With a controversial NFL season gearing up, where folks are boycotting , quietly watching in shame, or screaming to the heavens how they refuse to be judged for continuing to use their season passes, many fans have turned to college football to get a guilt free fix. This time of year is even more complicated for HBCU football fans and alumni as homecoming rolls around, where oftentimes everything but the woeful game is sold as the main event.
But perhaps that’ll be changing soon.
In the Netflix’s docuseries Last Chance U, we’re introduced to East Mississippi Community College under the helm of coach Buddy Stephens. The small junior college serves as one of the top recruitment hotspots for Division I programs.
As we follow the riveting stories of these extremely talented, often troubled, young black boys hoping to make their break into a major program, we’re also force fed the veiled racism of coach Buddy Stephens. Humiliating them, berating them for having a concussion, demoting them while dealing with a finance’s miscarriage, talking about his assistant coach’s ex-wife (not racist, but psycho) etc. The season one finale ends with Stephens consciously placing their black bodies in physical harm’s way and then calling them the ever popular racialized slur of “THUG,” in the locker room, for defending themselves against an unruly opponent.
If it’s one thing supremacy finds offense with, it’s a black man protecting himself.
At the end of the season we’re treated to an update on the players. Why a few of them are indeed offered scholarships to D1 programs, most of them aren’t. Prompting anyone to wonder, for the mental and emotional abuse under a psychopathic low-key racist, was it worth it? Did they even consider a HBCU?
Maybe that’s why Howard’s recent historic win over UNLV (one in which a $100 dollar bet on Howard would have netted the winner over $50,000) and the publicity it garnered was all the more fulfilling: Caylin Newton (the younger brother of Cam), a black quarterback no “major” programs wanted, leading an HBCU to a victory they were “supposed” to lose by 45 points, coached by Mike London — a black man who college football all but wrote off after leaving UVA.
So while the HBCU family, or maybe just black folk in general, rejoiced, the question of if this would be a turning point for Black College football floated around. Would HBCU games finally be shown on TV? Why doesn’t more talent consider HBCUs anyway? Why are our teams so bad?
Quiet as it’s kept, despite HBCU athletics not getting shout outs on SportCenter or considered “elite” programs, it doesn’t stop its student athletes from achieving professional greatness. From former Pro Hall of Famer Shannon Shape, who has recently started giving us life with his social commentary, All-American sprinter turned broadcaster Pam Oliver, former NFL player Marcus Dixon, who came back to Hampton to coach, or Olympian David Oliver who did the same, HBCU athletes show up when the opportunity is provided, and often times give back.
I reached out to one such athlete, Antoine Bethea, an HBCU Alumn (Howard), MEAC Hall of Fame Inductee, Super Bowl Champion and current NFL safety for the Cardinals, to get his thoughts on what this win might mean and if HBCU fans may actually start going to the game in lieu of the tailgate.
Blavity: Will this little publicity coupled with a super star’s little brother attending a HBCU provoke young talent to consider HBCUs more seriously?
Antoine Bethea: It’s a huge step , but at the end of the day, it would have to be more than that. Me being an alumn, people ask me all the time, “If you could do it all over again would you choose another school?” and I tell them no! Everybody has a different path and everybody can’t go to a division 1 school. I tell a lot of young kids, yeah you may want to go to a big school but a lot of times these kids get lost, where as if you go to a smaller school, you can shine. With Howard winning that game it shows that HBCUs have talent, and as we continue to play these types of games, it may continue to open up some eyes to show that smaller schools are competitive.
Blavity: Why isn’t HBCU football on TV? Most people would like the option to root for their team even if they aren’t particularly on a winning streak.
AB: That’s a great question! You would think that maybe black focused TV networks would show more HBCU games? But I think that’s something that the conference has to try to get into. Like I said, it’s a business. And until HBCUs get back on that market like it was in the early '90s, we may not see that promotion. It may take a bit.
Blavity: So, I told you about those thoughts on Netflix's Last Chance U, why would black students who are talented, but obviously may need a little more mentorship and a sense of community, overlook HBCUs in the first place? Do they know HBCUs exist?
AB: I think African American athletes know about HBCUs, but a lot of times growing up you want to go to a big school. That’s it! When you go to a HBCU you can get that hands on mentorship with the students. With bigger schools? It’s a big business. It’s a “what have you done for me lately” and your spot can be taken by the next five star recruit. Some of them may have never had anyone in their family go to school. Honestly, it’s something we have to start talking about and educating these younger athletes that’s coming into college.
Blavity: Any words of wisdom from these young men who didn’t get the looks or the top recruitment?
AB: I was them a few years ago. I wasn’t heavily recruited. Playing at Howard, I was told that the competition level wasn’t good enough, that I wasn’t big enough to play in the league. But at the end of the day, you have to believe in yourself, because if you don’t believe in yourself, no one will. I tell people if your dream is to go to the NFL, if you’re good enough and work hard, you can make that happen.
While the current repercussions from silent NFL protests throw into question the league's future popularity with black folks, one thing that can be agreed on is that young athletes deserve to compete and reach their full potential in a non-hostile, educational environment. The current political and oppressive climate has more students of color re-examining HBCUs and their programs, and that's good for everyone involved.
