Serious Opinions needed please...


Kappalicious

Kappalicious

KEEPER OF THE FLAME!!
As I watched the coverage of ESPN this weekend, I was put back slightly by the coverage of Joe Paterno and his bid to overtake the great Paul Bear Bryant on the wins list for college victories.

And here is why:

Last week, Paterno tied Bear. ESPN then posted a list of the Winningest Coaches in Div 1A...of course Eddie Robinson was not listed, but Robin Roberts (Big Ups to you, girl) made special mention to "keep in mind that the all-time winningest record of 408 Victories belongs to the Legendary Eddie Robinson of Grambling State University". Kool...I understand they want to keep the invisible asterick by Eddie's name.

This week, however, there was not a single mention of Eddie Robinson; there was no distinction of Paterno as #1 in "Big Time College Football or #1 among Div 1A Coaches. They were just straight out...he's number 1; the winningest coach in college football; he holds the record alone as #1 all-time; etc, etc.

What is your opinion on their decision to allow the broadcasters and anchor people to crown Paterno #1 without even the caviat or mention of the Eddie Robinson?

Give me your honest thoughts, please.
 
I think it was a dayum disgrace to slight this great man and his remarkable achievements. Simply put, Coach Eddie Robinson is the greatest coach of all-time. What he accomplished can never be duplicated...they know this, so they purposely try to give all the props as being the winningest coach to Paterno, Bowden, etc.

I agree, big ups to Robin Roberts for doing what she did. However, we need to voice our concerns to the media with a letter writing campaign, radio talk shows, and whatever other forum we can get access to.

BTW, one of the highlights of my personal life was achieved this weekend. Two of my home boys played for Coach Robinson during the 70's. After the game we stopped by and imposed upon Coach's kindness with an unannouced visit. As always, he was a true gentleman as he and his lovely wife, Ms Doris, took time out from visiting with family members to allow us to visit for a brief (well until Coach started talking football) visit. This is truly a remarkable man, his knowledge and love of the game is exceeded only by his love of his family and THE GUYS, his term for the football team. He was sooooo proud of what "Doug and THE GUYS" have accomplished...we reminded him, that it was just a continuation of what he started. Truly a GREAT man!
 



Much Love...

Much Love, Mike...
I just want to know if it is just me...I actually sent Robin Roberts a letter to thank her for what she did. I explained to her that she may feel she was just doing her job...but that it is very important to those who don't have a voice to represent with through that type of medium.

The Eddie Robinson Foundation is going to take steps to actively tell the story of Eddie Robinson. We'll continue to give our $20,000 scholarships, but we will become much more active in the legacy that is Eddie Robinson...stay tuned.

;)
 
Bruh,

Could you give me the address. I'm gonna ask our alumni chapter to submit a letter to Ms Roberts thanking her for her diligence and sense of right!

I was commenting on another thread about how "folks" try an belittle our programs by stating "The SWAC is 0-12" in D1AA playoffs". The thing is they fail to mention that prior to the establishment of D1AA, GSU defeated many of these same teams in the "college" division playoffs. They purposely omit this fact in an effort to discredit our league and programs.
 
just a thought

Spike Lee is doing the biography series on influential black people, we have seen Malcolm X, the Muhammad Ali movie is due out soon and there is also talk about a movie about Jim Brown that Spike is scheduled to work on. We all know somebody of this stature would do Coach Rob some justice plus if they can get input from former players to make a great documentary, too many are still influential figures. I hope they dont wait until he's gone and espn tries to do one of those one sided often biased sports century documentaries.
Just 2 cents frm a jag...
 
I hated to hear tham say that also, it started last year when he was trying to tie Bear Bryant. They kept saying stuff like "Major College or Div 1A". If I'm correct I don't even think that He's #2 in wins, I think some else in Div 2 or 3 is behind Caoch Eddie in wins. Paterno will not be there long because Bowden is at 319 and he still have some years left in him. They(media) was all over Coach Eddie when he broke that record and now they don't want to even mention his name with the record. If you didn't know who was the winniest coach of all time you wouldn't know from all the reports this past weekend.
 
Mike (and others);

Send your letters to the brass at ESPN also.

All:

This is typical.

The big schools and their mouthpieces (the sportcasters) try to ignore the accomplishments of HBCU's and the smaller programs, but particularly, HBCU's all the time.

Remember when Dean Smith became the "all-time winningest coach" in college basketball? They did the same thing. Very few sportcasters made the distinction between Smith's breaking Rupp's record for the so call "major college programs" and the fact that Clarence "Big House" Gaines had over 900+ victories at the school he coached at (I believe it was Winston Salem). Smith's 870+ is no where's near Gaines record, but he is "the all-time winningest coach".

The ironic part is that Dean Smith, himself, chuckled when they honored him for breaking Rupp's record after the game. When they bestowed on him the title of "all time winningest coach", he himself laughed and said something to the effect of "well,
there's a coach down the road aways that won 960 some games whose name is Clarence Big House Gaines. As far as I'm concerned he's the all time winningest coach".

But the sportscasters all want to be in with the PWC's and the PWC's and their followers figure that they have to be #1 in everything. If the facts don't fit the conclusions, they change the facts. Its typical of them.

Regards.

BTW: They (the NCAA) now claim that they can't verify all of Coach Gaines victories. He is now listed third on the all time list behind Smith and Rupp.

They find a way........
 
Info...

First of all the Address for Robin Roberts:

ESPN
Attn: Robin Roberts
935 Middle St.
Bristol, CT 06010

All of the comments have been right on point. And yes, hopefully, one day somebody like Spike will step up. I do know that there a few others in his line that he wants to do before Eddie Rob. The name I heard was Jackie Robinson...I think we all know what a huge fan of his he is and rightfully so. But if they can do a movie about the coaches in Virginia (Remember the Titans), certainly Eddie Rob will get a look one day.

I also know that he will have a prominent part in the new ESPN documentary Rites of Autumn...the Story of College Football. This is a 10 hrs series that will include Eddie the greatest coaches and in the story of Black College Football. So keep your eyes out for that.

And yes there is a coach in Div II that has 382 wins at last count...and you better believe they are counting down the wins to get this guy to #1 all time. That will be the interesting thing...of how they treat one of their own...but a guy who coached the whole time on Div II level football...

That's why we have to continue to beat the drum...
 
I am very glad someone started this thread. I was sitting down this weekend thinking the very same thoughts. This is another classic example of HIStory. Skewed reporting is putting it mildly; also this is another reason why we should not believe everything that the media broadcasts. To take it one step further, I have grave concerns about media manipulation and what the general public is being told (or not being told) about our nations current crisis'. The snubbing of such a patriotic man is merely a microcosm of the general consensus of the majority about minorities. Racial profiling, institutional raciscm, criminal "justus" (pun intended)system and red lining are a few symptons of this sick disease. My concerns and the question that haunts me the most is if America is not even handed with its most patriotic citizens (AA) will the entire country be lead inevitably into damnations. The mood of the majority reminds of the so called "good christians" that justified enslavement through religion as well as the organization with an acronym of kkk. These "good sports casters" like many "good christians" have turned their heads for approximantely 500 years while a people have been terrorized on American soil. The ommission by the sports casters of this great accomplishment is home grown psychological warfare from just another discipline. For those that think this incident was just an oversight, I respectfully challenge you to decipher what kma means (hints: lips,rhymes with I & posterior).
 
Great Post, JROCK...

Very intelligent and insightful...I only wish Robin could read this and better understand my sentiments to her. Now I know I was right in my thoughts.

Thanks, SWAC PAGE!!

;)
 
I had the same opinion. I went on a black sports show in Dallas (Roger B. Brown Talkin' Sports) and complimented Robin Roberts for the same move. We may have let her down by not sending e-mails to her and the network thanking her for not forgetting the all-time winningest coach (Eddie Robinson). It is an after thought, but can someone look up the email address(es) for us, so we can voice thoughts on them not down playing Coach Robinson?

They are wisely saying the Division IA winningest Coach. It should always be followed or lead off with the all time winningest coach being mentioned just as they did with Coach Robinson by always noting that he surpasses "Bear" Bryant.

Peace!!!
 
What a lot of people don't realize is that Bear Bryant won most of those games against sorry opponents as well as good one's. For instance, in the early 70's-mid 80's Alabama was beating teams like Univ. of Miami 77-7 when most people didn't know about Miami. They used to be real sorry. If the media insist on believing that Div.I is more competitive than Div.I-AA, then all the sorry teams that Bama played years ago should be stripped from the Bear's record book. Thus, giving Coach Robinson the credit, he so really deserve.
 
Hey,

I don't even get into trying to qualify the victories. All that matters to me is that Eddie Robinson is the ALL TIME WINNINGEST COLLEGE COACH. Paterno just became No. 2 on the All time winning coaches list and Bear just became No. 3. OK. Alright, the footnote to the accomplishment is that Paterno is now at the top of the list in Division I-A coaches. That is the proper justification. Just as you've heard them give coaches credit for being the alltime winningest ACTIVE coach, meaning the top person is either retired or deceased and they usually note which. We have a case with the media totally ignoring Coach Robinson who sit way on top of the pile. It is a total slap in the face of a great man and his accomplishments.

This has nothing to do with discrediting Bear or Paterno for what they accomplished. They are getting their props. But, the HNIC is being disrespected.

PEACE!!!
 
I will post more later. But I remember when Robin Roberts was a sport's reporter for Channel 5 in Atlanta. That was her last job right before ESPN. The Atlanta media should have never let her leave. When Eddie Robinson won 400 games, she did a special on him.

Anyway, I am more upset over the slight of Clarence "Big House" Gaines as the winningest coach in baskeball history. Somehow years after he won that distinction and Dean Smith passed Adolph Rupp, Smith became the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history. Talk about revisionist history! At least folks are saying that Paterno is the winningest coach in 1-A history and not NCAA football history. Remember. One of Gaines players was Hall-of-Famer Earl "The Pearl" Monroe. Among the competitors of Gaines was noted coach John McClendon. That is going against competition.

Anyway, as for Alabama, there was a time when it was a foregone conclusion that they would win the SEC. The only race was for second.

Actually, Paterno is number three all-time. There is a coach in Minnesota (I think St. Clould.) that is less than 30 wins behind Eddie Robinson.

Anyway, I will be back for more.
 



Man EB,

I have allow the media's lack of reporting cause me to forget that also. That is true. So, this is like repeating history. Well, the media listens to those that voice their opinion to them. That is why Robin's move was so valuable. She didn't have to stick her neck out there like that. That is why I say I think we left her hanging by not sending in messages to say "thank you for not overlooking the true all-time winningest coach". I think it is only right for us to find the email, fax and/or mailing address so we can all forward a response and ask others to do the same to say Paterno has achieve a great accomplishment and deserves his coverage. However, we should also say please don't leave Coach Robinson out of any conversation regarding the all-time winningest college football coach. Let them know that it is totally disrespectful to him and the sport even when you are doing the right thing in honoring Paterno.

PEACE!!!
 
My fellow SWAC Pagers...

This opportunity did not go by the way side...and while there was no flood of letters and emails to the executives of ESPN, I did send a letter for all of us to Robin.

She will know your heartfelt sentiments and will understand what her gesture meant for all of us...but most importantly for entire Grambling family that built the leagend that is Eddie Robinson.

;)
 
coaching records

Good post K,

I was pretty much sick to my stomach last weekend...press conference highlights, game highlights, etc. Not taking anything from "Joe Pa", because he earned his wins. But, we should not be surprised. One of their "own" will of course get more recognition. Do we honestly think that if given the opportunity they would highlight Eddie over the "good ol' boys"? It's quite sad. I pray that in my lifetime I never see anyone overtake Eddie's record. I couldn't take it.

And, Robin is truly a class act. She is REAL. Going to school at Southeastern and being from Miss., she understands the "real story" and makes no bones about it. I doubt anyone challenged her when she made that statement. They know better. I also have to give some props to Rodney Gilmore of ESPN. Last weekend, I think, during their wrap up of their college football game day, each anchor got a parting statement. His parting statement was big ups to "Doug Williams and his Grambling team. They are getting it done down there." I almost chocked. Didn't expect that at all.

LIST OF COACHES WITH 200 OR MORE CAREER VICTORIES (as listed in record book; DOES NOT include this season's wins)

Eddie Robinson 408-165-15
#John Gagliardi, St. John's (Minn.) 377-109-11
Bear Bryant 323-85-17
#Joe Paterno 322-90-3
Pop Warner 319-106-32
#Bobby Bowden 315-87-4

# - active

I don't know how long Gagliardi plans to keep coaching though. He's been at that school since '53 and he's in his 53rd year of coaching.

My other comment is this: Why do they include games played BEFORE the 1900's??? Pop Warner and Alonzo Stagg BEGAN their careers in the LATE 1800's. Not that their records shouldn't count, just in a different category.
 
They asked a quiz question about John Gagliardi on the Penn St. vs USM game on Saturday. I think that was ESPN2. They said he is a Division III coach. They didn't give the impression that he was thinking about retiring. In fact, they joked about the job security that he has. They mentioned he had more wins than Paterno, but said absolutely nothing about Coach Robinson.

PEACE!!!
 
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