“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…
“Winning is the only thing.” Probably one of the most quoted lines in sports history. Yet, the legendary Vince Lombardi, the man who said it, is often misunderstood. The line, borrowed from a John Wayne movie, Trouble Along The Way, was interpreted by many as a singular focus by a tyrannical man, to win at…
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…
Greetings, Lion fans. The thing that we all thought would never happen, has. For the first time since the end of World War II, the Lions will not be taking the field this fall. Today’s announcement from AD Tim McMurray, in essence, stated, that with no Lone Star Conference or Division II championship to play…
Greetings, Lion fans, I wish we had more to write about for the upcoming season, but for now, it’s the Great Unknown. If you’ve been under a rock (given the events of the past 24 hours, it’s not a bad idea), or otherwise out of contact, the Beaumont/Port Arthur area, and southwest Louisiana are just…
Greetings, Lion fans, and the staff here at The Wire wish we had better news. With the announcement yesterday of the cancellation of championships in all fall sports in Division II, the almost certain run that the Lions would have at a national title in 2020 is not to be. Further details have been reported…
Greetings, Lion fans! Today on The Wire, we have a chance to have a virtual sit down with AD Tim McMurray, Associate AD Taylor Phelps, and Lion senior defensive back Alex Shillow on the recent announcement of the Lion Varsity L Club, and what we can look forward to. Let’s dive right in. The Wire:…
Greetings, Lion fans. Today’s feature is going to be a little different. So far in the 2020 season, we’ve broken down every match up the Lions will face, and tried to familiarize everyone with each week’s opponent. This week, we turn that same camera inward, and take a closer look at our own squad. Let’s…
Greetings, Lion fans. The staff here at The Wire hope that each of you had a safe and happy Independence Day weekend. For us, it’s back to business, and wrapping up the game by game preview of the 2020 season. In the regular season finale, the Lions will travel west to Portales, New Mexico, their…
Greetings, Lion fans, and normally, we would be breaking down the Lions final regular season match up against the always tough Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds. These are not normal times, however. Not after AD Tim McMurray did his best wizard impression and pulled off the move of the year in adding the defending Division II…
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…
Greetings, Lion fans, and there is much to be excited about in Commerce, America. The recent announcement of a home and home series with defending Division II National Champion West Florida sent shock waves throughout the country and sent the message loud and clear that the Lions will not back down from a challenge. Kudos…
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…
Greetings, Lion fans. In Week 9 of the 2020 Season Preview, we’ll take a closer look at the UT Permian Basin Falcons. Billy, Brian, and I all hope that you’re staying healthy and safe during these turbulent times. At the Week 9 point, the Lions are in the home stretch. By now, team roles should…
Greetings, Lion fans. The staff here at The Wire hopes everyone is staying safe and healthy during these trying time. Hopefully, we’ll be back to normal soon. This week, we’ll break down what could very well be the Lions toughest conference opponent, the Buffaloes of West Texas A&M. WTAMU gave the Lions a battle last…
Greetings, Lion fans, and in this week’s 2020 season preview, we’ll take a look at the Lions week six opponent, the Western New Mexico Mustangs. The Lions at this point have completed non conference play, so the pressure ramps up from here on out. So let’s break down the match up with our friends from…
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…
Greetings, Lion fans, and the staff here at The Wire hopes everyone is staying safe and healthy as things begin to return to normal. Again, we’re one day closer to a solution. Ordinarily, we would be breaking down the match up against the Lions week six opponent, the Knights of Middle Georgia State. Alas, there…
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…
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