HBCU Digest

HBCU News, Commentary and Information

Florida Classic Archive

Friday

6

July 2012

0

COMMENTS

FAMU Admin Suggested Suspending Marching 100 Before Champion Hazing Death

Written by , Posted in Florida, Florida A&M University, Florida Classic, Leadership, News

The Tallahassee Democrat today reports that notes forwarded yesterday to the Florida A&M University Board of Trustees outlined executive calls for the suspension of the Marching 100 prior to last year’s Florida Classic. FAMU drum major Robert Champion was killed in the hours following last November’s annual football classic.

(more…)

Wednesday

23

May 2012

0

COMMENTS

Former Bethune-Cookman AD, Co-Founder of Florida Classic Lloyd Johnson Dies

Written by , Posted in Bethune-Cookman University, Florida, Florida A&M University, Florida Classic, Headlines, Sports

[mpoverlay]Courtesy: Bethune-Cookman Sports Information

Former Bethune-Cookman University Athletic Director Lloyd “Tank” Johnson,” recognized by many as the father of what is todays Florida Classic, passed away Sunday. He was 77.

A 1958 graduate, Johnson served as athletic director from 1972 to 1991, His visionary leadership oversaw the Wildcats ascent to Division I and partnership with Florida A&Ms Hansel Tookes in laying the groundwork for the Florida Classic, which made its debut in Tampa in 1978.

The archrivals had met to capacity crowds at Florida State University, Daytona International Speedway and Orlando, the current site, prior to that.

Johnson also served as a defensive coordinator for the Wildcat football team from 1961-78 in addition to coaching track and field in the days where coaches would oversee multiple sports.

Read the full story at:
B-CU Mourns Passing Of Former AD – Bethune-Cookman Official Athletic Site[/mpoverlay]

Tuesday

22

November 2011

0

COMMENTS

Bethune-Cookman President apologizes to family of FAMU drum major Robert Champion for Florida Classic halftime show remarks

Written by , Posted in Bethune-Cookman University, Florida, Florida Classic, Leadership

Bethune Cookman University President Trudie Kibbe and band director Donovan Wells apologized to the family of deceased Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion for a comment made during the halftime show Saturday at the 32nd annual Florida Classic.

Legendary B-CU band announcer Horatio Walker concluded the Wildcats’ show by telling FAMU’s Marching 100 band to “do what you do best ‘roll over, crawl away and die.”

In an unfortunate, unrelated coincidence, 26-year-old FAMU drum major Robert Champion died shortly after his performance in the Florida Classic sparking some criticism of Walker’s earlier comments.

via B-CU President apologizes to family of FAMU drum major Robert Champion – Sentinel Sports Now – Orlando Sentinel.

Friday

4

November 2011

0

COMMENTS

Media, Community Leaders to Partner for ‘Save the Family’ March During Florida Classic

Written by , Posted in Florida Classic

The National Save the Family Now Movement Inc. – a coalition of pastors, publishers and community leaders along with the Florida Association of Black Owned Media (FABOM) – will host “A National Save the Family Now! March & Rally” Nov. 19 in historic Eatonville, Fla. The event will be held during the Florida A&M University-Bethune Cookman University football classic.

The purpose of the march is to celebrate family and to challenge policies, programs and persons that demean and denigrate the Black family in particular, and all families in general.

via The Weekly Challenger – St. Petersburg, FL : Fri Nov 04 2011 15:47:46 GMT-0400 (EDT).

Thursday

4

August 2011

0

COMMENTS

The Digest Five – Top HBCU Marching Band Rivalries

Written by , Posted in Bayou Classic, Digest Five, Florida Classic

Almost as important as the sports programs they support, black college marching band rivalries captivate the imagination and drive the economy of HBCU athletics. Sure, a good team will bring fans, but a spectacular marching band will keep them coming back.

Like football, band rivalries get to the heart of rival fans, and generates intrigue that travels beyond the stadium. Here are five of the most intense band rivalries in black college culture.

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Monday

1

August 2011

1

COMMENTS

The Digest Five: Top HBCU Football Rivalry Games

Written by , Posted in Bayou Classic, Florida Classic, Sports, Turkey Day Classic

At the heart of sports fans’ life-long ties to a program or team culture is the rivalry game. They spur media, engage communities, divide and unite families and most of all, add flavor to the game day atmosphere. For better or for worse.

Whether its annual regular season showdowns or football classics, HBCU rivalries are born and maintained out of fan angst, regional proximity and balance in competition between the two teams. As we look ahead to black college football 2012, here are five of today’s best HBCU football rivalries.

(more…)

Tuesday

22

December 2009

0

COMMENTS

2009 Black College Football Attendance Numbers

Written by , Posted in Florida Classic, Howard University, MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Sports, Washington DC

Courtesy of Onnidan, check out the attendance numbers for the 2009 black college football season. I won’t list them all, but I will point out some interesting highlights from the listing.

  • Of the 27 events listed, the SWAC Championship Game was the lowest attended with just over 20,200 fans.
  • The MEAC/SWAC Challenge was the third lowest attended game with 21,367 folks in the place to be. And this creates a lot of steam for the…
  • …Florida Classic, which nearly doubled up the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in attendance with 59,418 and made Dennis Thomas look like a buffoon for allowing the game into Orlando.
  • The Chicago Classic drew more than 42,000 people. Who knew that many folks would want to watch Mississippi Valley State and Alabama State in the Windy City in September?
  • Howard University didn’t make the top homecoming attendance list. Three words – Georgia. Avenue. McDonald’s.


Tuesday

24

November 2009

0

COMMENTS

Marching Wildcats Florida Classic Performance

Written by , Posted in Florida Classic, Sports

“

Seems like every email I get, and every search term directing new visitors to the blog has the words “Alvin Wyatt Fired” in the phrase. So I’m going to switch it up a little bit and put on the Bethune-Cookman Marching Wildcats, who had a Facebook-worthy performance at the Florida Classic.

They may have lost the Classic and their coach, but you can make the case that the halftime battle went to the Marching Wildcats.

Saturday

21

November 2009

0

COMMENTS

A Classic Beatdown in the Florida Classic

Written by , Posted in Bethune-Cookman University, Florida, Florida A&M University, Florida Classic, Sports

What was supposed to be a competitive game between a surging Wildcat squad and an injury-riddle Rattler unit soon turned into little more than padded distortion for the Marching 100 and the Marching Wildcats’ halftime show. By the time Bethune-Cookman looked around, the Florida A&M Rattlers had hung 28 points on the Wildcats and had predictably assumed control of the annual Florida Classic.

(more…)

Saturday

21

November 2009

0

COMMENTS

Florida Classic Live Blog Today @ 2:30 P.M.

Written by , Posted in Bethune-Cookman University, Florida, Florida A&M University, Florida Classic, Sports

Why continually hit refresh on a message board, when you can experience real time trash talk for the Florida Classic? Right here at 2:30 p.m. today – it’s the live blog for the biggest black college football classic in the country, which you can watch live on ESPN360.com.

I would advise you not to tailgate in your own house. Charcoal and enclosed spaces don’t go well together.

Friday

13

November 2009

0

COMMENTS

Tuesday

3

November 2009

2

COMMENTS

Are You Still Excited About the Florida Classic?

Written by , Posted in Bethune-Cookman University, Florida, Florida A&M University, Florida Classic, Sports

Of course, this post is not directed in any form to Florida A&M Rattler fans; I’m sure they are dying to watch the Rattlers stomp the lethargic Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in the Florida Classic.

But for general observers of black college football, do you have as much excitement for the Florida Classic as you had at the beginning of the season? Personally, there are three or four classics of which I try to digest all of the media and exposure I can: the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, the Bayou Classic, the Turkey Day Classic, and the Florida Classic.

But this year, I’m not so amped up about the Florida Classic as I normally would be. BC is terrible. They’ve shown some improvement over the last few games, but they are still likely to lose by a touchdown or three to the Rattlers. You never know; defensively, the Rattlers haven’t looked the same since the Miami game. It could be a slippery slope for the Rattlers in the biggest rivalry game of the year.

But even if Bethune-Cookman did manage to pull the upset over FAMU, it would be kind of a let down for a black college football nation rooting for the Rattlers to win out and possibly secure an at-large berth in the FCS Playoffs.

So, does the Florida Classic still matter this year? Are you as excited, and as likely to spend your money going to the game?

Or are you now wishing you checked out the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando?

Sunday

23

August 2009

0

COMMENTS

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