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by Hal Lamar Prairie View’s KJ Black 2010 winner of Jake Gaither TrophyPrairie View junior quarterback KJ Black is this year’s 2010 Alonzo S “Jake” Gaither award winner. The Louisville Kentucky native was handed the hardware Saturday, February 6 during the lavish banquet put on annually by the 100% Wrong Club of Atlanta. The 33 year old trophy established by the club in 1978 is a Heisman-like honor given to the most outstanding player from an historically black college or university as determined by club members. Black won out over stiff, stiff competition which included Florida A&M quarterback Curtis Pulley, Albany State signal caller AJ McKenna, Clark-AU linebacker Zimier McCloud, Justin Hannah of Tuskegee and other HBCU superlatives.
-0- The Wrongers also bestowed their national championship trophy on the South Carolina State Bulldogs .Buddy Pough’s elevens finished the season at 10-2, captured their second straight MEAC title at 8-0 and represented in the NCAA FCS playoffs. The Wrongers named Prairie View head coach Henry Frazier their coach of the year. Frazier was also the speaker on the morning of the 6th at the annual breakfast honoring high school grid superlatives from throughout the metro Atlanta area. He probably delivered one of the finest reasons for an athlete to attend the Texas college when he noted that “Prairie View has the highest graduation rate in Texas, second only to Rice University.” He said that the school’s winning football ways have paid off in more ways than winning a conference championship. “The football program has done its part to increase enrollment at Prairie View from 8,000 to 10,000 students in the last three years,” he said .The school is also building a new stadium and field house. The high schoolers needed to hear that because too few of them make an HBCU one of their choices when looking at colleges. But as my dear friend and NBA Hall of Famer Ken Hudson noted, “if you have the talent, they will find you. ESPN goes on those campuses, too.” But Frazier reminded the prepsters that going to a college with the sole idea of getting into the pros is the wrong idea. “The chances of getting into the NFL are slim to none. I’m not suggesting you abandon your dream but also have another. Graduate with that degree because you are going to have to go to work That is a 100% surety.” -0-
Speaking of Hudson, the second black man to officiate in the NBA was recently honored by the Atlanta Hawks as part of their salute to black history month. Just a few weeks ago, he was honored by the James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with the Mannie Jackson human spirit award He received the honor in tall company along with Alonzo Mourning and Bob Lanier. Hudson, a native of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania who now makes his home in Atlanta, spends his days in as many schools as he can, speaking, inspiring, and even sometimes scolding young people with the intent of making them the best they can be -0- A 100% Wrong club weekend would not be complete without retired South Carolina State football coach Willie Jefferies in attendance. You can count on “Jeff” to leave the audience in stitches and he didn’t disappoint this year. “I retired from coaching because of health reasons.,” he said with a straight face and then blurted,” the alumni got sick of me.” -0-
-0- OVERHEARD AT THE WRONGER BASH: There was a buzz about Lane College’s new head football coach(?)….Insiders say organizers of the HBCU All Star classic held last year for the first time in Montgomery Alabama may have played their last game there. The organizers are reportedly looking at moving the game to Atlanta and possibly the Georgia Dome…….Former Bethune Cookman standout Stevie Baggs is excited about being signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Baggs spent the last two seasons in the CFL and led his team to the Grey Cup this year. His 12 sacks caught the attention of the Cardinals who are looking to improve their pass rush….. Got an item or comment?
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The printed program for the Wrongers jamboree this year was one of the finest looking in the 76 years the club has existed. That can be credited to a sharp, practically self educated and gifted artist named Roberto Trinidad, owner and operator of Atlanta based DigiMo Printing. The organization was so delighted with the way things turned out that Trinidad’s company has won the contract to print the program for the 2011 jamboree. You can visit Roberto’s site at