The students haven't voted yet and the Kat fans are already taking shots

[Guest abovetherim]

JJWooten

KAT benchwarmer

Joined: 22 Aug 2005

Posts: 7

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:28 am    Post subject:   

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Sorry, but I don't see a Lamar football team ever being popular. It's because of the location. Yes, it's in the Golden Triangle (I'm from there I know a little bit about it). It's an area that is filled with football tradition (PNG and Nederland), but that's a HS football tradition.

Lamar only boasts a student population of about 12,000 students, the majority of which don't live on campus. Granted, the majority don't live on campus at Sam Houston, but there is a very large number that live on or around the campus. There are not a lot of students who live around Lamar Univeristy. It is not in the most sought after neighborhood.

Regardless of if thousands of students turn out the first year to support the team, students are going to be paying the bills of an univeristy of football team. They'll pay their 8/per hour fee, but it doesn't bring in the extra money at the gates. Sam makes a lot of money with the lines of people waiting to purchase tickets as well.

The comment about RC Slocum coaching at Lamar is absurd, they can't afford a choach of that stature this soon. Lamar would be looking at unimagniable costs that I don't think a lot of people realize. Like the article said, it would start conference games (FCS or FBS) until 2010. Say that the vote does pass in 2008 and a high profile coach is hired for the fall semester of 08. You're looking at 2 solid years of paying a coaching STAFF (not just one coach), without any revenue at the gates. You're hiring employees to work concessions, work ticket booths, announcing, security, clean up after the game. You're looking at extra custodial work for field houses and weight rooms. They want a band and a drill team, where's the money for that one as well in the "athletic fee" increase? Not just a marching band, but the directors and assitant directors. You're looking at scholarship allocations for a handful of athletes who won't play a real game for two years. Students will be quick to vote on a fee of a "mere" 8 dollars/hour, but Lamar will loose so much money, just like in their 80s because the population is a HS football area, not a college football area.

I don't think with a 12,000 student population, and only 4 dorms worth of on campus housing, that Lamar can feasibly put together a team. Plain and simple

[Guest abovetherim]

1. "There are not a lot of students who live around Lamar Univeristy."

Answer, yes the majority of students at Lamar live off campus but within a 30 minute radius of the campus. On campus housing has four units of Cardinal Village. There is talk of a 5th unit within the next year. Then there is the Village at Lamar on MLK.

2. "Sam makes a lot of money with the lines of people waiting to purchase tickets as well."

Answer, I think we all saw the type of attendance SHSU has when they played on regional TV and there wasn't over 3,000 in the stands.

3. "The comment about RC Slocum coaching at Lamar is absurd, they can't afford a choach of that stature this soon."

Answer, RC Slocum has been in SE Texas twice within the past couple months and seen playing golf with Lamar AD Billy Tubbs. I have no idea how much Sam can afford to pay a head coach. I wonder how this Kat knows how much Lamar is willing to pay a coach to get our football program off the ground?

4. "I don't think with a 12,000 student population, and only 4 dorms worth of on campus housing, that Lamar can feasibly put together a team. Plain and simple"

Answer, I don't believe he read both articles. It was stated more than once public support and donations would be a key to a successful return of football. 

[BearWolf]

Who is this KAT? I would hate to start my day listening to this positive person.

[UNLV]

They know Lamar is about to cast a big shadow over SHSU. Lamar Football and the economic growth in the next +5 years will prove very

positive to each other. New people moving to this area will become LU fans just to feel part of the community. Katfans aren't stupid, they know

what is coming....

[TheSportsDoctor]

I wouldn't worry myself with what others around the league are saying. I must say I drove around the campus at Lamar for the first time in several years and the administration has done a wonderful job.

I was told the campus looked different and they were right. It looks great and in my opinion now is the right time to bring back the football program.