TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida A&M University Men's Basketball Coach Mike Gillespie has agreed to donate a Rattler game ticket package to raise money for Habitat For Humanity's Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

"The Rattler Basketball Experience" (Bid Item #292), is a package which consists of two tickets behind the FAMU bench for the Bethune-Cookman College game on Saturday, March 4 in Gaither Gym; access to practice on game day; a pre-game dinner with the team and a complete game uniform (jersey and shorts), autographed by the 2005-06 Rattler Men's Basketball team.

"It should be a fun day for the lucky fan who wins this package," Gillespie said. "But most of all, it will continue to help raise money for a great cause."

The winner of the auction was our very own Vice-President, Deacon “Big Daddy” Keith Matthews. The purpose of the Coaches Care auction was to raise funds for the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. This auction had the two elements that are very dear to Keith: donating to relieve suffering and supporting the great educational institution of FAMU. Keith has been a long time supporter of FAMU. Once Keith read the article posted on FAMU’s athletics website regarding the Coaches Care auction, Keith was more than willing to support Hurricane Katrina victims, FAMU and Coach Gillespie.  Keith went to the Coaches Care website searched for the FAMU Basketball Experience Auction and began placing bids. Keith was willing to dig deep into his pockets to win this auction.

Keith invited his nephew Anthony Jackson to spend the day with the FAMU Men’s Basketball Team. Anthony is a junior in high school at Chicago’s Whitney Young Magnet High School, plays basketball and football. Anthony played in a high school basketball game Friday night against Chicago’s power house Westinghouse High School. Anthony flew to FAMU after the intense game with Westinghouse High School and met with his former Whitney Young team mate, now FAMU Rattler, freshman Quentin Strothers. To my surprised there were other Chicagoans for Rattler Men's Basketball, Freshman Joe Ballard and Junior Rome Sanders. Joe Ballard’s alma mater is Westinghouse High School, the school that Whitney Young played Friday night. Joe reminded Anthony and Quentin which high school won the previous night’s game, as Westinghouse defeated Whitney Young. Anthony and Joe had banter regarding the outcome of the previous night’s game between their high schools. Coach Gillespie Jr. and I laughed when Joe was razzing Quentin during the pre-game meal regarding the outcome of the Westinghouse-Whitney Young game.

The FAMU basketball team accepted their visitors into their sacred world as I would expect any Rattler would. The day started with meeting the team at Gaither Gym at 10:00am to attend the early morning Shoot Around. The coaches extended an invitation for us to shoot with the team. Coach Gillespie Sr. told me a few jokes when he wasn’t coaching the basketball team. After a great practice/planning session, we then showered and changed into dining attire to eat lunch with the team. The team had lunch catered in FAMU’s new cafeteria. This was new to me, as lunch was served at the old cafeteria on the set when I was an undergraduate student at FAMU. During lunch, I joked with the team and Coach Gillespie Jr. After lunch, I informed Coached Gillespie Jr. that I was planning on meeting friends that live in Tallahassee. Coach gave me the itinerary showing Anthony and I would meet him in the locker room at 3:00pm to participate in the pre-game rituals since we were honorary team members. Anthony and I arrived at the locker room and joined in the pre-game rituals, the coaches’ game plan and the team prayer. Now it was time to go into battle. Anthony and I lined up with the team and coaches, and proceeded to walk through FAMU’s historic corridor and into Gaither Gymnasium. Coach Gillespie Jr. escorted Anthony and I to our reserved seats behind the coaches’ bench. Anthony and I were in the middle of strategy sessions during timeouts. Whenever there was a timeout, I had to contain my composure because I wanted to include my ideas of how the game plan should change. The coaches had everything under control but it was hard for me to remain silent since I am a couch coach. Of course FAMU defeated BCC 67-54. This victory ensured that FAMU would be entering the MEAC Championship Tournament as the 5^th Seed. FAMU’s two newest team members, Anthony and I, galloped into the locker room to celebrate our victory over our rival with our teammates. Once in the locker room the coaches gave their post-game speeches. We concluded the coach’s session with prayer. Anthony expressed that not only was it a great honor to be a Rattler for the day, it was a privilege to be a member of FAMU’s Men Basketball Team.

I thanked Coach Gillespie Jr. and the other FAMU coaches that opened the very secretive doors of FAMU Men’s Basketball Program to Anthony Jackson and Deacon “Big Daddy” Keith C. Matthews. I was able to show my nephew why FAMU is special university as we toured the historic campus. I also shed some light on the stories of our historic buildings such as Jones Hall. I have proven once again that only great things can happen when one become a supporter of FAMU.

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Created by Keith Matthews

Last Updated December 19, 2009