Athletes, remember, have from the beginning generated millions of dollars for NCAA member schools’ athletic programs annually under the guise of amateurism. NCAA men’s basketball and the tournament are very popular and generates billions of dollars each year in revenue.
Gophers/College
Sports: a space for local and national sports news, with emphasis on stories pertaining to African Americans.
Posted inGophers/College, Sports
Gopher frosh pitcher gaining his groove
There are approximately 100 African American and other student-athletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the 2017-18 school and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players This week: Gopher freshman baseball pitcher Joshua Culliver Joshua Culliver is one of eight first-year hurlers on […]
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Being on both sides of the whistle
A seasoned Coach Staley advises new Coach Whalen New Gopher Women’s Basketball Coach Lindsay Whalen said in last week’s “View” that she soon would “reach out” to South Carolina and U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Staley. Staley in 2000 became the first WNBA player to take a Division I head coaching job (at Temple) […]
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‘If they made it, so can I!’
Black hockey players see themselves as role models Two conferences were represented earlier this month in this year’s NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul. Eventual champion Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) and Notre Dame (Big Ten) played for the 2018 title. This was the first time since 2005 that three schools in the same conference – Notre […]
Posted inGophers/College, Lynx/WNBA, Sports
Whalen named new Gopher coach after ‘whirlwind’ search
Will she be more successful recruiting local Black athletes? I love Lindsay Whalen. I’ve known her since her freshman year at Minnesota and throughout her stellar WNBA career. “You saw this coming?” a local reporter asked yours truly, the longest-tenured Gopher women’s basketball beat reporter, of my thoughts on perhaps the quickest coaching search since […]
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Celebrating Black Gopher student-athletes
In recognition of Black History Month this year, the University of Minnesota is “Celebrating Those Who Made Us Great” by interviewing (via surveys) former Black student-athletes. In this month’s “Sports Odds and Ends” we will publish as many of these interviews as space allows. This week: Ibrahim Kabia, Lea B. Olsen, Alena Brooks Ibrahim Kabia […]
Posted inGophers/College, Sports
Celebrating Black Gopher student-athletes
In recognition of Black History Month this year, the University of Minnesota is “Celebrating Those Who Made Us Great” by interviewing (via surveys) former Black student-athletes. In this month’s “Sports Odds and Ends” we will publish as many of these interviews as space allows. This week: Ukee Dozier, Dr. Charles Sims and Goaner Deng Ukee […]
Posted inGophers/College, Sports
Gopher gymnasts strive to reach their highest potential
There are approximately 100 African American and other student-athletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the 2017-18 school and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players. This week: senior gymnasts Ciara Gardner and Jalon Stephens Gymnastics is a sport where its participants usually […]
Posted inGophers/College, Sports
Celebrating Black Gopher student-athletes
In recognition of Black History Month this year, the University of Minnesota is “Celebrating Those Who Made Us Great” by interviewing (via surveys) former Black student-athletes. In this month’s “Sports Odds and Ends” we will publish as many of these interviews as space allows. This week: Tommy Watson, Rachel Banham, Chonquita Jones-Echhardt Tommy Watson Sport(s): […]
Posted inGophers/College, Sports
Celebrating former Black Gopher student-athletes
In recognition of Black History Month this year, the University of Minnesota is “Celebrating Those Who Made Us Great” by interviewing (via surveys) former Black student-athletes. In this month’s “Sports Odds and Ends” we will publish as many of these interviews as space allows. This week: John (JJ) Thompson, Rashida Beal, J.B. Bickerstaff Rashida Beal […]
Posted inGophers/College, Sports
U of M reaching out to former Black athletes?
It has seemed in recent years that a disconnect exists between the University of Minnesota’s former Black athletes and the school they once played for. Several of these athletes have shared this perception with me, albeit off the record. But U of M officials now are saying that the new Athletes Village, set to officially […]
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Surprise: Seven Auggies make league history
This column continues the Only One series in which this reporter shares his experiences as the only African American journalist on the scene. Rarely seen in these parts across all three NCAA divisions is a college basketball team, men and particularly women, where the majority of its players are of color. “It’s very unusual,” noted […]
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Brooklyn Park prep star finally gets to play back home — and win
Janay Morton now can brag that she never lost at Williams Arena as a collegiate. Nebraska defeated the host Gophers on New Year’s Eve. “It feels really good [playing in Minnesota] because I haven’t been here in five years of playing college ball,” the smiling Brooklyn Park native told the MSR afterward. She hadn’t played […]
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Their differences do not lessen fraternal twins’ mutual support
There are approximately 100 African American and other student-athletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the 2017-18 school and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players This week: Gopher sophomore basketball players Kehinde and Taiye Bello. Taiye Bello is averaging over 18 minutes […]
Posted inGophers/College, Sports
2019 Final Four planners promise more local community engagement
It’s over a year away, but the clock now is ticking on the 2019 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Minneapolis. “An incredible year and a half” remains before the Division I men’s college basketball national semifinals and finals are held at the Minnesota Vikings’ downtown stadium April 6-8, 2019, said Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior vice […]
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HBCU ‘cupcakes’ tend to lose big to mostly White schools
The smaller schools do gain from the experience Are HBCUs the Rodney Dangerfield of college basketball? Larger Division I schools annually put them on their non-conference schedule seemingly to pad their win columns. Let’s look at a sampling of last week’s game results: Hampton lost by 36 to Xavier. Morgan State lost by 63 to […]
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College system exploits amateurism!
I have had issues over many years with the NCAA. They are headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, and they answer to no one. They run college athletics, and the millions and billions of dollars generated annually are earned on the backs of amateur athletes. The recent scandal that hit college basketball brought down one of the […]
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New Gopher recruit gets right down to business
There are approximately 100 African American and other student-athletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the 2016-17 school and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players. This week: Destiny Pitts, U of M freshman basketball player. Destiny Pitts, a 5’-10” Detroit, Mich. native, […]
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Where diversity in college sport hits a brick wall
Fifth in an occasional series Longtime columnist William C. Rhoden has written on The Undefeated.com about the “blinding Whiteness in virtually every sector” of college sport, including key leadership and other essential positions, calling it the “diversity conundrum.” MSR’s multi-part series expands on Rhoden’s observation. This week: a “diversity brick wall” for Blacks. The Institute […]
Posted inSports
Hopkins grad had head start on freshmen teammates
There are approximately 100 African American and other student-athletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the 2016-17 school and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players. This week: Gopher freshman outside hitter Jasmyn Martin Jasmyn Martin, now in her first year as outside […]