (8-2, 6-1 MEAC) a share of the MEAC title coupled with Morgan State’s 49-23 loss to Bethune-Cookman. It is the first conference football title since winning the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship in 1984.

Savannah State (1-8, 1-5) was 0 for 12 on third down conversions and did not make a single trip into the red zone.

The Spartans outgained the Tigers 559-45 in total yards and were 20 yards shy of last year’s record setting performance versus Savannah State.

Walley passed for 271 yards on 20 of 25 completions and added 72 yards rushing on four carries.

Howard rallies in fourth to upset FAMU

Howard overcame a 21-0 halftime deficit to beat Florida A&M 29-28 in a MEAC football showdown. It also happened to be Homecoming for the Rattlers.

FAMU was a well-oiled machine in the first half, scoring 21 straight points including two touchdown passes from Damien Fleming to take a commanding lead into halftime.

However, no lead is safe. Ask the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. Howard (3-3, 2-2 MEAC) started to chip away at the Rattler lead with two touchdowns (one PAT failed) early in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 28-13.

Bison QB Greg McGhee threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Drayton with under two minutes to play, and Andra Williams rushed for a one yard touchdown run to come within two (28-26) with 26 seconds remaining.

FAMU only had to run out the clock to preserve the win but Fleming fumbled the ball on second down at the Rattlers 28 and recovered by Howard’s Sackie Kerkulah and returned to the FAMU 15.

Howard’s Parker Munoz kicked the game winning field goal with four seconds left on the ensuing possession for the one point victory.

McGhee threw for 233 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions for Howard.

Florida A&M (3-3, 1-2) was held to 27 yards rushing.

Bethune-Cookman inept offense key in loss to NC A&T

Defending MEAC champion Bethune-Cookman lost to North Carolina A&T 22-3 Saturday in Greensboro. The Wildcats were looking to extend its winning streak over the Aggies to eight games.

The usually high-octane offense was put in check by the aggressive A&T defense. The Aggies forced and recovered three fumbles, recorded a safety and intercepted a BCU pass. The Wildcats (2-3, 1-2 MEAC) were held to five yards rushing and only scored on a field goal in the first quarter.

North Carolina A&T (3-2, 2-0 MEAC) trailed 3-2 in the first quarter before scoring 10 unanswered points to lead 12-3 at halftime.

The Aggies then scored 10 more second half points including a nine yard touchdown run by Mike Mayhew midway of the fourth quarter to seal the 19 point victory.

The loss by BCU snaps a seven game winning streak in the series over A&T and gives the Aggies consecutive conference wins for the first time since November 2003.

The Wildcats also has lows in offense, generating only 108 total yards.

David Kindle threw for 119 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the Aggies.

Hampton outlasts Ivy League’s Princeton

Hampton defeated Princeton 28-23 in a MEAC vs. Ivy League football showdown Saturday night.

The Pirates (3-2) led 21-10 at halftime courtesy of two touchdown runs and one touchdown pass from David Legree to Dyrri McCain.

Princeton (1-3) outgained Hampton 427-396 but only converted one touchdown drive in seven red zone trips deep in Pirates territory.

Legree gave Hampton a 28-20 lead early in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. The Tigers had one more possession following a made field goal but turned it over on downs at the Hampton 16 yard line with 1:26 remaining.

Legree had a season high 302 passing yards on 26 completions with two touchdowns. McCain also contributed with six catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns.

The win snapped a two game losing streak for the Pirates.

Chuck Dibilo rushed for 147 yards and one touchdown for Princeton.

Jackson State rolls over Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Jackson State scored 34 consecutive second half points in a 48-10 home win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Saturday night.

The Tigers had a 14-10 halftime lead via two touchdown passes from QB Casey Therriault of 75 and 45 yards, respectively.

Jackson State (5-1, 3-1 SWAC) was effective on the ground as well as through the air. They rushed for 242 yards on 35 attempts including 115 yards from Tommy Gooden. They also scored four rushing touchdowns with four different running backs.

Therriault ended the day going 17 of 22 for 263 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Jackson State is currently in the hunt for the black college football national championship title.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-3, 2-2) struggled on third down, converting 5 for 17. Adrian Wilson led the Golden Lions with 163 all purpose yards.

Late FG edges PVAMU over Southern

Prairie View A&M beat Southern U. 23-20 Saturday night in Baton Rouge. The Panthers came into the SWAC football contest looking to extend their lead in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division following an eight point win over Grambling in last week’s State Fair Classic

.

The first half was low-scoring as both teams were knotted up at seven in the first quarter. The Panthers’ Moses Ellis gave Prairie View A&M (4-2, 4-1 SWAC) a 14-7 lead with a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Southern (2-4, 2-2) scored on a touchdown pass from QB Dray Joseph but the PAT was blocked. PVAMU led 14-13 at halftime.

The Panthers extended the lead to seven (20-13) on a three yard touchdown run by QB Jermaine Waddy with 2:03 remaining in the third quarter. Southern tied the game at 20 via a 38 yard interception return by Anthony Balancier with 19 seconds left.

Prairie View A&M iced the game with a 12-play, 41 yard drive which consumed 5:13 of the game clock which was capped by a 19-yard field goal by kicker Christopher Barrick with 40 seconds left in the game.

 The game-winning kick was the second for Barrick, who kicked a 36 yarder in the September 10 victory over in-state rival Texas Southern.

Prairie View A&M now has a one game lead over Arkansas Pine-Bluff in the SWAC Western Division and is in the driver’s seat in the race to Birmingham in December.

Dray Joseph went 14 of 23 for 141 yards and two touchdowns and one interception for the Jaguars.

Alabama State wins rematch of 2010 SWAC Title Game

Alabama State beat Texas Southern 43-29 Saturday in Houston in another SWAC football battle on the gridiron. This matchup was a rematch of the 2010 Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game, won by Texas Southern 11-6.

Texas Southern (2-3, 1-3 SWAC) led 14-13 late in the first half on a 15 yard touchdown run by running back Marcus Wright. The Hornets’ Bobby Wenzig kicked a 22-yard field goal to give ASU a 16-14 lead into halftime.

The Tigers scored on another touchdown run by Wright to take a 22-16 lead early in the third quarter. Alabama State (5-1, 5-0 SWAC) took the lead for good on a four yard touchdown pass from QB Greg Jenkins to Nick Andrews.

The Hornets scored another touchdown via a fumbled snap by TSU on the ensuing possession to take a 30-22 lead. They then scored 13 unanswered points to lead 43-22 before Texas Southern scored a late touchdown with 2:25 left in the game.

Bobby Wenzig kicked five field goals for the Hornets. QB Greg Jenkins ended the day with 158 yards passing on 11 completions with one touchdown and one interception.

Marcus Wright ran for 127 yards and two touchdowns for Texas Southern.

Bethune-Cookman no match for Miami (FL)

Bethune-Cookman lost to Miami (FL) 45-14 Saturday at SunLife Stadium. This was the first meeting between the two schools and first major college opponent for the Wildcats in its 86 year history.

The Wildcats took an early 7-0 lead when Jackie Wilson connected with Eddie Poole for a 1 yard touchdown pass. The quick score had the Hurricane fans in a state of shock and discernment.

BCU (2-2, 1-1 MEAC) kept Miami in check for the remainder of the first half and trailed 14-7 at halftime.

However, Miami (2-2, 0-1 ACC) eventually got it together and took the lead for good at 24-14 at the end of the third quarter.

The Hurricanes then scored 21 unanswered points in the final quarter to secure the victory and assuredly calmed the nerves of the Miami faithful in practically empty stadium.

Jackie Wilson went 21 of 31 for 180 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats.

Prairie View wins annual State Fair Classic

Prairie View’s Johnathan Troast led the Panthers to a 31-23 victory over Grambling State Saturday in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl.

Points were at a premium in the first half as both teams struggled to generate a substantial amount of offense. They each settled for field goals as the half came to a close with a 3-3 tie.

Grambling broke the tie in the third quarter with a 74 yard touchdown run by running back Dawrence Roberts to take a 10-3 lead. PV answered late in the quarter via a 32 yard touchdown pass from Troast to receiver Greg Thurmond.

GSU scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to cut the Panthers lead to 31-23 with over two minutes left but PV ran out the clock with its final possession to secure the eight point victory.

Troast finished the day with 21 completions on 27 attempts for 312 yards and four touchdowns. He replaced starting QB Jerry Lovelocke, who went down in the first half with an injury.

Prairie View moves into sole possession in the SWAC Western Division coupled with a loss of previously unbeaten Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Grambling State falls to last place in the standings at 1-3.

Dawrence Roberts rushed for 175 yards on 27 carries and one touchdown for the Tigers.

The State Fair Classic has been played since 1925 with Wiley and Langston playing in the inaugural game that ended in a 0-0 tie. The game was played on what was referred to as “Negro Day” at the Fair. Prairie View and Grambling began playing each other in the mid-80s before PV’s football program was disbanded in 1990.

The Tigers and the Panthers have recently played one another in the Classic since 1992.

Special teams woes, inept offense doom TSU

Jackson State routed Texas Southern 58-13 Thursday in a black college football showdown nationally televised on ESPNU.

Both teams played a stalemate in the first quarter with either side able to break the scoreless tie.

JSU (4-1, 3-1 SWAC) blew the game open in the second quarter with 34 consecutive points via the special teams woes and anemic offense of Texas Southern. Jackson State only had the ball for five minutes in the quarter.

Texas Southern (2-2, 1-2) finally showed signs of life with Martin Gilbert’s 42 yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 34-7. JSU added a field goal as time expired to lead 37-7 at halftime.

TSU’s only score of the second half was another touchdown run by Gilbert to trail JSU 37-13. Jackson State finally put the game away late in the third and the fourth quarter with 21 consecutive points to secure the 45 point victory.

Casey Therriault ended the day going for 15 of 27 for 300 yards, 3 passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. He rebounded five days after a dismal six interception performance in a home loss versus Alabama State.

Jackson State is ineligible to play in the 2011 SWAC Championship Game due to NCAA academic violations.

Gilbert rushed for 140 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns for Texas Southern.  

TSU’s contention for a legit title defense is in jeopardy following the loss and look to rebound in a rematch of the 2010 SWAC title game versus undefeated Alabama State Saturday in Houston.

Unstable economy worries young adults

The constant changes in today's economy has many young adults light in the wallet. Below is a link to a piece from blackamericaweb.com to shed some light on the matter.

http://bit.ly/n7w7xb

NFL, O how we missed thee

The day is almost here. NFL fans thought the lockout would wipe out an entire season and we would be stuck with the MLB Playoffs. Thankfully, a new, 10-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was reached with the help Patriots owner Robert Kraft and the NFLPA.

I owe you a bear hug, Bob.

The time has come to assemble the tailgate party, break out the faded jersey of your favorite team and join fantasy leagues.

The Green Bay Packers begin their title defense against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday with many story lines looming around the league. The AFC South may have a changing of the guard. New England reloads with Ochocinco and Haynesworth.

Cam Newton and Andy Dalton begin their rookie seasons with the Carolina and Cincinnati, respectively. Speaking of the Bengals, there may be a possible Carson Palmer sighting, according to reports.

Dallas begins a full season with new head coach Jason Garrett following a 6-10 campaign. Philadelphia tries to live up to the "Dream Team" hype and get to the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. Ex-Eagle Donovan McNabb tries to revive his career in Minnesota and New Orleans moves on without Reggie Bush.

The 2011 season will be quite interesting and we will watch every game and every SportsCenter highlight to determine who will represent the AFC and NFC in February 2012.

Football is back, my friends. Football is back.

Celebrities are overrated

Tuesday's alleged rumor of Will and Jada Smith breaking up set Twitter timelines ablazed and across Facebook pages.

Many people, including those who follow me on Twitter (@ubathediplomat, by the way) practically spazzed out at the possibility of the 13 year marriage would cease to exist. One follower mentioned she "shed a tear" of the apparent rumor. Yeah ok.

It has become apparent that some Black Americans look up to the Smiths as one of the few celebrity marriages with some longevity. Albeit both parties have issued a statement saying that the allegations were false and the marriage is intact gave a sigh of relief to many of the distressed who catch their news via social media.

However, I must ask two questions.

First, WHO died and said Will and Jada were the blueprint to a successful black marriage? Majority of celebrity marriages don't last with the exception of a few (Rodney & Holly Peete, Rev Run & Justine Simmons, etc.) Most celebs get married to boost their own individual careers.

I thought the Huxtables already established that foundation back in the 80s and the Obamas reaffirmed it back in 2008.

One of my Twitter followers tweeted yesterday that people put way too much faith in celebrities. Frankly, I agree 100%. They are human just like us regular folk. The difference is in the dollar amount.

Secondly, do people REALLY want to be in an open marriage? I'm sorry that is not a marriage. That's an orgy. If I were truly married and committed to my wife WHY on Earth would I allow her to sleep with other men and vice versa? If this is what you prefer then so be it. I love God too much to violate his law.

We have to stop basing our relationships on a celebrity's love life. It is NOT the same.

Kardashian sisters to pen novel

Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian will take their talents from TV to book writing.

The trio will make their fiction debut with a book entitled, "Dollhouse."

The work will center around their glamorous daily happenings as a family in the spotlight. The sisters reached out to their fans in May to come up with a title and the winner, fan Courtney Powell is featured in the novel.

The book is slated for release on November 1.

Author of "The Help" faces potential lawsuit

Author Kathryn Stockett asked for a judge to dismiss a lawsuit that accuses her of basing a book on a real-life woman who worked for her brother.

The best-selling book and movie which opens soon in theaters is based on relationships between black and white families and their African-American maids during the 1960s. The driving force of the book centers around a character named Aibileen.

Abilene Cooper, who the character is derived from, filed a lawsuit in February that accuses Stockett of using her name and likeness without permission. The suit asks for $75,000 in damages.

A hearing is set for August 16 will deal with a motion that Stockett's lawyers filed to have the suit dismissed.

Tyler TV?? It may be a reality....sort of.

Tyler Perry may be following in the footsteps of Oprah Winfrey and launch his own cable channel.

The filmmaker who turns plays into movies and has two sitcoms on TBS may be forming Tyler TV. According to the NY Times, Tyler TV is in name only and is intended to be a foundation for Perry.

The proposed network will show reruns of his sitcoms, movies plus third party content.

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey launched OWN prior to her departure from daytime TV on May 25.

OWN has worked out well for Oprah.....perhaps it could do the same for Tyler Perry. We'll see.

Yao recieves HOF nod as contributor

Former Houston Rockets C Yao Ming may become a 2012 HOF recipient as a special contributor.

NBA Hall of Fame President John Doleva said Tuesday that Yao was nominated by a member of the Chinese media and his efforts will be reviewed by an international panel.  Yao will be able to surpass the common five year waiting period for retired players.

Yao being nominated as a contributor eliminates the debate that might have followed his nomination as a player hampered by injuries. He would have not been eligible until 2017.

This unusual approach puts Yao on the ballot which is submitted at the end of the year. The ballot then goes through two rounds of voting before the finalists are announced at the 2012 Final Four in New Orleans. The actual ceremony will take place in August at the NBA Hall of Fame site in Springfield, MA.

The Hall defines the category as one who made "significant contributions to the game of basketball."

Yao helped to popularize the game of basketball in his native China and moved the NBA's lucrative business ventures towards his homeland.

He averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in his eight seasons with the Rockets.

NFL players ratify new CBA; league officially begins

NFL players voted Thursday to ratify the new collective bargaining agreement thus officially ending the nearly five month lockout.

Sources close to ESPN's Adam Schefter say the 10 year CBA includes for the first time blood testing for human growth hormone (HGH) with the goal to implement the testing as early as week 1 of the 2011 season.

The exact HGH testing methods will come at future talks with the league and NFLPA. The NFL will be the first  U.S. professional sport league to test for HGH.

Players who signed new contracts are now free to practice as a result of the CBA ratification.

Furthermore, commissioner Roger Goodell will retain power to hand out disciplinary actions under the personal conduct policy detailed in the new agreement.

Sources also say players are likely to appeal suspensions under the drug policy to an independent arbitrator.

NBA, NBAPA take lockout to the courts

The NBA on Tuesday filed lawsuits against the NBA Players Association (NBAPA) in an effort to thwart an antitrust lawsuit filed by the players.

The two claims are an unfair labor practice with the National Labor Relations Board and a lawsuit with New York federal district court.

The players are accused of being uncooperative in negotiations towards a new collective barganing agreement (CBA) by making various threats to dissolve the union and file an antitrust suit against the league.

Players' attorney Jeffery Kessler says that they are frustrated because they believe the owners are negotiating in bad faith.

The current CBA expired June 30 and the union has made no decision to decertify.

Shell faces payout amid Nigeria oil spills

Royal Dutch Shell may have to pay $410 million in compensation after admitting fault for two oil spills in Nigeria via a claim filed in the UK.

It comes after a lawsuit was brought in the High Court by the Bodo Community in the Niger Delta against Shell and its subsidiaries. The compensation is to be paid to the 69,000 Nigerians who were affected by the damage caused by leaks in the pipelines.

Majority of the claims were made by fishermen who make about $5,000 to $8,000 on average.

The award is for loss of livelihood over the past three years and it could take up to two years for a full clean up.

The case stems from oil spills in 2008-09 that damaged the waterways in particular the fishing community of the Bodo people.

According to CNN, Shell says the spills aren't the result of operational failures but third party intereference such as theft and sabotage. In 2011, Shell claimed 13 spills in the Bodo area were a result of illegal activity.

The company recorded 32 operational spills in the Niger Delta, down from 37 in 2009.

Welcome to Texas Southern University

Dear freshmen,

Congratulations on being accepted to Texas Southern University! You have chosen an institution that will instill the core values needed to become a productive citizen upon graduation. I can relate to stepping into a new world filled with new experiences both good and bad. I was a freshman once. I made my share of mistakes. 

I take this time as a newly alumnus to share with you some tips on surviving your freshman year of college and establishing a solid foundation on your journey towards getting the degree.

• Realize that everyone is NOT your friend. Yes college is a time where you make new friends, but associate with people who are going places, who will inspire and encourage you to reach your full potential.  (Proverbs 18:24)

• Ask for help if you're unfamiliar with the campus layout and where certain buildings are on campus.

• When the refund check comes please spend the money wisely. Buy all necessary books first. Secondly, buy any secondary school items (backpack, notebooks, paper/pens).

• Get to know your professors and staff within your department. It will come in handy when you become an upperclassman. Also join organizations that relates to your major.

• Study, study, study. Remember that you came to college to get a DEGREE. Also, do all necessary work for your professors. It will score major points during Finals Week. Balance your social life and your classwork. Strive to get all A's and B's. Your freshman year determines how you graduate.

• Try to NOT have any work due during Homecoming Week. If so, you'll live to regret it.

• Attend church regularly and Bible study on Wednesday. You will need God a lot more during this part of your life. Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church will be your home away from home. Founded by TSU students.

• Last but not least, NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. It's not always what you know but WHO you know.

Well, it has been a blessing to share this knowledge with you. I hope to see you at the H&PE Arena at Commencement. God Bless and Go Tigers!!!

Congress passes debt deal

 The Senate passed with a 74-26 vote Tuesday to pass the debt deal after it zipped through the GOP-controlled House on Monday.

The passage of the deal will raise the debt ceiling by $2.1 trillion and avoid a loan default for the first time in the nation's history. Obama praised the bill moments after it passed the Senate saying that the measure 'is the first step that as a nation we live within our means' but later said that the American economy 'didn't need Washington to come along with a manufactured crisis.'

The federal government could still see a credit downgrade although Fitch reported that for now the U.S has a AAA credit rating. The S&P 500 and Moody's are still undecided.

Details of the debt deal


The agreement reached Sunday calls for savings of $2.4 T over the next decade and raise the debt ceiling to at least the end of 2012 and creates a special committee to recommend long-term entitlement and tax reforms.

The final agreement comes in two phases:

Phase 1: Cut spending by $917 B and raise debt ceiling by $900 B

Phase 2: A special joint-Congress committee to recommend further deficit reductions. The panel's recommendations would be due by November 23 and a vote would take place by December 23. If the recommendations are enacted, the ceiling will go up by $1.5 T otherwise the ceiling will still be raised by $1.2 T but mandatory cuts across the board will be triggered.

Higher education took a hit as a result of this deal. Congress would scrap subsidized federal loans for graduate students beginning July 1, 2012.  Congress will also eliminate a credit for those who make 12 consecutive on-time loan repayments.

For taxpayers, the savings will total $21.6 billion over the next 10 years. Students who qualify for the maximum amount of subsidized loans could tack thousands into the cost of school.

The idea for these cuts came from the GOP-controlled House. however Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid proposed of talks last week. Of the $22 billion saved, $17 billion will go towards funding Pell Grants. The remainder will go towards paying down debt.

Another cut Congress is targeting would be a credit students get for the government to process their loans. In other words, a student who wishes to take out a $5,000 loan for college would pay the federal government a process fee of $25. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this would cost students $3.6 billion over the next decade.


According to a recent survey, 17% of Americans believe Congress are behaving like responsible adults while 77% believe they are acting like spoiled children.

Congress will be in recess until early September.

Texas Southern suffers budget cuts, eliminates positions

Below is the link to the offical press release concerning the budget cuts at Texas Southern University. I do urge the student body to act on this issue and get involved.

http://bit.ly/p67b71

Debt Ceiling: What is it and why should Americans care?

Ok. Many of you who have watched CNN in recent weeks and heard the phrase "debt ceiling." Some ask the questions "What exactly is a debt ceiling?"and "Why does it matter to me?" Well pull up a chair and I'll fill you in.

The debt ceiling is the legal borrowing limit by our government. Prior to 1917. Congress had to vote on borrowing money each time the issue came up. Congress decided to give blanket approval for most types of borrowing---as long as the total was less than an established limit.

Why does it matter to me? Glad you asked. The nation's debt is inching closer to it's limit of $14.3 trillion dollars. The ceiling could have been breached as early as May 16 but Congress worked out a short-term deal to give itself more time, hence the circus we have now.

Congress has until August 2nd to forumlate a deal to raise the debt ceiling to avoid a loan default. If the debt ceiling isn't raised then the country will lose the ability to borrow money to pay its bills. There is NO precedent for this type of situation. Congress has never defaulted on any type of loan in its history.

Republicans like John Boehner say that if  the ceiling is raised the limit, they need a commitment from the White House for more spending cuts, however the Obama Administration has resisted the idea of a "cut, cap and balance" plan and instead argue that the solvency of the government is too important to be held hostage by secondary issues.

Enough stating boring facts. Now here is my own opinion.

The ceiling needs to be raised but it doesn't matter now.

We already did and still are bailing out the financial industry, bought all their garbage, bankrupted Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, stripped the value of deposits owned by the prudent, are giving free money away thru the Federal Reserve to banks, speculators, deadbeats, debtors, wall street and the government, literally imposed a tax on savers' wealth with interest rates engineered by the Fed.

We destroyed the value of our once sovereign currency (again the fed), stripped our manufacturing and sent it overseas, fought two unfunded wars supported by those that got the blood money tax breaks, expanded Medicare drug coverage to help its bankruptcy along, borrowed all the money from the SS trust fund and called it a surplus in the general budget and bailed out foreign governments.

 In addition, we  let corporations be treated as individuals with unlimited campaign money and the ever present lobbyists bribing congress, enabled a corporate welfare system where companies invest a million on K street to gain a billion in legislated profits through graft and one asks do deficits matter?

Obviously not.

What the hell did you think was going to happen America?

Ok. I'm done.

Amy Winehouse dead at 27

The UK Press Association reports that singer Amy Winehouse was found dead in her London home  on Saturday. She was only 27 years old.

Winehouse had a history of drug and alcohol abuse and had recently left a rehabilitation center in preparation for a European tour. She cut a Belgrade, Serbia concert short last month after staggering on stage and fumbling through songs.

The British singer had a breakout year in 2008 when she won Grammy awards including Song of the Year for "Rehab". Her career then took a troubled turn after a rocky divorce with Blake Fielder-Civil marked with arrests.

The London Telegraph reported in 2009 that her parents said she "was on the road to recovery."

Police have yet to determine if cause of death was a suicide.

The singer with an old school Motown soulful voice will surely be missed.

Journalism 443 Final Exam- Ndukaku Okereke (Bin Laden story)

Terrorist group leader dead in standoff

By Uba Okereke

Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden was killed Sunday last week by Navy SEALs at his compound three hours outside of Islamabad, Pakistan, CNN reports.

The 40 minute raid closes an important chapter in the hunt for Bin Laden since the war on terror was declared in 2003. Minutes after the news of the death hundreds of Americans crowded the streets of Washington, D.C.

“When I first heard that Bin Laden was killed naturally I thought it was political propaganda,” said SGA President-elect Shekira Dennis. “I did not genuinely believe that he was dead.

President Obama addressed the nation in a brief press conference to give the breakdown of the mission to kill Bin Laden. He also urged many Americans abroad to not congregate in mass gatherings due to safety concerns and that all airports are on medium to high alert.

Many people questioned the death of Bin Laden since there weren’t any immediate photos that displayed the deceased Bin Laden.

“I thought that it was some governmental scheme to get the American people to believe we had some type of breakthrough and been somewhat productive, “Dennis said.

Obama stated in his press conference that a DNA test was given that confirmed that the deceased was in fact Osama Bin Laden.

According to CNN, many al-Qaeda affiliates have published effusive tributes to their leader and have vowed to avenge his death.

Osama Bin Laden was the man responsible for terrorist attacks in east Africa in 1998, the USS Cole in 2000 and the attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001.

Resume

Education

                        Texas Southern University                                      Houston, TX

                                Candidate for Bachelor of Arts in Communications   May 2011

                             Major: Journalism   Minor: Accounting                      

                                                                                                                                                               

Experience

Texas Southern University Herald (Newspaper) – Houston, TX     Aug. 2008 – Present

Sports Editor

·         Covered all Texas Southern University athletic events

·         Conducted interviews with players, coaches and front office personnel

·         Increased readership by 20% for the 2010-2011 school year

·         Social Media Correspondent for the 25^th Annual HABJ Awards Dinner

Houston Community News (Newspaper) – Houston, TX                Jan.2010 –May 2010

Contributing writer

·         Covered sports and social events around the Houston area

·         Researched information for stories and blogs

·         Received recognition for daily contributions to the newspaper

Regal Magazine (Internship) – Houston, TX                                         Jan. 2011-Present

  Intern

·         Wrote sports stories on teams from various HBCU campuses

·         Helped the editor with all stories dealing with the Black Community

·         Covered the 2011 SWAC Basketball  Tournament

·         Interviewed Dr. Cornel West and  Minister Louis Farrakhan at Howard University

Organizations/

Activities

                        Texas Southern University Student Government Association (TSUSGA) –Senator

Texas Southern University Association of Black Journalists (TSUABJ) Member

Texas Southern University NAACP Unit #6864 (Houston,TX) Political Action Chair

National Association of Black Journalists- Member

Skills

Adobe Software: Dreamweaver; InDesign; Photoshop;                                                                

                                Web 2.0 Sites: BlogSpot; Facebook; MySpace; Twitter; YouTube

Nigeria elects a president

Incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan won the presidential election on Monday, April 18 the election commission said.

According to Chairman Attahiru Jega, Jonathan satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes and hereby was declared the winner.

The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won 22,495, 187 of the 39, 469, 484 votes cast on April 16. The number outweighed the votes of Muhammad Buhari, of the Congress for Progressive Change, the main opposition party, which had 12, 214,853.

“The election was free and fair but there were pockets of protest from the northern part of the country where Buhari hails from,” said Lawrence Azibuike.

Rioting in the Muslim populated area of Nigeria soon erupted once Jonathan was declared the winner.  Concerned about ongoing violence Nigerian election officials Thursday delayed the gubernatorial elections in Kaduna and Bauchi states until April 28.

Jega said that the delay will help to further the cooling of tempers and for the security in those states to improve.

Goodluck Jonathan hails from the oil-rich southern region of Nigeria, which is mostly Christian.

Parts of the Muslim north charge that the elections were rigged. Armed protestors roamed the streets chanting the name of Buhari, the opposition leader.

According to the Nigerian Red Cross, more than 40,000 people have been displaced in the north due to acts of violence in the region. Jonathan has urged the people that “enough is enough.”

The elections four years ago were widely condemned for rampant vote rigging, violence intimidation, and theft of ballot boxes.

Action Congress of Nigeria, another opposition party, said Thursday that the elections were the most systematically rigged election in Nigeria’s history.

Jonathan assumed the presidency prior to the elections after Umaru Yar’Adua succumbed to failing health last year.

World leaders have urged the nation to investigate on allegations of ballot stuffing and unusual high turnout in some areas.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil-producer and most populous nation with over 150 million people.

Members of the Student Government Association traveled to Washington, D.C. for a week-long conference at Howard University. The leadership summit was hosted by students of the 50^th administration of the Howard University Student Association (HUSA).

The conference entitled, Footprints: Retracing Our Legacy, One Step at a Time, was designed to reflect on past leaders from Black institutions as we establish our own legacy and solidify our place in the community as global leaders.

In addition, student leaders engaged in consistent dialogue to help set an agenda and foster solutions for African Americans and people of African descent worldwide.

The conference had detailed workshops and sessions that provided our student leaders the tools to analyze our legacy to enact the right change and solutions for today’s issues.

The sessions touched on the areas on effective communication, advocacy for the black community and team building exercises. In addition, the attendees also partook in a luncheon and panel discussion hosted by the National Urban League.

Students from Tuskegee, Bowie State and University also accompanied Texas Southern at the conference.

“This was truly an educational and mind unraveling experience,” said sophomore Donte Newman.

The conference also included a Spring Fest fashion show hosted by Howard University students and a speaker series with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan who spoke on the state of Black America and briefly on how President Obama has become the “black mascot” for Wall Street. Minister Louis Farrakhan is the leader of the Nation of Islam.

“Attending the HBCU Leadership Conference was such a rewarding and enriching experience,” said junior Iysha Batts. “The people I met and the lessons I learned will stick with me for a lifetime.”

The conference ended with a church service at the school auditorium where Dr. Cornel West gave the sermon followed with a luncheon.

Editorial: College students should be wary of world affairs

The recent world events that have occurred since the beginning of 2010 has changed our perspective on they have affected us as Americans. College students should pay close attention to the revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa as they have directly affected the transportation issue with the steadily climb of gasoline prices.

The average price of gasoline was $3.11 on January 24, one day before the Egypt revolution. Since then the price has jumped almost one full dollar as a result of the ongoing issue in Libya.

Students should not turn a blind eye to the world events because all things affect the American people. I do feel as though college students don’t pay too much attention to the world events because they feel as if it won’t pose a direct impact to them unless it affects their money, or lack thereof. College students should form focus groups to discuss these issues and find out as to why these world events are occurring.

For example, no one knew about the recent violence in the Ivory Coast as a result from the presidential elections between the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo and his challenger Alassane Ouattara.

It seems as though the college student is only concerned with local and national issues but does not to be in tune with their brothers and sisters abroad. Well, at least people tuned in to the Haiti and Japan earthquakes and made an attempt to help but that is not enough.

The college student must become globally aware because the real world is not only confined to Third Ward or to Oakland and so on and so forth.

We must stay alert to world affairs by reading newspapers, watching CNN or other international news outlets so that we can have a sense of what is happening on a particular day in other parts of the world.

 Furthermore, the ongoing issues in Libya is influencing decisions here in the States on the proper course of action which has taken the focus of off what is most importing here in America: education and jobs.

 If college students could discuss what is happening in Libya instead of what happened on a favorite reality show then we could more socially aware and be globally educated.

Athletics: Editorial Piece (Athletics trump academics in the Black community)

I sit in my modest room of my campus apartment. I relax and take in a basketball game on ESPN featuring two nationally ranked boys’ high school teams. The arena is packed to capacity as the game is hotly contested between the two squads.  I think to myself, “Why is it that at sporting events the community is in full support but when it’s something academic, people are missing in action?”

This growing trend of ESPN Rise 150 high school ballplayers and one and done college “student-athletes” is rather prevalent in the black community. In the past five years, we have seen many so-called basketball and football players who have gone on to play professionally but once those days are over are unable to live like the common man. I feel as though the black community has failed as a whole as to why graduation rates are low, test scores are low and why dropout rates are rising every day.

The perfect example was the 2005 film, Coach Carter. Samuel L. Jackson’s character in the film was vilified by the community for cancelling basketball practices and games because his students failed to excel in the classroom. The message was quite clear: African-American athletes not only need to excel in their sport of choice but also from and academic standpoint.  He wanted to show them that it was more to life than just basketball. It’s also not surprising why many athletes claim fame and riches but end up broke because of not having a plan B.

According to a February 2010 report by the Austin American-Statesman, Texas ranked 43^rd in graduation rates. The rate has been sliding since 2001 which was at 65 percent. Vermont was the highest at over 90 percent. The graduation rate will only become worse if the community doesn’t do its part and make education #1 in households because it is irreplaceable. In addition, it will cost the state of Texas $9.6 billion dollars over their lifetimes for high school dropouts.

Division I colleges are no better. They recruit black athletes solely on athletic ability. If he can run a 4.2 in the 40 yard dash or has a 45 inch vertical, he gets a “free” education in which the “student-athlete” doesn’t take full advantage of because he assumes he will be a first-round pick in the NBA Draft. Oh yeah, and he’ll major in something easy like general studies or sociology. The parents of these up-and-coming athletes should be cautious and more involved in their child’s education because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.



Athletics: Tigers eliminated in SWAC semifinals

GARLAND, TX- Texas Southern’s magical season to be a part of March Madness came to an unexpected end in the 2011 Farmers Insurance SWAC Tournament.

The top-seeded Tigers lost to fourth seed Alabama State 73-66 in the semifinal round of the tournament.

The Tigers fell behind 19-7 midway through the first half. ASU’s led as much as 19 points. TSU trailed 30-17 at halftime.

The Tigers shot 21.1% from the field including 58% in free throws.

Texas Southern quickly worked to erase the halftime deficit. A brief scoring run cut the deficit to 42-34 at the 12:28 mark. The Tigers came within four points (67-63) with 51 seconds remaining. However, Alabama State won the free throw battle and came away with the seven point victory

.

“We just didn’t have our best game,” said head coach Tony Harvey. “We’ll be back.”

Harrison Smith had 24 points from the bench. Lawrence Johnson-Danner had 13 points and Travele Jones had 10 points. Kevin Galloway had eight points, eight rebounds and five assists.

“Our season is not over. We would have liked to be a part of March Madness, but we will play in the NIT and we will go there and compete,” Harvey said. “We have been in some tough situations all season, but no matter how down we got, we never quit and that makes us winners to me.”

The Tigers will head to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) as part of being the 2010-2011 SWAC regular season champions.

Upcoming story ideas

TSU's performance in the 2011 SWAC Basketball Tournament
SWAC hands down Player of the Year honors in Basketball, First, Second Team All-SWAC
TSU Relays (March 18-19, 2011, Durley Field)

Athletics: TSU rallies to defeat Southern 71-63

Texas Southern defeated Southern 71-63 to improve the home win streak to eight. The Tigers’ victory was a mentality changer following the loss at Alabama State on last Monday.

The Tigers fell behind 13-8 seven minutes in the first half. They rallied to tie the score at 11 a few minutes later. Southern’s 3-point shooting gave them a 12-point lead (32-21) with 1:12 remaining.TSU trailed at halftime, 33-24.

The second half was the Kevin Galloway show. Southern’s 50-38 lead midway in the second half dwindled to a TSU 57-56 lead at the 3:53 mark. The game went back and forth for the next minute before TSU began to pull away with momentum-changing shots from Galloway.

TSU iced the game with a 3-point basket from guard Lawrence Johnson-Danner and clutch free-throws en route to the eight point victory.

Kevin Galloway nearly outscored Southern in the second half with 28 points (Jaguars had 30 team points). He also had eight rebounds and four assists. Lawrence Johnson-Danner contributed with 11 points. Harrison Smith had 10 points and four rebounds.

Texas Southern (17-11, 15-2) play their final game of the season against Alcorn State on March 5. Tip-off is at 4:30 PM.

Athletics: Story ideas

Feature on SWAC Bowler of the Year Chantal Jefferson
Off-season report on the TSU football team
Report on the track and field teams as they prepare for the TSU Relays
Story on why the women's basketball team has regressed from last season

Athletics: TSU clinches SWAC regular season title (Men's Basketball)

Texas Southern defeated Alabama A&M 83-78 Saturday in overtime to secure the #1 seed in the 2011 SWAC Basketball Tournament.

The Tigers dictated the tempo in the first half. They led by as much as nine points before increasing that lead to 14 with 1:00 left on the clock. TSU led at halftime 44-30. TSU’s Harrison Smith led the team with 12 points.

The Tigers’ offense tailed off in the second half as the Bulldogs managed to get back in the game via the energy of the crowd. They cut the TSU lead to 1 (57-56) at the 8:57 mark. AAMU then built a 64-59 lead with a little over six minutes remaining.The Tigers rallied and tied the game at 64-64 with 2:45 on the clock.

The game was tied at 70 until TSU’s Harrison Smith was fouled with less than a second remaining in the game. Smith missed both free throws which forced a third overtime game (2^nd consecutive) for the Tigers.

Texas Southern jumped out to a 78-72 lead early in the extra period. Alabama A&M tied the game at 78 with a quick layup and a four-point play. The Tigers scored the last five points for the win.

Harrison Smith ended the night with 19 points. Travele Jones had 18 points and four assists.  Kevin Galloway contributed with six points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and four steals.

The Tigers improve to 14-1 in conference play and head to Alabama State in the final road game of the season on February 28. Tip-off is at 8:00 P.M.

Athletics: Tigers win in overtime against Mississippi Valley

Texas Southern defeated Mississippi Valley 58-55 in overtime to win their seventh consecutive win at home. The victory also clinches at least a share of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) regular season title.

TSU trailed 22-9 nine minutes into the first half. They then regained their composure and went on a 14-0 scoring run to take a 23-22 lead with 1:51 remaining. TSU led at halftime 26-24.

The second half went back and forth until MVSU established a 46-40 lead with about five minutes remaining. The Tigers rallied with a 10-4 scoring run to tie the game at 50 with 10 seconds left. MVSU missed a game winning lay-up as time expired in regulation to force overtime.

Texas Southern dominated the overtime period, scoring the first six points of the extra five minutes of play. Mississippi Valley missed the game-tying three pointer in the final moments as TSU pulled out the three point victory.

“We were too cavalier with the basketball," said head coach Tony Harvey. “A win is a win…we played tough….we kept fighting.”

This is Texas Southern’s (15-10, 13-1) second overtime win for the season and now have sole possession of first place in the standings.Travele Jones led the Tigers with 17 points. Freshman guard Lawrence Johnson-Danner chipped in with 13 points. Kevin Galloway had six points, seven assists and eight rebounds.

D’Angelo Jackson led the Delta Devils (11-17, 10-5) with 21 points.

The Tigers travel on the road to face Alabama A&M on February 26 and Alabama State on February 28. The next home game is on March 3 against Southern.

Athletics: Lady Tigers lose to Valley

Texas Southern lost to Mississippi Valley 66-54 to split the season series at 1-1. The loss sends them to 3-11 in conference play and still in a fight for the final tournament berth.

TSU were down early 15-4 within the first seven minutes of the first half.  They responded with a 15-4 scoring run to tie the score at 19. Mississippi Valley then answered with a 15-5 scoring run of their own to lead by nine (34-25) with 1:17 remaining. TSU trailed at halftime 35-32.

The Lady Tigers trailed for most of the second half until they rallied to tie the score at 51 with 7:33 remaining. It was the last time the game was close. TSU went cold from the field as the Devilettes ended the game on a 15-3 scoring run for the 12 point victory.

NaDosha Strickland ended the night with 21 points and seven rebounds. Jasmine Cannon contributed with 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

The go on the road to face Alabama A&M on February 26 and Alabama State on February 28. The next home game is against conference-leading Southern on March 3.

Athletics: Lady Tigers fends off UAPB rally

Texas Southern defeated Arkansas Pine-Bluff 70-61 to remain tied for eighth place with Alabama State for the final spot in the SWAC Tournament. The victory splits the season series with UAPB.

TSU jumped out to a 16-6 lead within the first eight minutes of the game. The Lady Golden Lions couldn’t answer back as they shot 3 of 21 (14.3) from the field. The Lady Tigers led by 17 (33-16) with about 2:30 remaining. Texas Southern led 40-23 at intermission.

Breast cancer survivors were recognized during the halftime festivities.

TSU increased their lead to 22 (49-27) at the 16:43 mark. UAPB’s Laquisha Slaton almost single-handedly led the Lady Golden Lion comeback but only trimmed the Tigers’ lead to four (58-54) with 5:07 remaining. The Lady Tigers then increased the lead to seven with 3:14 left to play and escaped with the nine point win.

NaDosha Strickland led all TSU scorers with 18 points. Jasmine Cannon had nine points and seven assists. Gabrielle Rosiji also contributed with eight points and 11 rebounds.

UAPB’s Laquisha Slaton ended the night with 30 points, including 11 of 12 from the free throw line.

Texas Southern (5-19, 3-10) continues the fight for 8^th place against Mississippi Valley on February 21. Tip-off is at 5:30 PM at the H&PE Arena.

Athletics: Tigers defeat Arkansas-Pine Bluff, now 12-1 in SWAC

Texas Southern defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 71-68 to increase its home win streak at six games. The Tigers escaped a late rally by the Golden Lions, particularly of a 3 point variety.

TSU were down early 13-5 during the first five minutes of the first half. Texas Southern settled in offensively and outscored UAPB 31-14 over the next 15 minutes to lead by nine (36-27) at halftime. Texas Southern shot an impressive 8 of 10 from the free throw line.

TSU maintained the offensive output from the first half and led by 11 (40-29) early in the second half. The Tigers soon went cold as UAPB mounted a 14-2 scoring run to lead 43-42 at the 13:42 mark. That lead was short lived. The Tigers answered with a 16-4 scoring run of their own to lead 56-47 with 6:37 remaining.

The Golden Lions’ 3-point shooting kept the game within reach but TSU held on for the three point victory.

TSU point guard Justin Ray scored a season high 14 points. Guard Lawrence Johnson-Danner was the top scorer with 15 points. Travele Jones pitched in with 14 points and Kevin Galloway had five points, five rebounds and 10 assists.

Texas Southern (14-10, 12-1) wins their sixth consecutive game and adds UAPB as the fourth consecutive school to be swept by TSU this season. The Tigers continue the home stand versus Mississippi Valley on February 21. Tip-off is at 8:00 PM.

Athletics: Interview with TSU Athletic Director Charles McClelland

Charles McClelland was named Texas Southern Athletic Director in April 2008. He oversees 16 sports, nine women and seven men. McClelland was instrumental in finalizing the deal for TSU to play football at the new Houston Dynamo Stadium starting fall 2012. He previously served as athletic director at Prairie View A&M University from 2000-2007. A native of Jackson, MS, he is a graduate of Prairie View A&M University in both undergrad and graduate studies and is currently working on his doctoral degree at Texas A&M University.

Uba Okereke: First of all I would like to thank you for the opportunity to interview you.

Charles McClelland: My pleasure.

UO: What is your prognosis of the athletics programs this season?

CM: Well, I think we made tremendous progress in our 5 year strategic plan. We met many of our goals. Our graduation rate was at 35% and increased to 43%. We project that by the end of the year all but one of our programs will meet the NCAA minimum requirements. We have generated over $1.2 million dollars in our fundraising efforts and our infrastructure has improved in a two and a half year span. Obviously we won the SWAC Football Championship, our men’s basketball team is in first place and we are projected to compete for the championship in baseball and softball.



UO: Can you tell us more about the recent NCAA probe into TSU Athletic Department?

CM: Not at this point. I can’t elaborate until we get additional information from the NCAA. What I can say that it was based upon an APR audit. We have been in an NCAA audit since I have been here as athletic director. What we are hoping is that during this go-round they take a look at everything. I was in direct response to some of the issues in relation to the NCAA and we have worked the last two years to resolve the problem.

UO: What is the current status regarding QB Arvell Nelson?

CM: We are not going to release any information at this time as most of the matter is personal and confidential. Other than the facts, we will continue to state that is a one-time issue that had nothing to do with his eligibility. We just had to make the necessary call for the benefit of the team.



UO: Do you feel that a championship foundation has been laid within athletics now that the football team is now SWAC champions?

CM: Well, that’s ultimately what we hope. Winning a football championship is a very difficult proposition. There have only been a handful of teams throughout the decades who have won back-to-back championships. We feel that we have the foundation in order to do that but there are things that we have to occur. The new stadium is now on line and we will begin play in fall 2012. We are rich in talent and we have the tools in order for us to be good for a long time.

UO: What is the current status with the Labor Day Classic?

CM: We will not be playing in the Classic. Prairie View has agreed to play in the 2011 SWAC/MEAC challenge which falls on Labor Day weekend. Texas Southern and Prairie View will play the following Saturday with TSU as the home team.



UO: Thanks again for this opportunity to interview you.

CM: You’re very welcome.

Athletics: TSU Softball picked to win SWAC West

The Southwestern Athletic Conference issued their projected winners of the respective Eastern and Western divisons for the 2011 softball season along with Preseason Player of the Year Honors and First and Second Team All-SWAC. Here is the following link. http://bit.ly/fAvNmT

Athletics: TSU defeats Prairie View, now 9-1 in SWAC

Texas Southern defeated Prairie View 63-58 Saturday in the H&PE Arena to sweep the season series against the Panthers. The Tigers improved their home winning streak to five consecutive games.

The Tigers started the game ice cold, shooting 1-13 from the field but managed to trail Prairie View by one (13-12) at the 7:38 mark.  The Panthers then scored eight of the next 15 points to lead 23-15 with 2:51 remaining. Three point shooting was lackluster for the Tigers but seemed to be in favor for the Panthers. TSU trailed at halftime 31-19.

The Tigers rallied from an early 40-32 deficit to tie the game at 46 with 9:00 minutes remaining in the game. The game went back and forth over the next eight minutes until TSU led 61-57 with 1:35 left in the contest.

Texas Southern made clutch free throws late and hung on for the five point victory.

TSU’s Travele Jones led all scorers with 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Guard Lawrence Johnson-Danner contributed with 19 points and five rebounds. Kevin Galloway had seven points and seven rebounds.

Texas Southern outscored Prairie View 44-27 in the second half and limited the Panthers’ three-point attempts. TSU shot 55% in the second half and 40% for the game.

Texas Southern (11-10, 9-1) now travel to Mississippi to take on Jackson State on February 12.

Athletics: Packers win SBXLV

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 at Cowboys Stadium to win Super Bowl XLV. The Packers claim the Lombardi Trophy for a fourth time aptly named after the late Vince Lombardi, who engineered many of the Packers Super Bowl wins following the AFL/NFL merger.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers went 24 of 39 for 304 yards and three touchdowns. The Packers built a 21-3 lead in the second quarter before Pittsburgh moved the ball to score a late touchdown with 39 seconds remaining. Packers led 21-10 at halftime.

Pittsburgh scored the only touchdown of the third quarter with a 10:19 drive, capped with an 8 yard touchdown run by Rashard Mendenhall. Packers now saw their 18-point second quarter lead shrink to four (21-17). The Packers scored on its first possession of the fourth quarter with an 8 yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Greg Jennings to increase the lead to 28-17.

The Steelers answered with a touchdown of their own to cut the Packer lead to three (28-25) after a successful 2 point conversion by wide receiver Antwaan Randle-El. Packer QB Aaron Rodgers moved the offense on the ensuing possession that essentially sealed the win for the green and gold that ended with a field goal by Mason Crosby.

Green Bay clinched victory with a fourth down stop on defense. The Packers win for the first time since 1996 when then a younger Brett Favre led the Packers to a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots. QB Aaron Rodgers was named Super Bowl XLV MVP but the defense made game-changing plays for the Packers.

Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu and linebacker James Harrison were practically invisible.

Green Bay is the first 6 seed to win a Super Bowl since 2005 when Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XL. They are also the second team to join the Dallas Cowboys to defeat the Steelers in the big game.

The countdown to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis is now underway.