By james art 
Birmingham Police Sergeant DeMarcus Brown spent some of his formative years in Smithfield and has fond memories of the Magic City Classic.
“We came here for the cones and the turkey legs,” said the 38-year-old. “To this day, I still love it. It just so happens that I have to work it. It’s still a blessing to be able to see it.
As a child, Brown looked out over the upper reaches of Legion Field. On Saturday, he gained a new perspective when he was assigned to the press box level, which proved to be an eye-opener.
“I just didn’t know Legion Field was that high,” he said. “My knees still buckle when I go up that high, but it’s still a blessing to be here in the press box.”
The law enforcement official admitted he has a different perspective on the game as a uniformed officer.
“But when you like it and you see people having a good time going behind each other and sipping whatever they’re drinking, as long as they’re safe with boundaries and enjoying each other without problems, I love it,” he said . “I like to see people having fun. There are many events and many sponsors here. All different ethnicities. It is held in high esteem here.”
The 83rd edition of the McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola went the Hornets’ way as Alabama State defeated Alabama A&M 27-19 in front of an announced crowd of 69,125.
ASU’s Daquon Kincey led the Hornet offense with 156 yards on 18 carries. Quarterback Kareem Key completed 14 of 20 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns as Alabama State (4-3, 3-1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference) won its third straight in the Magic City Classic.
Alabama A&M, which had won four straight Classics before the current streak, fell to 3-4, 1-2.
Philip Jackson was blocks south of the stadium at his home on Fourth Avenue West. The 70-year-old contractor said he has lived there for 40 years, dating back to when the Greymont neighborhood was 80 percent white.
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” he said. “I like to see people having fun. But… parking is crap. All these empty houses. I would build a parking deck and take 200, 300 cars or more. There are ways to do it.”
Cashing in on the fever
Elder Dedrick Kane was a few blocks away in the parking lot of the Titusville Church of God AOH. The church moved from its original home in Titusville to the area near Legion Field and became part of Classic.
Cain called the annual game, which blocks streets in neighboring neighborhoods, a blessing for people “who don’t get annoyed and bothered by it.
“It gives them a blessing or revenue when they can park cars on their property or lot,” he said. “It gives them the feel of a piece of the classics and they provide a service to people.
“It’s a blessing to the church as well, and the money goes to a positive upgrade,” Cain continued. “Some people might think it’s a nagging concern. It’s a standing tradition here. And that’s only once a year. It’s a seven-day extravaganza, but it’s only once a year.
Perron King, executive director of the Magic City Classic, said all of Birmingham benefits from the economic impact of the event.
“It’s growing,” he said. “We were hovering around $22 million, but now our friends at the CVB (Convention and Visitors Bureau), we expect to be over $23 million from all the things we’ve seen from metrics like hotel rooms and all that stuff. We’re very confident that we’ll see over $23 million before it’s all said and done by some time on Sunday when it’s all tallied.”