purple hill II
Go Panthers!
Sept. 2, 2004, 11:54PM
New coaches have high hopes for Labor Day Classic
TSU's Wilson, PV's Frazier see day when their game fills Reliant
By MEGAN MANFULL
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
THIS WEEK
? What: Labor Day Classic between Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M.
? When: 7 p.m. Saturday.
? Where: Reliant Stadium.
? Radio: KTSU (90.9 FM), KPVU (91.3 FM).
Last year at this time, Steve Wilson and Henry Frazier III were huddled in their office at Bowie State devising a game plan for their season opener.
Now they are preparing to face off in one of the more celebrated rivalries among historically black universities. Wilson will lead Texas Southern onto the field against Frazier's Prairie View A&M Panthers on Saturday at Reliant Stadium in the Labor Day Classic.
Listening to the two friends talk, however, it sounds as if they are still sharing the same sideline. They have big plans for their respective schools, and it will take the cooperation of both programs to make it happen.
"In three or four years from now, coach Frazier and myself will fill Reliant," Wilson said during Wednesday's Prairie View-Texas Southern luncheon. "If you're telling me you can fill the Superdome in New Orleans (for Grambling State-Southern), why can't Houston fill Reliant? You're telling me we can't fill it?
"The only thing that's different is the people at Southern and Grambling have a championship mentality. And at our schools, we have a mentality of participation. You all go because it's on the schedule.
"We're going to fill that stadium. And quite frankly, in my opinion, that first game is going to be the outcome of the SWAC championship. We're going to transform the power of the Western Conference from Louisiana to Texas. We're going to do that."
Frazier shares Wilson's lofty ambitions, but he also knows it will take time. Prairie View is 9-130 (.064) since restarting its program in 1990. The Panthers' last winning season was 1976.
The last time TSU won a share of the conference title was in 1968.
But the history doesn't frighten Wilson or Frazier, who already have built successful programs. Wilson spent 13 seasons at Howard, where he won two black-college national championships. Frazier spent five years at Bowie State and turned the school into a dominant force in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, where the Bulldogs won the Eastern Division title in 2002.
"We can't change the spots off the leopard," Wilson said. "We're going to be who we are, and hopefully our players within the time frame will pick up our systems in order for us to have fun. I hope everybody comes out to see that these programs are both stepping into a new era. One where the past is not a load on us."
Despite the friendship and similar goals, Frazier and Wilson have remained distant the past few months. It didn't take them long to understand the emphasis their schools put on the Labor Day Classic, and they have focused their time on preparing their new programs.
Their friendship has not been affected, however. They have made it clear they have big plans, and Frazier looks forward to picking up the phone and talking to his friend when Saturday's game ends.
"I miss talking to him," Frazier said. "I miss talking to the other guys, too, because they're friends of mine and they're good football coaches. But out of respect for one another, I'm not going to call him, and he's not going to call me.
"But once this game is over, we'll probably talk once a week. And after the season, we'll play golf."
New coaches have high hopes for Labor Day Classic
TSU's Wilson, PV's Frazier see day when their game fills Reliant
By MEGAN MANFULL
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
THIS WEEK
? What: Labor Day Classic between Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M.
? When: 7 p.m. Saturday.
? Where: Reliant Stadium.
? Radio: KTSU (90.9 FM), KPVU (91.3 FM).
Last year at this time, Steve Wilson and Henry Frazier III were huddled in their office at Bowie State devising a game plan for their season opener.
Now they are preparing to face off in one of the more celebrated rivalries among historically black universities. Wilson will lead Texas Southern onto the field against Frazier's Prairie View A&M Panthers on Saturday at Reliant Stadium in the Labor Day Classic.
Listening to the two friends talk, however, it sounds as if they are still sharing the same sideline. They have big plans for their respective schools, and it will take the cooperation of both programs to make it happen.
"In three or four years from now, coach Frazier and myself will fill Reliant," Wilson said during Wednesday's Prairie View-Texas Southern luncheon. "If you're telling me you can fill the Superdome in New Orleans (for Grambling State-Southern), why can't Houston fill Reliant? You're telling me we can't fill it?
"The only thing that's different is the people at Southern and Grambling have a championship mentality. And at our schools, we have a mentality of participation. You all go because it's on the schedule.
"We're going to fill that stadium. And quite frankly, in my opinion, that first game is going to be the outcome of the SWAC championship. We're going to transform the power of the Western Conference from Louisiana to Texas. We're going to do that."
Frazier shares Wilson's lofty ambitions, but he also knows it will take time. Prairie View is 9-130 (.064) since restarting its program in 1990. The Panthers' last winning season was 1976.
The last time TSU won a share of the conference title was in 1968.
But the history doesn't frighten Wilson or Frazier, who already have built successful programs. Wilson spent 13 seasons at Howard, where he won two black-college national championships. Frazier spent five years at Bowie State and turned the school into a dominant force in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, where the Bulldogs won the Eastern Division title in 2002.
"We can't change the spots off the leopard," Wilson said. "We're going to be who we are, and hopefully our players within the time frame will pick up our systems in order for us to have fun. I hope everybody comes out to see that these programs are both stepping into a new era. One where the past is not a load on us."
Despite the friendship and similar goals, Frazier and Wilson have remained distant the past few months. It didn't take them long to understand the emphasis their schools put on the Labor Day Classic, and they have focused their time on preparing their new programs.
Their friendship has not been affected, however. They have made it clear they have big plans, and Frazier looks forward to picking up the phone and talking to his friend when Saturday's game ends.
"I miss talking to him," Frazier said. "I miss talking to the other guys, too, because they're friends of mine and they're good football coaches. But out of respect for one another, I'm not going to call him, and he's not going to call me.
"But once this game is over, we'll probably talk once a week. And after the season, we'll play golf."
