Abner Haynes - Full Color Football

[jdennis82]

Saw a brief segment of this on NFL Total Access. A fascinating watch regardless, but obviously we North Texas fans can appreciate it even more with Abner Haynes' involvement in the desegregation of football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzV7fyjdWqs

[ragpicker]

Saw a brief segment of this on NFL Total Access. A fascinating watch regardless, but obviously we North Texas fans can appreciate it even more with Abner Haynes' involvement in the desegregation of football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzV7fyjdWqs

Speaking of Abner Haynes, I was recently looking through Jim Dent's new book, THE KIDS GOT IT RIGHT, on the integration of Texas college football. Jerry Levias was mentioned at least one hundred times while Abner was mentioned perhaps twice. Even players such as Bill Bradley of Texas were covered more than any North Texas black players, although our football team was integrated almost a decade before the SWC recruited its first black players. Although we were a Division 1 team in the Missouri Valley back then, we seem to be no more that an afterthought in Dent's book. There is an interesting piece about our freshman team playing Kilgore JC thats worth reading, but the book as a whole is disappointing and even misleading in some ways.

I suppose that is to be expected, however, from a former DAILY CAMPUS, (SMU) writer. We seem to get more national recognition at times from the national media than from within our own state.

[ragpicker]

I forgot to mention it before, but a real sore spot in the book was Dent's comment about Joe Greene not being recruited by the SWC and having to "settle for North Texas". Even if literally true, it was a thoughtless way to put it.

[eulessismore]

I forgot to mention it before, but a real sore spot in the book was Dent's comment about Joe Greene not being recruited by the SWC and having to "settle for North Texas". Even if literally true, it was a thoughtless way to put it.

Yeah, I saw that, but never mentioned it, as the whole concept of an NCAA and NFL Hall of Famer and multiple Super Bowl winner really "settled" for anything is somewere below the worst powerhouse bootlicking. Dent had to settle for me looking up North Texas in the glossary, reading that pathetic attempt at serious writing, and setting the book back on the library shelf. I just stopped by there on my way home from work, didn't make a more serious effort at reading than Dent did at writing. A shame that a subject calling for such serious reflection was trivialized in that manner. Honestly though, I don't know who Dent is, and at this point will never care. The book is thick, and will serve some as a doorstop, and others as a reminder that good writing is more than word count. Less could have been so much more.

[GrayEagle]

I forgot to mention it before, but a real sore spot in the book was Dent's comment about Joe Greene not being recruited by the SWC and having to "settle for North Texas". Even if literally true, it was a thoughtless way to put it.

There was a good reason that he wasn't recruited by the Southwest Conference...no black player was. Actually, Joe came to North Texas the same year that Jerry Levias became the first scholarship black athlete in the SWC. However, that was nine years after Abner was a freshman at North Texas.

I've never read any of Dent's books (except for part of "The Junction Boys") so I don't know that much about him. He covered the Cowboys for the Star-Telegram and we'd occasionally see some of his writing.

He was barely out of diapers when Abner Haynes came to North Texas so I'll give him a pass and say that he wasn't familiar with Abner and didn't want to look him up. Abner Haynes should have been featured though because he went through far more hell than Jerry Levias ever thought about...both in college and the pros. Abner has every right to be bitter but he's one of the most personable people that I've known and I can't tell a trace of animosity in him.

[ragpicker]

I can't remember how many kids Abner Haynes had, but I was fortunate to know a daughter of his while teaching at W.T. White High School. She was a very nice, warm and lovely girl - and very proud of her dad.

[ragpicker]

There was a good reason that he wasn't recruited by the Southwest Conference...no black player was. Actually, Joe came to North Texas the same year that Jerry Levias became the first scholarship black athlete in the SWC. However, that was nine years after Abner was a freshman at North Texas.

I've never read any of Dent's books (except for part of "The Junction Boys") so I don't know that much about him. He covered the Cowboys for the Star-Telegram and we'd occasionally see some of his writing.

He was barely out of diapers when Abner Haynes came to North Texas so I'll give him a pass and say that he wasn't familiar with Abner and didn't want to look him up. Abner Haynes should have been featured though because he went through far more hell than Jerry Levias ever thought about...both in college and the pros. Abner has every right to be bitter but he's one of the most personable people that I've known and I can't tell a trace of animosity in him.

THE JUNCTION BOYS was a fun read, but contains several irritating and glaring mistakes.