OldBuc77

I suspect its all part of a conspiracy. Jones has already messed up the most successful pro sports franchise in Texas history. Now he is using the championship games at his new place to get his foot in the door with the UIL so he can destroy Texas football at the grassroots level ....

LaPorte PAM Dayton Summer Creek Barbers Hill Central LCM PNG Baytown Lee Texas City Bridge City WOS Silsbee Coldspring Splendora Tarkington Kirbyville Kountze EC Newton San Augustine Deweyville Legacy Evadale Nederland

[quote name="Back2swag" post="1280467" timestamp="1348491315"] [quote author=oldbuc77 link=topic=103587.msg1280330#msg1280330 date=1348455062] EC 28 Eagles 14 i just picked the numbers out of the air. Reasons for: 1. EC was 1-2 against 3A competition in non-district last year and won the district championship. I'm not ready to throw them under the bus after one pre-district loss. 2. If EC was missing 3 starters last week it should help if they are back. I am not saying that is the reason for the loss to HJ, only that if you are missing a frontline player you naturally expect a little boost when they get back. 3. Nothing like a loss to wake you up when it looks like you can put it on cruise control. The posts last week made the HJ game out to be as close to a cruise control game as EC was likely to see. Not saying EC did that, but the case for a just-show-up-and-win was more or less made in the forum. 4. Having read how little chance HJ was going to have last week and enduring a loss, EC players will not put any stock in assertions that Woodville has no chance this week. 4. Woodville seems to have struggled comming out of the gates. Not saying they can't right the ship, just appears to me that it may take a bit longer to do so. 5. Finally, since I live in South Texas and don't get an opportunity to see the teams play I can plead lack of knowledge if I'm wrong...LOL. [/quote]  why would ec have even been on cruise control its not like they were blowing out the competition so far. [/quote] There was no reason for EC to be on cruise control and I specifically pointed out that I wasn't saying EC did that (that refering to being on cruise control). What I intended was to point out that it appeared that many (not all, but many) of the posts in the prediction thread for the EC/HJ game suggested that HJ had no chance to beat EC and basically all EC had to do was show up. That proved to be wrong thinking as HJ won the game. Thus I am not buying that, as posted earlier in the thread, all EC has to bring against Woodville is the JV. There was no intent to disparage either EC by believing they were on cruise control or HJ by suggesting that EC being on cruise control was the reason for their victory.

[quote name="Kvillecats" post="1280356" timestamp="1348457244"] [quote author=ECFAN#1 link=topic=103298.msg1280348#msg1280348 date=1348456767] [quote author=Kvillecats link=topic=103298.msg1280344#msg1280344 date=1348456479] [quote author=ECFAN#1 link=topic=103298.msg1280340#msg1280340 date=1348456116] [quote author=Kvillecats link=topic=103298.msg1280337#msg1280337 date=1348455697] SMH...i see another reality check coming for the Bucs. All eyes on #27 and they're DONE! [/quote]You live in a dream world of your own. Everyone else is wrong but you. You think your God if you say it, it must be. Well there is a God and your not him.LOL [/quote] You better enjoy your little success with #27 this year because next year is out of the equation for them Bucs. Kirbyville 8th grade and Jv is loaded with talent and some of the freshman players are starting on varsity this year. [/quote]Oh here we go making excuses already for this year. Our starting JV is half freshmen, alot of good players for EC coming up so you better start making excuses for a while. LOL You need to check our JV record dude, not knowing the facts makes you look bad. [/quote] They better starting getting playing time on varsity THIS YEAR to get ready for that terrible season yall fixing to have after #27 is gone...lol [/quote] I seem to recall predictions by some (certainly not all) that EC would be done for years to come as soon as Tremain Thomas graduated. Haven't done too bad since then.

EC 28 Eagles 14 i just picked the numbers out of the air. Reasons for: 1. EC was 1-2 against 3A competition in non-district last year and won the district championship. I'm not ready to throw them under the bus after one pre-district loss. 2. If EC was missing 3 starters last week it should help if they are back. I am not saying that is the reason for the loss to HJ, only that if you are missing a frontline player you naturally expect a little boost when they get back. 3. Nothing like a loss to wake you up when it looks like you can put it on cruise control. The posts last week made the HJ game out to be as close to a cruise control game as EC was likely to see. Not saying EC did that, but the case for a just-show-up-and-win was more or less made in the forum. 4. Having read how little chance HJ was going to have last week and enduring a loss, EC players will not put any stock in assertions that Woodville has no chance this week. 4. Woodville seems to have struggled comming out of the gates. Not saying they can't right the ship, just appears to me that it may take a bit longer to do so. 5. Finally, since I live in South Texas and don't get an opportunity to see the teams play I can plead lack of knowledge if I'm wrong...LOL.

Purely antecdotal, but once again based on my experience at Tech: Of the current big 12 schools, Texas and Oklahoma would be most likely top out the stadium. At least that was the case in Lubbock. Texas for sure, and Oklahoma a really good chance. None of the other schools travel all that well. Baylor and TCU would probably pull some fans, but neither travel well enough to top off a half or even 3/4 full stadium at 30K, much less 40 or 50. The Kansas schools, Iowa State, and OK State don't travel that well even when it is a conference foe. Forget West Virginia, way too far away. Throw Texas A&M and LSU from the SEC in with Texas and Oklahoma and forget the rest of the Big 12 and you might pull it off. Might get severely abused on the field, but you would make a bunch of money whether you played them at home or at their place.

[quote name="UNLV" post="1275013" timestamp="1347977672"] I I like to hear your thoughts on if you were Lamar's new president. Athletics.... 1. Major renovation of the Montagne Center. Basketball practice facility. 2.,Expand Cardinal stadium to 40k Campus 1. Massive car garage 2. multi-story classroom building and offices. UNLV enrollment jumped significantly.... 3. More dorms Academics 1. Law school 2, Medical school. doctor shortage coming..,, 3. Energy Research facility [/quote] As I responded to the post about Tech, now let me address the original question. Administratively: 1. Any new president must be 100% dedicated to making Lamar a better instution in every way. Lamar does a lot of good/great things, but better is always possible. 2. Develop and exploit (in the positive sense of the word) political and corporate connections to increase funding/donations to the university. 3. Develop alumni relationships. There are some 80,000 Lamar alumni according to the president at last springs graduation. They need to be singing the praises of their alma mater. 4. Market Lamar. Local/regional support for Lamar will increase as people are more aware of the good/great things that are happening. Academics: 1. I don't have numbers for the most recent couple of years, but a few years ago (4-5 I think) Lamar was the only University in Texas (and maybe the nation) that had 100% of it's pre-law and pre-med students accepted into either law or med school. The politics and red tape of starting up a law or medical school are horrendus. In the long-run it may be feasible, but in the short term expansion of the pre law and pre med programs should certainly be do-able. Lamar should become a launching pad for anyone seriously considering those two professions. Forget the politics, lawyers may not be popular, but they are at the very least a necessary evil. Health care has been the fastest growing segment of the economy for a number of years now and that is not likely to change much regardless of who wins in November. 2. Expand the nursing program to include (if it does not already do so) not only BSN but also advanced degrees. Likewise, develop or expand other allied health programs. If many do leave the profession, for political or other reasons, that only means more positions that need to be filled. 3. Continue to expand/ improve the Education (particularly advanced degree) program at Lamar. There were an impressive number of graduate degrees in education awarded at the graduation last spring, and Lamar does not just pass them out like candy, their eductaion program actually has a good reputation outside of Southeast Texas. 4. Expand the engineering program, Lamar has a good one. As with some of the other programs the reputation is better outside of SE Texas than within (back to marketing). Petroleum engineering would be awesome. Think of the internships with al the petrochemical companies in the region. Lamar could become a pipeline (pun intended) to the industry and juggernaught in the field. Campus: 1. I don't really have a handle on this, but parking is always an issue at a college or university. Whether the answer is a parking garage or not, I don't know, but parking is always an issue that needs to be addressed. 2. Academic facilities upgrades should always be a priority. It sounds like there are some plans, but even before current plans come to fruition future plans (including dorms) should be on the drawing board. You can't attract new/more students if you have no place to put them. Athletics: 1. Upgrade the Montaign Center? Absolutely! The court and seating is fine but the corridors are too narrow and ancillary facilities insufficient. Practice facilities if they are needed are a must and emphasize both mens AND womens basketball. It was Marsha Sharp's womens teams that built the state of the art basketball arena at Texas Tech, not the mens program. Fans get excited about WINNERS whether they are men or women. 2. Upgrade the baseball facility. A cool stadium with lots going on is a draw in and of itself. What else is going on during baseball season? Learn from minor league baseball, a good team matters but its not just about the game, its the total experience. 3. Make plans for a move to FBS but do it right. I don't want to tiptoe meekly into the FBS pool, I want to do a cannonball off the high-dive into the deep end with a big splash. I want everyone to take notice. That doesn't mean championships and big bowl games right off the bat, but they need to know we are serious and are a first-class act. 3. Make plans now for a brand new from-the-ground up 50,000 seat football stadium and let the time-frame be what it must.. If your going to get home games against name opponents you have to have ticket sales, otherwise they will usually only play you at their place. Revenue matters. The few plans I've seen for expanding the football stadium are unappealing. It looks like half the seats are in the south endzone with not much room for expansion on the sidelines. Those are the cheap seats and don't generate the revenue of sideline seats. I also think that while it may not make sense to expand "right-now", when the time comes that it should be done right. A first class facility that will serve the team, University, and community well for years to come. 50,000 may be a lot now, but if your gonna run with the big boys ya gotta have the facilities. Maybe a plan that allows for less than 50,00 originally but well planned, asthetically appealling, and fan friendly expansion in the future would work. 4. Pony up for the best coaches we can afford. Good coaches and staffs put good teams on the field. I'm not saying run anybody off, but when you do hire, hire the best. 5. Make Lamar games an event. Using football as an example, college football is a great game in and of itself, but much of what makes it so special is the atmosphere that surrounds the game. A few years back, Tech played Eli Manning and Ole Miss in Oxford. Some of the Tech faithful that made the trip were so impressed with "The Grove" they got behind an effort to institute something similar at Tech. Now they have Raider Alley before the game. Food, booths, live music, tailgating, giveaways, stuff for kids, women, young and old alike. Everyone loved it, even visiting fans. I heard fans from Nebraska and Oklahoma saying positive things and wishing their schools did something like it. A few hours of people having fun and getting fired up has an impact on the crowd at the game. Doesn't have to be limited to football. 6. Recruit nationwide and develop relationships with coaches at the big dog schools. Southeast Texas has a lot of football talent and Lamar should get its fair share. But if your going to compete FBS you need more than just your fair share of the Southeast Texas talent pool. Spike Dykes, when rebuilding Tech went to Florida and took it on the chin against some great Florida State and Miami teams. He also got a few great recruits directed his way from them because they didn't have enough scholarships for everyone and didn't want the other one or someone they played more frequently to get them. Wasn't the basis of his suceess, but it sure didn't hurt. 7. When recruiting, sell Lamar academics. If your gonna get a recruit ya gotta sell moma, and moma loves knowing her son is going to get a good education in case he doesn't make the NFL. I know that was long-winded, and don't assume that to be the be-all-end-all list, but thats where I would start.

[quote author=UNLV link=topic=103325.msg1275609#msg1275609 date=1348019647] Here we go with the can't do attitudes. An area of 400,000 can't put 40,000 in a stadium. Lubbock MSA is about 290,000 and they put 80,000 in. The really sad part is Lamar leaders is doing nothing more than being content with playing Langston and our 15,000 seat stadium.] As a former Texas Tech student, season ticket holder, and 20+ year resident of the Lubbock area, I should point out a couple of things regarding your numbers. Point #1: The Lubbock MSA is indeed in the neighborhood of 290,000. However, Tech draws not only from the Lubbock MSA. Large numbers of Tech alumni reside in the South Plains (Lubbock), Panhandle (Amarillo), Permian Basin (Midland/Odessa), and Eastern New Mexico (all the way to Albuquerque). The hinterland of those regions are also chock full of Tech alumni. There are also a large number of Tech grads in the Big Country to the east off the caprock. Many of these fans can be at the stadium in an hour and a half (Permian Basin/Amarillo) or less, 2-2 1/2 hours for most. It is also driveable, and more importantly, a short relatively inexpensive plane ride from the Metroplex for the many Tech alumni in the DFW area that want to take in a home gane sometime during the season. Tech also plays in a conference against teams that travel well (UT, Ok, and formerly A&M) that will eagerly buy up any unsold tickets. The point is, Tech's market is far larger, in area and population, than the Lubbock MSA. Point #2: Texas Tech has NEVER drawn 80,000 to a home game. Even with the recent rennovations and expansion during the Leach era, the capacity of the stadium is only about 60,000, maybe 65,000 tops. If you had ever seen Jones stadium you would know that, assuming the fire marshall would allow it, there would be no place to put an additional 15-20,000 standing room only patrons. For most of Leaches tenure the stadium capacity was 50-55,000. Point #3: Tech was already talking about upgrading facilities and expanding the stadium when I hit campus in 70's. The goal was never far from the minds of Tech fans, students, or administrators, but it took 30+ years to make it a partial (there are still things on the drawing board) reality. Making it happen took essentially 3 things: First, a University Chancellor that was not only smart, he was very well connected politically and corporately. As a result, state funding and corporate donations (academics and athletics) increased significantly. As that funding increased so did alumni funding/donations. Second, a coach and a team that fired up the fan base, put hinnies in the seats, and sold lots of Tech licensed items (jerzeys, coozies, and everything in between). As popular as Coach Dykes and his teams were they never generated enough ticket sales, donations, etc. to justify the expansion. It was only when the stadium was consistently sold-out under Leach that it was feasible for the dream to become a reality. Third, marketing. As Tech did a better job of marketing itself to the locals, the increase in local support was very noticeable. It doesn't matter how good you are academically or athletically if not enough people know about it. Lamar does a lot of things right, more people need know it. I point this out only to clarify what is behind some of the numbers on Lubbock and Tech and what it took to get where they are.

According to this site: [Hidden Content] it was about 13.3 million. Based on the USA Today information (provided by the various schools) the Sun Belt and WAC are the only two conferences in FBS that Lamar could hope to compete in financially. While the budget would compete with the bottom (financially) of the conferences they would be nowhere near the top. Lamar wouldn't have the smallest budget in FBS but they would be near the bottom. To legitimatly go FBS and hope to really compete financially and on the field, Lamar would need to at least double and preferably triple its budget. The highest percentge subsidies of athletic budgets are in FBC, but on average the largest $ amount subsidies are FBS schools in nonautomatic BCS qualifying conferences (USA Today). Lamar's subsidy is already at 70%+. That could only get higher. I'm all for going FBS if it makes sense, but we need to find a chunk of money somewhere first. Being a dreg in the FBS gets you no more respect than being in the FCS and the SLC. The only reason for a move to FBS at this point would be a vain attempt to sooth feelings of FCS/SLC inadequacy. If you know where Lamar could pick up another $20 mil a year then lets go for it ...

Good job Bucs!

[quote name="PN-G bamakid" post="1252616" timestamp="1346089197"] The Port Neches-Groves ... Why the ellipsis points? Because that's about as far as anyone would get before being stoned to death in the stadium. ;D [/quote] I actually did get rocks thrown at me in Port Neches one time. I was spending the week at my aunt's house one summer. I wore a Thomas Jefferson Yellow Jacket replica jersey one day. About three boys from the neighborhood started calling me names and throwing rocks at me. Didn't call the cops or go on tv crying about the bullies, just threw rocks back ... lol .... Oh the good ole' days ....

Thanks ya'll for the welcome and compliments. Tigersvoice, I will try to uphold the standards of the language but do forgive me if I slip up on occassion. I am neither a grammarian nor a wordsmith in the true sense of the words. ChampionEagles, I agree with you 100% about luck. That was an oversight on my part. Thanks for pointing it out.

Baytown Lee Port Arthur Memorial Beaumont Westbrook Crosby West Orange Stark Port Neches Groves Vidor Dayton Barbers Hill Livingston Anahuac East Chambers Newton Splendora Jasper Kountze Hull-Daisetta Evadale Deweyville Beaumont Kelly Burkeville Center New Waverly San Augustine

I'll bite. I have no clue as to whether EC will ever make it to the title game. 20 years ago if one had asked if EC would ever make the playoffs most would have laughed and said NO! Now, even EC's detractors usually admit that they are a playoff contender even if they aren't willing to consider them a favorite. Historically, EC's biggest challenge has been size (height and weight both). EC is typically an undersized team. They usually make up for that with good speed and skills, being well coached, disciplined, focused, playing hard, and having a lot of heart, never quiting on a game, etc. In the regular season and often in the early rounds of the playoffs that combination can offset the size advantage of opponents and get you to the playoffs and a couple of playoff wins. The problem in the playoffs is that by the 3rd round (and in region 3 it can easily be the 1st or 2nd round) your going to face teams that not only have a decided size advantage, they also have most or all of those things that you do well. Hence EC's struggles with the Marts, Tatums, and Cameron Yoes in recent years. For example, in 2006 EC played Mart on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I was in Lubbock for Thanksgiving and got up that Friday morning and drove to Huntsville for the game. Mart won the game fair and square 49-21. The most glaring difference between the two teams was size. Im not saying EC was Marts equal in every other respect, only that the most obvious advantage Mart had was in size. That difference was most noticeable, at least to me, in the passing game. If I recall correctly, Mart had at least one D1 receiver on that team. 5'8"-5'10'' covering 6'2"plus is a challenge.  Much of the score differential came down to a handfull of plays. I have no doubt Mart was the better team (they were state champions) and would have won the game. Had some or all of that handfull of plays gone the other way the final score could have been much closer. I don't say that to make excuses. Mart made those plays, EC didn't. I only use it as an example to illustrate what I believe is EC's biggest disadvantage/challenge in making it to, or winning, the title game. As you know from Kirbyvilles reccent trips to the title game, winning it all is difficult even when your loaded in every respect. I don't say that to disparage Kirbyville for not winning those games, only to illustrate how difficult it is. Ask the Newton folks. They have won it all and come close a number of times in the past and I believe most would tell you it was never easy. Thats why is it SOOOO SWEET when you do win it all. Teams can and have overcome their challenges to win it all. North Crowly was a perenial doormat and made the playoffs a few years ago. Everyone thought they would be an early out. They got on a roll and won it all. May or may not be likely, but if it can happen for them and others it can happen for EC. In the end, high shool football is about working your butt off, playing your heart out, leaving it all on the field, letting the chips fall where they may, and walking away with no regrets. As long as EC does that I will be proud of them. If EC ever does make to the title game and wins it all I will be on cloud 9......at least until I have to set down and pay bills and cold hard reality sets back in ....

Add another AMEN for me!!! Good job guys...

[quote name="GCMPats" post="1141951" timestamp="1323348465"] Calallen will have to do it with the back-up QB.  It's being reported on Twitter that the starter Dorsey is done  for the season with a knee injury. [/quote] In the Corpus paper today, torn miniscus.

Way to go Bucs