Is Lamar bringing back football?

[Bulldog92]

I saw this mentioned on another thread and my jaw dropped. Is there really a possibility that Billy Tubbs and the powers-that-be at LU would consider bringing back their football program? If so, what level is realistic to start? I would think Division II would be most likely until they could recruit decent talent. Who would you want coaching the team if you were a Lamar fan? I know they were pretty awful for years leading up to folding up the program, but I would like to see it come back.

[Z motion 10 out on 2]

Where is Lamar?

[Bulldog92]

Lamar University is in Beaumont. They never really were all that great for football fans in that area, but there has been very little to brag about other than baseball and golf. What's a college athletic department without football anyway? Bringing back Billy Tubbs to be the AD and basketball coach was a stroke of genius and it would be nice to see the Cardinals back on the football field, too...

[spiveyrat]

If they did bring back the football program, I can't see them being anything more than a Div II school.

[exbccards76'smom]

I know several profs from Lamar, and they say Tubbs would like to bring it back. But with budget cuts going on right now, don't count on it real soon. It is a shame to see their stadium going to waste like that, though. frown

[Old Cardinal]

I don't look for that to happen...I think one thread was totally wrong. In the 1960s(when I was in College there), Lamar was rated #1 in the Nation in the Division II on a number of occasions.....Lamar is an Engineering and Business school of some renoun academically- today. They have good athletics but don't seem interested in football. Most folks are content following HS area football. ...I did talk to Coach Shorty at Hamshire-Fannett and there is a good possibility that Lamar will add Softball as a major sport. There is a large nice diamond with many good covered seats at the SE Texas new Entertainment complex that is now ready for that purpose....One of the reasons for the demise of football at Lamar was that their football stadium was right beside a Sulfuric Acid manufacturing plant(H2SO4). Everyone was a little afraid of a massive release of acidic vapor on people in the stands, would be a terrible event.

<small>[ August 18, 2003, 08:23 AM: Message edited by: Old Cardinal ]</small>

[Bulldog92]

That was poor planning, wasn't it? Under that line of thinking, they shouldn't play any games in that stadium as nice as it is. What a shame...

[JasperDog94]

I always wondered who the genius was the put the stadium right by a plant. Man what a view! At night you can see the glow of the lights of the plant along with the glow of the birds that live around the plant. :D

[Matthew328]

Lamar sounds a lot like UT-Arlington..nice stadium not being used except by the Arlington ISD schools..

[exbccards76'smom]

Lamar's stadium is fastly deterating from elements and lack of use. I marched on that field as a member of the McNeese band.

[Old Cardinal]

I agree excardsMom: The trace of acid vapor has rusted all the metal parts and the old sun- bleached stadium seats are used as pigeon roost at night! We played one Playoff game there several years ago, and there are just better places to play a game that are available.

[JasperDog94]

I can't think of many places that wouldn't be better than Lamar for a football game. That turf is so old, it's really dangerous to play on. It would take a lot more money than Lamar is willing to spend to bring back a football team.

[St. Ivender]

I played on Lamar's field in High School. A sweet victory against Orangefield. I saw Newton play Ozen there a couple years ago.......I guess I was oblivious to the plant being there.

[Atl_Rabb_Fan]

When did they stop the football program at Lamar.

[Bulldog92]

I think their last year was 1988, but I might be off a year or two...

[Bulldog92]

Even if they don't get football back, I wonder if Tubbs can get the basketball team back on track. His teams were fun to watch and he can recruit players that should be a notch above what you would normally see in the Southland conference. I'm really excited about that at least...

[spiveyrat]

We have a similar situation here in Wichita at Wichita State University. Decent stadium, but no football team. In 1970 the entire team died in a plane crash in Colorado. But, the football program later rebounded and played until 1986 when funding and fan support ran out. Now the staduim hosts local high school games and band contests.