The SWAC

[Brutal]

I always love to see some dude from the SWAC do well. Thank you Brian Johnson 27-2indoors!

There was a time that conference was bad! 4X1 units from Southern U,Grambling and Texas Southern were on a par with any teams in the country.

Stone Johnson from Grambling was the first track "star" from the SWAC he was an 1960 Olympian and WR holder in the 200.

In 1964 Grambling had another 200 Olympian in Dick Stebbins who was also the guy who fed Bullet Bob the stick in his famous 64 anchor
blaze.

Between 64 and 68 Southern's George Anderson would win a national title and be ranked number one in the world in the 100.

In 1968 Texas Southern's Jimmy Hines would bring home the gold in the Oly 100 meter in the WR time of 9.85.

In 1972 we saw another Texas Southern swiftie Robert Taylor chase Borzov to the wire to win a silver medal.

Then there was Prairie Views Fred Newhouse. and Southern hurdlers Willie Davenport and Rodney Milburn all Olympic gold medalists.

How about Alcorn's WR sprinter(9.1) Willie Mcgee and Jackson States Mark Rowe?

Let's see...

Prairie View

Jeff Williams....Olympian
Alvin Dotson

Southern U

Theron Lewis 45.0
Oliver Ford WR 10.0

Jackson State

Morris Jackson 10.17
Reggie Kelly 27-4

Grambling

Jack Phillips 9.2
Robert Woods 10.17
Vernus Ragsdale 9.4

Texas Southern

Henry Neal 10.08
John Timpson 13.4
Vernon George 13.4
Paul Emordi 27-1
Renaldo Dawson 10.17
Willie Polk 9.3

Alcorn St

Jerry Sims 9.3

Who am I forgetting up there?

I think both NCC and Florida A&M would have
been a perfcect fit.

The NFL is very aware of the SWAC....how about Walter Payton and Jerry Rice for starters? Then there was the roots to the tree in Paul "Tank" Younger who joined the Rams in 1949 to become the first player from the SWAC in the NFL. The Tank was 6-3 225 in 1949-ouch!!!!

In the mid 60's Southern and Texas Southern with Anderson and Hines on anchor was about as exciting has it got, great races!

[Guest]

Re: The SWAC

and then the SEC got integration religion; no more SWAC sprint powerhouses and look which is the most powerful track conference in the nation.

[Guest]

Re: The SWAC

There's a rumor Brian Johnson is out for the season with an injury. Anybody on this board know the facts? The kid can leap.

[gh]

Re: The SWAC

from the Texas Relays quote sheets:

Long Jump – University/College Men
Winner: Brian Johnson, Southern
NOTE: Johnson injured his ankle and was unavailable for quotes. His coach, Johnny Thomas, had this to say:
“On Brian’s third attempt his foot hit the board and he slid and twisted his ankle. We are unsure at this point what the extent of his injury is because there is a lot of swelling and puffiness, but we are going to take him to the hospital and get his ankle X-rayed. He qualified in his early event which was the 100 meters and in the 4x100 relay, but we don’t know who is going to replace him. His training has been impeccable. He is one of those types of young men who will do anything you tell him to. If it is just a bad sprain, it may take him a week or two to get back to training, but if it is a break then it will be the end of his year.”

we've had no update yet.

gh

[gm]

Re: The SWAC

The last story I saw said Johnson also had ACL damage from the injury and would likely miss the rest of the season. I faintly remember the story being in the Baton Rouge Advocate, but don't hold me to that!

[gm]

Re: The SWAC

here's the link and the first few paragraphs of the story:

http://2theadvocate.com/stories/041103/ ... s001.shtml


Injuries putting damper on Southern track meet


By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
[email protected]
Advocate sportswriter

For as much as Southern track and field coach Johnny Thomas loves the new name for the school's signature spring event -- the Davenport-Milburn Pelican Relays -- that joy is tempered by a serious injury to long jumper Brian Johnson.

Johnson, who won the national indoors title last month and finished third outdoors the last two seasons, is likely out for the season after injuring the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and spraining his left ankle April 5 at the Texas Relays.

"Brian is through for the year," Thomas said. "So this is a bittersweet meet."

continued...