Seventh of a series.
ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of Johnson C. Smith athletics.
Curly Neal, men's basketball: Greensboro Dudley High product (above) starred at Smith and went onto world fame as the bald-headed ball-handler for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Steve Joyner, men's basketball: Came to J.C. Smith as a star point guard in the late '60s from Winston-Salem Atkins High. Joyner (above) stayed to become J.C. Smith's most successful men's basketball coach and is now atheltics director.
Columbus "Green Light" Parker, men's basketball: The nickname came because he always had the green light to shoot. He's the all-time leading scorer at Smith, with 2,586 points.
Pettis Norman, football: Former Golden Bulls star became a Dallas Cowboy and San Diego Charger. The school still gives out an athletic award in his honor annually.--Langston Wertz Jr.
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Disagree? Think we left someone out? Tell us in the comments below who you'd add, and which of our picks yours should replace.
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8 comments:
Isn't Johnson C. Smith in NORTH Carolina?
Yes, it is. The Observer doesn't proofread its online stuff.
No GOAT!? That is ridiculous. Leaving Manigault off is only compounded by the fact that Smith is in NC.
Earl Manigoat only played partof one season at Smith. I can see why they left him off. Mark Sherrill, tho, should've made it. HE put Smith on the map. Walter Hurd maybe, but like Goat, Hurd only played a year.
You guys who make these negative comments have NO CLASS. JCSU is one of the best predominately african american schools in the country and you have to show your butts. No one determines where God puts you, but He does expect all to respect one another. This is a new South.
McConneghey. He scored 63 points before halftime, hurt his elbow, had the MRI at half and came back to score 28 in the second half with his arm in a sling. Never made it to the NBA because of the color barrier but went on to bacome the all-time leading scorer in Sweeden. The best hook shot of any 4"9" player in the history of the game. 5'1" on the left leg.
The Goat should've have been on this list plain and simple. He was one of the legends of urban NY basketball who attended JCSU. This list should actually reflect the basketball side of the Mt Rushmore. Pettis could be on the Mt for football but when you have (3) other basketball players with one players major accomplishments being he was a Globe Trotter then the Goat should be there for the things he accomplished period. He was the G O A T just ask Lew Alcindor....aka Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
The most obvious omission is Olympic gold medalist Vince Matthews.
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