Next Bayou Classic location stirs rumors

An e-mail sent by the national president of the Texas Southern Alumni Association regarding the 2005 State Farm Bayou Classic stirred national interest Thursday, even on a nationally syndicated radio show.
The e-mail, authored by alumni president Christopher LeBlanc Jr., was sent to various alumni and supporters of Texas Southern and said, “the Bayou Classic – has been relocated to Houston’s Reliant Stadium – November 26th at 1:00 p.m.”
The e-mail, headed as an “F.Y.I.,” was sent initially to confirm the rescheduling of the Labor Day Classic football game between Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University. The two teams were supposed to play on Sept. 3, but their game was rescheduled to Nov. 26 after as many as 24,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees headed west and packed Houston’s Reliant Park, the site of Reliant Center, Reliant Convention Center and the Astrodome.
New Orleans, home of the Bayou Classic since 1974 cannot host the game this year, due to internal damages the Louisiana Superdome suffered from Katrina.
Ralph Slaughter, coordinator of the Bayou Classic, said SMG, the private management company of the Superdome and Reliant Park, informed him right after Katrina that the dome would not be available in time for the Bayou Classic. However, Slaughter said, Houston has not been chosen.
“Nothing is etched in stone yet,” Slaughter said. “There are still cities submitting requests for proposals.”
Slaughter said Reliant Stadium officials agreed with TSU and Prairie View A&M to have their game a day earlier, so officials could have room to vie for the Bayou Classic.
In addition to Houston, at least 10 cities have expressed interest in hosting the 32nd Bayou Classic. But to some Southernites, to take a road trip to a Bayou Classic that is not in the bayou is a necessary evil.
“It’s a heritage and something we’ve done for over 30 years,” said Vanessa Adams, a Southern alumna. “I mean it’s the Bayou Classic in the Bayou State. I don’t even know if I want to go this year, since it’s going to be elsewhere.
“But I’m sure I’ll find the strength from somewhere. I’ll always support the Jags, no matter where they go.”
Thursday morning, a listener of the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show called in during Joyner’s “Express Yourself,” segment and asked Joyner if he knew where the Bayou Classic would be played. Joyner replied that he did not know and would inform listeners once he found out.
In the following “Express Yourself,” segment, another listener called to say the Bayou Classic would be in Houston. She said she knew because she received an e-mail from Texas Southern’s national alumni president.
Joyner quickly refuted the woman’s claim and again told listeners he would let everyone know as soon as information was available.
There is a possibility that the Superdome will be reopened in time for the 33rd Bayou Classic.
SMG said on its Web site that “contrary to press reports, it is premature to say if the dome will be torn down, or if it can be rebuilt or restored.”
The Superdome suffered major damage from floodwater and winds caused by Katrina, so the Bayou Classic cannot be played in New Orleans.
A majority of the Superdome’s damage is from roofing problems and water infiltration, which could affect its infrastructure.
According to Doug Thornton, regional vice president of SMG, a decision on whether or not the dome could be save “is weeks away,” and the inside still needed to be cleaned, the Web site said.
Slaughter said even in the event the Superdome would be up and running by November, there would still be an issue of lodging availability since most hotels suffered major damage.