By Sylvester “Nunnie” Robinson
Speculation about the Heat’s interest in former Florida Gator and present Washington Wizards superstar Bradley Beal was slightly exaggerated. The Phoenix Suns apparently had the draft picks and veteran players like Chris Paul to consummate a deal which satisfied the needs of both organizations. According to ESPN the Heat has turned their attention to shooting guard Damon Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers. The Heat brass, led by Pat Riley, should never be doubted or underestimated.
For those interested, the upcoming Orange Blossom Classic featuring Jackson State and Florida A&M peeked my curiosity about the history of this emerging rivalry. You see, we must take a walk down memory lane to understand the historical significance. FAMU and JSU first played in the 29th and 30th OBCs in 1961 and 1962. The Rattlers were a powerful and speedy machine led by “Bullet “ Bob Hayes, Robert Paremore and Hewitt Dixon while the Tigers had future NFL great Willie Richardson, Verlon Biggs and quarterback sensation Roy Curry on their roster. Without going into great detail, FAMU won the first contest 14-6, a game that, depending on who you were talking to, both teams had a different outlook on. The Rattlers thought they should have won by a wider margin while the Tigers thought they were victimized by inexperience and a palpable, intimidating atmosphere with nearly 50,000 fans in attendance. Adding to the intimidation factor was the sheer number of players on FAMU’s roster. While JSU had maybe 40 players, watching the Rattlers come on field for pre-game warmups created much dread and consternation as they seem to have as many players as the Marching 100 had band members. Also, for the Tigers, stated Willie Richardson, “that was the player’s first experience flying.” The second game almost didn’t happened, according to reliable sources. Coach Gaither allegedly wanted to play Morgan State, who had previously annihilated FAMU in 1943 in a game during WW II. The players, however, wanted a rematch with the Tigers. Coach Gaither, against his better judgment, acquiesced. A motivated, powerful, talented and more experienced Tiger team prevailed 22-8 propelling JSU to greater football success, even today. After last year’s debacle and Deion’s departure to Colorado, I anticipate a great game with perhaps a different outcome.
What do you think?
The game is scheduled for September 3, 2023 with a 3:00pm starting time at the Hardrock Stadium.
Finally, there’s a tremendous article written by Sam Jefferson, Jr. which goes into great detail about the 1961/1962 OBC classics on the internet.
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