New Network To Televise SHSU’s Homecoming Game
The spotlight on the Sam Houston State Bearkat football team has gotten brighter.
With three television appearances under their belt, it seems as if things cannot get any better.
Well, it just did.
The homecoming game between the Bearkats and McNeese State Cowboys will be televised on Comcast Sports Net Houston on October 20.
The new network is a partnership with the Houston Astros, the Houston Rockets and the NBC Sports Group and is based in the Houston Pavilions.
It is set to launch on October 1 and will have a six state regional coverage area.
“This is a great opportunity for us to add another televised game to our already impressive slate this season,” athletic director Bobby Williams said to SHSU athletics department media.
“We are also very excited to be working with Comcast SportsNet Houston to get this game televised.”
“We met with them last month and they were very excited about getting involved with Sam Houston sports, so we think this will be a very good fit for us.”
The Bearkats are currently No.9 in the Sports Network FCS polls after a 24-20 heartbreaking loss to University of Central Arkansas Bears.
They will be facing a McNeese State team, who are ranked No.21 in the polls and have an all-time series lead at 24-8-1 and have won 151 Southland Conference games, 13 SLC titles and 14 NCAA FCS playoff appearances.
However, the Bearkats defeated the Cowboys 38-14 in Cowboy Stadium, en route to the national championship game in Frisco.
The game will now be at 7 p.m. instead of 2 p.m.
For more information on Comcast SportsNet Houston, visit iwantCSNHouston.com
SHSU’s Version Of “Call Me Maybe” Goes Viral
by Cheval John
Carly Rae Jespen’s single “Call Me Maybe” has been a huge hit since it was released in November of 2011.
The catchy tune has been remade and posted on YouTube by professional organizations ranging from the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders to the U.S. Olympic Swim Team.
Now, Sam Houston State University can be added to that list as their remade ‘video’ was released on YouTube on Wednesday and has over 27,000 views.
I caught up with Brandon Cooper, Associate Director for Student Activities to get his take on the video and find out how it all came together.
Vallano Media: The video has took off like wildfire. How do you feel about that?
Brandon Cooper: We are very excited about the publicity and the views that the video has gotten. Really, it was made to promote “The Bearkat Fanatic Contest.”
The contest was the idea of Frank Parker, Vice President for Student Services.”
How it works is students will submit a Bearkat spirited photo with a caption to us and we decide who is the top fourteen out of that group.
Those fourteen that are chosen will get a ticket to the student suite at Reliant Stadium in Houston for the “Battle of The Piney Woods” game between SHSU and Stephen F. Austin State University on October 6.
VM: Who came up with the idea of the video?
BC: Debbie Nichols, assistant to Mr. Parker, was the person who came up with the idea.
She saw the “Call Me Maybe” video and believed that it was the song to be replicated from for the video.
She contacted me and I agreed with the idea.
From there, we got Patric Sleightholm, of Sleightholm Productions, to participate in the project.
We were the directors. He shot and edit the scenes.
After it was finished, we put it out there and the rest is history.
VM: What was Mr. Sleightholm’s take on it?
BC: Mr. Sleightholm is an alumnus of SHSU.
We have hired him quite a bit in the past to do promo videos for us.
When we approached him with this idea, he was excited about the project.
He did a really great job.
VM: How did you get the Bearkat football team to participate?
BC: We contacted Bobby Williams, director of athletics to see if they would be interested to participate in the video.
He was able to get them on board.
They were eager to participate.
We shot their scene on Labor Day after they finished taking their team photos.
VM: Do you think the video will lead into the promotion for the “Battle of the Piney Woods?”
BC: Yes, I really believe that it will.
It has taken on a life of it’s own and it is great for SHSU as a whole.