(This Is Better Than A Major, Right?)
Dr. Gregory D. Jones

ATLANTA, Ga. – Each year, the Professional Golfer’s Association has its season whereby the best golfers in the world compete for fame and fortune.
This year alone, Tiger Woods won five times on tour, ranked number one in the world golf rankings and coming into Eastlake Golf Club ranked number one in Fed Ex Cup standings as well.  Unfortunately for Tiger Woods’ fans, author included, he did not win any of the Playoff Venues at neither the Barclays, the Deutsche Bank, the BMW or the Tour Championship. He likewise failed to win a Major in 2013. When asked if he was pleased with his year, he replied, “Well I won five times this year, that’s pretty good isn’t it?”
Henrik Stenson was ranked 200 in the world two years ago, lost his club’s championship and was pretty much written off the pages of golfing lore. Well, Henrik begged to differ by playing the best golf of his career these last three months. The Swede finished with a two-under par round of 68 on Sunday to give himself a three shot victory that won both the Tour Championship and the Fed Ex Cup. He posted a tournament score of 13-under par and became the first European to win the Tour Championship and the Fed Ex Cup. He also earned $11.44 million for these four days of work. When asked what will he say to everyone asking him about winning a major, Stenson replied, “This is better than a major, isn’t it?, much to the delight of the members of Eastlake who accompanied him on the 18th green for the winning ceremony.
All is not lost, Tiger is still ranked number one in the world, will be voted PGA Player of the Year on Friday, won the Vardon Trophy and the Money Title for the 2013 golf season.

    While most of the activities surrounding Empowerment Week centered around Downtown and a plethora of celebrity visitors, one event set to empower our youth, took place in west Birmingham at the Wenonah High School Stadium for the 2nd Annual District 7 Classic.
The brainchild of Councilman Jay Roberson, the District 7 Classic is a series of football games, not between rival high school or college teams, but between youth teams, ages 5 to 12. The games and all the activities surrounding them are designed to give the kids an opportunity to experience playing sports on a higher level. Both teams participating in the Classic usually play their games at city parks with a smaller capacity and with fewer amenities than the high school stadium.
The teams, the Wenonah Young Dragons and the Roosevelt City Spartans, are from two youth sports organizations, the Southern Community Association and the Southwest Alliance Association.
Not only did the kids get to play on a bigger playing field in the high school stadium, the first time for most of them, but they looked good doing it. Over 200 players from both programs were wearing brand new Russell uniforms sponsored by Councilor Roberson. “You look good, you feel good, you play good,” said Roberson.
The Councilman also went on to thank the parents for getting their children involved in the youth sports program and the coaches for supporting the classic and all the other activities. “Youth sports and recreation are an integral part of our community. Programs like this keep our kids out of the streets and away from negative activities,” Councilor Roberson said.
The activities began with a parade showcasing all the players. Cheerleaders and other community organizations also participated. The games were played in front of a larger crowd than the previous year and was attended by former University of Alabama and NFL player Gene Jelks.
Saturday marked the second year for the District 7 Classic and the Councilor, who is passionate about empowering our youth through sports, hopes that the classic will continue to grow for future youth football players to come.
Councilor Roberson also participated in other Empowerment Week events – on Friday he joined NBA greats Robert Horry and Bob Lanier on a leadership panel at Jackson Olin High School, which was the subject of youth violence a day earlier, to discuss education, financial literacy and community involvement.  The program at Jackson Olin was presented by BBVA Compass and NBA Cares.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) has released the Volleyball Players of the Week and three Lady Hornets have been named to the list.

Amber Bennett, Baton Rouge, La., has been named the Offensive Player of the Week.  She led ASU to a 3-1 record during the week with 57 kills against only six hitting errors.  She hit .515 for the week.  She also added four blocks and three service aces.  Her best game of the week came against New Orleans where she had a career-high 23 kills and hit .667.  She was named to the ISTAP All-Tournament Team and this is her second weekly SWAC honor.

Ellyn Jones, Seymour, Ind., has been named the SWAC’s Newcomer of the Week.  She led ASU in assists with 67 and also had 29 digs and five service aces. She accumulated 20 assists in back-to-back games against New Orleans (23) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (22).

LaToya Ellington, Anniston, Ala., has been named the Defensive Player of the Week. Ellington had a total of 10 block assists during the week.  She also chipped in with 19 kills and five digs.  Her best game of the week came against New Orleans where she had seven kills and four block assists.

(BLACK PR WIRE) – Many student athletes who excel on the field also score points in their personal lives by successfully balancing athletics, schoolwork and giving back to their communities. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), along with sponsorship partner Allstate, recognizes college/university football players of exemplary character with their annual Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® award, one of the most prestigious off-the-field honors in college sports.

These young men are nominated by their schools’ sports directors, and are selected based on factors which include service to the community and academic achievement. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel selects 11 award winners from the Football Bowl Subdivision I-A and 11 from the Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA. All members of the Good Works Team® will receive special recognition at the Allstate® Sugar Bowl® game in January, and have the opportunity to participate in community service activities in the New Orleans area.

This year, four African-American student athletes from the Football Bowl Subdivision have earned a spot on the Good Works Team®:

Stephen Morris is a senior quarterback for the University of Miami Hurricanes. His community service includes serving as a project manager for the University of Miami’s Bone Marrow Donor Drive, feeding the homeless with the Miami Rescue Mission, coaching youth sports, visiting with families at the Ronald McDonald House, and volunteering for the Run For Your Lives 5K event. Morris’ selection marks the second year in a row that a University of Miami player has made the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.

Fred Lee is a senior wide receiver for the University at Buffalo Bulls, and has the distinction of being the first UB football player in history to win the Good Works Team® award. His community service activities include volunteering in schools, day care centers, veteran’s hospitals, the Ronald McDonald House, the Red Cross, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Tim Horton’s Camp Day.

Nick Forbes is a junior linebacker for the University of California, Berkeley Golden Bears. He is the vice president of the Golden Bear Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and has represented UC at both the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Advisory Conference and the NCAA APPLE Conference. Forbes has been a motivational speaker at schools and youth groups, and has volunteered with organizations such as Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland, City of Berkeley and Read Across America.

Asa Watson is a senior tight end for the North Carolina State University Wolfpack. On campus, he serves as a representative for the Society of Afrikan American Culture, an organization promoting cultural awareness and community service. Off campus, he has volunteered on multiple trips with Athletes In Action’s “Urban Project L.A.” where he helped on projects in inner-city communities. Watson has gone on mission trips as well, and recently spent the entire summer with his pastor father on a mission trip to Jamaica. 

 Black PR Wire salutes these fine student athletes for being such extraordinary role models to the younger generation, both on and off the football field.

Howard University becomes the first institution outside of the conference’s region to join the SWAC for a single sport.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference has entered a membership agreement welcoming Howard University into the league for the sport of women’s soccer. The announcement was made following the approval of the league’s Council of Presidents and Chancellors.
The Lady Bisons will compete in 2013 season as an independent before officially joining the SWAC during the fall of 2014.
Having previously played in the Great West Conference, HU will be eligible to compete for the SWAC Soccer Championship and have an opportunity to earn the conference’s NCAA automatic qualifier in 2015.  With the addition of Howard, the SWAC will now feature 11 soccer teams eliminating divisional play. Each team will play an overall conference schedule alternating home games each season.
Howard will play its SWAC home games in Birmingham, Ala. at a venue to be determined at a later date.
“We are pleased to welcome Howard University and its women’s soccer team to the Southwestern Athletic Conference,” SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp added. “They are an amazing university with a strong academic and athletic history. Howard’s athletic programs have strong fan support and the program fits well with the goals we have in place for the sport.”
Howard’s women soccer program started in 1995. Under current head coach Brent Leiba, Howard advanced to the championship game of the 2012 GWC Soccer Tournament as a No. 6 seed.  For 2013 season, Howard will face a pair of schools currently in the SWAC. The Lady Bisons will travel to Texas Southern for a match-up on September 20 before facing Prairie View A&M on September 22.
“I’m extremely happy to see relationships developing between the Southwestern Athletic Conference and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference,” said SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors Chairman Dr. John Rudley. “HBCU fans will have the opportunity to see some of the best in collegiate athletics showcased by these two top tier conferences. Since the inception of women’s soccer in the SWAC, our programs have all made significant strides towards building programs that can compete on both regional and national levels. The addition of Howard University in women’s soccer will undoubtedly enhance the SWAC’s stature and overall visibility in the current competitive landscape of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I soccer.”
The SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted unanimously making Howard the first University to join the conference in one sport outside of the league’s original footprint.
“We are excited about our women’s soccer team joining the Southwestern Athletic Conference,” said Howard University Director of Athletics Louis “Skip” Perkins. “SWAC has been recognized for its competitiveness and commitment to academic excellence. Howard looks forward to entering the conference and contributing to SWAC’s traditions of top performance on the field and in the classroom.”
Howard University remains a full active member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in 15 sports while holding memberships with other conferences in women’s lacrosse (Atlantic Sun) and men and women’s swimming (Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association). Howard men’s soccer competes as an independent.

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Fans who attend the Talladega Experience during the Camping World RV Sales 500 (Oct. 20) will be given a double dose of NASCAR star-power, as Denny Hamlin joins Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the celebrity appearance lineup at NASCAR’s finest hospitality venue race morning. The driver of the No.11 FedEx Toyota will be on hand for a question and answer session that all fans are invited to be a part of.
Located just outside Talladega’s historical frontstretch where countless races have been won and lost at the 2.66-mile facility, the Talladega Experience is just one of the many Camping World RV Sales 500 ticket upgrades available to Talladega Superspeedway ticket holders. It is designed for the FAN, with the ultimate goal of providing each guest with a world-class experience and memories that will last a lifetime. Other celebrities scheduled to appear in the Talladega Experience will be announced in the near future.
In addition to the up-close, personal access to both question and answer sessions with Hamlin and Earnhardt, Jr., guests of the Talladega Experience will be treated to unlimited delicious catering and beverages, pre-race pit road tours inside the track, access to the start-finish line during driver introductions, VIP parking, event souvenirs, and more.
Hamlin’s credentials in the sport of NASCAR are impressive to say the least. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has 22 wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, including five last season. He was a threat to win the 2013 championship until an accident in Fontana earlier this year sidelined the Virginia native for four races. He made his return behind the wheel in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway – starting the event before being relieved by Brian Vickers mid-race. Hamlin has four top-10 finishes at NASCAR’s Most Competitive track.
“Denny Hamlin is one of the finest drivers in NASCAR, and fans in the Talladega Experience are in for a treat,” said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “The Experience is available to everyone and puts fans behind the scenes with their favorite drivers leading up to the drop of the green flag – both with the driver appearances in our hospitality village and driver introductions at the start-finish line. This is absolutely an experience you can only get at Talladega.”
The Talladega Experience is just one of the many ticket upgrades available to Talladega Superspeedway ticket holders. The package, which must be accompanied by a Frontstretch Grandstand or Tower ticket, is $145 and can be purchased by calling 877-Go2-DEGA or visiting www.talladegasuperspeedway.com. Other ticket upgrades available include Pre-Race Pit Passes, Fan Suites, the Paddock Club, and the Acceleration Package.
The Camping World RV Sales 500 at Talladega is the sixth race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Series Championship. It has proven to be the Chase “Wildcard” event where fans can expect the unexpected.
The most competitive racing in NASCAR combined with a mix of southern hospitality returns to Talladega Superspeedway October 18-20, for the Camping World RV Sales 500 Weekend. For tickets and information visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.
This is more than a race…This is Talladega!