WASHINGTON, D.C.
– With AT&T
Nation’s Football
Classic™ game
week upon us, old
classmates are planning
mini-reunions, and
out-of-towners are
looking forward
to experiencing
the sights, scene
and events surrounding
the inaugural Classic.
Kickoff for Saturday’s
game at RFK Stadium
between Howard University
and Morehouse College
is 3:30 p.m. The
excitement level
around the game
is high, and the
overwhelming pride
for the respective
institutions is
evident. The renewed
rivalry has significant
meaning for everyone
connected to the
schools.
Brian Yeldell (Morehouse
College, Class of
1984), a native
Washingtonian who
loves Howard University
but went to Morehouse,
says “The
AT&T Nation’s
Football Classic™
is everything for
me – socially,
intellectually,
and potentially
on the business
and career front.
This is our Harvard-Yale
game as they have
played each other
for over 100 years
and I hope my yet-to-be-born
grandchildren can
one day say the
same. We need this
game!”
Shana Ervin (Howard
University, Class
of 1986), a District
resident, says,
“This game
and rivalry is so
special because
people from Howard
know people from
Morehouse and vice
versa. This game
is a rivalry but
it also brings people
together for a special
occasion and that
makes this game
and the surrounding
activities very
special.”
Achille Hendje (Morehouse
College, Class of
2009), a former
standout wide receiver
for the Maroon Tigers
who was raised in
the District, describes
his excitement as
bittersweet. He
says “I feel
like my hard work
contributed to this
momentous occasion,
and I wish I were
able to play [in
the inaugural AT&T
Nation’s Football
Classic™],
but it’s going
to be great to see
the younger guys
that I helped groom
come beat up Howard
in my hometown.
It should be a great
game as it brings
the talent from
the south up and…showcases
the fact that Morehouse
is an elite program.”
Byron
Stewart (Howard
University, Class
of 2006) believes,
“As two
HBCUs in two different
athletic conferences,
Howard rarely
has the opportunity
to compete with
Morehouse in athletics.
The majority of
our competition
takes place in
the classroom
and during friendly
debates. This
game will not
only bring the
two schools together
in a competitive
environment, it
will also allow
alums and current
students to be
involved with
one another through
the various activities
taking place this
weekend. I hope
that we will be
able to continue
this athletic
rivalry in the
future."
For many, the
game is about
much more than
football. The
schools are consistently
ranked competitively
in academic listings,
and for alumni
of both institutions,
the AT&T Nation’s
Football Classic™
affords the opportunity
to battle on a
tangible playing
field.
Keith Laing is
an Atlanta native
who graduated
from Howard University
in 2005. “A
Classic like this
is long overdue,
and makes a lot
of sense. Howard
and Morehouse,
Atlanta and Washington,
D.C. have so much
in common as elite
institutions of
African-American
higher learning
and cities with
prominent Black
populations respectively.
I hope the Classic
becomes an annual
event…and
I hope my Bison
win every time.”
Yeldell continued,
“It is a
chance to have
some of the best
African-American
minds come together
for fun and business
or at least start
to connect to
make the necessary
changes that our
community needs
to be a better
place. That starts
with access to
ideas, idea-generating
minds and decision-makers
in the funding
communities. While
very few players
will make the
pros from this
game, there will
be many, either
on the field or
in the stands,
that will start
businesses, run
corporations,
heal the sick
and right wrongs
in courtrooms
as a result of
the connections
made.”
Tarrik Mabon (Morehouse
College, Class
of 2007) says
the game is the
best of both worlds.
“It's beautiful
to see that we
are finally coming
together again
to make history!
As much as we
have talked trash,
we love and respect
each other's institutions
to the utmost!!
I can't wait to
get to D.C.”
About
the AT&T Nation's
Football Classic™
The AT&T Nation's
Football Classic™
is a black college
football game
held annually
at RFK Stadium
in Washington,
D.C. This year,
the game features
Howard University
against Morehouse
College. Organized
by Events DC,
the AT&T Nation's
Football Classic™
was created to
celebrate the
passion and tradition
of the college
football experience,
recognize the
history of service
to others by the
students, faculty
and alumni of
historically black
colleges and universities,
highlight the
unity of African
American culture,
and honor the
heritage and excellence
of these proud
institutions.
Tickets for the
AT&T Nation’s
Football Classic™
are on sale now
at the RFK Stadium
Box Office, Ticketmaster.com,
Ticketmaster outlets,
the Howard University
Box Office at
Cramton Auditorium
and the Morehouse
College Bookstore.
Seats are priced
at $15, $25, $40,
$50 and $60.
NFC Website: www.NationsFootballClassic.com
NFC Twitter: www.Twitter.com/@nationsclassic
NFC Facebook:
www.Facebook.com/NationsFootballClassic
Howard University:
www.Howard.edu
Morehouse College:
www.Morehouse.edu
Contacts:
Teri Washington,
Events DC: (202)
494-5737
Toya Watts, Events
DC: (202) 480-5789
Lisa Milner /
Luis Maya, Swanson
Communications:
(202) 783-5500
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