Houston Baptist Huskies! http://www.chron.com/sports/college/article/Houston-Baptist-to-join-Southland-Conference-2277082.php I for one am excited. It's a win for everyone involved. The Southland finally gets their presence in Houston. HBU finally gets in a legitimate conference. www.talkhuskies.com is their fan message board if any southland fans are intrested.
Some SHSU fans (katfans.com, by the way) aren't too thrilled with the addition of HBU, but I think it makes a ton of sense. HBU gives the SLC a presence in Houston and these days, it's not often you add a school to your conference without making travel harder on the rest of the teams in the conference.
It's obviously great for HBU and I think they will quickly compete in the Southland non-football sports, while football will be added in the next couple years. I admit that HBU's athletic facilities are lacking (understatement), but believe it or not there has been some improvement to the athletic facilities since current President Robert Sloan (yes, from Baylor) got there. The overall facilities at the university have improved and the athletic facilities will come. I also have to think that a firm commitment was made to the SLC when they visited HBU last week. There has long been talk for a complex to be built adjacent to 59 (at Fondren), on land that HBU is currently "buying back" the leases that they own there - Mattress Firm, Burger King, crappy strip center, etc.
I welcome HBU for the fact that I live in Houston and will now get a basketball game every year and a baseball series every other year. When HBU gets football in a couple years, a football game every other year, in Houston. Best decision by SLC in awhile. Sam also wants to play TSU in the new Dynamo stadium SLC still wants another school and I hope they pick Incarnate Word in San Antonio, much closer than Tarleton and West Texas a&m, who are also wanting to jump ship to SLC. Basically Incarnate Word would replace UTSA and give San Antonio a FBS and FCS team, which is good for them.
I would like to see them play in the dynamo stadium as well. To my knowledge its just speculation right now.
I never understood why HBU leased out prime real estate and blocked the school from 59. It will be good for HBU and the SLC. I don't know how HBU will afford FCS football, but whatever. TSU is planning to play its home games at the Dynamo Stadium. If TSU has an exclusive deal then HBU or any other college would be SOL. See Temple telling Villanova to f off at Lincoln Financial Field. Of course this is poor TSU...they probably can't afford the lease and the Dynamo knew but accepted for PR. UH may sign a deal with Reliant for 2012. HBU can't start football that fast so Reliant or the HISD stadiums are options.
I would doubt it. TSU is already signed up to play there and given that the Dynamo are now the primary tenant in their stadium, I would think they would do all they can to avoid having to share the stadium more than they already will be.
Huh? I know HBU has evening classes; not sure about weekend. Imo, they don't need online classes. They are not a huge state school that may have that need, and they are not University of Phoenix either. I am interested to see where they will play football. Even if they do build a stadium, it is not going to happen immediately. What are the facilities of Strake Jesuit like? That's a private school in the immediate area. Otherwise, Rhodes Stadium in Katy? Tully in Spring Branch? Mercer in Sugarland?
I'm sure they have made a killing by leasing out that property for all these years....That has to be the reason.