I was all settled in for a big day of watching football (Michigan had just gone up 14-0), when the phone rang. My dad is the chain crew boss for all Florida Citrus Sports events and a guy had just cancelled on him, and he knows he can always call on my to fill a spot, so I got into my white knickers and black stripe socks and I was off to work on the chain crew.

But this was no normal game. It was the 24th Florida Classic, the annual season ending game between Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman College - the two leading historically black schools in the state. This was the 7th year the game had been played in the neutral Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Like most rivalry games, this is more than just a game... but more than just deciding bragging rights, this is a major event. This game is a bigger economic impact to the city than the Citrus Bowl game on New Year's Day. They put extra bleachers into the open endzone and still sell out the game. This year was a record crowd of over 73,000. That's more people than both school's home stadiums combined. And I'd estimate there were at least 5,000 people enjoying the festival of vendors and food (oh, the food!) available outside the stadium. It is the biggest African-American sporting event in the nation. It's also the biggest D1-AA game in the nation as well. This game alone puts B-CC's athletic department in the black all by itself.

But what makes this game special for me is to see a slice of college football that most will never get a chance to see. Although I saw more white players, coaches and fans in the stadium than ever before, it is still by far a black crowd. And if you've never seen a black college football game, you are missing something amazing. Especially at this game where you have two of the most outstanding bands in the country. You have heard myself and CrocJamie talk about the FAMU Marching 100 and they are certainly the most famous and recognized black college band, but B-CC has caught them and passed them by. But more on that later.

First, you will never see so many politicians and businessman showing up at a game. Before the game and at halftime businessmen were paraded onto the field to be recognized for their large financial contributions to both schools. Politicians were recognized for their governmental support for the black colleges.

Second, you will probably not find a regular season game with so few football fans in the stands. They are supporters of the schools. There are not big student sections. A large portion of the crowd are Orlando residents who went to one of the schools.

Third, you will never hear a game announcer at your favorite D1-A school like you will find here. Since it was B-CC/s turn to be the home team, they provided the announcer. It would be "first and goal" for FAMU, but it was "first and touchdown" for B-CC.

And last but not least there are the bands. When I was at FSU, we did some events with the FAMU band, and while they were exciting, you couldn't say that they played very well. That has all changed, and their musical performance level is comparable to most big schools. But as good as FAMU has gotten musically, B-CC has surpassed them. But regardless of their musical abilities, their contributions to the game atmosphere is something you won't see anywhere else. The bands are constantly playing, from drum cadences to tuba/drum funk vamps, fanfares, pop tunes and the occasional classical selection. Oh, did I mention how LOUD they are? Whenever we were in the south end of the field and FAMU was playing, it was impossible to hear.

Halftime is an event unto itself. Heck, halftime starts Friday night at a "Battle of the Bands" which features several high school bands that march what is known in the state as "FAMU Style" - and to highlight the impact that the "100" has had on the state, there are several white-suburban schools that appear at the event.

If you think there's a lot of pageantry and pomp at your game, you wouldn't believe what goes on at these games. B-CC did pregame (as home team) and they played the longest version of the National Anthem I've ever heard. It started with minute long fanfare! And how many D1-A games do you have invocations from a preacher at anymore? And not only that, but then the crowd is exhorted to "Praise the Almighty" while the band played a good-old A.M.E. hymn - and everyone sang along!

Then we finally get to halftime and the bands pull out all the stops. There is more bumping and grinding and shaking and shimmying going on than even Mike Price has seen in Pensacola. But the most amazing thing was BC-C's band announcer. You know it's a big rivalry when the players and coaches and fans are talking smack, but bands tend to be very respectful to each other. So imagine my surprise when BC-C took the field with the announcement "Now you're going to see a real band!" He was talking smack all through the show, including this one in the middle of the show, "One-hundred, you can put your boots back on now." After they finished their show (which in my opinion was the better of the two shows), they could have easily turned right out of the end zone into their corner seats, but instead they turned left and did a "victory lap" around the field. Oh, did I mention they brought out 5 'decked out' SUV's to drive the drum majors off the field?

Between all the presentations and the two band shows, halftime lasted FORTY-FIVE minutes! By mutual agreement they let the halftime last as long as it has to.

The most positive part of experience was how I was treated. In the past, when the sidelines were (for lack of a better term) "blacker", I as a white man was often treated with disrespect. But that has improved. However I have gotten a lesson in being a minority. You may have a lot of knowledge and you may perform your job well, but there are times when that doesn't matter. In the past I learned how to accept the disrespect, and now I have learned how much respect means when it is given.

Most of you will never have the opportunity to attend a black college game, and for that I am sorry. You are missing out on something special.

Jim
(sorry for the long post, but I had to share)

This is worthy of a spot on the home page, not just a message board post.

You're right BikeJocks. The electricity at a black football game, basketball game or any other sport is an experience that is hard to describe. I'm sure it's something that would turn on a lot of people if it weren't for the seemingly unwelcoming attention non-blacks can receive, often from a minority of the blacks. I've never experienced it at the college level but it was the same in high school when I attended those games as a little cousin watching the big boys play. The cheers, the way fans move in unison, like a funkadelic party. I loved it. Cool post.

Wow. I got chillbumps just reading that.

That is college football.

GatorJamie

Great story with all the hoopla!

By the way, who won the game?

Mikestead

here! here! move it to the homepage for the world to enjoy.

and thank you bikejock for taking us into the game and pomp and pageantry, wonderul post.

Oh, you mean the football exhibition before and after the band performances?

FAMU jumped out to a 28-10 halftime lead and were dominating B-CC. But just like last year when the Wildcats came back to win for the first time against the Rattlers in 16 years, B-CC ran the ball down FAMU's throat for most of the second half and capitalized on two bad snaps and a late interception (and some poor clock management) to score a winning touchdown with 10 seconds left (although they were aided by a questionable pass interference call on a fake punt pass attempt on the final drive that would have otherwise sealed the game for FAMU).

Final Score: Bethune-Cookman 39 - Florida A&M 35

Of special note, which I should have included in the first post: This was FAMU's last game as a D1-AA team. Their request to move up to D1-A was approved by the NCAA and they will be a D1-A Independent for the 2004 season. With the move up, there was some concern that this game might be dropped (as B-CC remains in D1-AA), and there was some talk before the game that B-CC might use FAMU's move as incentive to play harder. As it was, during B-CC's part of the halftime, the announcer (along with his band 'smack') included several entreaties to "Keep the Classic going". Among the chain crew (which, other than my father and myself were all black) there was a unanimous feeling that FAMU would be stupid to drop such a profitable game as this. Even with the expansion of Bragg Stadium (adding 15k more seats for next year) they can still sell nearly that many tickets at the Citrus Bowl. The general consensus is that the game with Bethune-Cookman will remain on the schedule.

Thanks to everyone for the positive responses.

Jim

LMAO - we used to call football "that silly game they play before and after halftime."

See, Jim, we can agree on things!

As a former member of the Marching '100' and having been apart of the Florida Classic experience for 4 years ('97-2000) I can truly tell you that there is no other college football experience like the Florida Classic. I am an FSU alumni, but was allowed to march with FAMU in the Marching 100. I have been to the FSU/UM game, the FSU/UF game, and went to the National Championship game in teh Sugar Bowl. I would still put the Florida Classic above those games. Now I was there in Orlando at the game this year. I do believe that BCC's was better than FAMU's band in the stands, but on the field the '100' had a much better haltime show. The only part of the BCC show that I like was when the tricked out SUV cam on the field and drove the drum majors of the field. BikeJock I thought you would like to know that in the past (my senior year, Fall 2000), the BCC drum major rode onto the field on the back of tricked out Harleys, now that was nice. Besides the bands, it was also a helluva game. There were plenty celebs at the game also. I personally saw Tracy McGrady, Ludacris, and Grant Hill with his wife Tamia myself. The men at the game were also a sight to behold. So many sexy black men, in one place at the same time. WOW, who could ask for anything more. One thing that got annoying though was the fact that at every Florida Classic game there are too many greeks out there. Being in a black greek fraternity, you kinda get sick of having to give secret handshakes to every 5th person you run into when there is well over 80,000 people in a 1-block radius, but I still had fun. Good to see you were there BikeJock!! Glad you got to experience what so few have had the priviledge to see. Most people on get to see the Bayou Classic because it's televised on NBC, but having been to both games I can tell you that the Florida Classic is a lot bigger.

Da Kid.

Was searching around for info about the recent shooting at Del State (got a couple of nieces there I think, and one I know is considering going) I found this interesting commentary on ESPN2 about the lack of a game between historically black Del State and the major predominantly white U. of Delaware Blue Hens.

The writer certainly has a valid point. I don't think racism per se is so much the problem as those old dixie standbys: pride and money. (That line that Mason and Dixon drew is just that. Means nothing about people on either side of it treat each other.)

By the way, I have a niece and a nephew who I know have attended or are attending the University of Delaware as well, so I have nothing against the Hens in general.

Besides, a certain former Oakland QB and Hen (who I think he mentions), has the hunkiest butt to ever grace a pair of Raiders pants.

Great post!! I got chill bumps reading it too

Great job and Thanks for sharing!!!

They televised a black college football game last year on ESPN, and Corso and Herbstreet seriously could not contain their enthusiasm. They really enjoyed themselves.

And it was either Chris Fowler or maybe even Corso who talked about the band performance, too, and they were talking about an interview with the band coach who said something to the effect, "I don't know about the football game, but we ain't never lost a half time performance." The ESPN cast was really tickled and excited.