As I write this article, it is hard to believe that yet another college basketball season has come and gone. Thankfully, this one was the bridge to normal given everything that has happened. This past season was a down year for the Lion Men’s program, while the Women continued their sure and steady progress as…
Well, we are back. I never thought that would feel so good to say, but we are. I would hope that most everyone has come out of the past year with a thankfulness of what you have, however mundane it may seem. I know I am. Anyway, let’s get to it. Women’s Basketball- First, my…
In his nearly 30 years of coaching offense for East Texas State, Ernest Hawkins coached a lot of Quarterbacks. Some went to the NFL and started games. Some had great college careers and set records that might never be broken, even in today’s passer conducive offenses. However, when Hawkins took over as Head Coach in…
It has been just over a month since Azusa Pacific University out of the Los Angeles Area announced they would be immediately shutting their football program down. The Cougars were typically one of the top programs in the GNAC and also played to usually packed crowds at Citrus Stadium in Glendora, California. A beautiful scene…
With the end of the year that nobody will soon forget coming to an end, it is hard to believe that even if Division II football had been played, in less than 2 weeks it be for the National Championsip, and this was the year that many people felt the Lions would add National Title…
Football returns to Commerce, America for at least one day this Saturday, and I could not be more excited. To return to Commerce. To return to The Hawk. To see the improvements on our team and inside our stadium. I am excited and just cannot wait to see what we have going on. Here are…
Most Texas A&M-Commerce Lion fans are Dallas Cowboys fans. That is due to a lot of reasons. We have had some great Lions play for America’s team (Harvey Martin, Wade Wilson, Alan Veingrad, Kevin Mathis). Also, just due to the proximity of the metro area places Commerce right in the heart of Dallas Cowboy country.…
As we close the decade out on this era of Lion football, those of us at the Wire and also at those of us who either witnessed great football teams like my colleagues Russ and Billy did or like me, watched very mediocre if not bad football during my college days want to look at…
“I love football, when it’s pure, but not this. This isn’t pure.”-Jonathan “Mox” Moxon-Varsity Blues 1998 If you had told me that as I was 6 years into being a college sports blogger, I would be quoting James Vanderbeek in a non-satirical column in one of the most off the wall sports movies that included…
70 years ago today, the East Texas State Lions took the field in front of 12,000 fans against regional rival North Texas State for the first game at Memorial Stadium on the campus of East Texas State University on a crisp fall evening. I wish I could tell you that our beloved Lions came out…
Texas A&M-Commerce kicker Jake Viquez is one of the last people off the field after a spring practice. He looks around as he sets up his place holder and boots through a 45 yarder into the gentle but ever-present Commerce breeze. No problem, it would have been good from 55 yards. He kicks a few…
November 18, 1995. The scoreboard at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon read PORTLAND STATE-56, EAST TEXAS-35. The clock had hit all zeros, and for the final time, the gridiron warriors of the blue and gold of ET had worn their jerseys with the name EAST TEXAS strapped across their jerseys. It was the final year…
Justin Petersen is a loud and proud alum of Azusa Pacific University. We crossed paths when he was just randomly searching the internet regarding APU football and found The Lion Wire. He publishes an alumni sports newsletter and wanted to sit down and discuss the site, TAMUC the school and our athletic department, and just…
I once heard a story about a hiker who had gotten lost in the thick mountain forests of Southern Colorado. He was at least 3 miles from his base camp when he had gone off the trail. He cut his way to and fro among the dense woods, but could not find his way back…
In many Football programs across the country, there is somewhat of an initiation for new players who come into the program. Usually it involves pain, a test of endurance, and an attempt to see who has what it takes to be in that respective program. For over 60 years, there was a tradition that every…
Contrary to what some might think or might not even know, Texas A&M-Commerce/East Texas State has a strong tradition in Men’s Basketball, and as many know has had a lot of recent success in Women’s Hoops. This past season saw the largest attended Women’s game in program history as the Lion Women took down defending…
Lion Wire contributor Billy Minor has a ton of great stories when it comes to his playing days. The two time All-LSC Receiver and 1990 conference champion told us the story of playing in one of the best small college towns in America, Pittsburg, Kansas. B.Minor recounts; ” I saw for me what was the…
This is Part 3 in a Multi-Part series of the great traditions of our Alma Mater. In sports, the old saying goes that “defense wins championships.” Personally I have not bought totally into that, I prefer that “the best defense is an unstoppable offense.” That being said, nobody can doubt that a team that plays…
This is Part 2 in a Multi-Part series of the great traditions of our Alma Mater. Part of this article is taken from my piece on the Championship Chronicles for the 1958 team. Every great college team has a tradition. Texas A&M has yell practice the night before home games. Texas Tech picks members of…
This is Part 1 in a Multi-Part series of the great traditions of Alma Mater Dear. In the Fall of 1964, Sports Illustrated visited the small hamlet of Commerce, Texas to feature the Football program of East Texas State College. They were there to cover the recent passing of Head Coach J.V. Sikes, and the…
