Grambling football team refuses to play.

[lwjr]

From Nola.com

From the Jackson State announced Friday afternoon that Saturday's SWAC contest with Grambling State has been cancelled. Jackson State spokesman Wesley Peterson said that Grambling officials told them they would not play.

Buses that were to transport Grambling State football players to Jackson, Miss., for Saturday’s SWAC contest against Jackson State sat empty as the prescribed time to depart of 2:30 p.m. Friday came and passed.

Monroe News-Star reporter Sean Isabella reported that departure time was pushed back to 3:30 p.m. However, that time passed as well with no players. The buses left the campus empty shortly before 4 p.m.

Grambling spokesman Will Sutton said earlier Friday there will be "no forfeit" in a text to The Associated Press. He said that school officials are meeting to decide the next step.

Southwestern Athletic Conference Commissioner Duer Sharp called the situation "very disappointing."

Doug Williams, who was fired as Grambling's coach in September after only the second game, weighed in via text: "I'm proud of them boys. They took a stance.''

This comes in the wake of a chaotic, unprecedented week in which the interim coach, George Ragsdale, was replaced by defensive coordinator Dennis "Dirt" Winston to placate players. Grambling players boycotted practices Wednesday and Thursday.

Grambling president Frank Pogue and other university officials met with the players Tuesday. The meeting turned sour, however, with the players walking out, unsatisfied with Pogue’s presentation. They then decided to boycott practice Wednesday and Thursday.

Players had a list of grievances, including long bus trips for games in Kansas City and Indianapolis, the firing of Williams as coach and poor facility conditions.

Pogue met with the media Friday morning to address the situation and said then that the game, which is Jackson State’s homecoming, would go on.

If you want to read the whole story to why all of this happened, here is the SI article link:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/colleg ... -football/

[mrydel]

Probably want to stay home and watch SMU/Memphis on ESPN3.

[Stallion]

as long as the Grambling Band goes-no big deal

[AustinPerson]

What a bunch of heroes. You guys signed up to play, so you should follow through. This is what life is like. You don't always get to live like a king.

[SMU 86]

What a bunch of heroes. You guys signed up to play, so you should follow through. This is what life is like. You don't always get to live like a king.

I really don't think that is what they are saying and since we are not there we don't know the entire scope of the situation.

[SMU_Alumni11]

This is why if we get stuck in pseudo FCS, we should just close the program. This is embarrassing just saying.

[Stallion]

Not typical-but it looks like the team lost leadership after Doug Williams was fired a few games into season-I think its funny as hell. No coach should be relieved of his duties in the middle of the season. Maybe AD and President should be fired for being dumbasses. this is still college-not pro=football. There is plenty of time to find a new coach without relieving coach of his duties-let them finish year out

[dickey1331]

I'm glad the players "striked". Good for them. It really is a [deleted] situation.

[feelthehorsepower]

This is why if we get stuck in pseudo FCS, we should just close the program. This is embarrassing just saying.

We aren't getting stuck in any FCS league...

[SMUer]

Yeah, USC is acting like such a n00b.

[BigT3x]

Grambling has players that won't play, we have a coach who won't coach.

Send June to Grambling, then we get their coach who would like to do his job combined with our players who would like to play.

Problems solved.

[Stallion]

There was a time that Doug Williams had that program riding high and he was considered for Division 1A jobs-first Black QB to win Super Bowl-but they've lost 18 straight games. sounds like they are low on funds if they bus kids across the country. I believe Williams had 2 separate tenures at Grambling

[SMU_Alumni11]

This is why if we get stuck in pseudo FCS, we should just close the program. This is embarrassing just saying.

We aren't getting stuck in any FCS league...

Pseudo. I'm saying if the P5 successfully close out the have nots from the national championship, you might as well call it FCS, and our 2nd tier national championship will be at Hawaii

[Mustangsabu]

What a bunch of heroes. You guys signed up to play, so you should follow through. This is what life is like. You don't always get to live like a king.

I really don't think that is what they are saying and since we are not there we don't know the entire scope of the situation.

So it is perfect fodder for PonyFans!

[Mustangsabu]

Grambling has players that won't play, we have a coach who won't coach.

Send June to Grambling, then we get their coach who would like to do his job combined with our players who would like to play.

Problems solved.

June won't coach? This board is almost unreadable sometimes. You don't have to like JJ but saying he doesn't coach makes you look like a buffoon.