Few people know that U.L. at Lafayette (formerly known as U.S.L.) was at the forefront of integration. Specifically, the university integrated many of its sports programs nearly a decade ahead of other colleges in the Deep South and before it was ordered by the federal government to do so and the university’s basketball team paid the price. There has been, and continues to this day, to be no mention by any national media outlet of one of the most severe penalties ever handed down by the NCAA. In 1973 the University of Southwestern Louisiana's basketball program was placed on probation for two years. Along with basketball, all sports received four years probation from post-season participation and a nationwide television blackout.
Lights out in Blackham is new documentary is currently being filmed that details the story of the team, the coaches, and the NCAA’s decision to punish the university for it decision to integrate.
Lights out in Blackham trailer
Still in the early stages of filming, the production is also soliciting donations to complete the film. For more information, visit lightsoutinblackham.com.
... written by Sam Irwin , February 28, 2011 - 07:49 pm
I was in school during the Bo Lamar, Roy Ebron, Fred Saunders, Jerry Flake, TJ Gaspard, Marvin Winkler, Payton Townsend days and, man, that team was good.
But so was La. Tech, UNO, Northeast and McNeese. The Cajuns were one game away from going to the Final Four in 1973 when they lost to Louisville.
I played in the pep band so I rarely missed a game. I was sitting in the band under the west goal and watched La. Tech's 7-footer, the great Mike Green, miss two free throws that would have given Tech the game at the end of regulation.
I saw Bo Lamar score six points in 19 seconds to defeat Northeast. I also saw Lamar hit 62 against Northeast.
How well known was that Cajun team in the basketball world? When musical group Bruce Hornsby and the Range performed at the Heyman Center in 1988 and sang "The Old Playground," a song about playing basketball, Hornby mentioned Coach Beryl Shipley. There were hardly any cheers for the great Cajun coach, who along with La. Tech coach Scotty Robertson, coached in the NBA and ABA.
Read "Slam Dunk" by former Cajun broadcaster Ron Gomez and Coach Shipley to learn how the Louisiana higher education system disgracefully bowed under pressure and played a major hand in the Cajun's death penalty.
... written by SW Bulldog , March 21, 2011 - 10:28 pm
"Southwestern Louisiana was found guilty of numerous violations after the 1972-73 season, including academic fraud, recruiting violations and improper financial assistance. The most serious violations involved five instances where players were allowed to compete despite having high school GPAs that predicted a college GPA lower than the NCAA's minimum of 1.6 at the time. On one occasion, an assistant coach forged the principal's signature on a recruit's high school transcript." From USL infractions report.
Hope the documentary is fair and balanced, and without preconceived notions. Good Luck.
... written by the beard for president , March 31, 2011 - 04:55 am
numerous universities have been found guilty of the exact same things yet never gotten the death penalty, or in UL's case a two year death penalty. The reason UL got thrown under the bus was they were multiple offenders, the reason they were multiple offenders...they signed 3 black players in the 60's. Screw preconceived notions i think we should all grow a pair
... written by TG , May 02, 2011 - 09:39 pm
At the time of the USL death penalty it was the worst case of academic fraud ever investigated by the NCAA. All of the GSC and Southland conference schools were integratedby this time. . It had nothing to do with racial overtones on the NCAA's part, it was simply cheating on a grand scale. USL sued to get an injunction to play in the NCAA tournament because they knew the end was near. That is never a good idea when it comes to the NCAA. They do not operate the way the justice system operates...they don't have to.
... written by SLI , May 16, 2011 - 09:12 pm
The difference between the successful integration of academics in 1954 and the disaster of integration of athletics in 1966 was in leadership, not race.
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But so was La. Tech, UNO, Northeast and McNeese. The Cajuns were one game away from going to the Final Four in 1973 when they lost to Louisville.
I played in the pep band so I rarely missed a game. I was sitting in the band under the west goal and watched La. Tech's 7-footer, the great Mike Green, miss two free throws that would have given Tech the game at the end of regulation.
I saw Bo Lamar score six points in 19 seconds to defeat Northeast. I also saw Lamar hit 62 against Northeast.
How well known was that Cajun team in the basketball world? When musical group Bruce Hornsby and the Range performed at the Heyman Center in 1988 and sang "The Old Playground," a song about playing basketball, Hornby mentioned Coach Beryl Shipley. There were hardly any cheers for the great Cajun coach, who along with La. Tech coach Scotty Robertson, coached in the NBA and ABA.
Read "Slam Dunk" by former Cajun broadcaster Ron Gomez and Coach Shipley to learn how the Louisiana higher education system disgracefully bowed under pressure and played a major hand in the Cajun's death penalty.