Big Award in January

Two Texas coaches (not from UT) are finalists for Bear Bryant Award

Coach Gary Patterson of TCU
Photo courtesy of TCU
Mike Sherman, coach of the Texas Aggies
Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Texas Christian University head coach Gary Patterson and Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman are among the finalists for the 25th Annual Paul "Bear" Bryant Award. The prestigious award, which recognizes the top college football coach in the nation, will be presented Jan. 18 at the Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel.

There were so many outstanding coaching performances this year that the award's organizers named nine finalists on Wednesday.

It's no surprise that coaches at Auburn and Oregon, who will meet in the Bowl Championship Series game Jan. 10, were named as finalists. Auburn's Gene Chizik led the Tigers to an undefeated season while Chip Kelly did the same at Oregon. The game winner will likely be named coach of the year, although voters sometimes favor coaches whose teams weren't expected to do well but did.

If that's the case, Sherman would be in line to win because A&M surprised nearly everyone with a 9-3 season and wins over Nebraska, Oklahoma and arch-rival Texas. The Aggies play LSU in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 7.

Jim Harbaugh also would be favorite since he led perennial doormat Stanford to an 11-1 season and a Orange Bowl berth. And Wisconsin's Bret Bielema and Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, both at Big Ten schools, had stellar 11-1 seasons, too. Dantonio survived a heart attack that occurred shortly after the Spartan's overtime win over Notre Dame in September.

Don't forget Patterson, who led TCU to an undefeated season and a berth in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. The Horned Frogs play Wisconsin, so the coach of the winning team is likely to move up in the voting, which takes place after all bowl games are over.

Rounding out the finalists are Bobby Petrino, who led Arkansas to the Sugar Bowl, and Chris Ault, head coach of the University of Nevada, which ruined previously undefeated Boise State's season. (Boise State coach Chris Petersen was last year's Bryant award winner.)

Also at the January awards ceremony: Former Florida State University coach Bobby Bowden will be presented the Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award.

For more information or to make reservations to attend, call 713-610-5026 or click here.

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Texas sports team unite to support legalized online gambling

Photo by Michelle Watson/CultureMapSnap

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The movement to legalize online sports gambling in Texas gained some additional momentum thanks to a new report showing it could add billions to the Texas economy.

The report comes from Eilers & Krejcik, a boutique research firm that specializes in the gaming industry. According to the report, the state could see $2.6 billion in additional annual economic activity, with another $24.3 million in tax revenue. It could also add up to 8,000 jobs.

Orlando Sanchez, former Harris County Treasurer and Houston City Council Member, has gone on record saying legalizing online sports gambling would benefit Texas.

“By legalizing sports betting in the Lone Star State, we could generate additional tax revenue – that doesn’t include taxing Texans more, which could be used to fund a variety of public projects while keeping Texans safe and giving us the chance to choose whether or not we want to legalize sports betting by putting it on the ballot,” he told Texas Insider.

Nearly all the major sports teams in the state back the move toward legalized sports gambling. Members of the Sports Betting Alliance, which is advocating for legislation to allow online sports betting, includes the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, and the Houston Dash. Former governor Rick Perry serves as one spokesperson for the organization.

Texans owner Cal McNair and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta issued a joint statement in February 2023 supporting sports gambling.

”The Houston Texans support giving Texans the opportunity to choose for themselves if they want a regulated and taxed sports betting industry in Texas,” said McNair. “We think a legal and regulated betting industry is best for our fans and partners and would protect the integrity of competition.”

“Sports betting is a very popular form of entertainment,” said Fertitta. “Sports fans enjoy placing bets on their favorite sports because it brings them closer to the team and puts them in the game. No one wins with an illegal market as robust as the one in Texas.”

Houston soccer teams Dash and Dynamo also issued a brief statement following the release of the study.

“As the popularity of sports betting grows across the US, the Houston Dash and Dynamo align with efforts to bring this unique opportunity to soccer fans in Houston.”

Sports betting legislation has faced an uphill battle thanks to Governor Greg Abbott. The governor has been very against expanding gambling in Texas throughout his administration, blocking attempts of native tribes to expand electronic bingo halls, additional casino construction being pushed by Miriam Adelson, and even research trips by Texas officials to study expanded gambling. Though Abbott has seemingly softened on his stance, he remains wary of gambling fostering economic hardship in the state.

Texas is one of only 11 states in the union that has not legalized sports gambling. The American Gaming Association estimates sports gambling has contributed to $40.8 billion in tax revenue and created 1.8 million jobs across the country.

However, there has also been a marked spike in gambling addiction since 2018 when the app-based sports gambling boom started. Heads of several problem gambling centers report increased hotline calls and more severe problems such as bankruptcies and foreclosures related to sports gambling.

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