Tiger Rag

Photo Courtesy of ESPN.com

Before we get started, I am not here to speak to the beating Saturday that Clemson Tigers. So, no, there will be no "Florida State just scored again" jokes here. Sorry...

I'm here to talk about Grambling, one of Black College Football's most storied programs. The Tigers were in the spotlight this past week, but they weren't in the spotlight for their contest with Jackson State.

Well, sorta...see, they forfeited their games against JSU because players refused to play. It all started with the firing of former head coach Doug Williams, who was in his second stint with the Tigers, followed by relieving the interim head coach George Ragsdale. Weird, right? Well, hang on to your stripes here.

According to reports, the players were not only unhappy with the firings of Williams. They were also dissatisfied with the conditions of their weight room, the naming of Ragsdale as the interim and the 15-hour bus ride from Grambling to Indianapolis to face Alcorn State. That trip was one of two long-distance trips the Tigers made via bus. The other was to Kansas City.

Here's a shot from the weight room from USA Today.

I don't know what it's like to ride on a bus for that long, but I am certain that staying on a bus too long can wear a person down. It's not natural to be seated for that long...at least I don't think so. I don't have any physical proof to back that statement.

By the way, the Tigers have lost 18 of their last 19 games dating back to last season.

So, here are my questions. How is Grambling getting players down their to play? What's the pitch? How could a person see a facility in this shape and want to play here? How could a university not want more for their football team? Do the Marching Tigers deal with the same sort of financial difficulties? These sad circumstances can not and will not push the Tigers to victory. While changing these circumstances starts with fundraising, they could also be helped in other ways. I'm not trying to offend anyone here, but I've seen Class A weight room that were in better condition.

The question really falls on the shoulders of the alumni. Is there not enough love for your alma mater to fix this. I realize that everyone can't go out and be millionaire athletes, but fundraising isn't about giving your last dollar. It's about giving what you can to make improvements so that the school and the programs within it can make strides to be better. I'm not asking Grambling to be Stanford. I'm not asking Grambling to even be Clemson. I'm challenging the alums to do better...to want better for the next generation of Tigers. Even if they aren't your kids, they followed in your footsteps. The least one could ask for is a hand. Somehow, some way, make it happen. Don't let these players have to deal with these conditions another year.

Oh, by the way, the Tigers did end their boycott and they returned to practice...but is this situation going to be similar to the whole "kicking the can" situation we have with our gover....never mind.