Is Lamar ready to revive football?

[KFDM COOP]

One of the keys to a successful program is fan turn out. If lamar can produce a competitive team then the stands fill start to fill up. If the team is not so competitive then the fan support will be lacking. This may be what caused the failure the last time. I really do not remember what their record was the last year they played. With high school football so popular in this area Lamar will have to be pretty good to get the fan support.

Very well said!!!

[KDOSullivan]

I am a Lamar graduate, B.A. Class of '80, was a member of the Cardinal Marching Band for 4 years, met my wife of 26 years at a Lamar football game, all this said, I must say NO.....Part of the no comes from the fact that the new football program will come on the backs of students and their parents. A rise in tuition, is nothing more than a tax, anyway you look at it.

Some of you forget the crowds at the Lamar games back in the 70s-80s. Maybe 2000-4000. Not enough to carry a team. I remember playing old USL ( Now Louisiana Laf.) and we band members being able to fold down empty reserve seats into words like " USL SUCKS." and it stayed that way during the game because the reserve seats remained empty.... How many Lamar students now go to the basketball games? Very few....Oh we may have a big crowd the first couple of years, but the newness will wear off and we'll be back to the same white elephant, just like the teams at Ford Park. How many people go to those games????

Besides if you are really a stud football player in this area and your choices were A&M, TCU, Univ. of Houston, or Lamar, just how many of these guys are going to stay in Beaumont?

If we really want football, let some of the big money people in the area step up.

[KFDM COOP]

That's what concerns me is the support.

[Guest abovetherim]

Very well stated and I appreciate you giving your opinion. That is a concern for everyone about the return of football to Lamar. Thanks for you comments. That is why there is a fan forum so everyone can state their opinion.

I'm not going to debate anyone and especially a man who is a Lamar alumnus.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

[UNLV]

Why didn't the tv media mention this story?

[smith]

Lamar's record the last year of play was 5-5 (10 game year). 

One thing I didn't like about the 88 season was that there were 7 away games (4 home ones).

After the first two games at home we were basically on the road the rest of the year ...  Nacodoches, Tempe, Huntsville, HOME, Jonesboro, Monroe, HOME, Lubbock, Lake Charles.

It's kinda hard to get your fans in the stands if you hardly play there.

[Bobcatfan4life]

Besides if you are really a stud football player in this area and your choices were A&M, TCU, Univ. of Houston, or Lamar, just how many of these guys are going to stay in Beaumont?

But look at this....there are 22 players on the McNeese roster from schools between Houston and Orange and up to Newton. Those are players that could be suiting up for Lamar. McNeese has had a successful program for years with those type players. I don't think Lamar needs the type players that are going to A&M or UT to be successful. Lamar isn't going to be lining up against A&M or UT.....

[KFDM COOP]

True. If McNeese can do it LU can!

[smith]

I agree with you bobcatfan (99%).  But never say never on playing A&M or tu.  We played ArizonaState and TexasTech in 88.  There's always a game or two against Div-1A teams on McNeese, SHSU, and Lamar's schedules.  In fact in 89 we beat UTEP (I know its UTEP) and gave ArizonaState a dogfight.  (TexasTech put it on us though with BJ Tolliver and Tyrone Thurman)

[BearWolf]

It's all about the product you put on the field. We've done it the wrong way before, now we have an opportunity to do it right.

[Raider88]

Is this the LB SMITH? I played on the '89 team. I thouhgt we had a real good team that year. Very shocked when they dumped the program.

[smith]

Yes, I was LB.  I thought that was you Raider88. (I figured out who you are.  I put it together while following the posts on the Raider football thread).  Yes, the team was coming together.  Hopefully they'll get a fresh start and kick off the new program in style.

Also, Go Raiders - Give 'em "L" 

As you know, I'm not from Lumberton but I live here now and have a relative playing (he's a Sr. this year)

[AJ25]

they better be! because it's coming!

[DenisGScott]

I think there is more to it than just the start up cost of the program, coaching staff, etc.  LU would have to try to make that money back eventually over the course of time would they not?  I remember going to the games in the 80s back when I was working at KLVI and helping Hofferth and Caldwell with the broadcasts, I remember one of the very first WB/Central games played at LU on a Friday night, the LU promotion was that you got in FREE to the LU game on Sat afternoon with ticket stub from the WB game the night before, the WB attendance was overflow in the stands, on the hill, everywhere...the announced LU attendance was right at about 1000.  And that was with free admission.  If they spend 30 million on starting the program, what are individual game tickets going to cost to the general public then?  $25-30? Is this generation of football fan so much better than the one of 20 years ago who didnt show up when it was free?  Yea, I'd take in a game or two, depending on who LU is playing, at what time, and how much tickets cost, but I wont blindly just jump in and say I'm in for season tickets no matter what.

[adminbaberuth]

I would go to a few games myself.

Me and father-in-law were sitting in the stands at the last LU football game. They beat McNeese at the gun on a 80 something yard TD run.

[smith]

I have the ending of the McNeese game on tape.  It was a pretty good one.  I've been meaning to put it on youtube.  I'll try and get it out there in the next couple of weeks.

[Guest abovetherim]

smith, that would be awesome. I'd love to have it posted on here.  By the way, there was a guy from LC-M on the 89 team Derek Anderson a WR. I believe a guy from WO-S name Henson was a CB.

One thing I think some people are forgetting is whether there is a lot of fans at the games it has been proved that a football program will add at least 2,000 students to the university. That adds up to $5 million-$6 million dollars annually in additional federal funding. The football program could lose money and the university would still be better off.

I see it as a win-win situation. Not to mention all the opportunities that will be given to young people and the beginning of another women's sport which is probably softball.

Ticket prices for the public I've been told will be about the same as they are for men's basketball. Sidecourt seats are $13 and endzone seats are $10. By the way, season ticket holders for basketball will get the first crack at season tickets for football. I guess I'm primed for some great seats.

I appreciate everyones opinion and keeping the discussion professional. Funny the football topics always get the most responses.

[TheSportsDoctor]

I'll support the return of football in any way I can. Donations and attending a few games each year. Season tickets would not help myself much do to my profession. There are a lot of Saturday nights I have other engagements.

That said, the wife and myself are both Lamar alumnus and I'll make as many games as possible. See you at the game!

[UNLV]

Also new growth to the area will bring in new residences with a better attitude. 1989 average income in Beaumont

was $22,000, to day it is pushing $44,000 and still growing. 

[smith]

OK, I put the last LU Football game on youtube  - The final drive (quite literally).

The resolution is a little low to get the file size down.

http://youtube.com/bmttxsmith

[Guest abovetherim]

Thanks smith, that was awesome to watch! John Evans was a stud and this team was returning a lot of letterman. If you don't mind I'm going to sticky this video to the top of the Lamar Forum. McNeese is always bragging on the way they travel. Heck it was the vistors side which was over half empty.

It was wonderful to watch those young men play their hearts out on the final drive in school history. Now, the right thing to do is for the student to return the sport back to Lamar University and the administration to package the deal so the student know all the great things that come with having a football program.

[Guest coachacola]

Great video.  As I watched it I imagined a new video scoreboard, field turf, a nice multi-level press box, and stands wrapping around the south end zone.  By SLC standards, attendance didn't look that bad for the game.  These days I know they would draw better than that.

[Alpha Wolf]

Keep the red helmets!  Why does it seem that every team with a cardinal mascot except for Stanford U. has a white helmet.  High school included.  Nice last drive.

[Alpha Wolf]

I heard on the news that there were engineers looking at Cardinal Stadium yesterday to see what it would take to renovate the stadium.  They also said that 12 million was put to the side for the football program but that it would take other large donations to get the program going. 

[swampdude]

I too am a LU graduate and remember the fluctuation of support in the 70's and 80's.  I think the die had been cast with attitudes toward Lamar and the football program at that time due to years of neglect of local high schools.  The high school coaches in those days often encouraged their athletes to bypass Lamar because the way previous Golden Triangle players were treated. I am sure that some of those attitudes were not accurate but as we know, perception becomes reality.  There was a lack of local players on the field.  I know that LU would have a new opportunity to create an environment of "community" that would result it solid support, whether it be measured by money or butts in the stands.  One thing that isn't talked about is the opportunity to rebuild a great Lamar Marching band.  Dr. Simmons was the band director while I was in school and his bands were superb!  I never paid much attention to bands as I was a football guy, but those bands were huge and excellent!  The music program suffered when there was no more marching band.  If they kick-off football at Lamar, count me as first in line to buy several season tickets. ;D