Lessons of history on Lamar football can’t be forgotten

[Guest coachacola]

Bob West's column last friday must have pissed a lot of people off ...

One of the things you learn from authoring a sports column is that readers sometimes overreact based on what they think they read, instead of what was actually written. Such was the

case with last Friday’s Best of West column on apathy toward Lamar football.

http://www.panews.com/sportsbobwest/local_story_111205928.html?keyword=topstory

[UNLV]

West would probably vanish if someone pulls his foot out of his mouth. He just don't know

when to shut up.

[lu cards]

i like the article.

[AggiesAreWe]

I will agree with this statement he had: "If LU football makes it attendance wise, Mid-County, Port Arthur, Orange, Silsbee and other outlying areas will be the backbone".

I also agree with him stating that the City of Beaumont is a crummy sports town.

[NorthoftheBorder]

I am not from Beaumont, but I will say this, if Beaumont ever had a team that competed on the big stage and had long term success, I believe the whole area and as well as Beaumont would would support the program in a huge way.  The only way Beaumont will have a program in any sport that would compete on the national stage with a big fan base would be Lamar football or basketball.  Obviously, pro sports is not an option.  That said, changing the subject back to today's article, I hope that Jimmy Simmons is working on a succession plan for the next 5 years.  We need someone who has the vision and fire to keep up the momentum that he has established.  He has without a doubt been the best thing to happen to Lamar in my lifetime.

[PURPLE 4EVER]

Beaumont is a sorry sports town (fan wise).

Anyone remember the Golden Gators.

[Bulldog92]

Beaumont is a sorry sports town (fan wise).

Anyone remember the Golden Gators.

I remember them well. They didn't last long and had some really good talent on that team (Benito Santiago, Jimmy Jones, etc).

[UNLV]

Beaumont is as good of a sports town as any other city. The problem is not totally with Beaumont, it's with the teams that came

to Beaumont. No is one is willing to trust a sports team after so many failures. I remember going to LU football games with the stadium

over flowing. Fans didn't one day wake up and say, 'lets be crummy sports fans'. IF offered a good product and marketed to EVERYONE, Beaumont

will respond positively.

I will respond on the EVERYONE later. This has been problem that led to failures of non-high schools sports in Beaumont.

[Guest coachacola]

I would include Houston as a bad sports town, but because it's so big they can get away with it.  Both UH and Rice have problems drawing 30K to their football games and they have 5 million people to draw from.  LU basketball still has a decent following even all these years of mediocre teams so if LU can put a half decent football team on the field each year they'll be just fine in the SLC.

[HouTexan]

I would include Houston as a bad sports town, but because it's so big they can get away with it.  Both UH and Rice have problems drawing 30K to their football games and they have 5 million people to draw from.   LU basketball still has a decent following even all these years of mediocre teams so if LU can put a half decent football team on the field each year they'll be just fine in the SLC.

I don't know about including Houston in that. Texans suck and every game has been sold out since day 1. Rockets - good luck getting a ticket, and the Astros well they haven't shown up for a game all year and are still drawing decent crowds. UH and Rice are different stories and you could say Houston is a bad college sports town in relation to those two universities. However, try trekking down Hwy 290 towards Austin or towards College Station when UT or A&M have home games. I'd be willing to bet that a very high percentage of those fans are from Houston. People tend to support their alma mater in college sports. Folks aren't going to go see Rice play just because it's in Houston. I'd drive to Beaumont to see LU play football, but I could give a flip about UH or Rice. Didn't go there, don't care.

[tyree]

If anyone thinks Houston is a sorry sports town, try getting a ticket at RELIANT in November when the ex-Oilers come back to town on the 50th anniversay of the AFL wearing the old OILERS uniforms. You know back in the early 1960s, the AFL-Oilers use to win a lot! As for Bob West, I am 54 years old. 48 of those years were in Beaumont. The Houston Chronicle sports staff is a joke. West is amazingly more insightful than anyone over here...even regarding Houston sports such as ASTROS and TEXANS. He's a huge advocate and asset for Golden Triangle sports. The problem with Lamar football and Texan football is that...you kinda like need to win a title every now and then. If you look at the Texans to date...and LU football in its last 15 years...THEY NEVER WON...not talking about a game...but a title.

[UNLV]

If the Rockets or Texans or Astros played their games in Beaumont, Beaumont would be a great sports town. Right?

[Guest coachacola]

Houston will support their pro teams, especially when they are winning.  But my definition of a sports town is one that supports their teams no matter what.  Maybe Houston has changed since the 80s when I lived there, but back then they only supported their teams when they were winning.  The Dome was half empty until the Astros had their big season in 86.  Same for the Rockets and the UH basketball team.  When LU went to the NCAAs in The Summit in 83 the arena was only full when UH was playing.  Like I said earlier, with 5 million people of course they'll get fans in the seats, but I don't consider it a sports town.

[HouTexan]

Houston will support their pro teams, especially when they are winning.  But my definition of a sports town is one that supports their teams no matter what.  Maybe Houston has changed since the 80s when I lived there, but back then they only supported their teams when they were winning.  The Dome was half empty until the Astros had their big season in 86.  Same for the Rockets and the UH basketball team.  When LU went to the NCAAs in The Summit in 83 the arena was only full when UH was playing.  Like I said earlier, with 5 million people of course they'll get fans in the seats, but I don't consider it a sports town.

You're comparing Houston to the 80's? 20 years ago? The Astros averaged about 15k per game in the Astrodome during the 80's. Since 1997 the Astros average over 34k per game. Attendance has jumped from an annual avg of about 900k to more than 3million per year now. The Texans have averaged 70k per game, the Oilers never had those numbers in the 80s. The Rockets attendance in the 80's averaged around 9k per game, in the past 10 years that number has jumped to 15k on average. Houston also has many more professional sports to choose from than it did in the 80's as well, MLS Houston Dynamo, AHL Houston Aeros. Try attending an international soccer event here in Houston. If Houston is not a sports town, you would not have seen the 2008 Mens Basketball Regional in Houston and again in 2010 with the Final Four in Houston in 2011 and 2016. Even the Texas Bowl with it's crappy teams over the years has seen attendance of 52k, 62k, and 58k the last three years. Things have changed a bit since the 80's...except at UH and Rice...I'll give you that...but thats the alum and students.

[UNLV]

The 1980 census put Houston pop. at 1.3 million, MSA 3 million. Today it's 2.1 million, MSA 5.6 million.

[HouTexan]

The 1980 census put Houston pop. at 1.3 million, MSA 3 million. Today it's 2.1 million, MSA 5.6 million.

While I get your point UNLV, it doesn't equate to:

1980 UH Football Attendance: 300

2008 UH Football Attendance: 300

1980 Rice Football Attendance: 50 (mostly band members)

2008 Rice Football Attendance: 52 (and a winning season)

[LUFAN]

300??

[Guest coachacola]

UH and Rice never did draw big football crowds on a consistent basis, but when they were in the SWC they'd get some big crowds from playing the likes of UT and Texas A&M.  Baylor got lucky and got picked for the Big 12 while UH, Rice and SMU have really struggled with attendance since the breakup of the SWC.  Fans like to see big name opponents, both in Houston and SETX, and that's relevant to LU's new football program.  But I think LU has the advantage that there's not near the competition for the entertainment dollar in Beaumont like there is in Houston.

[HouTexan]

I absolutely agree with you coach. Especially at Rice and SMU where the alumni base is extremely small. UH is still trying to figure out what to do with the attendance problems with such a huge alumni base in Houston. Many point to concerns about the neighborhood that Robertson stadium is in to the facilities, etc.,etc. Some are valid, but others just don't pan out. The Dynamo draws big crowds in the same stadium. Even when UH is doing well (and they're exciting to watch), the folks just don't come out to the games.

[HouTexan]

300??

A bad joke on my part. UH avgs around 20k, Rice around 14k give or take a hurricane and accurate reporting.