While TDECU Stadium was a big upgrade for the Cougar football program, it wasn’t without its problems. | File photo/The Cougar
In this week’s round table, The Cougar sports staff discusses impending improvements for the Track and Field program and grade the friendly confines of TDECU Stadium.
With one season already in the books for TDECU and another up-coming, what grade do you give the stadium?
Staff writer Michael Calderon: B+. TDECU is a vast improvement over the old Robertson Stadium. It boasts a modern design, with wide-open points of entry for easy access on game day and double the number of concession stands of its predecessor, not to mention a plethora of food choices. The traffic flow in and out of the parking garage and the surrounding areas can be a nightmare, but otherwise it is an impressive facility.
Staff writer Shardanna Jones: I would give TDECU Stadium an A-. It is a complete and total upgrade from Robertson Stadium; there isn’t a bad seat regardless of where you sit. The reason that I cannot give it an A or an A+, however, is the fact that they spent well over the anticipated budget. Hopefully the stadium will generate much more revenue, but overalll TDECU is a place that fans and alumni should be excited about.
Track and Field will be renovating their facilities thanks to a $1.5 million dollar donation received last year. How do you expect this to impact an already successful program?
Assistant sports editor Efren Diosdado: There’s a saying that goes “if you look good, you feel good and if you feel good, you do good.” I think that will be the case with Track and Field. An already successful program renovating their confines will only motivate them to do better. With any program at the University, I feel upgrades give students an advantage over other schools to progress.
Do you think athletics needs to spend more money on upgrading facilities for all sports, not just focusing on the major ones? Or are basketball and football more important for being competitive and getting into a Power 5 conference?
SJ: The major sports are likely to generate more revenue or profit, so I don’t have much of a problem with basketball and football receiving the bulk of the attention. A smaller program could get the same attention and receive a makeover, but are they going to generate any revenue to offset what was spent? On the other hand, no sport should suffer from run down or badly worn-out facilities. If it needs an upgrade, it should receive an upgrade.
Which sports program will have the most successful season next year?
MC: I’ll go with Tennis. Already a solid program on the upswing the last couple of years, adding rising star Courtney Steinbock as head coach is a move that I believe will pay off for the Cougars in year one. While there is a chance her first year at the helm of a program could be bumpy, she could just as easily take them to the next level as well.
Sports editor Bryce Dodds: Two programs I anticipate building on successes from the previous year are the Track and Field and Women’s Golf programs. I think both the women’s and men’s programs for Track and Field will be highly competitive in conference, and Women’s Golf also had a spectacular year, reaching the NCAA post-season in just their first year as a team.
TDECU is ok. I think Robertson was louder, I know it had better views, and it had GRASS! The downsides to Robertson were great enough to warrant it being replaced, and I would like TDECU even more if it had grass and palm trees. Seriously, how hard would have been to have palm trees? I know grass would have been a hassle and constant expense, but palm trees are pretty low maintenance.