Nunnie on the Sideline

By Nunnie Robinson, Westside Gazette Sports Editor

If you aren’t aware, allow me to remind all of my valued readers about the brevity and preciousness of life. What does this have to do with sports, you may be pondering. Well, recent deaths involving sports figures and icons have awakened my awareness of life’s fleeting evolution. The Dallas Cowboys’ promising  defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland allegedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a police chase. A moment of silence was held for him and former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue at stadiums across the professional football landscape, then  we learned of the passing of Hall of Fame professional and college  basketball coach and player Lenny Wilkins, who notably was born in 1937,  the same as my deceased brother, Charles “Jackie Boy” Robinson. One of my favorite South Plantation Paladins  and Omega brother, BCU Wildcat Sam Lee (Omega Chapter) offered what I considered sage advice when he stated: “Coach, don’t worry about dying; death will take of itself. We must live our lives to the fullest, concerning ourselves with living, one day at a time.”

The HBCU football world hopefully isn’t becoming a parody of MMA fighting in light of a second brawl involving Bethune Cookman and Grambling State at Grambling’s homecoming. Earlier in the season, a brawl between Central State and Fort Valley took place. The one common denominator in most of these occurrences is a loss of emotional control by individuals on both teams, resulting in school fines, player suspensions and fan disappointment. Reactions by SWAC commissioner McClelland and coaches Woodie and Joseph were remorseful and poignant.

We preach discipline and integrity,” Woodie said. “We can compete as hard as we want between the whistles, but when the game stops, that stuff has to stop too. That’s not just about Bethune-Cookman — that’s for all of us in the SWAC.”

“We’re extremely disappointed by the events that transpired during halftime of the Bethune-Cookman at Grambling State football game,” McClelland said. “Acts of that nature have zero place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.”

“I just want to apologize to the SWAC and to Bethune-Cookman University for what happened,” Joseph said. “That’s not who we are at Grambling State. We have a standard based on tradition, respect and integrity.”

In the final analysis, these regrettable incidents are a blight on all stakeholders: alumni and fans, the coaches and players, the schools, the conference and ultimately HBCU football. We are better than this!

Immediate ramifications for the G-Men despite their victory over the Wildcats is that the suspensions – nearly 20 players- drastically impair their chances of winning the SWAC championship. Prairie View’s resounding but surprising defeat of Alabama A&M keeps them in contention, depending on results of future  games. JSU and ASU held form with decisive victories over MVSU and Texas Southern respectively.

In the MEAC either Delaware State, North Carolina Central or South Carolina state will  determine the Celebration Bowl representative.

Albany State awaits the winner of the Kentucky State/Benedict winner to determine the SIAC champion.

Two time CIAA champion Virginia Union will face  a resurgent Johnson C. Smith squad seeking to revenge a 28-10 regular loss and capture the conference championship. The game will be played Saturday, November 15, 2025, in Durham, NC.