Emmitt Smith's Wake Up Call..."Utterly Disgusted "

[BobbyBlueBlamm]

No athlete wants to play in a big empty stadium, and until that's fixed we don't really have to worry about attracting the better players.

 

[Lenard]

But we keep sending our best players to their schools for mafia money. We keep watching and worshiping those schools and want to be like them so bad. Stop sending our kids their to take their pennies, stop watching and supporting, but we won't because we worship the ground they walk on.

Brother, we are not French. There is no "we" in that. The fact that we all chose as we did and contributed positively to the legacy of our alma maters speaks volumes.

 

[buckwheat1911]

Why didn't this Grambling dad humbly contact Grambling & let them know that his son is seriously interested in his Alma mater? Many of these high 3/4 star athletes & their parents feel disrespected if a University doesn't constantly kiss up to them , but Grambling doesnt have this huge recruiting budget to pamper potential recruits. HBCU coaches have had this defeatist attitude that kids getting offers from Michigan & Florida would not come to a HBCU anyway so they don't waste too much time on these type recruits. Rudy Hubbard says Coach Prime lied when he claimed FAMU didn't recruit him. He didn't kiss Sanders behind & didn't have the budget to waste chasing him , but he did recruit him.


A WR from Long Beach playfully called out Grambling recently on social media for not recruiting him & they dm'ed & offered the young man & he signed, but Grambling isn’t Notre Dame & can't casually recruit & fly in these guys & roll out the red carpet. These kids barely want to even talk to HBCU coaches

His son wanted to go to Michigan or Florida from the beginning. Clemson, Auburn, PITT, Syracuse, Tennessee, Missouri and South Carolina heavily recruited him. They live in Huntsville, AL and he didn't even consider Alabama A&M either.

 

[Gramfam92]

What is Emimitt Smith going to do when his words fall on deaf ears at the Unversity of Flordia? Will he try to fight the good fight at UL with little to no progress or will he take his energy and resources to an HBCU in Flordia to help and stregnthen them where his impact would be far greater.

Yes , I doubt if Emmitt does anything besides release strong statements . After Sanders & Reed I'm suspicious of these PWI superstars coming to " strengthen " HBCUS anyway. I was once a huge proponent going back to the 1990's of superstars getting opportunities at HBCU'S & remember being frustrated that no HBCU reached out to Kareem( that I'm aware of) & he was on TV nearly begging for a Coaching job. I thought a struggling HBCU would be a perfect oppurtunity for Kareem & the school , but he only coached High School at an Apache Reservation in the late 90's.


After Reed & Sanders I've soured , along with many others , on this whole idea of superstar athletes from Pwis . A Rice or Strahan ( unrealistic he's too successful) or guys who have been through the fire & genuinely care about HBCU'S, but not Emmitt.

 

[ghostwriter]

Prime had a different reason plus he had "backing" from folks to ensure he would not fail - cause if it did -

they'll accept failing at Colorado cause their getting paid - but ook at Prime and his "money folks" ain't the color of the night

 

[Gramfam92]

No athlete wants to play in a big empty stadium, and until that's fixed we don't really have to worry about attracting the better players.

Playing in front crowds that you are begging for inclusion or diversity after you can no longer run , jump or slam dunk for them ? Bronny James who scores about 5 ppg went to Alabama State & the arena was packed with 7,500 fans .I'm sure the "mini dome" in Baton Rouge sells out if Shaq & Chris Jackson decide to play for Ben Jobe . If Zion Williamson goes to FAMU & its very nice arena I'm sure the crowds would sell that place out. If LeBron James goes to Howard or Texas Southern,etc.... Just those few names could have begun to fundamentally transform HBCU basketball.

But they are conditioned to believe something else with other folks is inherently better. They could never have imagined playing at an HBCU.

 

[BobbyBlueBlamm]

Playing in front crowds that you are begging for inclusion or diversity after you can no longer run , jump or slam dunk for them ? Bronny James who scores about 5 ppg went to Alabama State & the arena was packed with 7,500 fans .I'm sure the "mini dome" in Baton Rouge sells out if Shaq & Chris Jackson decide to play for Ben Jobe . If Zion Williamson goes to FAMU & its very nice arena I'm sure the crowds would sell that place out. If LeBron James goes to Howard or Texas Southern,etc.... Just those few names could have begun to fundamentally transform HBCU basketball.

But they are conditioned to believe something else with other folks is inherently better. They could never have imagined playing at an HBCU.

except that's never gonna happen.

most of the players who play at HBCU's, and at FCS schools in general, could never have imagined playing at those schools. That's just being real. Nobody playing high school football with aspirations to play in college says he dreams of playing at Western Kentucky. Now, our schools are a little different in that some of us grew up going to HBCU games and had family attend these schools and wanna continue that tradition. but that's a very small number.

it was easier when the crowds were turning out. Today, outside of a few schools or a few big games, attendance is poor at too many of our games. We can't hope a Shaq or Zion comes to an HBCU, but we can and should be competing for Black athletes that are going to FCS schools

 

[Gramfam92]

except that's never gonna happen.

most of the players who play at HBCU's, and at FCS schools in general, could never have imagined playing at those schools. That's just being real. Nobody playing high school football with aspirations to play in college says he dreams of playing at Western Kentucky. Now, our schools are a little different in that some of us grew up going to HBCU games and had family attend these schools and wanna continue that tradition. but that's a very small number.

it was easier when the crowds were turning out. Today, outside of a few schools or a few big games, attendance is poor at too many of our games. We can't hope a Shaq or Zion comes to an HBCU, but we can and should be competing for Black athletes that are going to FCS schoo

Nowhere did I hope that a Shaq or Zion or AI or Lebron come save HBCU athletics, they are too conditioned anyway. I was making the point that better Black players would not being playing in empty arenas ( especially Basketball) if they attended Black Colleges. Fans , media & Scouts would be there . I was reading an old Esquire magazine article( 1967) & Gram had more NFL players on rosters than anyone other than Notre Dame. Combined Grambling & Southern had more than all other schools in the nation despite the PWis money & exposure. Scouts & fans will go where the talent is. Especially a star driven sport like Basketball.


They refuse to talk to Black coaches & Black schools & instead go complain to PWIs about diversity & inclusion.

 

[ghostwriter]

Nowhere did I hope that a Shaq or Zion or AI or Lebron come save HBCU athletics, they are too conditioned anyway. I was making the point that better Black players would not being playing in empty arenas ( especially Basketball) if they attended Black Colleges. Fans , media & Scouts would be there . I was reading an old Esquire magazine article( 1967) & Gram had more NFL players on rosters than anyone other than Notre Dame. Combined Grambling & Southern had more than all other schools in the nation despite the PWis money & exposure. Scouts & fans will go where the talent is. Especially a star driven sport like Basketball.


They refuse to talk to Black coaches & Black schools & instead go complain to PWIs about diversity & inclusion.

lol - generational players attract generational fans - especially black communities - but now those type of players don't seem to grow up in our areas anymore or they moved out overnight...

most of our urban schools are located in black (or used to be) communities so that's a trickle down effect - the local high school sucks and not producing anyone which means many won't come to see them play cause their not recruitable students

Jackson Public Schools and the state of Mississippi was so loaded at one time everyone from the SEC to the SWAC recruited legit impact players - but the high school scene was second to none and folks had no problem following their favorite player to college

AAU has killed what we had in basketball along with population declines and if we get a good player now the portal takes them away

and yes - NIL, etc. plays an even bigger part as those guys take the money despite knowing what they'll face - in their hearts they really want to be around us daily but the pressure from everyone makes sure they don't

 

[wahines]

There are too many black athletes available and there are not enough HBCUs to cover all the black athletes available. For every high tier recruit an HBCU is able to get there will be a black athlete being displace. To me HBCUs athletics need go back to basics, locked down home recruiting and then spread out from there. We can't be concern on the athletics front on athletes who make other choices, but at the same time we should not demonize them for making their own choice. Remember sometimes them going to a PWI does not workout and if they have a positive relationship with them they might be willing to tranfer to an HBCU. I remember we had a home town guy that went to Michigan State and got in trouble for pull a knife on someone in order to defend himself. He got kicked out of Michigan State and come back home to Elizabeth City and ECSU had spot for him. There was a case where a black player got some false SA charges on him and of course the PWIs backed away from him and once all his legal stuff was settle, Hampton Unversity had spot for him.

You make some good points. We have gotten away from home recruiting and so in love with the transfer portal. You have a good 3 star local player and our HBCU's don't even make an offer. It is happening a lot where I live. I don't demonize them for the choices they make, but the reasons why they do and they have mostly for money and very little for education. All we are to some of the PWI's is shut up and perform. But hey, it's their choice and don't complain when they don't want to hear what you have to say. Some of this will stop when we get some of our good kids to come to HBCU's.

 

[Gramfam92]

lol - generational players attract generational fans - especially black communities - but now those type of players don't seem to grow up in our areas anymore or they moved out overnight...

most of our urban schools are located in black (or used to be) communities so that's a trickle down effect - the local high school sucks and not producing anyone which means many won't come to see them play cause their not recruitable students

Jackson Public Schools and the state of Mississippi was so loaded at one time everyone from the SEC to the SWAC recruited legit impact players - but the high school scene was second to none and folks had no problem following their favorite player to college

AAU has killed what we had in basketball along with population declines and if we get a good player now the portal takes them away

and yes - NIL, etc. plays an even bigger part as those guys take the money despite knowing what they'll face - in their hearts they really want to be around us daily but the pressure from everyone makes sure they don't

Well the topic was about a generational talent , Emmitt Smith, who in HS would have never seriously talked to a Rudy Hubbard, Robinson, WC Gorden, etc... getting his wake up call . It isn't just generational Black talent that refuses to come to HBCU'S though & we all know this. Fan enthusiasm wanes at most all schools when they feel they are not getting the better talent.

I really do appreciate the kids that do come to HBCU'S even if many simply " settle " because their beloved Pwis didn't come calling. You made some excellent points about Black flight.

 

[ghostwriter]

These suburban black kids grow up different even if they are around hbcu parents - if the parents don't intervene early it's a lost cause

But then these kids don't even communicate amongst themselves so they don't know anything

 

[Gramfam92]

These suburban black kids grow up different even if they are around hbcu parents - if the parents don't intervene early it's a lost cause

But then these kids don't even communicate amongst themselves so they don't know anything

Agree. My sister graduated from Southern , but I feel she actually helped to steer her child( Nursing major) from Southern ,who is very proud of their Nursing program , to 2 PWI'S in Georgia. I think my niece was interested in Tennessee State, but my sister actually steered her away.