LAMAR needs football ASAP

[KFDM COOP]

Let me ask this question. I work in the Media and still haven't heard when or if football will return? Has anyone heard anything different?

[JohnnyT60]

Repeat after me, big time programs are not going to travel to Beaumont to Play Lamar. If you look at Texas, A & M, and any other top notch school, you will see that they always host the weaker smaller schools. The only reason Texas plays in Houston, is because they have a huge exes association there. Texas is not going to play Lamar there when they can play Rice or Houston. This subject is beat to death, and I am done.

BTW Baylor is not really big time and not big in enrollment either. I wouldn't be surprised if Lamar is not bigger enrollment wise.

[DenisGScott]

I've said it before I'll say it again football = money, there is no reason a major state school UT, atm, LSU, Ole Miss would come to play in Beaumont. Even if we had football, even if we had a new stadium say it seats 30,000...why would they want to play here when that same game could be played at DKR or atm in front of 85,000 meaning more money revenue for both schools. It's about the almighty dollar. Maybe, you might get a UH, I think Robertson seats 36-40,000 I'm not sure, but the day UT, atm or LSU comes to play here in Beaumont will be the same time when they hold the winter olympics in Beaumont and do downhill skiing along Phelan Blvd. It's not pretending, its fact. All the times UT has played UNT have they ever gone to Denton???? Not that I can remember. And Denton is a suburb of Dallas they could play a game there in DFW at Cotton Bowl or Texas Stadium, and they dont UNT always comes to Austin so why would they want to come play in Beaumont??? Even Jones Stadium in Lubbock seats 55,000. It's about the money plain and simple.

Those schools you mentioned have NOTHING to gain by playing here. It's more beneficial to both schools to play that game on the road. If you were athletic director at a big school which would you rather do play on the road, get you easy win and make 300,000 or play the game at home, get your easy win and make 3,000,000.

I dont know what ticket prices are at atm, I know what they are at UT, UT is getting $45 a ticket for the game against SHST, let me see now $45 a ticket multiplied by 85,000 seats equals $3,825,000 why on earth would a major school give up that kind of revenue to come play in Beaumont?? Thats why SHST gets $800,000 for showing up in Austin. And thats just ticket sales, that doesnt account for parking nor concessions. the same holds true at atm, LSU, Tenn, Fla and everywhere else. There is no pretending in factual numbers they wouldnt do it.

[Cardinal Fan]

Thanks for that long winded post Mr Scott. <snicker>. Yeah, you're correct in the next 25 years I can't see Lamar hosting a home game with Texas, A&M, TT, or any Top 25 team in the country. Are you a Lamar grad? Are you a UT alum? Why are you such a huge UT fan if you didn't attend UT? That is if you didn't. I know several people who didn't attend any college institution that are hard core Texas fan's. I don't understand the loyalty there. You would rather pay $1500 for season tickets to UT than $500 for Lamar, not to mention travel cost and the 8 hour round trip.

Now, I really don't care if you agree or disagree. I want football back at Lamar because I attended the school and have a degree in nursing. Football will build school spirit, pride among alumni and civic leaders, and supporters of Lamar University. It is about more than money (spent or made). It is about seeing the unversity grow and that growth is limited by not having a football team.

You bring up these major colleges, Florida, LSU, Texas, A&M and etc. Well, my question is what would those schools look like without football? Answer, a lot different. There wouldn't be 58 thousand students paying that kind of money attending UT.

Now, in the span of about twenty-five years Lamar went from winning a bowl game to dropping the program. I don't want opinions. I want facts as to why in the next twenty-five years Lamar can't go from beginning a program to competing for a DI-AA national championship or for a DI bowl game victory? Facts please, not opinions. We all know the value of opinions. They are like (well you know what) everyone has one.

[JohnnyT60]

"I want football back at Lamar because I attended the school and have a degree in nursing. Football will build school spirit, pride among alumni and civic leaders, and supporters of Lamar University. It is about more than money (spent or make) It is about seeing the unveristy grow and that growth is limited by not having a football team. "

I couldn't agree more!

[UNLV]

It's a good thing you guys are not calling the shots at LU. Coach Tubbs and Dr Simmons thinking is more in line with mine. Those men are thinking big for LU, and is making it happen. Even coach Tubbs said SETX will not support I-AA football. His words, thank you.

[JohnnyT60]

When's construction start on the dome?

[KFDM COOP]

Hopefully tomorrow.

[DenisGScott]

as I have said before I'm not anti LU football by any means, I'm all for them bringing it back and want it to succeed all I am saying is those people who think we can build a stadium and they will come are delusional. And to clarify, I said given the choice between $500 on LU season tix or $500 to see a UT/OSU type game I'm choosing the UT game. Now also understand my family lives in Austin so I dont have to pony up for hotel, food etc. I attended neither UT or LU, where I went to college was in Huntsville, Ala where there was also no football team, University of Alabama-Huntsville, our biggest sport was ice hockey, I was a walk on on the basketball team. we'd draw 500 or so for basketball but the hockey team would draw 6000 nightly. But being from Texas I am a football fan, my family is in Austin I grew up a Longhorn. I can appreciate the fact that you dont understand the loyalty there, just like I dont understand why people get so geeked up over high school football.

Back to topic, I want football back at LU, I worked the press box there many years back in my radio days then at KLVI. I would love to see football back in any fashion, be it D-I, I-AA whatever, but please just be realistic about your goals. Don't think youre going to re-instate the program hired a high profile coach and suddenly start scheduling big state schools is all I'm getting at. Now I do agree with your statement that LU growth is stunted by not having football but college athletics like it or not is big business, so money does play a big part in it.

If you're talking a 25 year plan yes LU could conceivably start the program in I-AA and move up to D-I, there are a lot things that need to fall in place though.

[UNLV]

Nobody said start up at I-A and schedule big names school. Everyone agree on starting as I-AA. The disagreement is about moving up to I-A level in the future versus staying at I-AA. Tubbs has already said SETX wouldn't support LU football playing I-AA. I'm sure Dr Simmons understand this too. So until both men are gone from LU, LU future in football will be I-A. Take it from there.

[MHS32]

If they bring Lamar football back and use alot of the talent in Jefferson, Hardin, Chambers and Orange counties they will pack the house and build a fan base that will bleed over into other sports. A lot of these kids don't get a good shot at college ball and this would give them an another shot at an education and college football. Start small and set a goal fo going D-1 in 5 years or 10 years or whatever. It would work.

[DenisGScott]

easier said than done, we have talented basketball coaches at LU and I dont see local players lining up to wear red and white. And another thing I've never understood is the the seeming "if it aint from here, we aint supporting it". Which would you rather have a winning team made up of people from around the country or a below average team made up of nothing but local kids?

[UNLV]

easier said than done' date=' we have talented basketball coaches at LU and I dont see local players lining up to wear red and white. And another thing I've never understood is the the seeming "if it aint from here, we aint supporting it". Which would you rather have a winning team made up of people from around the country or a below average team made up of nothing but local kids?[/quote']

What is this world coming too, we finally agree. The best talent first, but 1/3 of the team should be local.

[DenisGScott]

Thats part of the problem here "if it aint local, I aint supporting it" it shouldnt matter where the players are from whether its LU football, basketball or Wildcatters hockey, there are cities that would love to have what we have and what we have the capabilty of supporting and instead this area throws it away because its not local or for political reasons and that is just plain pathetic.

And to a point made in an earlier post...

According to an NCAA regulation that became effective in 2005, Division I-A schools must average 15,000 at least once every two years. If a school doesn't, it is deemed to be in non-compliance. Another such strike in a 10-year period would place the school in restricted membership, meaning no bowl bids, and could ultimately result in a lower classification.

These are the teams with the worst attendance in Division 1-A football for 2005, according to the NCAA's accumulated attendance report.

10. Ball State 12,953

9. Temple 12,735

8. New Mexico St. 12,557

7. San Jose St. 12,506

6. Utah State 10,896

5. Akron 10,893

4. Rice 10,072

3. Buffalo 8,914

2. Kent State 6,658

1. E. Michigan 5,219

Now remember Cardinal Stadium as is the capacity is I think 17,000, then if you bring back football that means bringing back the band and blocking off seats for them and their equipment which would be right on the edge of being able to average 15,000 per game to eventually keep D-I status.

[UNLV]

Cardinal stadium can get 30,000 in. 30,000 was at the Baylor game.

[DenisGScott]

not so sure about that one, I'd want proof on that, I'm sure it was over and above the 17,000 Cardinal Stadium seats but 30??

[MHS32]

Hey I really do not care if a player comes from" New York City" if he can play. I'm just saying it would give some locals a shot who get BSed from some D-1 schools for 2 years and get kicked to the curb. As for basketball in SE Texas it is just that. Basketball in SE Texas. You want basketball if have to go to Ball State in Muncie, Indiana to see some awesome Hoops. Been there done that. Even they have trouble drawing in basketball because the local high school team the Muncie Central Bearcats win state about every other year. Maybe we can get Ball States Football team and send them Lamars basketball team????? Just kidding. Ball U. really does have some cool T-shirts though. Use your imagination.