Alumni view Bayou Classic as rare, unique opportunity

Since its inception in 1975, the Bayou Classic has undergone changes. The game has changed facilities and sponsorships while Southern and Grambling State changed almost everything from game strategies to coaches.
However, one constant that remained the same over the years is the annual migration of alumni from not only the participating universities, but also people from different schools and places as well.
“It’s a rare chance to see prosperous black people from all over the country come together for no reason other than to have a good time,” said Bomani Jones, an alumnus of Clark Atlanta University. “That makes the Classic beautiful.”
Mainstays such as the Greek Show/Battle of the Bands and the Bayou Classic game, along with the various parties and events in and around New Orleans, give the weekend a festive atmosphere.
“It is more than an event or a thing, not even a football game. It is a feeling,” said Southern alumnae Stephanie Duell.
“It is a family reunion, not for one but for all and there is something for everyone.”
Arguably the greatest testament to the Bayou Classic’s festive atmosphere is the mass gathering of people along Canal Street and in the French Quarter.
Literally thousands of people pack onto Bourbon Street to turn the famous thoroughfare into virtually the world’s largest open-air nightclub for a weekend.
According to Aminah-Iman Lewis, an alumnae of Prairie View A&M University, we all share a common passion for “kickin’ it”.
“When I think of the Classic, I think of a big reunion. I see people who I went to school with, friends from back home and peeps I haven’t seen (before)…everyone knows to go to the Classic”, added Lewis.