coachacola

Florida Atlantic had a "home game" this year in Detroit against Michigan State! [Hidden Content]

There's not enough room to make Provost-Umphrey Stadium hold 50K but it doesn't need too.  Until Lamar gets invited to a BCS conference, a 30K+ stadium is all they need to be successful.

[quote name="bigred360" post="949715" timestamp="1295279143"] One a year wouldn't hurt the program. Now, scheduling 3 or 4 would be a different story. [/quote] I think UL-Monroe has 3 scheduled for next year that will bring them over $2 million.  But their athletic budget is the lowest of all FBS schools, even lower than a lot of SLC schools, including Lamar.

[quote name="smith" post="949620" timestamp="1295239750"] It was 2009: vs Northwestern      2134 vs Central Arkansas  2817 Who knows what the weather was but the Northwestern was on Halloween and we are well aware of the coaching changes they've made since. [Hidden Content]; page 40 [/quote] I think at least one of those games they have heavy rains that day.  But besides McNeese and Texas State, the SLC is lucky to average 10K per game and I don't see that changing.  If Lamar stays in the SLC they'll be lucky to be drawing 15K per game every year.  Going to the WAC is the next step in a long process to get Lamar athletics to the same level as the other FBS schools in Texas (excluding the BCS schools of course).

Half the SLC teams draw only 5,000 per game so I don't see your point.

[quote name="puddin tane" post="949458" timestamp="1295221966"] [quote author=RS73 link=topic=78804.msg949441#msg949441 date=1295219420] [quote author=coachacola link=topic=78804.msg949434#msg949434 date=1295218524] It took a while but SETX did support the basketball team very well in the 1980s.  Putting together a winner year after year does wonders for attendance.  Although the team has been mostly mediocre (to put it nicely) for years, Lamar still leads in the SLC in attendance. Even this year Texas had a lot of empty seats in their last few games, so even one of premiere teams in the country has to win or fans will stop showing up.  It's been repeated many times, but not matter if Lamar stays in the SLC or goes to the WAC, they have to win or it won't matter much. [/quote] +1 If we win, we won't have to worry about attendance. There are enough people in this area that loves football to pack a 40,000 to 50,000 seat stadium. Just win, baby! [/quote] yeah, sure...if it isnt cold, aTm and texas and lsu are off, PNG isnt playing,the cable goes out and the coach taters cant watch the big ten and the fighting Irish are coming to town [/quote] You do realize that attendance only dropped after Lamar lost 5 or 6 games?  Lamar had sellouts when everybody knew they'd probably lose a lot of games, they had no chance of making the playoffs, and the home schedule included a lot of non-D1 teams they've never heard of?  Besides McNeese, SFA and SHSU, what other FCS teams will bring in the big crowds to Beaumont?  And those 3 schools won't all be playing in Beaumont every year, only 1 or 2 home games against them a year.  The rest of the schedule will be against the likes of Nicholls State, Central Arkansas, and probably a D2 or NAIA team.  I just don't see how being in the WAC is worst than being in the SLC.

It took a while but SETX did support the basketball team very well in the 1980s.  Putting together a winner year after year does wonders for attendance.  Although the team has been mostly mediocre (to put it nicely) for years, Lamar still leads in the SLC in attendance. Even this year Texas had a lot of empty seats in their last few games, so even one of premiere teams in the country has to win or fans will stop showing up.  It's been repeated many times, but not matter if Lamar stays in the SLC or goes to the WAC, they have to win or it won't matter much.

I doubt Lamar would double the size of the stadium all at once, it would be done in phases.  First enclose the north end, then the south end, then probably a big press box with suites on the west side, then finally an upper deck on the east side.  They could do this over a ten period as the attendance grows. I still say being in the WAC will allow Lamar to attract better home games than if they stayed in the SLC.  No FBS teams will come to Beaumont if Lamar stays in the SLC, not even Sun Belt teams.  So just being in the WAC allows a better non-conference schedule, and they could still schedule McNeese if they wanted to. Which of these conference home schedules would draw more fans? Typical SLC home slate: Nicholls State, SFA, McNeese, SLU Typical WAC home slate: Utah State, SJSU, UTSA, La Tech One other thing, would Lamar have a good crowd for a Thursday night ESPN game?

[quote name="tigersvoice" post="949291" timestamp="1295201381"] [quote author=Dawg_Pride link=topic=78744.msg949254#msg949254 date=1295193711] I heard several NFL teams have asked about J.J. [/quote] Excuse me, but what are they asking about a college freshman who didn't complete his first semester?  I'm a supporter of J.J.  I hope he can find a football home and let his talent shine.  I also hope that home is Lamar University (I'm an alum) but J.J. has to know NOW that it's not high school anymore.  Every action that he takes now must be accounted for.  I wish you good fortune in college football, J.J.  And, hopefully, in the NFL too. [/quote] You're confusing J.J. Hayes with Jeremy Johnson.

Idaho plays in the Kibbie Dome and they are in process of expanding the stadium 20K.  Lamar could add bleachers to the south end pretty cheaply to raise capacity to 20K.  Texas State is also about to expand their stadium to ultimately 30K+.  Lamar will definitely need to expand the stadium within 5 years if they join the WAC.

If Lamar stays FCS then they won't get many 3-star and above players unless they are transfers.  The only way they can start recruiting the better players is by joining the WAC.  The BCS teams will always get most of the 4 and 5 star players, but Lamar doesn't need those players to be successful in a non-BCS conference. Staying FCS and recruiting mostly local players would solidify the image of Lamar as the "little local college of last resort."  I don't think that's a long term formula for success.  Dr. Simmons has been very successful in enhancing the academic standing of Lamar.  Now he needs to move Lamar to the WAC and enhance the athletic program as well.

Lamar tried their hardest but they just couldn't blow that lead.

They should fire Roc tomorrow if they lose this game.

71-64 LU with 47 seconds left...they can't blow this lead, can they?

The SLC is weak this year so they should at least make the SLC tourney then anything can happen.

Here we go again...can they hold this lead?

33-18 LU at the half.  Looks like Roc is doing his best to duplicate the 2008 season.  Is this the first of 11 straight conference wins?

9 TOs now for LU, but UTA is good at forcing TOs.  Still 26-13 LU with about 2 minutes left in 1st half.

UTA is prone to turnovers and they already have 8 tonight.  UTA is also shooting just 19% so Lamar needs to take advantage and get a big lead before half time. 

[quote name="LU4LIFE" post="949009" timestamp="1295140382"] LAMAR  13 UTA      2 [/quote] There's still plenty of time for Lamar to blow their 10 point lead.

I think the WAC is waiting to see if the MWC takes Utah State.  I think there's also a small chance that CUSA could lose some members and invite La Tech, but I doubt that happens.  Lazeek seems emphatic that Lamar will be in the WAC in 2012, and Dr. Simmons has all but said they Lamar is just waiting on an invite, so I feel confident that this will happen.  I hope I'm not disappointed. As far as getting some good FBS teams to Beaumont, couldn't Lamar add some temporary bleachers in the south end zone fairly cheaply.  UH and other schools have done that in the past.  If they add 4K of temporary bleachers plus sell some SRO tickets, they could get 20K+ fans in the stadium.  They should put some in next year for the SFA and McNeese games!

[quote]when people choose high school over college, maybe you oughta stay FCS.[/quote] Maybe being FCS is why people choose high school football over college football.  Fans just want their team to be relevant, so of course the local fans will choose a HS playoff game over a Lamar game against a no-name opponent. La Tech has both Houston and BYU scheduled next year as home games, Lamar could do the same once they join the WAC.  Arkansas State just made a deal with Oregon where they play at Orgeon in 2012 for $900K in exchange for a home game on ESPN or ESPN2 next year. Being in the WAC opens up many opportunities that the SLC cannot offer.  Of course it's going to cost money and there's a lot of risk involved, but I believe Lamar has to take that chance or the local fans will not see them as being that relevant in college football.

I think the WAC will probably go with 10 football schools and 2 basketball schools now that Denver will be part of the WAC.  I don't think a championship game makes sense for a conference like the WAC, I doubt it would draw that well.  Even though the WAC may not be the ideal FBS conference for Lamar, you have to first get your feet in the door.

Pomeroy has Lamar losing 78-75.  I say they pull the upset and win.

Dabe updated his blog with some comments from Hall: [quote]“I already missed a football season over a technicality,” Hall said. “I wasn’t going to wait.”[/quote]