Texas Southern’s President James W. Crawford is new to the Labor Day Classic and the rivalry that exists between his school and Prairie View.
So, it’s likely he didn’t realize the nerve he struck when he referred to Prairie View as TSU’s “country cousins” during Wednesday afternoon’s 22nd annual Labor Day Classic Luncheon put on by The Touchdown Club of Houston.
The zingers were on from there.
Prairie View’s President Dr. Tomikia P. LeGrande, who is just one year into the rivalry, came out the gate swinging in defense of her school, rattling off a laundry list of reasons why it’s better to be on The Hill and why it’s okay to be a little country. But then came the knockout blow when she reminded Crawford and the TSU fans that Prairie View has the luxurious 15,000-seat Panther Stadium.
LaGrande then asked Crawford if he had one, as the crowd erupted into laughter. Texas Southern, of course, does not have a stadium on campus and shares the Dynamo’s soccer stadium, Shell Energy Stadium, as its home venue.
The names have all changed over the years, but the spirit of the rivalry is unchanged.
“This thing is super special,” said Prairie View athletic director Anton Goff, who is two years into the rivalry. “It’s special because we are 50 miles apart from each other. There are so many connections, so many people work at TSU, work at Prairie View, and go back and forth.
“The whole area of Houston is involved in this game in some way.”
The tradition continues Saturday when Prairie View and TSU kick off their football seasons at Panther Stadium at 6 p.m.
This year’s Labor Day Classic between the two SWAC rivals features a new wrinkle with the two opposing head coaches being the best of friends, hanging buddies, and former defensive back teammates with the Houston Oilers.
Cris Dishman will debut as the Tigers’ head coach, while Bubba McDowell is entering his third season with the Panthers.
Their friendship is strong, but it sounds like both can’t wait to best the other.
“I’m looking forward to the game. It’s going to be a great game,” said Dishman, who replaced Clarence McKinney in January. “Prairie View has a great coach. I respect him as an individual. He and I have a long history together.
“One thing I have to say, Bruh, is shine the trophy up and bring it over to us.”
McDowell, whose team comes in having won nine straight in this series, has no intention of turning over the Labor Day Classic Trophy anytime soon.
“I’m just excited to get this game going,” McDowell said. “Dish is a friend of mine, a buddy of mine. He taught me a lot coming into the (NFL). It’s going to be exciting. When he told me he was getting the job, I was excited.
“It’s just going to be sad to take it to him on Saturday.”
But make no mistake about it, this game is bigger than football. It’s about school pride and bragging rights for the next year.
Prairie View has dominated the series in the last nine years, but TSU is quick to remind anyone listening that the Tigers still own the overall record in the series (41-36-1) and in the Labor Day Classic (20-18) and hold the longest winning streak in the series (14) which was set from 1989-03.
TSU athletic director Kevin Granger responded spiritedly and preacher-like to LaGrande’s speech by reminding everyone in the room that the Tigers are tops in the SWAC in academics and APR. But he talked around the success on the football field, even misstating the Panthers’ winning streak.
“AD Granger is sitting here running off all of these different accomplishments, `We’re No.1 in this.’ I look around and asked Coach Bubba, are we at the Touchdown Luncheon or are we at some other kind banquet because I could have swore this luncheon is about football, right?’” Goff said. “So we are talking about football right? You ain’t been No.1 in football in a long, long time.”
Then Goff asked Granger how many years has he been the athletic director at TSU. Granger, who was a star basketball player at TSU in the 1990s, said six years.
Goff pounced.
“So you ain’t never took this trophy back home with you?” Goff asked Granger as he pointed to the trophy. “This trophy ain’t never seen your car, your backseat, your office? None of that. I just want to get that straight.”
But once all of the barbs and shots were taken, both sides reiterated the love and respect both schools have for each other.
“Not many rivalries happen the very first week of the year, not many rivalries are in conference like that,” Goff said. “For the winner of this game, there are a lot of championship implications.
“It’s an important game from a competition standpoint. It’s an important game for the city and the area of Houston. It’s an important game from a personal standpoint for a lot of people because this game means a lot to a lot of people.
“I want to welcome President Crawford into this rivalry, coach Dishman. I have a lot of love and respect for TSU, just not on Saturday.”
