Doggone Good Year

12Kyle's Favorite sports moment from 2009?

Was it seeing my Yankees win the championship? No...but it was a close second

Was it seeing the Flakers win the NBA Title? Um...NOT!

My favorite moment happened over an entire football season. It was a season that started in the brutal heat of the summer of 2009. While I sat at my desk under the cool air conditioning, this team sweat and pushed their bodies to the limit during "unsupervised team workouts. " While I sat on the couch and watched ESPN, this team pushed themselves through their summer school classes.

I got a chance to see them play their first game. The game was played in the Citrus Bowl before a nationally televised audience on ESPN. It was 95 degrees that day in Orlando. I know...because I was there! I had to see for myself if this team was as good as people said they were. And they were.

The team that I came to see was the South Carolina State University Bulldogs.

My alma mater.

Not only did I go to school there, I played football there from 1991-1995. In 1994, we won our conference title (10-2; undefeated in conference play)...the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and were crowned the Black College National Champions. This year's team was trying to do something that teams that I played on could do...repeat as conference champions. SC State had won the MEAC title last season and was picked to win it again. People said that we had the talent to do it. I had to see the team for myself. Could they achieve greatness???

The season began on that hot day in Florida on Sept 5. We were facing the Grambling Tigers. Grambling had won the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) the previous year. Both teams were squaring off in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. Both teams were ranked nationally and were #1 (SC State) and #2 (Grambling) in the black college polls.

SC State beat Grambling that day in a close game 38-35. It was the beginning of a record breaking season for SC State. The Bulldogs went on to win the MEAC conference title again by going undefeated. SC State has a record 19 consecutive victories versus conference opponents. SC State's only regular season loss came at the hands of the University of South Carolina in a hard fought loss.

If you went to an HBCU (historically black college and university), you know about the PRIDE that we have in our schools. The pride runs very deep. To say that I am proud of my alma mater would be an understatement. I love South Carolina State University. I'm a Bulldog for life. I will always be a Bulldog. So, my allegiance to my school is deeper than pride.

SC State finished the season by advancing to the FCS Championship Playoffs (formerly Division I-AA) for the second straight year. And for the second straight year we played Appalachian State. And for the second straight year, we lost to them. This year we lost a heartbreaker 20-13.

Nevertheless, I am happy as well as proud of my alma mater. They have done things that many people didn't believe that they could do. We are slowly becoming a dynasty.

If you don't think we'll be champions again next year...bet against us!


Kyle Dowling

12kyle@gmail.com
http://the12planet.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/@12kyle
12kyle@sistasports.com

Joy & Pain...

The Thrill of Victory


The Agony of Defeat


If you didn't have the pleasure of watching a great SEC Championship game, these two images should be enough to tell you who won. Mark Ingram continued his quest for the Heisman trophy but putting on one hell of a running exhibit vs a great Florida defense. QB Greg McElroy picked the Gators apart and the Crimson Tide defense stepped up big time. Now as you can see in the first GIF, Ingram is celebrating with his teammates. They're going to the National Championship game to play Texas, so they're excited and rightfully so.

However, if you take a close look at the second GIF with Tim Tebow, well.... ummmm... yeah, aint really too much I can say on that one. In actuality there is, but I'll reserve judgment. I can understand the tears and all. Tim Tebow has had a great college career and is an incredible competitor. I can accept that. But why are your teammates consoling you on some Brokeback Mountain type foolishness. You got one cat stroking Tim's hair as he bites his trembling lip in sadness. Then to add to the madness, another cat comes over and puts his hand on Tim's shoulder. I'm not calling any of the participants out aiiiight, but the entire scene screams (((Wild Mango))). What happened to cats dapping each other up, hard punches on shoulder pads, quick 'manly' hugs between teammates or 'atta boy' smacks on the rear??? Now jokers are waiting to exhale??? *shakes head* That's all I gotta say on the matter.

Jan 7. Alabama vs Texas for the BCS Championship. That should be one hell of a game. Oh yeah, Mark Ingram better win the Heisman. If the panel gives it to Colt McCoy, they each need to have their future voting rights revoked.

Peace & Love...

G. Mo

Pay to play

(re-post 2008)

The NCAA is a bunch of pimps.

Yeah, I said it. And I'll say it again.

They are pimps.

College football kicks off its season next week. The season runs from September through January. Then, we have the NCAA Basketball Tournament in March. Millions of people across the country gamble and participate in office pools. People try to come away with the earnings by being the person who can correctly guess the most teams that will be left standing at the end of the tournament. The NCAA doesn't "encourage" gambling. They probably don't encourage it because they can't pimp that.

The Division I Men's Basketball tournament is the only NCAA championship tournament (officially, the BCS Football Championship is not an NCAA event) where the NCAA does not keep the profits. Instead, the money from the multi-billion-dollar television contract is divided among the Division I basketball playing schools and conferences as follows:

1/6 of the money goes directly to the schools based on how many sports they play (one "share" for each sport starting with 14, which is the minimum needed for Division I membership).

1/3 of the money goes directly to the schools based on how many scholarships they give out (one share for each of the first 50, two for each of the next 50, ten for each of the next 50, and 20 for each scholarship above 150).

1/2 of the money goes to the conferences based on how well they did in the six previous men's basketball tournaments (counting each year separately, one share for each team getting in, and one share for each win except in the Play-in game and the Final Four). In 2007, based on the 2001 through 2006 tournaments, the Big East Conference received over $14.85 million, while the eight conferences that did not win a first-round game in those six years received slightly more than $1 million each.

As for football, schools can make $15 million to go to a BCS bowl game. There are nearly 115 Division 1 Schools. And nearly another 65 Division 1-AA schools. Every school, even the ones that don't play in bowl games have enough money to fund scholarships and facilities. That said...as you can see...there's a LOT of money in college athletics. Everybody is making money. The conferences, the schools, the coaches, etc. Everybody is making money...except the athletes. According to the NCAA (aka pimps), no "student-athlete" is to be compensated for playing in amateur collegiate athletics. So the student-athlete (more on that word later) is the one who gets the short end of the stick. Some say that student athletes are being compensated because their tuition is being paid for . That is their pay.

I say BS! Pay em! Athletes should be paid. How much? That would be determined on their sport. But they should be paid. The NCAA and everybody else is getting a piece of the pie except the athletes. That's like me going into the woods to find food. I find food, kill it, and bringing it back to be eaten by all but I don't get to eat.That word student athlete is one of the biggest misconceptions in the world. Especially when you consider that most athletes train year around. They can't work and be paid during their "off-season". You are an athletic student. Most coaches aren't worried about you getting your education...they are merely worried about you remaining eligible to compete in your sport. That's it. As long as the athlete is eligible to play and compete, the better the chances are that they'll team will be successful and playing for a championship. Its the pimp game at its finest. The athletes do most of the work but everybody else reaps the benefits.As some of you may know, I played college football for 4 yrs. I played at South Carolina State University...a historically black college in Orangeburg, SC. We won a black college national championship when I was playing. Even my school has benefited financially off the success that we had. I'm not some old washed up bitter athlete. I'm just calling it the way that I see it. I think that athletes SHOULD be paid to play. BOTTOM LINE! As you can see, there is a lotta money floating around but the kids should get some money. If you're gonna pimp me, the least that you can do would be to compensate me for a job well done.