TexasTerror

FYI -- outside of the Southland TV games...Lamar's contest at Kentucky will be televised on Fox South. [Hidden Content]

That Denver contest at home is going to be rough as they use all 35 seconds of the play clock...nice job in securing La-Lafayette for a multi-year deal, makes sense for both sides (hope SHSU gets the same thing with them)...four sub-Division I games (SHSU will have that I'm sure -- we have one opening that we are trying to get a Div I)... I like the MTE with Ohio, Indiana State and Louisville. I think you guys can go 2-1 there...though that may be tough. Four games in six days. Release: [Hidden Content] Schedule: [Hidden Content]

And I've retorted with practically the same thing...one, being that you can not solely build a team from SETX (as a few of the narrow-minded on this board have stated) and secondly... McNeese is preparing for this and will maintain their recruiting levels. They may not bring in as many players from SETX, but that's not just because of Lamar, but because more and more FCS teams are coming in to the state and more FBS teams. They'll still recruiting wars in the area on a routine basis, just as they do head to head in the city of Lafayette against ULL, an FBS program. ABR3, you see the recent article about the amount of Texas guys on Big 12 rosters? Incredible! SHSU has changed their recruiting habits in recent years because of how many teams are on the ground here in the state, it's ridiculous. This past year, we started heading further west and further south. We even plucked a few more kids from out of state this past year than we have in the past. There were years when we had no one from out of Texas! This year, we have 12...

North Texas wouldn't come to Beaumont because the SBC would not approve the contract.

Soccer has been a crazy sport in the SLC. It's amazed me in terms of which programs have been solid in the conference and which have not. I really though SHSU would have a good program with the Houston area (especially north and northwest of Houston) talent, but that has not been the case. Then, we saw UTSA rise pretty quickly and along with TxSt-San Marcos, have been good programs. With a new coach in Huntsville, we'll see what happens... Does Lamar have any more additional individuals on the roster? 13 is going to be a very small roster and will put the Cards at a competitive disadvantage...does Hardman have anyone else on way?

SHSU fans will be very happy when the replacement is named...which means they are happy campers today! 2001 Sports Network, Associated Press, Don Hansen and Walter Camp first-team All American Jonathan Cooper has been named WR coach! -------------- Jonathon Cooper, an All-America and All-Southland Conference wide receiver on Sam Houston State’s 2001 championship team, returns to his alma mater as an assistant football coach for the Bearkats. Sam Houston director of athletics Bobby Williams and head football coach Todd Whitten announced Cooper’s hiring as 2008 preseason camp opens for the Bearkats Sunday. Cooper has served as co-offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator at Ball High School in Galveston since 2004. Cooper will serve as Sam Houston State’s wide receiver coach. [Hidden Content]

Come on now. Don't hate on the Cardinal Club. They probably did receive it if you sent it just over a week ago. Bet the letters had been ready to go and that your contribution did not get processed by the "cut off" for who was going to get those letters...

Good luck getting ULL or La Tech to Beaumont. Unless you are FBS, that's a pipe dream. ULL can not by SBC rules. The WAC might allow it (Idaho, may have been in the SBC still, traveled to Montana a few years back), but they may have changed the rule since. Regardless, La Tech has too big a head to go to Beaumont...

North Texas can not travel to Beaumont. Sun Belt rules prohibit schools from traveling to FCS institutions. TexasStud, the whole Sun Belt conference plays two money games a year (a third sometimes, but then again -- they work it out where it's a neutral site like ULM is 'hosting' Arkansas in Little Rock).

For someone that claims UNLV and Lamar as their #1 schools -- I am surprised you do not recognize Georgetown. I'm sure ABR3 and perhaps some of those Univ of Houston fans that lurk this board, can tell you about Georgetown... I seem to recall a guy named Patrick Ewing who went there...ABR3 can correct me, if I'm wrong!

The SLC switched to Wednesdays for conference games, reportedly at the suggestion of your athletic director who thought it would be in the best interest of the conference in a basketball-sense...

Four SLC schools in the first four weeks of the season. Road games in week 1 (McNeese) and 3 (Southeastern La) with home games in week 2 (TBA) and week 4 (TBA). It's going to be a brutal opening for a new program, tougher than any other seen in recent years... The questions come after week 4 -- who will end up on the LU schedule? That will be the fun part. If Lamar can manage nine Division I opponents like ODU, I will be impressed. Five home games in their final seven games would be impressive like ODU's seven.

Come on UNLV -- read between the lines. Sept. 5 - Chowan - Division II Sept. 12 - Virginia Union - Division II Sept. 19 - at Jacksonville - Division I Non-Scholarship Sept. 26 - Monmouth - Division I Partial-Scholarship Oct. 3 - NC Central - MEAC Oct. 10 - Presbyterian - Big South Oct. 17 - Campbell - Division I Non-Scholarship Oct. 24 - at Savannah State - Division I Independent Oct. 31 - Georgetown - Patriot League Nov. 7 - OPEN Nov. 14 - at Iona - Division I Non-Scholarship Nov. 21 - at VMI - Big South

SHSU suites are the bottom level of the press box. President's suite is nice-looking as well. They tend to have a nice spread in there -- and of course, the elevator is being installed for easy access to the top level of the press box (media area). Could use a few more suites, but perhaps that will happen with the next renovation. The end zone complex does have a balcony-type thing overlooking the field (good view for track and field, I may add) which is an extension of the athletic complex.

Yes it does. ODU has two Big South teams, a MEAC team and a Patriot League team. All three conference have automatic bids like the SLC does to the postseason. May not sound like much because you guys think too "regionally" with mid-majors, but comparable. Big South is a quickly improving conference (will have an auto-bid in 2010) and the MEAC has gotten two teams in during recent years.

Lamar getting up to the status quo from the get go... SLU is adding suites ahead of this coming season. Trying to think which SLC schools do not have them. SHSU put theirs in a few years back, McNeese has the Sky Ranch, NSU has got something (forget what they call it)...

Wonder what the reaction will be here when the schedule is not what you guys are expecting...and more in line with programs like Old Dominion, Southeastern Louisiana, South Alabama, etc for their first year of NCAA football... Then again, Lamar does tend to surprise...there are probably some folks that may let a few things get to their head and you may have 11 Division I games that opening season. ODU went and talked to the folks (FAU, Coastal Carolina, etc) that had just begun football and were able to turn their programs into winners quickly. Wonder who Lamar and Woodard are talking to regarding scheduling and other things that first-year programs have unique...

You'll get to understand in FCS football, that it seems that most teams will play a more "regional schedule". That is part of the problem with the SLC in FCS. Outside of the SWAC for which you can pretty much drive to all foes, you are looking at the Great West and Big Sky. Those leagues require travel by plane -- which is not too good on the budget. On the east coast, you can play quite a few OOC foes within a few hour drive, especially in the areas north of Virginia. With the economy as is and traveling costs as high as is, this is not helping the Southland in scheduling. I think there's a College Sporting News column on this coming out soon... ODU's schedule is all East Coast schools and not boring for them. The fact they got all those Division I opponents is very impressive. USA already has three sub-Div I opponents and they have much deeper pockets than ODU, who will easily get to 13-14k in season tickets (which is their cap in order to allow 6k for students and 1k for walk-ups)...

UNLV -- come back to Earth! Guess you are going to make me present to you the facts... UTA returns Guignard, Vereen, Long. All three averaged more than 12 ppg...and you have got to figure Moffitt will do more this year plus they got a nice incoming class...they even got Marquez Haynes, the Boston College transfer, who is done sitting out...played 18 minutes a game for BC, started three games and according to their Prospectus, could end up being the top player for UT-Arlington. UTA is no slouch.

ODU's schedule is not boring by any means. Nine Division I opponents! That's not bad for a program that is new to FCS. Coachacola, you are better than that! Look at schedules of other new programs. Seven home games and nine Division I opponents may be the best one you'll find... South Alabama is playing Hargrave Military Academy in season 1. They also have Kentucky Weslayan and if I am not mistaken, the George Mason club football team! Have you looked up Hargrave and seen who they play? Seen the score when Kentucky Weslayan played an SLC foe recently? Did you even know club football exists? You guys may not end up being jealous of ODU's, maybe you will -- but ODU has a tougher opening slate than South Alabama by far! You guys will have somewhere in the middle...three or four SLC foes (which include two road contests in your first three games), then it'll be interesting from that point forward...

Old Dominion, fielding a football team in 2009 for the first time since 1940 have announced their football schedule. Seven home games. Four road games. Lamar as we know has one confirmed road games (McNeese). Substantiated rumors and discussions have also led to near confirmation of one additional road game and another home game. I'll break down ODU's schedule so you get an idea of what they are facing... Division II - 2 Non-Scholarship Division I - 3 Partial Scholarship Division I - 1 Full Scholarship FCS - 5 2009 Old Dominion University Football Schedule Sept. 5 - Chowan - Division II Sept. 12 - Virginia Union - Division II Sept. 19 - at Jacksonville - Division I Non-Scholarship Sept. 26 - Monmouth - Division I Partial-Scholarship Oct. 3 - NC Central - MEAC Oct. 10 - Presbyterian - Big South Oct. 17 - Campbell - Division I Non-Scholarship Oct. 24 - at Savannah State - Division I Independent Oct. 31 - Georgetown - Patriot League Nov. 7 - OPEN Nov. 14 - at Iona - Division I Non-Scholarship Nov. 21 - at VMI - Big South

I'm predicting Lamar as #2 or #3 in the SLC West. I'm going with UT-Arlington as my favorite heading in. Nice amount of talent returning and some talented newcomers. SHSU is either #3 or #4. They could play the spoiler role and will definitely knock off a few people they may not look like they have a chance to beat. Figure this year, SHSU will be down slightly, then make it back to near the top the following year. SHSU won't just go away...

With the current roster -- 0 wins. When they fill in the blanks and add the freshmen and other newcomers -- I suspect they'll win a game or few.

13 players on the roster...? Lamar needs to hope no one gets hurt or they're in some big troubles. No player listed as a GK. Only three defense players? Hope those MFs can play both ways. I'm assuming the roster is incomplete. There's no freshmen listed. Probably waiting on all those bios to roll in from the players... Just to stir the pot some...if it's complete -- I am predicting Lamar goes 0-fer again this year.

Where is the soccer team going to play if Cardinal Stadium is not available? If I am not mistaken, the Univ of Houston stills uses Robertson Stadium for women's soccer games. Wonder how much that costs them since they aren't drawing that much.