UNDER THE BANNER
What's Going On In and Around Black College Sports
BOYD
PASSES: Edward "Pee Wee" Boyd, who served as an official and later
as a supervisor of officials in both the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
and the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference, and as athletic director at
North Carolina Central University passed last Wednesday, May 14 in Durham.
Boyd, an NCCU graduate, served as director of athletics at his alma mater from
1985-87 and had a distinguished career as an official in both conferences. He
served as supervisor of both basketball and football officials in the MEAC from
1978-92. Funeral Services were held Saturday, May 17 in Durham. The family requests
that donations be made to: John Avery Boys & Girls Club, 808 East Pettigrew
Street Durham, NC 27701 Make checks payable to: John Avery Boys & Girls Club.
MOVIN' UP: Southern University graduate Duane Lewis has
been promoted to the newly created position 
of
Director of Football Media for the NFL's St. Louis Rams. Lewis, 31, is in his
seventh NFL season, all with the Rams. He joined the team in 1997 as Public Relations
Assistant, and was promoted to Assistant Director of Public Relations in 1998.
Lewis replaces Rick Smith, who retired Friday as Vice President/Public Relations.
"Duane has come through the ranks in our organization, and has done an outstanding
job since joining us six years ago," said Rams' executive vice president
Bob Wallace. "He deserves this promotion and we are excited to have Duane
in this position." A native of Plaquemine, La., Lewis is He earned his first
taste of the NFL as a public relations training camp intern with the Dallas Cowboys
that same year, and had his first affiliation with the Rams in the same capacity
in 1996. Lewis has twice been selected by the National Football League to work
as part of the NFC Championship Game staff, following the 2000 and 2002 seasons.
In this new position, Lewis will oversee the Rams' football media department and
football-media related issues.
GARDNER IN, GARDNER OUT: The BCSP incorrectly reported last week that
former Howard women's basketball center 
and
two-time Mid Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Andrea
Gardner, was cut by the New York Liberty of the WNBA. In fact, the player
cut by the Liberty was Andrea Garner, a 2002 graduate of Penn State. The
BCSP regrets the error. Howard's Gardner, now known as Andrea Gardner-Combs
after her recent marriage, was instead cut Monday (5/19) by the new San Antonio
Silver Stars of the WNBA. The 6-3 Gardner-Combs, a 2002 second round draft pick,
played one season with the Utah Starzz before their move to San Antonio. She appeared
in 30 games during her rookie season averaging 1.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in
6.6 minutes per game as the Starzz made it to the Western Conference finals against
the eventual world champion Los Angeles Sparks. Gardner-Combs appeared in both
of the Silver Stars preseason games this season averaging 1.5 points in 5.0 minutes
per game. Gardner said this week there is a chance she will get picked up by another
team or be brought back at a later date by the Silver Stars. Her departure leaves
no black college players on current WNBA rosters.
© 2003 Azeez Communications, Inc.