Post by Aggie One on Feb 17, 2020 17:12:30 GMT -5
A&T trustee Paul Jones' 'emotional tie' prompted his lone vote against leaving MEAC
By Jeff Mills jeff.mills@greensboro.com
GREENSBORO — His was the lone voice of dissent.
Retired judge Paul Jones cast the only “no” vote when N.C. A&T’s board of trustees made a 12-1 decision Feb. 7 to leave the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference after the 2020-21 school year and join the Big South.
It was a vote from the heart.
“Basically,” Jones said, “when you have a relationship as long as A&T’s in the MEAC — 50 years — I just had an interest and bias against leaving that behind. We had a good relationship with the MEAC, and I wanted to see that continue.”
Jones’ own relationship with the MEAC began when the league began. As a student at A&T, he was the statistician for the Aggies’ football, basketball and baseball teams.
“So when I was in college, I went to every single one of those games, and I developed close relationships with the coaches and players,” Jones said. “My senior year was when A&T left the CIAA for the MEAC. So for me, personally, I have 50 years of history with the MEAC. A&T fans love what they have. There’s an emotional tie that’s hard to let go of.”
For the rest of the story:
www.greensboro.com/sports/college/ncat/a-t-trustee-paul-jones-emotional-tie-prompted-his-lone/article_d26c2b0e-6fcc-5d8b-83bf-cd39f89813ec.html
By Jeff Mills jeff.mills@greensboro.com
GREENSBORO — His was the lone voice of dissent.
Retired judge Paul Jones cast the only “no” vote when N.C. A&T’s board of trustees made a 12-1 decision Feb. 7 to leave the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference after the 2020-21 school year and join the Big South.
It was a vote from the heart.
“Basically,” Jones said, “when you have a relationship as long as A&T’s in the MEAC — 50 years — I just had an interest and bias against leaving that behind. We had a good relationship with the MEAC, and I wanted to see that continue.”
Jones’ own relationship with the MEAC began when the league began. As a student at A&T, he was the statistician for the Aggies’ football, basketball and baseball teams.
“So when I was in college, I went to every single one of those games, and I developed close relationships with the coaches and players,” Jones said. “My senior year was when A&T left the CIAA for the MEAC. So for me, personally, I have 50 years of history with the MEAC. A&T fans love what they have. There’s an emotional tie that’s hard to let go of.”
For the rest of the story:
www.greensboro.com/sports/college/ncat/a-t-trustee-paul-jones-emotional-tie-prompted-his-lone/article_d26c2b0e-6fcc-5d8b-83bf-cd39f89813ec.html
