Saturday, February 14, 2009, Pittsburgh, PA

ESP Joins In Celebration of 2008 Black College All-American Team

ESP's Willie Williams, a member of the 1996 and 2006 Steelers Super Bowl teams, and ESP client Marcus Benard, joined 23 other Black College performers who were honored at the 2008 SBN Sports Black College All-American Awards dinner on Saturday, February 14, 2008. The 2008 Sheridan Broadcasting Network/Jake Gaither Black College National Champion Grambling State Tigers were honored at the 35th Annual SBN Sports Black College All-American Awards dinner at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA. SBN Sports is a division of American Urban Radio Networks and is in its 35th year of providing the SBN Top Ten Poll. AURN (www.aurn.com) is the only African-American owned radio Network Company in the United States and is the largest network reaching Urban America with more than 20 million listeners each week.

The Master of Ceremonies for the event was Comedian, Actor and Genius, Michael Colyar, who was joined on the stage by co-hosts Ty Miller, SBN Director of Sports and Anji Corley, On-Air Personality, WAMO-FM, Pittsburgh. The annual awards gala also featured nationally renowned recording artist and television host Dr. Bobby Jones and The Nashville Super Choir. The event also paid tribute to The New Pittsburgh Courier with a lifetime achievement award. The New Pittsburgh Courier began the tradition of honoring Black college teams in the mid 1920's.

The Black College All American Awards Weekend (BCAA) recognizes and celebrates the academic and athletic achievements of student athletes who play football at America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Weekend activities included a welcoming reception, an NFL “Skull Session” at the Pittsburgh Steelers training facility, brunch and the gala awards ceremony.

The gala was attended by past and present NFL players, school administrators, coaches and event sponsors. A host of Black College NFL legends were also on hand to celebrate the accomplishments of the top student athletes from the nation's historically Black Colleges and Universities including Lem Barney, Mel Blount, Robert Brazile, Ken Burrough, Harry Carson, Nesby Glasgow, LC Greenwood, James Harris, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, Larry Little, Greg Lloyd, Eddie Robinson, Jr., Art Shell, Rick Upchurch, Everson Walls, Doug Williams and Rayfield Wright.