First, the Florida A&M athletic program was slapped with dozens of athletic recruitment and academic violations and now it’s the college’s renowned marching band.
Seventy-four members of the Florida A&M University Marching 100 have been placed on academic probation. Yep, 75 percent of the band is so concerned with the drumline, the grade-point line is non-existent. FAMU might not be Harvard, but it’s not a junior college. For three-fourths of the marching band to be on academic probation the school’s athletic and academic leaders are obviously burying their heads in the sand while band members refuse to bury theirs’ in a book.
As James Brown sings in one of his classics, “Fellas, can we take it to F?”
What about the other 25 percent of band members that are making their grades, you ask?
The entire band faces possible suspension after accusations – and getting busted red-handed — that some members stole sheets, pillows and other articles from a hotel after a road game in Detroit.
“As of right now we are not pressing charges; furthermore, the school has been very cooperative in negotiations,” the residential manager of the Detroit Marriott hotel said last week.
Look, this dude doesn’t want to have his hotel’s good name dragged through the mud so he’s giving a break.
Here’s what went down.
On Sept. 2 Delaware State University thumped the Rattlers 34-14 at the Detroit Football Classic at Ford Field.
The following morning, somebody tipped hotel officials that more than few towels were about to make the long bus ride back to Tallahassee.
They stopped band members as the band was departing, alleging items were missing from their hotel rooms, according to Band Director Julian White.
Body towels, face towels, pillows, irons and comforters were among the items pulled out of luggage.
“Some of the property was recovered and immediately given back,” White said. Yeah, ya think, Julien?
White said he could not give an estimate of how much was stolen, but who cares. The school’s image is already trashed and this crew needs to be suspended and forced to spend the same time they practice on the field each week in the library.
