The smell of Grambling football is in the air, and a familiar station has returned to the microphone after signing off 13 years ago. Starting Saturday, the university’s radio station –91.5 KGRM— will be announcing the G-Men’s every move at their games.
“You mean I don’t have to listen to the game on the radio station from Ruston?” said Marvin Davis, owner of Reali-Tees in Grambling.
Happy, Davis says this is a good thing and can benefit both the university and the city.
“I think a lot of Grambling fans in the surrounding areas will know when the games are (and) with the same token that there will be an increase in the game’s attendance,” added Davis. “This will also help increase sales for businesses in Grambling on game day.”
In 2000, KGRM was pulled from announcing the games. It was rumored that the reason was that KGRM was not a 50,000-watt radio station.
“I don’t know how it (KGRM) ever got away from the university. I have no idea and it’s not important,” said head football coach Doug Williams. He said the games “are back where they are supposed to be and that’s on the home station.”
“We (he and Joyce Evans, general manager of KGRM) just thought that’s the way it should have been or should be,” said Doug Williams, head coach of the football team. “Because you (now) have a 50,000 -watt radio station.”
Joyce Evans, general manager of KGRM, is thrilled to go back to the university’s tradition. She knows this will bring great opportunities for students in the field.
“The games should never have left KGRM,” said Evans, the radio station’s general manager. “I am excited to have it (the football games) back on Grambling’s radio station.”
Evans also added how two Grambling students, who have been working with the radio station a little over a year, will get the opportunity to work under the tutelage of the game sports announcers Larry Gipson and Ray Higgins.
Before preparing for the G-Men’s first home game, Williams told The Gramblinite that selecting these announcers was simple because they not only know the game, but the players themselves.
“Larry Gipson is as Grambling as Grambling can get and Ray Higgins, you can’t get a better Grambling supporter,” Williams said.
During the summer both Gramblinites discussed bringing the partnership back together.
“Finally Ms. Evans pushed it and the president (Dr. Pogue) OK’d it,” said Williams.