Bring football to campus, raise school spirit

Gavin Samples

“PATRIOTS FOOTBALL NOT LIKELY, OFFICIALS SAY…” we all read it. I am a football lover.

I have skipped my Monday night class to watch a Monday night football game. I was one of those kids that couldn’t wait to go to college so I could attend and play my university’s football team.

Well, I can’t. It is not because I’m hurt or not good enough it is because Patriots’ football is not likely.
In the September 21 issue of the Patriot Talon, there was an article published about what would have to happen in order for our wonderful university to adopt a football team.

A survey was taken. It was a survey with a rather small sample size of only 78 people, but lets say the survey represents the population of our institution as any sample might in an experiment or survey. Roughly 70% of our school would support the necessary actions to implement football as part of the athletic program.

We are currently experiencing a structural face-lift after we have already received a tummy tuck (the first stage of remodeling in the UC) in an effort to boost retention of the student body at our school.

We have this problem with bringing in students and not being able to coerce them to stay throughout their college careers. It was found out that our athletic fees would increase 50% to 75% in order to build a team and have coaches.

Of course there are more costs associated with having a team. My thing is we have had some very successful people come out this university, successful enough to bring back millions to dig a river in front of our library. I don’t know about you but seeing a river as I walk toward the library doesn’t make me want to read anymore than I already do.

A football team would make me want to cover this large billboard of a body with orange and navy paint and scream “GO PATRIOTS” at the top of my lungs as I watch the recently recruited running back catch a screen pass and juke past one defender, break a tackle on another and fly into the end zone.

Then we have the talks about a stadium, field house and equipment. Trinity Mother Frances Health Systems gave in the neighborhood of one million dollars for the Tyler rose stadium to be called the Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.

I could go on and on about ways to make this dream come true, but it would be pointless without the necessary support needed. I know it won’t happen tomorrow, next month or even next year from now, but a man can only hope.

Mondale Onuoha, a senior management major told me personally” …hell yea I’m for football, I would have crazy school spirit if we had a football team…football is so big in East Texas and I’m disappointed UT doesn’t have one!”

When I think of homecoming I think of activities and events exhibiting crazy school spirit and everyone and their mother attending a football game that the home team must win. I love all sports, I really do, but I cannot help but have a favorite and football is that.

Homecoming is around the corner and the sad fact is that I will be participating in every event that doesn’t keep me from watching some type of football on TV, on a little league field, or at another school.