Lamar Football

[Guest Kelly Football]

My take on this and i see and talk to coaches everyday at school it will probably be three to five more years on football. I hope not but that's the word.

[KFDM COOP]

Believe me i wish it would happen sooner than later myself. There are so many local kids that could play at Lamar that may not get noticed elsewhere.

[DenisGScott]

There was and always has been a surplus of local kids who could have played for LU even back when they had a football program, and even then the local kids didnt want to play there. One of the biggest memories I have of LU football isnt a good one, I remember when WB/Central used to be the last week of the season on a Fri night, LU had a promotion that anyone with a ticket stub from the Fri night Bmt Bowl would get in free to the LU game on Sat afternoon. Attendance for the Fri night game was estimated at 22,000, announced attendance for the LU game Sat afternoon was 952, I think they were playing Central Oklahoma or something. In order for football to succeed at LU, and I really wish it would, you would need one hell of a ticket base you could count on and someone who knows how to recuit and keep the local kids here. I remember back in 82 when WB won state...QB James Guidry went to Texas A&I, other local kids ended up going to Prairie View or TSU they didnt want to play for Lamar. There's always going to be a few you cant keep here a Deon Beasley going to UT or a Chaisson looking at SEC schools but you would think with a good recruiter you could keep enough kids here to have a respectable I-AA team.

[KFDM COOP]

Good post. One problem i always heard was they NEVER recruted local kids.

[UNLV]

There is several reasons LU football failed. I remember going to LU games in the late 70's to a packed Cardinal stadium. I remember the Baylor game with 30,000 ppl. LU lost favor with the community when the SLC went I-AA. Fans in this area would support I-A football, but not I-AA. I hope coach Tubbs understand this. I-A LU could get recruiting edge over McNeese, SHST, and SFA over local and regional players. LU should start as I-AA for 2 years, then move to I-A. If not, LU shouldn't bring back football program which will have very little fan support.

[KFDM COOP]

Good point. Gosh i wish people here would support whatever Division they would be in.

[UNLV]

Coop, this was/is the football capital of the world. How dare LU come with that I-AA junior league. SETX has the big football league mentality. Before transferring to UNLV, I attended LU during the last year of football. Nobody wanted to see Abilene Christian and DII Mississippi college. BTW, LU lost to Mississippi college. The same year LU blew a 35-0 halftime lead to Arkansas st. If LU is going to lose, lets lose to LSU, UH, Texas A&M.

[KFDM COOP]

I agree with you 100%. I'm just afraid people in SE Texas wouldn't support any league they were in. Look at Hockey? Look at Indoor Football?

[DenisGScott]

the only sports SETX supports is winners, even LU basketball with the traidition they have had when they were down they only drew 1200-1500 a night. Someone mentioned before Beaumont has a "big league mentality", which is part of the problem as well...Beaumont is not/has not been/will never be "big league". Go back to the early 80's when we had the Golden Gators won the Texas League title in 83, gone by 85 or 86 and they did win. This may ruffle a few feathers but the Drillers are a total joke. The NIFL?? Please.... I'm not anti-arena football, I enjoy watching it on TV, but the Drillers and the NIFL dont even play by the same rules as the Arena league or AF2 for that matter. The Wildcatters get a bad rap because of Ford Park and still draw about 2000 a night. There are others here who say hockey isn't a "Texas thang ya'll". Funny I wouldnt consider Laredo a hockey town either and they draw 6000-8000 every night. The main problem with sports in Beaumont is that "big league mentality" when people can make a short drive into Houston to watch the "big league" Texans/Astros/Rockets or watch UT play in Reliant, they dont want to go see LU play Miss. College or Central St of Oklahoma and Cardinal Stadium is not big enough to bring in any real D-I schools because you cant guarantee the opposing team to make any money off the deal either. Yea LU could re-start football and go play all those schools on the road but none of them would ever return the game here in Beaumont. Same holds true for basketball as well, when Texas came in to play here what did LU have to do play them 2 or 3 years in a row in Austin before they agreed to come here and even then thats no guarantee because the big schools will buy their way out of that contract to play another game on ESPN before coming here. Once the general populus gets that hard to swalllow fact thru their heads and supports what we do have instead of what we dont, then maybe there is a chance.

[WOS95]

i think the people would support LU football if they were a winner. in this day no one wants to see a losing team. It might help if LU tried to get a local coach, say Larry Neuman who knows the area and is from a respectable local football program. Fans want to have something they can be proud of. Naturally it would be a slow process, but at first since there has been no LU football for almost 20 years i think fans would be supportive. but once the new wears off they must be a winning program, with that i mean making the playoffs on a yearly basis. it's like a phrase i heard years ago, to be successful you can't be in the business of losing.

[WOS95]

the only sports SETX supports is winners' date=' even LU basketball with the traidition they have had when they were down they only drew 1200-1500 a night. Someone mentioned before Beaumont has a "big league mentality", which is part of the problem as well...Beaumont is not/has not been/will never be "big league". Go back to the early 80's when we had the Golden Gators won the Texas League title in 83, gone by 85 or 86 and they did win. This may ruffle a few feathers but the Drillers are a total joke. The NIFL?? Please.... I'm not anti-arena football, I enjoy watching it on TV, but the Drillers and the NIFL dont even play by the same rules as the Arena league or AF2 for that matter. The Wildcatters get a bad rap because of Ford Park and still draw about 2000 a night. There are others here who say hockey isn't a "Texas thang ya'll". Funny I wouldnt consider Laredo a hockey town either and they draw 6000-8000 every night. The main problem with sports in Beaumont is that "big league mentality" when people can make a short drive into Houston to watch the "big league" Texans/Astros/Rockets or watch UT play in Reliant, they dont want to go see LU play Miss. College or Central St of Oklahoma and Cardinal Stadium is not big enough to bring in any real D-I schools because you cant guarantee the opposing team to make any money off the deal either. Yea LU could re-start football and go play all those schools on the road but none of them would ever return the game here in Beaumont. Same holds true for basketball as well, when Texas came in to play here what did LU have to do play them 2 or 3 years in a row in Austin before they agreed to come here and even then thats no guarantee because the big schools will buy their way out of that contract to play another game on ESPN before coming here. Once the general populus gets that hard to swalllow fact thru their heads and supports what we do have instead of what we dont, then maybe there is a chance.[/quote']

Laredo draws 6000-8000 because they win. the wildcatters do not win. In sheveport they have the mudbugs who played laredo in the playoffs, it was kinda like there rival. the mudbugs packed their games too because they were a winnner. To me now a days their is no such thing as loyalty, except when a team wins. sure their are a few die hard fans in every town. but overall, as i said before if you win on a regular basis people will support it.

[KFDM COOP]

Yea and until people support a team win or lose it will never work! 2 good post by you guys..

[DenisGScott]

youre right Laredo wins, wont dispute that but................. then explain how teams like Rio Grande Valley, Lubbock, Corpus Christi, Odessa, and Amarillo all averaged nearly if not over 4000 a night last year I know the Laredo Bucks are CHL champs. The reason why they all did is because NONE of them are near a major "big league" city, so they all turn out to support their local teams. Beaumont does not do that, not for Lamar, not when we had the Gators, the Wildcatters, none of them, people here will show up ONLY if the team wins because they can drive an hour and a half and go see the big boys play. Where are you gonna go in RGV, Lubbock, Corpus, Odessa???? There are no major metropolitan cities near there that you can drive to to see an NFL/NBA/MLB game and make it back in the same night. You can leave here at 5 make a 7:05 game at Minute Maid or Toyota Center and be home by 11:30, you cant do that in those towns.

[KFDM COOP]

DenisGScott you are 100% correct sir!

[DenisGScott]

Thats why beaumont has to ditch that "big league" mentality and support what is here. It's like what came first chicken or the egg.. If LU basketball or the Wildcatters drew 6000-8000 a night you could get better recruits or sign better free agents, who wants to play in a town that doesnt draw crowds. Unless I'm mistaken here Cardinal Stadium only seats 17,000 and change which means for football purposes kids would be playing here with smaller crowds than they saw in high school and kids dont want that. but without the players you cant win, and without the crowds you cant draw in the players.

[WOS95]

youre right Laredo wins' date=' wont dispute that but................. then explain how teams like Rio Grande Valley, Lubbock, Corpus Christi, Odessa, and Amarillo all averaged nearly if not over 4000 a night last year I know the Laredo Bucks are CHL champs. The reason why they all did is because NONE of them are near a major "big league" city, so they all turn out to support their local teams. Beaumont does not do that, not for Lamar, not when we had the Gators, the Wildcatters, none of them, people here will show up ONLY if the team wins because they can drive an hour and a half and go see the big boys play. Where are you gonna go in RGV, Lubbock, Corpus, Odessa???? There are no major metropolitan cities near there that you can drive to to see an NFL/NBA/MLB game and make it back in the same night. You can leave here at 5 make a 7:05 game at Minute Maid or Toyota Center and be home by 11:30, you cant do that in those towns.[/quote']

I see your point.

[UNLV]

There use to be support, even for the Gators. The trouble with the drillers and Wildcatters is this stupid boycott of ford park. I know several ppl who refuse to go to ford park. I wonder what percent of population feels this way.

Anyway, back to LU. For LU to have a successful football program, LU needs to do this:

1. I-A

2. New stadium

3. recruit regional

4. Bring in at least 1 big name.

How will LU bring in a big name or build a stadium?

A join project between LU, BISD, City of Beaumont, and Exxon-Mobile to build a mini-dome stadium....Downtown.

How to sell to the public?

1.A dome stadium could protect from west nile.

2. Hurricane shelter

3. BISD, LU, and City could split 3 way maintanance...saving money

4. City could lure Texans pre-season game or restart the black college bowl games. Visiting fans will stay in hotels and eat at restaurants bringing in tourist money.

5. off season, bring in the soccer version of AFA. No weather problems indoors.

6. No need for city to build convention center, after they tear down the civic center.

7. Events too big for Ford Park

8. Beaumont could then host a few high school playoff games.

9. A&M or LSU might consider a Beaumont visit to such a mini dome stadium.

10 KDFM weather team could use our dome to show an example of how much rain we had...lol.

[KFDM COOP]

[UNLV]

Oh yeah, one more thing, Todd Dodge as LU coach would pack them in.

[KFDM COOP]

I would hope!! If that wouldn't do it, nothing would!!

[lonestar]

a BIG donor would help. How about the Walter Umphrey Stadium?

[UNLV]

The big donor would be Mr $40 billion a year profit Exxon-Mobile. Ofcourse the stadium would be called the Exxon-Mobile Dome.

[DenisGScott]

The first 4 you're right about with D-I, new stadium, recruiting and one big name.....the rest is wishful thinking a domed stadium in Beaumont?? Yeah it would be nice during the summer escaping the heat, but lets be realistic, even the maintainance part I would grant as a good idea. The Texans dont need beaumont as a mini camp with their practice facilities right there across from Reliant and a mini dome would still generate less revennue than a home preseason game at Reliant, and the black college bowl games I'm not so sure about, dont they usually get good size crowds for those in N.O., ATL and HOU??? so a mini dome would not suffice. And the day LU restarts football and can schedule a game in Beaumont against UT, a&m, or LSU will be roughly the same time they are holding the Winter Olympics here with downhill skiiing down Phelan Blvd. And as far as Todd Dodge as head coach keep dreaming.... he's too close to going to a big D-I school, or taking over as UT's offensive coordinator next year since Greg Davis doesnt have VY to bail him out.

[lonestar]

And the day LU restarts football and can schedule a game in Beaumont against UT' date=' a&m, or LSU will be roughly the same time they are holding the Winter Olympics here with downhill skiiing down Phelan Blvd.[/quote']

::a

[UNLV]

The first 4 you're right about with D-I' date=' new stadium, recruiting and one big name.....the rest is wishful thinking a domed stadium in Beaumont?? Yeah it would be nice during the summer escaping the heat, but lets be realistic, even the maintainance part I would grant as a good idea

[/quote']

a mini-dome stadium. nothing close to the size of Reliant, but rather closer to the sie of the Syracuse Dome stadium.

i didnt say anything about mini camp. I said 1 preseason game per year.

They games was at LU before a few years ago.

UT plays SHST this year. LA-laf plays LSU and A&M. If one of those teams upset their opponent the way LU did highly ranked Baylor, you will see UT in Huntsville and A&M in Lafayette just like Baylor in Beaumont

I get the feeling everything is no, negative, or impossible to you. Just keep everything the same, don't try to grow or improve because it's doomed to fail.