Ancient small-school football rivalry in the south spreads to all sports

With the first gridiron feud between these two Virginia schools starting in 1883, the fact that the rivalry has not ended even after 125 years goes on to prove that this small-school rivalry is probably the oldest in the South.

While the college students from Hampden-Sydney celebrated their 24-10 victory in the 100th game over rivals Yellow Jackets from the near Randolph-Macon College, they displayed their joy in the same fashion as their seniors had in 1994. Sawing off a piece of one of their goal posts’ and keeping it with themselves, the HSC students paraded with whatever else was left of the aluminum structure along the hill surrounding Hundley Stadium and then threw it into the Chalgrove Lake. While in 1994 the triumph saw the school erecting a plaque at the foot of the lake, the sawed off piece of goal post which the players had retained with themselves started a tradition among the Tigers who touched it before every home game until in 2000 when the goalpost mysteriously disappeared.

HSC’s 1993 defeat by RMC in what was a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first football game played between them in1893, made their victory in this recent 100th match all the more memorable for HSC. In ’93, the then RMC president Ladell Payne announced the seven days preceding the HSC football game as "Beat Hampden-Sydney Week." For these reasons, it is no surprise that the upcoming 114th meeting between these two schools separated by just 78 miles has now become famous as "The Game."

While the rivalry started at the football field, it has now penetrated deeper. "It goes across all sports. It goes back to the fact that both schools are very similar to each other. We used to both be all-male [Hampden-Sydney still is; Randolph-Macon went co-ed in 1972]; academically we're similar [both are liberal arts schools with enrollments of just over 1,100 students]; and both are [close to] Richmond,” commented HSC’s athletic director and AD Joe Bush, who coached the football team to victory in the 100th game.

While the football war has been over a century old, the last decade saw the rivalry gaining national attention due to their success on the basketball court. Both were in the top-10 rankings. 1993 saw the HSC Tigers beat other teams to the top rank and win the national title game. While they returned to the final four in 2003, Randolph-Macon which was ranked at eighth position knocked out the Hampden-Sydney squad in the 2004 match.

"In basketball, both of us have been national players the last 10 to 12 years, both have been in the top 10," remarked ninth-year Macon head hoops coach Mike Rhoades, who guided the Yellow Jackets to four NCAA tournaments and has earned the team a .704 winning percentage since his arrival. "In the 2003 game at our place, we were ranked No. 1 and Hampden-Sydney was ranked No. 3. The game was sold out two weeks prior. We had to put in what I call 'Gucci rows' for alums who wanted to sit in the first two rows. We won the game and earned the top seed in the [Old Dominion Athletic Conference] tournament, then beat them in the finals on a tip-in."

While every rivalry’s on-field scraps adds to its airs, small riots among team supporters take away its dignity. The Tigers-Yellow Jackets rivalry however, has taken a more classy tone in the last few years.

"There used to be a lot of shenanigans," Bush said. "But the last six, seven years it's been more respectful."

With Sydney and Macon students taking to activities like blood drives and coin drives, more peaceful battles precede up to The Game.

"It's mostly really classy," said Rhoades. "But when the ball goes up? You talk about going at each other's throats. And it doesn't matter if it's in basketball, football, lacrosse or the debate teams."

With former game-week traditions like "Running of the Football", which was a sort of relay where the football was carried on foot between campuses and handed off as baton at the midway point between the two schools, the games and rivalries have not fallen to cheap tactics by either schools, living up to the glory of good sportsmanship.

"At the end of the day, each school has a significant amount of respect for one another," added former HSC lacrosse All-American Chris Schaaf. "But it is very easy to put that behind us as soon as the whistle blows."

Russia enjoys the Hiddink revolution

If you have been watching the Euro 2008 championships, you would have noticed the Russian advance through the various stages culminating in their booking a semi-final berth. For a side that was written off not long ago, the very fact that they reached the semi-final is in itself a great achievement. The credit for this amazing turnaround goes to the Russian side and its famous coach, Guus Hiddink. For a man who is one of the most sought after coaches at this level of the game, he has proved his top label status.

Guus Hiddink knows a thing or two about making the sides advance in the stages of a championship. He has taken South Korea to the semi-finals of the world cup and Australia to the second round of the world cup. A native Dutchman, he has also coached the Dutch side in some memorable victories that include the world cup finals. And last week, when Russia and Holland faced each other, it was hard to tell what was going on through Hiddink’s mind. As he put it, he would be regarded as a traitor in his native country if Russia won. And it did. Though, in these days of competitive football, coaching is a lucrative proposition that knows no boundaries. A fact that men like Hiddink have realized to their benefit.

Before the clash with the Dutch side, Hiddink had though out a strategy that would ensure that Russia would forge ahead. As such, Russia is an emerging side and a force to reckon with, given the fact that it has the UEFA cup winners and also that six of their clubs have qualified for the premier European championship. When Hiddink was appointed to coach the Russian side, many viewed it as being short-tem in outlook which was further bolstered by his 2 Million a year salary. The striking thing that emerged is that Hiddink has embraced a surprisingly long term vision.

He has repeatedly stressed that the Russian federation or the governing body for football in Russia would well be advised to continue the momentum after Euro 2008 and use it to build the infrastructure and team for the next world cup. Though his mandate was to ensure that Russia went into the knock-out phase, Hiddink is not the one to rest on his laurels. Instead, he wants the team to emerge as one of the stronger teams in Europe.

Hiddink started with several advantages. Not only is the fact that the average age in his side is 26 but also the team is packed with several gifted players. Andrei Arshavin and the full-backs Aleksandr Anyukov and Yuri Zhirkov, and the striker Roman Pavlyuchenko have outstanding ability. Then there are the midfielders in Igor Semshov, Konstantin Zyryanov and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov who are slick ball passers. And this young team may well make it to the final and possibly the cup with some application and Hiddink’s insights.

As Hiddink says, "We have to give our young players a chance and educate them in a new, modern way. If we do that, this big country - not now, but tomorrow - will become one of the leading national teams in Europe. Responsible people must provide the next step in the development of this country's young players on the back of what the 'A' team have achieved at these finals." And it is this vision that has captured the imagination of the fans and players alike.

So, it is anybody’s guess as to where the Euro 2008 final stage is headed. But one thing is for sure, Hiddink has brought in a measure of change to the Russian side. It is now up to the players and the federation to make the best of this opportunity.