We have received word from news outlets that Lion great Wade Wilson (1977-1980), one of, if not the the best QB’s to ever don the blue and gold of ET/TAMUC has passed away. At this time we do not have any details on the passing, only that Wilson passed away this morning at the age…
Well we had another tougher than expected game this past week. But another win is all that matters…right? We are adding a new segment for the final thought beginning this week. As a freshman in college at ET my very first pass I caught was from the great hall of famer and my friend Bobby…
At the beginning of the 1979 season, there was an air of rebuilding around the Lion program. Coming off a rare losing season of 4-7 the year before, Coach Ernest Hawkins and his crew were determined to improve. It was going to take a lot of work. Texas A&I (the eventual 1979 NAIA National Champion),…
In today’s report I’m gonna share some of my more memorable games in Commerce and talk about the impact that a couple coaches had on my life. I know every player that has donned the blue and gold have made memories here in Commerce so please feel free to share yours in the comments. I…
Ever since I can remember, I have loved looking at stadiums across Texas. I remember when I was a kid the first stadium I ever saw was Canton’s Norris Birdwell Stadium. I was born in Dallas and my family would drive through the smaller towns to get to East Texas when were moving from the…
Note: This a republication of an article written by the sports staff of the Portland Tribune. Again, every attempt has been made to ensure the original integrity of the article. This is NOT the work of The Lion Wire or anyone on it’s staff. Tuesday, November 14, 1995 Portland-Portland State Viking Football Coach Tim Walsh…
After the success of the feature of Coach Eddie Vowell’s tenure, I felt it was time to update some school records when it comes to coaching. We have had some fantastic coaches in Commerce, TX and now it is time to let everyone know who leads in what category in a top 5 fashion. So,…
As of the end of the 2017 season, Colby Carthel has won 48 total games, 3 Lone Star Conference Titles, 7 Postseason games, and a National Championship. So many of the wins under Carthel has a fair amount of importance, but the top 10 wins no doubt have molded the program to it’s current state.…
You all know Carthel. You all know Hawkins. Some of you might not know Eddie Vowell, but you will now. Coach Vowell was the man who had the last run of serious success in Commerce, America before Colby Carthel came to town. The Stafford, Oklahoma native joined the Lions staff in the early 1980’s as…
First, I wanted to thank my partners in crime, Billy Minor and Russell McLean. This list of top 20 was a complete team effort. Having to be able to have guys on this staff who actually played with some of these great players and saw first hand how truly great they were. We our proud…
No, this is not clickbait. Just a set of Honorable mention players that did not make the cut to the top 20, but did contribute to the Football program as a whole and some even hold records. I felt that they were worth the mention, as did the rest of the staff. These are all…
In a few days, The Wire will be releasing the list of top 20 Quarterbacks in program history, but until then, it is time to update the school passing records. Top Ten Includes Ties that are listed in alphabetical order. Quarterbacks in Bold were also All-American. Career Passing Yards- Luis Perez-2015-2017-8,237 Yards Bob Bounds-1987-1991-5,955 Yards…
This is the first of a 5-part series on my years at Commerce (88-92), and will be my view of each season. ETSU had very little expectations for the 88 season. We were coming off back to back 2-9 seasons and hadn’t had a winning record since ’83. Coach Eddie Vowell’s first two years were…
Colby Carthel played his college football at Angelo State, being an all-Lone Star Conference performer and playing on some very good ASU teams. So, no surprise that his 5 matchups against the Rams have been interesting and virtually always have big time implications, and this one is no exception. So, let’s take a stroll down…
In Commerce, Texas, Colby Carthel had brought Championship Football back to Commerce. His first season established a winning culture. The second season overlapped winning and championship cultures. The third season was all about winning and going to the next level, competing for the playoffs. The fourth season would be about competing IN the playoffs, and…
After the breakthrough season of 2014, expectations for 2015 were measured and tempered based on what the Lions had coming back and what they had lost. Two of their best wideouts had gone to the NFL along with their starting tailback. Though there was bevy of talent waiting in the wings, the Lion faithful were…
After the 2009 season, expectations were high that Guy Morriss would be the man to lead TAMUC Football back to what it once had been. In the Spring of 2010, Memorial Stadium received it’s largest renovation and expansion ever. Safeplay turf had been installed in 2006 and the track had been resurfaced, but the renovation…
In the late 2000’s, A&M-Commerce Football showed some signs of life and positive movement. After the 2007 season, winning was not just going for average anymore, but the athletic department tried to take an approach of making things “big time” in Commerce. Calling it the “Restore the Roar” campaign, Carlton Cooper, the new athletic director…
In 1996, the Texas A&M University System bought East Texas State University. The institution had fallen on hard times from an enrollment standpoint and the school was quickly becoming an afterthought to many future college students. Most of the students from the Metroplex and the surrounding North Texas area were deciding to go to schools…
1985 was the end of an era, the Ernest Hawkins era. The man waiting in the wings was a 38 year old tough as nails defensive coach from Oklahoma named Eddie Vowell. Having been with the program for 5 years, Vowell knew the program well and had earned the respect of the team and the…
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