March 19 -- "Glory Road"

For those too lazy to read words and shit, start here and continue through your torrents until you have watched the movie...

Anyway…

On today’s date in 1966 – 7 years to the day prior to the birth of my older sister – Texas Western University, who you all know as University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) won the national championship against the University of Kentucky.

What, ask you, does this have to do with black history?
well…

Black people LOVE basketball

And…
UTEP was the first southern university to integrate its athletics programs, and in turn became the first to GO AFTER black players… In 1966, this all came to a head with Don Haskins fielded an all-black basketball team and THEY won the national championship.
Look, I know that an all black team is EXPECTED to take it all in 2011, though it just won’t happen these days.
HOWEVER
In 1966, I don’t even think black people could VOTE yet.

[Phlip note – wait, just one year removed… thanks, Google!]

Back to the task at hand…
A team of individuals playing a sport soon to be damn near exclusively played by a group matching the skintone of the people making the diference became the firsts to take on the honor.

I MIGHT consider this ironic timing of a post/subject, but “March Madness” is so named for a reason. Basketball is the topic of conversation from the last week of February until the first of April for a reason.

… as I watch an NCAA game RIGHT now.