Jacobi Eaves - Sports Editor

Coach Don Haskins , who recently passed away, is best known for breaking the racial barrier for sports after recruiting six Black players to play basketball at the University of Texas at El Paso, formerly known as Texas Western during the 1965-66 season.

Haskins is known for his 1965-66 season with the Miners when they went 23-1 during the regular season and went on to defeat Adolph Rupp’s Kentucky Wildcats in the national championship game. This game proved to be a monumental feat not only for the game of basketball, but the sports world as a whole.

I would like to say thank you Coach Haskins for starting five Black men in the 1966 championship game. This showed the rest of America that Blacks had what it took to compete with Whites. His bold move caused a ripple effect amongst other collegiate sports such as baseball, football and track to name a few. But at the same time, I would like to say no thank you!

There was a point and time when you could attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and find the best talent in the world of sports. There would be sold out games every time the basketball or football team would play, where standing room only was the only way to see great athletes such as Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Gale Sayers and others. Having great athletes like them and more, created a mystique about HBCU’s besides the great educational opportunities.

The times have drastically changed. Yes, the educational opportunities remain the same, but the mystique has been lost when it comes to sports. The only time that football games or basketball games are sold out is when they play their rival schools. That is the only time when the gym or football field is packed.

Integration of Blacks into Division I White institutions have increased; however, most of these men have lost the sight and value of a quality education. Their eyes are set on making it to the next level in route to the all mighty dollar. They do not get the same experience that they would get from attending a HBCU.

Attending an HBCU would somewhat instill qualities that a specific sport can only take you so far in life. There has to come a time when you have to give that sport up and move on. A lot of Black males in today’s time do not realize this at all. For example, college basketball players who have turned pro after staying one year and leaving.

Mike Beasley, O.J. Mayo, and Eric Gordon are just a few who went into the NBA Draft this past year. All three of these players attended white institutions. These players were caught up in the limelight and were focused on going to the next level due to the fact that their institutions placed the pressure on their shoulders of winning. Compared to a HBCU they would have been big, but at the same time considered another number amongst people of their own.

Don Haskins has been the catalyst for many Black athletes to get to the next level of their professional career. Even with that being the case many Division I schools have exploited a lot of Black athletes to the point where they forget the importance of education. If things would have made remained the same, then who knows where Blacks would be; but forgetting the importance of education is unacceptable. To that I say “Thanks, but no thanks Don Haskins!”

Published: September 29, 2008 01:40 PM