The Lamar-McNeese Rivalry

[TexasTerror]

So, Pokes and Cards - is this going to be a fun rivalry right off the bat? Or is it going to take some time to develop for those this new generation who has not experienced McNeese-Lamar?

Would the Pokes rather beat Lamar or Southwestern? ;)

The Beaumont Enterprise covers the subject in this article below...

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/local/rivalry_for_lu_and_mcneese_extends_beyond_the_fie. html

[BEAR]

They have a rivalry?xeyebrowx











































xwhistlexxlolx

[JohnStOnge]

I personally was disappointed to see Lamar bring its football program back because it is going to hurt McNeese's recruiting. But it was, to my recollection, never a big rivalry on the football field in terms of being a big game McNeese fans pointed to. "Southwestern," as in "Southwestern Louisiana" was a much bigger rivalry for McNeese back in the day. Louisiana Tech was probably the second biggest rivalry from the McNeese standpoint. Both of those are lost now. I'd say the only rivalry McNeese has now is with Northwestern State. If Lamar does become a notable rivlary, it'll be the first time. A new thing.

[MSU_77]

I personally was disappointed to see Lamar bring its football program back because it is going to hurt McNeese's recruiting. But it was, to my recollection, never a big rivalry on the football field in terms of being a big game McNeese fans pointed to. "Southwestern," as in "Southwestern Louisiana" was a much bigger rivalry for McNeese back in the day. Louisiana Tech was probably the second biggest rivalry from the McNeese standpoint. Both of those are lost now. I'd say the only rivalry McNeese has now is with Northwestern State. If Lamar does become a notable rivlary, it'll be the first time. A new thing.

That about sums it up. I grew up in the Beaumont area but crossed the border to attend McNeese. I followed Lamar football in the Sixties and early Seventies, but their program never really generated much enthusiasim - mostly because they were rarely much good. Even back then, the McNeese program, with Jack Doland as head coach, was much more popular in the area. When I was a student at McNeese in the mid-Seventies, USL (ULL) was "the" rival, followed by LA Tech and NE La (ULM). McNeese-Lamar was not so much a rivalry as a "rivalry." The games were always sellouts, but then most McNeese home games were sellouts. Lamar did have a good band, though.

[TexasTerror]

So does this have the potential to turn into a nice little rivalry? Or will it really depend on how Lamar does against the Pokes and if they become good...?

[MSU_77]

So does this have the potential to turn into a nice little rivalry? Or will it really depend on how Lamar does against the Pokes and if they become good...?

It has the potential to turn into a rivalry the first time Lamar beats a good McNeese team in a meaningful game. I suspect that will be a few years down the road, but you never know.

[buckp]

Beaumont is an ugly town....:p ;)

[crossfire07]

I don't think it will affect recruiting much until they get some good wins under their belt.

[houtexan]

It has the potential to turn into a rivalry the first time Lamar beats a good McNeese team in a meaningful game. I suspect that will be a few years down the road, but you never know.

Agreed. Rivalries develop on a number of factors...and I don't necessarily think proximity is the primary factor. If so, SFA/SHSU would be a huge rivalry.

[houtexan]

Beaumont is an ugly town....:p ;)

I was just thinking the same about Lake Charles. xthumbsupx

[FormerPokeCenter]

Games against Southwestern La., was/is/will always be - to borrow a phrase from Oldpokeshome, a First Cousin Knife Fight.

There is NOBODY that we would prefer to beat the dog snot out of than USL. I was ecstatic when we got past App State last week and that's a huge win for our program, but NOTHING and I do mean NOTHING compares to the feeling I got watching us take a knee at the USL 12 with a 38-17 lead. I was screaming for another touchdown, but - still - just knowing that we so completed dominated those sons-of-bitches that we could show them mercy was huge...

That's my favorite McNeese win, ever...

Lamar had great individual players, but that was never really a rivalry for us. Maybe for Lamar, but we were always focused on USL.

[DG Cowboy]

Hopefully, we can keep the Newton, TX HS pipeline open and hold our own in the Golden Triangle, but even if Lamar gets a few we want, it has to hurt. The Lamar basketball following certainly make McNeese a rivalry. If that translates to the football stadium, it will be on.