JSU coach comments stirs up SU, SWAC

The head football coach, Rick Comegy, for Jackson State University made the comment that “the hostile atmosphere in and around the stadium at Southern will keep many Jackson State fans away from Saturday’s game,” against Southern University, during the conferences weekly telephone press conference on Monday.
Published articles in Jackson, Miss., also sated that Coach Comegy would not go into detail as to what he meant about “hostile” but would only say, that this was his understanding whenever Jackson State would come down for a game against Southern.
“He has never been here,” said Robert Irvin, a barber in the Smith-Brown Memorial Union. “He should have done some research before he made the remark, but he didn’t. He put his foot in his mouth, and now he’s sorry,” Irvin added.
Jackson State sent out a media release stating that they regret any misunderstanding caused by Comegy regarding the Oct. 13 game against Southern in Baton Rouge.
“I thought his comment was very na’ve. I don’t understand why he would consider people at Southern hostile. The atmosphere is very rowdy, but it’s football game where people are cheering for their team,” said Ilisha Wisham, a nursing major from Baton Rouge.
Executive Assistant to the President DeAndre Hopewell, in the Student Government Association said he was appalled by Comegy’s comments “basically because Southern Jaguars have always been cordial to outside fans when it comes to camaraderie.”
It was later reported that Comegy apologized to Southern head coach Pete Richardson.
In addition to Comegy, Jackson State President Ronald Mason, Jr., apologized and said that “Jackson State has always enjoyed a healthy rivalry with the Jaguars and looks forward to our visit to Southern University’s Mumford Stadium,” in a press release by Jackson State.
Mason was also stated in the release that Comegy has never experienced the excitement and intensity of playing in Baton Rouge.
Irvin said that when Southern goes to Jackson every other year, Southern brings over 60,000 fans and whenever Southern plays Jackson at home, it’s a sell out with about 25,000 people, just like it was another homecoming.
Although apologies were made, claironledger.com stated that the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Interim Commissioner Duer Sharp, publicly reprimanded Comegy for Comegy’s statements that reached the national level – even ESPN.com. The reprimand stated that if Comegy continue with his verbal attacks against Southern, SWAC’s stance was to either fine Comegy or suspend him.
Later in the week, Comegy was quoted in the Mississippi media as that he regretted repeating what he had heard, and that it was a shame that this had happened. He also said that he and Southern coach Richardson handled it and is glad that it was over. He stated that it was a mistake, and that he was putting it behind him and moving forward.
In spite of the misunderstanding, Mason said that Jackson State’s allotment of tickets sold out in half a day, and so it was clear that Tiger fans would be at the game. Jackson State was allotted 1,000 tickets from Southern in the 25,000-plus-seat stadium.
The Advocate quoted Southern University Interim Chancellor Margaret Ambrose regarding the Southern-Jackson State game.
“If they show up, it’s an indication of good faith, that they believe the spirit of what we’re about,” said Ambrose to the Baton Rouge newspaper.