Post by elonfirefighter on Sept 23, 2007 15:13:20 GMT -5
Postgame brawl mars rivalry's return
NCCU players celebrate on A&T's logo, and a bench-clearing fight ensues
JAYMES POWELL JR.
(Raleigh) News & Observer
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GREENSBORO --On the same night a classic rivalry was joyously reborn, it may have died an ugly death.
N.C. Central's 27-22 victory over N.C. A&T was overshadowed by a bench-clearing brawl at the conclusion of the game that lasted several minutes and left dozens of players lying on the field as other swung helmets and fists.
A&T and NCCU police ran in after a few minutes and broke up the fight using pepper spray.
An NCCU player lay on the ground outside of the locker room vomiting after the fight as trainers worked feverishly to wash out his eyes.
The fight so enraged A&T athletics director DeLores "Dee" Todd that she said the two schools likely would take a "cooling-off period" from continuing the series.
"I'm disgusted. It's very disgusting," Todd said after watching the Eagles instigate the fight by jumping on the Aggies' midfield logo. "It's a game, why do that?"
A&T has the nation's longest losing streak, now 20 games. After performing poorly for much for the game, A&T had a late drive end on an interception in the end zone with 14 seconds left.
In the emotion of the game-saving interception by Eagles linebacker Eric Ray (whose twin brother Derrick scored earlier on an interception return), the NCCU players stormed the field and began jumping on the logo.
After the game, Todd demanded her coaches sequester the Aggies in the locker room until the Eagles had departed.
NCCU athletics director Bill Hayes, who has steered the school to Division I from the Division II CIAA, was A&T's football coach for 15 years.
After the game, Hayes said he didn't see the fight, which he said occurred as he was making his way to the field from the stands. Hayes declined comment on any disciplinary action.
Later, standing in the end zone as the stands cleared, a visibly angry Todd, along with police and security, spoke with Hayes. As Todd walked away with security in tow, Hayes stood on the field with his head down.
Todd said that before the 2005 game in Raleigh, A&T coaches kept their players in the locker room because there was a history of unsportsmanlike behavior between the teams.
But A&T alum Judy Sessions also blamed the Aggies. Sitting in the stands during the fight, Sessions looked on in horror.
"I'm disgusted, why do they have to act like that," she said. "This is just terrible."
The game was billed as the return of a rivalry that dates back to 1924. It was the teams' first meeting since NCCU beat A&T 23-22 in the 2005 Aggie-Eagle Classic. It also was the first time the two old-school rivals met as D-I opponents.
The emotion might have been exacerbated by NCCU's band.
First, the band jammed for the vast majority of halftime, not letting A&T's band on the field.
Eventually, as it became obvious to the crowd, the A&T fans began booing NCCU's band. Then, as A&T's band had to hustle off the field after a truncated performance, NCCU's band started playing again and pretty much played for the rest of the evening -- even during the plays.
NCCU players celebrate on A&T's logo, and a bench-clearing fight ensues
JAYMES POWELL JR.
(Raleigh) News & Observer
Related Content
Slideshow: ACC and Carolinas college football
Blog: Observations from the 50-Yard Line
ACC scoreboard: Live updates, summaries
College Football Top 25 Scoreboard
College Football Scoreboard: Bowl Subdivision
1-AA Scoreboard: Football Championship Subdivision
Football writers' poll: AP Top 25
Football coaches' poll: USA TODAY Top 25
1-AA Poll: Sports Network's FCS College Football Top 25
ACC Now: News & Observer blog
Forum: Talk about college football
More college sports news
GREENSBORO --On the same night a classic rivalry was joyously reborn, it may have died an ugly death.
N.C. Central's 27-22 victory over N.C. A&T was overshadowed by a bench-clearing brawl at the conclusion of the game that lasted several minutes and left dozens of players lying on the field as other swung helmets and fists.
A&T and NCCU police ran in after a few minutes and broke up the fight using pepper spray.
An NCCU player lay on the ground outside of the locker room vomiting after the fight as trainers worked feverishly to wash out his eyes.
The fight so enraged A&T athletics director DeLores "Dee" Todd that she said the two schools likely would take a "cooling-off period" from continuing the series.
"I'm disgusted. It's very disgusting," Todd said after watching the Eagles instigate the fight by jumping on the Aggies' midfield logo. "It's a game, why do that?"
A&T has the nation's longest losing streak, now 20 games. After performing poorly for much for the game, A&T had a late drive end on an interception in the end zone with 14 seconds left.
In the emotion of the game-saving interception by Eagles linebacker Eric Ray (whose twin brother Derrick scored earlier on an interception return), the NCCU players stormed the field and began jumping on the logo.
After the game, Todd demanded her coaches sequester the Aggies in the locker room until the Eagles had departed.
NCCU athletics director Bill Hayes, who has steered the school to Division I from the Division II CIAA, was A&T's football coach for 15 years.
After the game, Hayes said he didn't see the fight, which he said occurred as he was making his way to the field from the stands. Hayes declined comment on any disciplinary action.
Later, standing in the end zone as the stands cleared, a visibly angry Todd, along with police and security, spoke with Hayes. As Todd walked away with security in tow, Hayes stood on the field with his head down.
Todd said that before the 2005 game in Raleigh, A&T coaches kept their players in the locker room because there was a history of unsportsmanlike behavior between the teams.
But A&T alum Judy Sessions also blamed the Aggies. Sitting in the stands during the fight, Sessions looked on in horror.
"I'm disgusted, why do they have to act like that," she said. "This is just terrible."
The game was billed as the return of a rivalry that dates back to 1924. It was the teams' first meeting since NCCU beat A&T 23-22 in the 2005 Aggie-Eagle Classic. It also was the first time the two old-school rivals met as D-I opponents.
The emotion might have been exacerbated by NCCU's band.
First, the band jammed for the vast majority of halftime, not letting A&T's band on the field.
Eventually, as it became obvious to the crowd, the A&T fans began booing NCCU's band. Then, as A&T's band had to hustle off the field after a truncated performance, NCCU's band started playing again and pretty much played for the rest of the evening -- even during the plays.