With the NFL Draft 5 weeks away, dozens of talented athletes filtered into Doak Campbell with the goal of putting up numbers and catching the eye of NFL Scouts. Two FAMU Rattlers, who were invited drew the attention of FSU Strength and Conditioning Coach Todd Stroud, and it was not in a good way.
Both former Rattlers, Carlos Rolle and Tyrone McGriff were not allowed to fully participate in the Pro Day on FSU's campus.
"He just called us out and told us that we couldn't go through the drills. I asked what is the problem? The response that he gave was, I'm running the show and ya'll are not going to participate in the drill." said Former FAMU Defensive End Carlos Rolle.
"It's Florida State's pro day and that was a courtesy to come over here and pop a 40 and that was the agreement was. Obviously, it's Florida State's day and we extended a courtesy to try and to help a few kids and if a scout wants to see an A&M player they will pull them out and see them." said FSU Strength Coach Todd Stroud.
This is 2008, not 1958, but this kind of ill-treatment of FAMU students by FSU folks still goes on.
The stinging denial at FSU pro day perhaps wasn't the harshest words of the day. FSU alum and NFL Pro Bowler Antonio Cromartie showed his displeasure with how the situation was handled.
"It's not a fair opportunity, if you're going to have the guys come over here, put them in the same rotation as the other guys, don't sit here and tell them that they can come over here after one 40 (yard dash), and they run in a head wind, after one 40 (yard dash) and they're done. That don't make sense. Treat everybody equally," said Cromartie.
Cromartie added, "Personally that's one reason why I don't come back to Florida State. What goes on here, how they treat former players, alumni that's played here. How they treat us, that's one reason. The only reason I'm here (today at Pro Day) is because of my God brother."
The mistreatment of the FAMU players prompted FAMU Coach Joe Taylor to place a call to FSU Coach Bobby Bowden to work things out.
I'm not surprised at all.
ReplyDeleteOnce again blacks wanting something from white America...WHY? Becasue, we have not seen the light yet, period. Here is the "light" as I see it since FAMU is in Tallahassee just like FSU when FSU has its "Pro Day" then we should have a "Pro Day" as well and how do we get the NFL to come? Well we should have all of the MEAC Players at our University therby, increasing the number of talent for the NFL to look at while they are in one city on the same weekend. But, as long as we "need" and "beg" FSU or "white America" period for a hand-out they are going to give us what they want to "hand-out" and its always going to be NUTHING!
ReplyDeleteNow do you see why Deion Sanders and those guys don't fool with FSU?
ReplyDeleteKeep your head up FAM, and do not take the low road on this Blog.
Excellence is our best weapon against prejuduice!
Next year, we'll have our own pro day and FSU kids will be trying to get in !!!
ReplyDeleteit is so sad to see that Florida State will NEVER respect FAMU. We are in a so-called "college town" and yet we still cannot share something as simple as a football field? Our schools have been established side by side for over 100 years and its a shame that some people still cannot see past the train tracks. Pro Day is much bigger than FSU. Its bigger than any D1 school. It is another way for a young man to make his mark on the world and do something positive with his life doing something he enjoys. Its a shame that some people just dont want people to succeed. The good players will shine and the best players will play. Its that simple. Karma comes back around.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wctv.tv/sports/headlines/16886796.html
ReplyDeleteThis isn't racial prejudice, its seminole prejudice. I am sure ALL of their black players got to participate.
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ReplyDeleteGreatness will never be achieved by those waiting for someone else to provide for them.
ReplyDeleteFirst off you all had your own pro day. We don't need you, your talent is worthless and not on the same level as FSU. We have a right now to let you participate. I bet you all would have a dam fit if FSU came to you all pro day and participated. You all on "Plantation Hill" need to get a life
ReplyDeleteSeminole Baby, you should pass those words on to your "dead white trailer trash Momma, who still lives on Plantation Hill. If you were not a coward, you'd show just who you are!
ReplyDelete11:40, no one cares about fsu "trying to get in." we care about our guys "trying to get out." big difference.
ReplyDeleteseminole baby. I really feel sorry for you. I don't for one minute believe that you are cacausian. You're Black and what you posted reads like a person with real problems.
ReplyDeleteYou've got much bigger problems that defending the FSU football program. I do feel sorry for you. You want to be a "Nole, but you know that you will never be accepted by the Nole family like the sandy haired Sigma Nu who sits next to you.
If Ronnie Johnson, Alvin Hollins and the so-called powers in the athletic office get off their lazy butts and start working the phones making contact with NFL clubs inviting them to OUR OWN pro day, then FAMU player won't have to worry about having to go over to FSU!
ReplyDeleteThe whole program is a joke. Heck, I couldn't even get Tim Edwards (recruiting coordinator) to call me back about a couple of prospects in the ATL area that wanted to attend FAMU... who by the way went on to sign with South Florida & GA Southern respectively. Handle your own business and stop blaming others for your short comings.
Plus, I heard Earl Holmes himself was over at FSU when this jumped off... why didn't he talk to the FSU coach? Furthermore, why didn't he just use his NFL contacts to put together a mini FAMU pro day?
I agree, why can't we have our OWN pro day? Wake up athletic department!
ReplyDeleteI'm a 'Morehouse Man' w/2 grad degrees from the University of FL. Spent 5 years in Gainesville post-ATL.
ReplyDeleteProblem is that the young Negro athletic 'gods' on White campuses 'get theirs' and walk away from the racial disparities at UF, FSU, etc. The NFL alumni have leverage they won't use for Black athletes who will follow them.
The Emmitt Smiths & Deion Sanders-types could stop this bullshit immediately in a phone call to the Bull Gator-type $$$$$$ athletic contributors to tell them to put a stop to this foolishness or they will lose Black athletes. The retired athletes especially have nothing to lose. Instead, they get collective selective amnesia, close their eyes & mouths, & show up on campus for banquets & awards.
Did Cromartie do anything other than carp to the media and run away? If so, he's a punk like most football players who only seem to be able to deal with conflict resolution on the gridiron, and lose their nuts off the field. Why hasn't one of them in the history of athletic desegregation ever said, "God damn UF, God damn FSU (it's in the Bible)...?"
Pro sports is a sick system, and other that the illegal Mexicans picking America's broccoli, it's the closest thing to slavery still existing in this sick-ass country, beamed into Black boys' brains in which they think their worth is tied to their physicality.
Beasts of burden for America's entertainment purposes only. They can't even 'trick' the system by saving their money & using it to support folks like Jeremiah Wright, etc. who will stand while they sit. Disgusting.
I'm an ex-college jock, so I know of which I speak. A lot of football players (not all, but many) are pussies off the field. Oh, they will kick a sister's ass, but that's all. Pro athletes generally are punk mfs. Noses up white folks' asses for a lifetime.
FYI
ReplyDeleteBefore we begin making a big deal and passing judgement. Here are a couple more things to consider.
1. FAMU did make arrangements for a 'couple' of players to work out that day. When many more than a couple showed up, FSU's coaches stepped in to make sure their kids had preference.
a. (My personal opinion here) I think this was an understandable move given that FSU's coaches should be concerned with their program first and foremost. Perhaps the way they went about it was rude but it was still reasonable.
2. 90% of the players working out from FSU were black so I'd venture to say that this isnt a black/white issue and we shouldnt be bringing race into this. We need to save that for all the folks on Fox that constantly 'hate on' Obama.
3. According to our (FAMU) coaches there is/was a pro day planned for our players as well. I am guessing that the involvement from pro level scouts for that day is not nearly what it would be for FSU's day so of course we want to give our kids more exposure during FSU's day.
a. We can help this by utilizing our pro connections associated with the league and its various scouting departments. We also need to produce more pro-level talent if we want more pro-level attention.
Lastly the only way that something like this works for us, is if we build relationships with FSU. The truth is that they have one of the biggest most successful college football programs in the country. They dont owe it to us to allow us to participate in their pro days, anymore than we owe it to them to participate in our career days. Either way it's a favor from one school to another.
STILL THE FAMU ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT (ADMIN, COACHES, PLAYERS, ALUMNI, ETC.) NEED TO GET OFF THEIR A$$ AND FORCE CHANGE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD! YOU CAN'T SUGARCOAT BS!
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