ESPN Sending Gameday To Tallahassee, And Not For A Seminoles' Game

Monday, November 10, 2008


While there aren't many stellar matchups during week twelve of the College Football season, you'd think ESPN could come up with a better game to send the Gameday crew to than Hampton at Florida A&M. For some reason though, that's their choice for this coming Saturday's slate of games, and it obviously marks the first time the pregame show has gone to visit the Rattlers in Tallahassee. Via the Daily Press....

HAMPTON - ESPN will telecast its College GameDay pregame show at Florida A&M on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m., before the Rattlers' 3:15 p.m. game against Hampton. FAMU becomes the first historically black college campus to host the program.

The game marks the first between schools since Joe Taylor left Hampton in late-December to become FAMU's coach. Taylor coached the previous 16 seasons at Hampton, where his teams were 136-48-1 and won eight conference titles.

"That's going to be a real big game," Hampton coach Jerry Holmes said. "He's part of my foundation of coaching. When I finished playing in the NFL, he was the first guy to give me an opportunity to coach some.

"I'm looking forward to motivating the guys and going down to Florida and playing against him."
Now I would understand the move if either team was undefeated, or one of the team's players was about to set a record. But to pick two schools, with a 5-4 record and 7-3 respectively, is a pretty odd decision. At least last year's random trip to Massachusetts for the Williams-Amherst game had some history behind it. I think saying that choice was random would be the understatement of the decade.

GameDay to be at HU game (Daily Press)

25 Comments:

I sent an email to ESPN last week suggesting that they go to the Elon-Appalachian State game. App State is ranked #2 with a 7-2 record (lost to LSU and James Madison, the #1 team in I-AA), and Elon is #11 with a 7-2 record. It's an in-state rivalry, and it's being played at App State, who's the 3-time defending national champion.

I'm very glad they decided to do something other than a I-A game - I like it when they do something different. But while I understand them going to a historically black university for the first time, I think the Elon/App State game would have been a lot more interesting.

Unknown said...
Nov 10, 2008, 9:15:00 AM  

If they feature the Florida A&M band, I'm all behind it.

Craig Barker said...
Nov 10, 2008, 9:40:00 AM  

There's no doubt ESPN has been very progressive about promoting diversity. For Gameday to make its first trip to a HBCU during a week of otherwise weak major college games is not all that surprising. I'm sure they would have preferred a better game as far as the participants' records go, but if anyone can find the narrative to drive the show, it's ESPN.

The Chancellor said...
Nov 10, 2008, 9:42:00 AM  

Probably one of the reasons they chose this game is because Herby is calling the FSU-BC game that night and it would be that much easier to make a few minute drive to Doak-Cambell Stadium. Like the previous posters said, I think the diversity of Gameday is good, just the matchup of two seemingly medocre teams is a little curious.

walnuts said...
Nov 10, 2008, 10:10:00 AM  

they already gave love to app by showing the wofford game, good idea though

BackBergtt said...
Nov 10, 2008, 10:14:00 AM  

The paper in Tallahasse said ESPN looked at two other FCS(I-AA) schools before settling on FAMU. They do this every year and they wanted to showcase a historically black university. No problem from me there. They've gone to other games just for the atmosphere (an Ivy game, the Williams game last year, an Army game post 9/11) and not based on records.

Anonymous said...
Nov 10, 2008, 10:26:00 AM  

Awful. Just awful. Their other option must have been a volleyball game.

GMoney said...
Nov 10, 2008, 10:50:00 AM  

the pre-game show will be soooo predictable.
a feature on the lack of black coaches in FBS.
a feature on the coach "up the road" - Bobby Bowden.
a feature on the bands of historically black colleges.
a feature on Tim Tebow -- since he's also just "down the road"...and ESPN LOVES Tebow.
a feature on all the players from historically black colleges who have made it to the NFL.
a feature tieing Barack Obama to historically black colleges and what it means for these players to have a half-white president.

Anonymous said...
Nov 10, 2008, 10:51:00 AM  

probably a feature on Peter Boulware too. he won his race in election and ESPN is taking plenty of heat from black community for ignoring obama's win on this week's show.

Anonymous said...
Nov 10, 2008, 10:57:00 AM  

You think the fact that America has its first black president played into the decision?

Anonymous said...
Nov 10, 2008, 11:14:00 AM  

In the immortal words of Wayne Gretzky... Nawh.

JamesCraven said...
Nov 10, 2008, 12:02:00 PM  

Boulware lost...

Anonymous said...
Nov 10, 2008, 1:00:00 PM  

for a second i thought Ohio State was playing at FAMU. No other reason Gameday would be there. Or maybe USC. Or LSU.

Personally I like the change-up. Maybe next year they'll realize more teams exist outside the big conferences.

Anonymous said...
Nov 10, 2008, 7:34:00 PM  

This is outrageously stupid, being a FSU fan I saw that it was in Tallahassee and figured they were there for the Noles-BC matchup. Nope lets go see who can claim outright lead over fourth place in the MEAC b/c people will really be compelled by that story. Terrible decision, they need to move that show a few miles to where a real football team plays and honor the great Bobby Bowden.

Anonymous said...
Nov 10, 2008, 8:45:00 PM  

The Gameday crew must of got completely hammered last week and lost a bet, only logical explanation for this choice. Maybe next week they can travel to BYU and celebrate an all white school. We don't do that though I forgot, not in this country

Anonymous said...
Nov 10, 2008, 8:57:00 PM  

Bravo ESPN! Bravo!

Anonymous said...
Nov 10, 2008, 11:29:00 PM  

Or send them to JMU? There's an idea. They haven't lost yet except to FBS Duke and have a matchup against #12 William and Mary this weekend.

Cam said...
Nov 11, 2008, 9:55:00 AM  

Wait a minute...they went to that classic Southern/Grambling St game that happens at the end of the regular season a few years back, and if I'm not mistaken those are both black colleges.

This aint the first time they're doing this.

Anonymous said...
Nov 11, 2008, 3:13:00 PM  

So now we have affirmative action in sports coverage... great news, especially considering there is a major shortage of any black players in major sports. Oh, wait.

And in regards to the asinine commentary that coaches should be hired based on the color of their skin, I'm wondering when the talking heads will start waxing poetic about the injustice of the plummeting number of white guys in the nba...

Anonymous said...
Nov 11, 2008, 7:42:00 PM  

U FSU fans need to stop cryin i mean come on now how many times have the Gameday Crew came to FSU, like 13 times man. Let these Black Colleges get some air time nationally, Bobby Bowden ain't goin nowhere man he'll be still here and the Gameday Crew will have a more times to travel FSU just show some respect for once.

Anonymous said...
Nov 11, 2008, 7:52:00 PM  

the point isn't that it its not FSU, the point is it is two shitty teams from an irrelevant conference.

Anonymous said...
Nov 11, 2008, 8:45:00 PM  

I'll watch, because thats what I do on Saturday mornings. However, the locale adds absolutely nothing and means absolutely nothing. No one cares about this game except the people who attend/have attended these schools.

There might be a shortage of good games this week, but Gameday could certainly find better one. Florida and South Carolina play each other. There are two ranked teams right there.

Anonymous said...
Nov 12, 2008, 10:56:00 PM  

I want to be with Corso in the pants while Herbie films and David Hasselhoff kisses David Chokachi on the neck. ummmmmmmmmmmmm

Anonymous said...
Nov 13, 2008, 11:37:00 PM  

Cam Jones,
This is the first time from an HBCU campus.

Anonymous said...
Nov 14, 2008, 9:58:00 AM  

I actually paid attention to Gameday today. It was very interesting. The girls in the back stomping was exciting. A different perspective is always welcomed in my household. I do know the Grambling v Southern game is an NBC staple, not ESPN/ABC. Today made me want to ask Gameday to do it again next year at the Alabama State v Alabama A&M game which I have heard so much about lately.
Some of you people need to get a life.

Anonymous said...
Nov 15, 2008, 2:45:00 PM  

Post a Comment