Sports

COLEMAN’S TOURNAMENT BRINGS CELEBRITIES TO PINE BLUFF

By Josh Tinker /COMMERCIAL SPORTS EDITOR
Thursday, June 25, 2009 9:15 AM CDT

Many athletic celebrities will be flocking to Pine Bluff this weekend. The second installment of Arkansas-Pine Bluff football coach Monte Coleman’s celebrity golf tournament will bring about a dozen former professional athletes from both the NFL and NBA, UAPB athletic director Skip Perkins said.

Coleman, who played 16 seasons with the NFL’s Washington Redskins and won three Super Bowls, has invited several of his former Washington teammates to Southeast Arkansas this weekend. Among those expected to attend are Tony Peters, who won multiple Super Bowl rings with the Redskins in a 10-year pro career; Vernon Dean, who was drafted by the Redskins in the second round of the 1982 NFL draft; and Ken Coffey. Perkins said Redskin Hall-of-Famers Art Monk and Darrell Green were also invited but unable to attend because of previous church commitments.

Other celebrities attending are Keith Jackson, a Little Rock-native who was a college All-American at Oklahoma and played nine seasons in the NFL, while winning a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers; Jackie Harris, a Pine Bluff-native who played 12 seasons in the NFL; Ceasar Belser, who played for UAPB when it was known as AM&N College and also played in the NFL; former NBA player Dennis Scott; and local television personality Matt Mosler.

“We have a stellar group of guys that are going to come and help support the Golden Lions,” Coleman said.

Proceeds from the tournament will go to furnish new weight equipment for the J. Thomas May Fieldhouse, Perkins said, adding that after costs, the UAPB athletic department expected to raise a little more than $15,000.

“We really need to upgrade the weight room because we have so many sports that use it,” Perkins said. “This is just one of those ways, where instead of just relying on budget, this is a great way to raise some (funds) in a good way.”

While the weight room is open to all athletes at UAPB, Perkins said Coleman has tackled the project head-on. While many coaches at Division-I universities might put their name on such an event to fatten their pocket books, Perkins said Coleman has been a driving force behind the scenes.

“I don’t think anyone has worked harder on this golf tournament than him,” Perkins said. “Coach has been front and center the whole way. Most of the work has come from coach Coleman and the (football) coaching staff.

“Coach could have easily taken the high road and said use my name and fine. But he’s done a lot of work, from picking out the design of the trophies, picking up the trophies and picking out the menu. Coach does everything.”

Coleman said he was pleased to help.

“If it’s going to be done right, sometimes you’ve got to get down and get dirty with it,” Coleman said. “I wanted to be nice. I wanted to pick out the trophies. I wanted to see the stuff. This gives me an opportunity to that.

“I want it to be a success. I want us as an athletic program to be successful. Whatever I can do.”

The tournament starts at 8 a.m. today with the women’s flight. The men will tee-off Friday. The first flight tees-off at 8 a.m. and the second will start at 1 p.m., Coleman said. All rounds are played at Pine Bluff Country Club.

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