When Winslow took the podium to introduce the FAMU football
team (something that is normally done by the head coach), hundreds of students
in the audience started booing him. The AD tried to laugh off the angry
reactions at first.
“A little louder,” he said with a big smile.
That did not amuse the upset students, who took him up on
his sarcastic request and began to boo at an even higher volume.
“Have your tickets and bring that energy to the game
tomorrow,” Winslow said.
Winslow then tried to go forward with the team introduction,
but the boos drowned out his voice. He stopped and stood quietly for
several minutes as the boos went on. By that time, the smile was gone.
“Good morning,” Mangum said as the students applauded. “One
of the things that we must remember is that we must always conduct ourselves in a
respectful manner…I ask that you express yourselves at the appropriate time and
let us continue this program.”
Mangum then sat down. Winslow recognized all the current and
former FAMU student-athletes and rushed back to his seat.
Earlier this week, Winslow angered many FAMU students with a
set of comments he made to a group of football players who visited him to
express their disagreement with his decision to terminate Head Coach Earl Holmes.
Winslow tried to shoo them away by saying “Don’t y’all have
a book to read?”
The football players did not attend the Homecoming
Convocation, where Winslow was scheduled to introduce them.