by Jesse J. Lewis, Sr.
Auburn is a great team. They were out-coached and out-played in the National Championship. One would have to admit the Southeastern Conference is the greatest of all the conferences.
There’s still racism in sports. I’m going to give you two examples and let you decide. One happened a long time ago and one happened recently.
Many years ago in 1935 Joe Louis fought Max Schmelling the first time. Max Schmelling was a German and Joe Louis was an Alabama native. Blacks were interested in fights because of Joe Louis. We didn’t have a radio but Ye Olde Tavern in Tuscaloosa, a drive-in restaurant, allowed Blacks to stand outside of the parking lot to listen to the radio. That night Max Schmelling knocked Joe Louis out after 12 rounds. The entire white audience burst out in applause.
Tiger Woods, incidentally a Black golfer, won five tournaments in 2013. Phil Mickerson won two and Adam Scott won two. There was a great debate over who was going to be Golfer of the Year. They finally decided to give the award to Tiger but the Golfer’s Writer’s Association gave their support to Adam Scott.
Whatever Tiger Woods does is severely criticized. I’m going to let you decide if there is still racism against Black athletes.
Anthony Grant and Tony Barbee will be fired in 2014
Now that football season is over we will be talking about Alabama and Auburn on every talk show. Auburn University is now at the bottom of the list in the Southeastern Conference in basketball. The only teams they can beat are Miles College and Stillman. If Alabama and Auburn keep trending in the same direction they are going then both coaches, Anthony Grant and Tony Barbee, will be fired. Alabama is accustomed to winning football, golf, volleyball, softball and most of all gymnastics.
Prediction for National Championship for 2014
The Southeastern Conference Championship will be played between Alabama and Auburn in 2014. Alabama will have a quarterback who can run, pass, block, kick and throw. They will never have a one-dimensional quarterback similar to A.J. McCarron again. When A.J. gets the ball everybody knows what he will do – pass or hand off the ball.
email:jjlewis@birminghamtimes.com
