In the fall of 1988 twenty-one young freshmen joined a band. It was a band of brothers cementing a bond of a lifetime. They didn't join the Army, but they went to battle; they didn't play any instruments, but they made beautiful symphonies of athleticism. They did embrace a creed with all their sinew that they felt transcended all fraternities and sororities and men of all colors & character.

  

In the second year of the great Houston Markham at the helm and the leadership of seasoned veterans like Brad Baxter, Tony T, Billy Ray Cox, Mark Hurt, Tommy Gaston we created one of the greatest fraternal organizations at Alabama State University. The fact that we were all freshmen experiencing so many FIRSTs in our lives, which created so many challenges for us. For some it was the first time being out of the State they grew up in and others it was the first time they were not around family and friends. We came from all over the South. Tennessee, Mississippi, New Orleans, South Alabama, Florida and Georgia. One thing was quickly evident about all of us.  There was a fire in our belly to be committed to a cause and to do great things on and off the football field.

 

As freshmen many of us not only played, but started in several positions, so we had to grow up fast. We knew we had to prove how committed we were to creating a winning culture that would last for years.  We set out to show this commitment not just to ourselves or the SWAC, but to the entire football universe.

 

This journey started with embracing 2-a-day, 3-a-day and sometimes 4-a-day practices. Many guys quit and dragged those foot lockers away in the middle of the night back home, but other pledged to be great in our creed, to the University and to each other. What started out as just a novelty for young African American men that were experiencing the fun and pageantry of the HBCU experience, John Mitchell (senior defense back) toyed and played along as with his group of defensive backs like they were his pledges. This example of teaching grew to other groups on the field even the kickers were being taught using this effective but barbaric method. As the days passed during that Fall ’88, our bond became stronger and our identity and swagger was unstoppable. When days got longer and when it seemed we were running in quicksand, we would call the only family we knew that would understand the road least traveled to make it to the mountain top. Our gladiator brothers that were introduced to the coliseum with us and the gladiators of old, that had been living on these sacred grounds. We leaned on this bond to get us through and to our ultimate goal. The unique relationship fostered a “No Excuse” and “No Quit” environment that spanned through a several 16 hours of football and additional hours of academic classes.

 

On Tuesday October 18th at 7:45pm our football fraternity was born. Dennis Polanski (defensive tackle from Pensacola FL) was responsible for calling the huddle for the scout team which was full of underclassmen fighting their way for a spot to make it on to the old Hornet (football bus) for the road trip. Nobody could call they huddle up like Polanski. His voice bellowed and echoed throughout the old Hornet stadium commanding accountability and responsibility from every brother that heard the battle cry. That night Coach Tyrone Jones (defensive line coach) turned to Polanski and said “Man no one else should ever call this HUDDLE”. Little did we know that that night would birth a battle cry that would stand the test of time? The cry was a call and response that started with “HOUSE HOUSE”. The brothers understood this CALL to mean “accountability to me” and the response from those brothers were an even louder response, “SHACK SHACK” which meant to all that heard it “responsibility to you”. This battle cry has been adopted and recognized by Hornet football players from the past present and future. Just like the fraternities and sororities of the Divine 9 at Alabama State, the football fraternity had a history and purpose to be that beacon of hope. From 1989 well into the late may 1990s, F Phi B didn't just excel on the football field, but they also excelled in the community and within campus life. We made visits to elementary schools and read books to young future leaders in classes. We visited children in the hospital to give them home and to show them that we care and that they are also part of the Hornet family. We performed magic and talent shows for the children in the schools and hospitals. We threw parties and raised money to help bolster the football recruiting experience with an all-access VIP college experience.  For over 3 decades, F Phi B has been providing that extra bit of help and uplift for Alabama State football to make sure they would never go without. F Phi B was NEVER about JUST football. It is about “FOREVER being a BROTHER” for those who planted the seeds.

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HOUSE HOUSE! SHACK SHACK!