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The Savannah Tribune • Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 15
Savannah State Alumnus
Officiates Super Bowl XLIII
Roy Ellison pictured center.
Savannah State
University graduate Roy
Ellison was a part of the offi
ciating crew that refereed
Super Bowl XLIII on
February 1, 2009 when the
Arizona Cardinals were
defeated by the Pittsburgh
Steelers in Tampa, Florida.
Completing his sixth
season as an NFL official,
this was Ellison’s first game
as a Super Bowl official.
“That was my first
Super Bowl assignment.
This year was my first year
of eligibility for the Super
Bowl and I was fortunate
enough to earn the assign
ment in my first attempt. I
worked the Pro Bowl in
2004, the Divisional playoff
between Chicago and
Carolina in 2005, an alternate
in the 2006 Wildcard game
between the Giants and the
Eagles and I worked my first
championship in 2007
between the Packers and the
Giants. The Giants eventu
ally went on to win the Super
Bowl against the undefeated
Patriots,” he said.
A 1987 SSU honor
graduate with a undergradu
ate degree in computer sci
ence, Ellison played guard
and center for the Tigers
from 1983-86. Ellison was a
part of the offensive line that
paved the way for Casey
Grigley to become the first
1,000-yard rusher in the his
tory of the school in 1985.
Ellison’s day job is with
AT&T where he is an voice
engineer.
Ellison earned the
assignment through the
league's evaluation system in
which the highest-rated offi
cials at each position with the
required experience are cho
sen to work the game. Super
Bowl officials must have at
least five years of NFL expe
rience and previous playoff
assignments.
“I graded out this sea
son as the top ranked Umpire
in the League. There are 17
officials in each 7 positions
on the field and then there is
an additional Umpire that
floats between crews. He is
there because of the amount
of injuries that the Umpire
incur through the course of
the season. We are graded
every play of every regular
season game and our scores
are cumulative through the
end of the season. The top
ranked 8 of 17 crews will
work the Wildcard and
Divisional playoff games.
The top 3 officials in each
position will work the two
Championship games with
the top ranked guy working
the Super Bowl.”
When asked on his
thoughts about working
Super Bowl XLIII, Ellison
said “It was an unbelievable
experience that I will always
remember. The atmosphere
was unlike any other that I
had ever been involved. But
once the game started, I was
able to buckled down, focus
in and call it like it was just
another game.”
In Memory of Alice W« Felser
Alice W, Felser parsed sway on December 31, 2003 si
Candler Hospital after a sudden and brief illness, Alice
was bom and raised in Savannah, primarily by her
mother, Fannie Goldberg Weissman, who preceded her
in death. Her only sibling, Hank We issrnan, her brother,
preceded her m death in 1995. AUcc was » graduate of
Commercial High School in Savannah. For several
years she was an Executive Secretary for Nick Mannala-
kris and Walter Mercer at Mercer Insurance Company on
Bay Street in Savannah She also wm a Clinique con
sultant xl Adler’s department store (formerly inUglciho-
rpc Mall) and late in life, a legal assistant for her sons,
Paul and Jo IT, both attorneys at law. Alice was monied
to Marty Felaer, her sole spouse for thirty-six years, who
preceded her in death in 1995. She was a devoted wife,
mother homemaker and grandmother Together, Alice
and Marty raised three children who survive her: Paul,
Jeff end Felice. Paul and Jeff practice law at Felser Law
Finn in Savannah; Jeff is also presently serving bis
second term as Alderman at Large on Savannah's City
Commit Felice is a certified nurse practitioner who
lives in Marietta, Ga. Alice has two grandchildren.
Mvh (age 5) and Jake (ago 3), the children of Paul and
Marjorie Felser. Alice was very active in Savannah,
attending numerous and diverse civic, community and
political functions with her son JefT. Her outgoing per
sonality and love and respect for all people made her a
wdconic presence and participant in ill of these activi
ties. She will be dearly missed by her family, members
of Congregation Bnui Brith Synagogue end her friends
throughout Savannah Graveside services were heldal
Bona venture Cemetery on New Year's Day. Rabbi
Avigdor Status officiating. In lieu of flowers, please
send contributions to Hnai Brith Jacob Synagogue, 5444
Abe return Street, Savannah, GA 31405 or remem
brancer to: JefT Felser. 45 Bast 66th Street, Savannah,
GA 31405
204 West Hall Street
Call Day or Night
Businas* Phone-: (#12> 233-2175 or (912) 233-2176
Fax Number: (9«) 234-9343
Mrs. French ye M Byrmi, Preaicterrt
Mr Ralslgh □. Dynes. Vice President / General Manager
Mn. Frenchye Bynes-Jonea Treasurer i Sacratary
Mr. Alfred L. Mulltco, Manager
Mrs. Ulijii F. W liinms. Senior Dire ctar at Adminisli tion
Mrs. Tin Synes-Jackian, HumBn Resources Director
Mr. Edward Mu&grow, Funeral Service Apprentice
Sports With Walter Moore
Tigers Beat
Texas Pan Am
Raye Bailey and Jovonni
Shuler each hit a pair of free
throws down the stretch to
lead Savannah State to a 64-
58 win at Texas Pan
American on February 2. The
Tigers led by 10 midway in
the second half but UTPA cut
the deficit to 58-55 with 41
seconds left. Bailey led SSU
with 19 points while Chris
Linton added 12. The Tigers
shot 63.2 percent from the
floor in the second half. SSU
lost a rare home game to
Longwood 68-64 on Feb. 7 at
Tiger Arena. The Tigers cut a
eight point deficit to 66-64
with under a minute left but
could not get any closer.
Linton had 14 for the Tigers
(12-12) while Bailey had 12,
Shuler scored 11 and
Anthony Jones chipped in 10
points.
Lady Tigers Top
Longwood
Lashara Smith scored 19
points and grabbed six
rebounds to help Savannah
State defeat Longwood 61-49
at Tiger Arena on February 7.
SSU broke a tie game with a
11-1 run with five minutes
left and never looked back.
Crissa Jackson scored 13
points while Courtney Long
had 11 points and seven
rebounds. SSU fell at Texas
Tech 80-39 on Feb. 2. The
Raiders held SSU without a
field goal the final 7:43 of the
contest. TTU raced out to a
31-8 lead and never was
threatened. Raven Fields led
Savannah State (5-18) with
13 points while Smith added
12 points and nine rebounds.
SSU Football
Signs 21
Savannah State football
coach Robby Wells
Walter Moore
announced the signing of 21
young men to join the
Savannah State family for the
2009 football season. Inking
National Letters of Intent
with the Tigers were:
Blair Austin, WR, 6-2, 190,
Brookwood HS/Thomasville,
GA; Cedric "Chico" Brown,
OL, 6-2, 275, Thomasville
HS/Thomasville, GA;
Tavams Butler, DT, 6-4, 270,
Putnam County
HS/Eatonton, GA; Justin
Cooper, CB, 6-2, 185,
Cartersville HS/Cartersville,
GA; Kevin Davenport, WR,
6-3, 210, Glenn Hills
HS/Augusta, GA; Brian
Forde, DT, 6-4, 295, Newton
County HS/Conyers, GA;
Phillip Gaines, LB, 5-10,
195, Gainesville
HS/Gainesville, GA;
Franklin Green, RB, 5-10,
205, Jenkins HS/ Savannah,
GA; Kenneth "Micah"
James, OL, 6-4, 306,
Millcreek HS/Hoschton, GA
Antonio Martin, CB, 5-9,
170, Jefferson HS/Jefferson,
GA; Warren Mason, OL, 6-5,
310, Cedar Grove
HS/Atlanta, GA; Quenton
Pooler, LB, 6-2, 210, Newton
County HS/Covington, GA;
DaShawn Printup, S, 6-1,
190, Calhoun HS/Calhoun,
GA; Terrick Ransom, OL, 6-
1, 300, Cedar Grove
HS/Atlanta, GA; Ricky
Rivera, WR, 6-1, 170, Long
County HS/Ludowici, GA;
Dustin Russell, LB, 6-1, 205,
Newnan HS/Newnan, GA;
Leland Russell, LB, 5-9, 210,
Newnan HS/Newman, GA;
Calvert "C.J." Smith, DB, 5-
10, 180, Memorial Day
HS/Savannah, GA; Anthony
Thomas, LB, 6-1, 205,
Dublin HS/Dublin, GA;
Channing Welch, DL, 6-3,
270, Furman Univ./Fayette
County HS/Atlanta, GA; and
Jonathan Clowers, OL, 6-6,
280, Perry HS/Perry, Ga.
See Sports, page 16
Ejturmt tit Cn!hn...Citm tit Uuc v
^ l)t 1 n ANNUAL ^ ^
Hilton Head Island Guilan Celebration
Feb ruaru 1st - 28 th. ZOO>7 * Sou tb Ca ro l i n @
Sa\ut boy,, February 7,2009
De Island Fitness Walk/run &
Healrfi Screening
SnfumW February g. Sunday
February J5, JAM
Arts, Crafts, Food E*po
Of Fashioned QJteh Brea kf ,1st
National freedom Day Program
Sunday, February s, 2009
A Celebration of African
American Authors
Febniaqf 1,/yiatrht, 2009
Month-long De A,up
ObWefeoplf XI |
An i xhihnnn ami SaIp
Friday, February 13,2009
De Guliah Playhouse "Watch
Night"
An original play about De Guliah
Peoples Custom as they brought
In the NerAr year.
Forplao- am] tii™> HOTLINE 107-650-0676
www.g ul I a h ce tebra tto n ,co m
la-wvl fr^i-Li.wnlConinvirMyAfl.iin AsiOOPli^n.liv fiml > CntrtMtionN«1l0fi(STrUt#lJe?ft