A More Perfect Black College Union

Even if  Hal Lamar’s column has some merit to it, and members of the SWAC and other conferences are discussing the possibility of a playoff system for black college football teams, there’s no way the NCAA is going to sanction it. If they can’t get a playoff going for power conference teams, and the FCS already has a playoff intact, why on Earth would they create one just for black colleges?

Better yet, why should they?

“Which team is the best among HBCUs” is an annual hot-button question, and the sexy answer  is to enact a playoff. But to make a playoff system would have involve an elaborate polling system. Would you create rankings with computers like the BCS? Would you allow sports writers and coaches to vote, which would obviously be lopsided because the coaches can’t even get the Sheridan poll right.

And finally, how do you solve the mystery of Division I and II competition?

If the NCAA were to sanction anything, and its guaranteed that they wouldn’t,  it would likely be a tournament of champions of some sort. The champions of the CIAA, MEAC, SIAC and SWAC all meet in a three-game showdown to culminate in the national black college football champion. Most folks, black and white, would probably decry this kind of move and call it racist. And in a sense, it absolutely is racist to have a championship all unto black colleges that already compete in nationally-established and certified athletic competition.

And that’s why if this is a serious consideration among black college faithful, there’s only one remedy to truly fix what ails us.

All HBCUs withdraw from NCAA, NAIA and other associations, and create their own.

If college presidents and alumni are that into having our own, then they should stop relying on the prestige and money of existing models. To scrape and scratch for media attention, respect in the college polls and decent recruiting is not enough. There is a way to rebuild the aura of black college sports and its not in earning the opportunity to be squashed by power conference competition.

Historically black colleges have significant alumni networks. They have professionals in every field, ready to utilize their talents to advance the cause of these institutions. If presidents and fans are tired of seeing their men and women athletes be disrespected, unappreciated and underfunded in their efforts to play sports, then its up to each of us to put our money and time where our pride is and make it happen.

If Black Americans saw fit to establish institutions of higher learning specifically for the underserved, why not the same for collegiate athletics? Why remain stagnant in the NCAA and other associations when there is the same possibility for financial growth with our own association model. Built by us, supported by us and maintained by us.

Have some faith in your fans. Rely upon and market your proud tradition. The CIAA, MEAC, SIAC, SWAC, and all black colleges outside of the NCAA should form a more perfect black college union and crown our own champions.

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