Page 6 ~ THE VILLAGER/August 4, 2017 THE DISPATCH www.theaustinvillager.com Thursday Night Lights UFC’s Jones Closest Thing The Story of Black High School Football in Texas to People’s Champion by Michael Hurd | UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PRESS by: Stephen D. Riley | Special to AFRO

Jon Jones reacts after knocking out during UFC 214 in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday July, 29, 2017. (Hans Gutknecht /Los Angeles Daily News via AP) After triumphantly taking out one of the big- ger figures on the UFC/ MMA stage, Jon “Bones” Jones is already turning his sights to an even bigger name. Jones knocked out popular MMA fighter Daniel Cormier in UFC 214 on July 29 then immedi- ately announced a request to square off against leg- endary fighter in a potential “superfight” that could break the box office. While the boxing world is trying At a time when “Friday night lights” shone only on white high school to piece together matches football games, African American teams across Texas burned up the grid- featuring a retired boxer iron on Wednesday and Thursday nights. The segregated high schools in the and a UFC star, the MMA Prairie View Interscholastic League (the African American counterpart of world is staying true to its Mayweather vs. McGregor the University Interscholastic League, which excluded black schools from roots and still producing boxing mega-fight set for August 26th membership until 1967) created an exciting brand of football that produced entertaining fights that hundreds of outstanding players, many of whom became college All-Ameri- people want to see. for Jones to potentially mally hold. Jones has cans, All-Pros, and Pro Football Hall of Famers, including NFL greats such UFC fighting has take over as the top com- picked the perfect time to as “Mean” Joe Greene (Temple Dunbar), Otis Taylor ( Worthing), taken off behind Jones and petitive fighter in all of match his professional tra- Dick “Night Train” Lane (Austin Anderson), Ken Houston (Lufkin Dunbar), Conor McGregor, two pil- professional boxing and jectory with that of the and Bubba Smith (Beaumont Charlton- Pollard). lars in the sport. Jones, MMA. sport as they both con- Thursday Night Lights tells the inspiring, largely unknown story of Afri- however, has the better Mayweather’s fight tinue to gather steam. can American high school football in Texas. Drawing on interviews, news- record at 23-1 and has against McGregor next Boxing greats like paper stories, and memorabilia, Michael Hurd introduces the players, coaches, proven to be nearly un- month should potentially Mayweather, Manny schools, and towns where African Americans built powerhouse football pro- beatable since his en- be the boxer’s last and is Pacquiao and Oscar De La grams under the PVIL leadership. He covers fifty years (1920–1970) of high trance into the sport in strongly favored to be an- Hoya have been carrying school football history, including championship seasons and legendary ri- 2008 with his lone defeat other loss on McGregor’s the sport on their proud valries such as the annual Turkey Day Classic game between Houston schools coming from a disqualifi- record. Jones, however, is shoulders for the last de- Jack Yates and Phillis Wheatley, which drew standing-room-only crowds of cation. If he can secure a sitting pretty until his next cade. With all three fight- up to 40,000, making it the largest prep sports event in postwar America. In fight against Lesnar, the bout, which could be even ers dwindling down in telling this story, Hurd explains why the PVIL was necessary, traces its de- media attention that the bigger than his recent fight their fighting careers, box- velopment, and shows how football offered a potent source of pride and bout would command against Cormier. The world ing has yet to find any heirs ambition in the black community, helping black kids succeed both athleti- could push Jones into an- has opened up more and to replace them. However, cally and educationally in a racist society. other tier than just a regu- more to UFC since its ex- on the UFC side, Jones, lar ception in 1993 and now McGregor and Anderson Release Date | October 2017 fighter. Boxing doesn’t sees most of its fights Silva have helped the sport 6 x 9 inches, 260 pages, 30 b&w photos have a face anymore, with broadcasted on pay-per- skyrocket into popularity ISBN 978-1-4773-1034-2 Floyd Mayweather one view, giving its fighters the over the last few years, To Order: 800.252.3206 | www.utexaspress.com foot in and one foot out same national attention with Jones seizing control the ring, setting the stage that prize fighters nor- as the alpha dog.