All posts by Andrew

Matadors v Dallas City F.C.

North Texas Premier Soccer Association

Division 1A (Spring Season)

Sunday 28th February 2016

Kick off 17.00 Actual 17.13

Matadors 2 Dallas City F.C. 2,  attendance 14

21′ 1-0

66′ 1-1

81′ 1-2

89′ 2-2

@ The Colony Five Star Soccer Complex, Pitch 6

4100, Blair Oaks Drive

The Colony, TX 75056

No admission or programme.

There are eight pitches here, this one being floodlit and having a couple of sections of metal bleachers. There is a building at the centre of the complex that has toilets and a thriving refreshment bar, mainly due to the amount of women’s and youth teams playing.

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Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions v Tarleton State University Texans

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II

Lone Star Conference

Saturday 27th February 2016

18.00 Tip off

Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions 74 Tarleton State University Texans 88,  attendance 1,437

@ Field House

2600, South Neal Street

Commerce, TX 75428

$7 admission

Team Sheet, free.

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The Field House was built in 1950 in the days when the college was named East Texas State Teachers College and is a 5,000 seat facility.

I had seen the reverse of this fixture a month ago, the Lions winning it by 2 points. This time it was revenge for the Texans and by a much wider margin.

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Texas Wesleyan University Rams v Oklahoma City University Stars

National Association Intercollegiate Athletics

Sooner Athletic Conference

Thursday 25th February 2016

20.00 Tip off

Texas Wesleyan University Rams 73 Oklahoma City University Stars  74,  attendance 550

@ Sid W. Richardson Center

1100, South Collard Street

Fort Worth, TX 76105

$7 admission

Programme free, 4 pages.

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The arena was opened in 1970 and underwent major renovation over the summer of 2008. It currently seats 1,500.

This was a cracking game with an atmosphere to match. It looked like the Rams had won it  when they went ahead with 6.4 seconds left, until the Stars nicked it with just 0.8 seconds on the clock !

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Inter Dallas v Crusaders A.S.F.

North Texas Premier Soccer Association

Division 1B (Spring Season)

Sunday 21st February 2016

Kick off 11.00 Actual 11.11

Inter Dallas 2 Crusaders A.S.F. 3,  attendance 6

27′ 0-1

44′ 1-1

62′ 2-1

86′ 2-2

90 + 1′ 2-3

@ R. E. Good Soccer Complex, Pitch 5

Elm Fork Drive

Carrollton, TX 75056

No admission or programme.

This was my first dip into the N.T.P.S.A. Teams don’t have their own grounds, but games are allocated by the league, although most tend to play ‘home’ games at a set number of venues nearest to where they are based. The standard is nothing special and games involve Rolling Substitutions much like Step 7 in England. As a league rule, all players must wear the same coloured shirts, although shorts and socks do not need to match. Not too bad today, but I can imagine some teams will take this to the extreme. At least all games have 3 officials, which apparently goes right from the top divisions 1A and 1B, down to Division 5.

Todays game took place at a complex of 5 pitches, three of full size. The pitch was floodlit and had a few sections of metal bleachers dotted around. There was a brick building nearer the youth pitches that has toilets and a refreshment stand.

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Austin College Kangaroos v University Dallas Crusaders

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

Saturday 20th February 2016

14.00 Tip off

Austin College Kangaroos 85 University Dallas Crusaders 78,  attendance 182

@ Hughey Gymnasium

900, North Grand Avenue

Sherman, TX 75090

$5 admission

No programme.

Anyone would think I am a Crusaders fan as this is the third time I have seen them play in nine days.

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Arlington Baptist College Patriots v University Dallas Crusaders

National Christian College Athletic Association

Southwest Region

Tuesday 16th February 2016

19.00 Tip off

Arlington Baptist College Patriots 65 University Dallas Crusaders 63, attendance 131

@ J. Frank Norris Memorial Auditorium

3001, West Division Street

Arlington, TX 76012

$5 admission

No programme.

This one really went to the wire with  Patriots getting the final basket with just 1 second left on the clock.

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Southeastern Oklahoma State University Savage Storm v Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II

Great American Conference

Saturday 13th February 2016

15.00 Tip off

Southeastern Oklahoma State University Savage Storm 80 Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers 62,  attendance 775

@ Bloomer Sullivan Arena

1713, North 1st Avenue

Durant, OK 74701

$6 admission

Free team sheet.

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The arena was opened in November 2008 and has 3,000 seats and a total capacity of 3,600.

The official attendance for this so over the top. At no time did the crowd even get into three figures.

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University Texas Dallas Comets v Louisiana College Wildcats

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III

American Southwest Conference

Thursday 11th February 2016

19.30 Tip off

University Texas Dallas Comets 60 Louisiana College Wildcats 71,  attendance 311

@ UTD Activity Center

800, West Campbell Road

Richardson, TX 75080

$5 admission

Programme free, 20 pages, covers season. Free team sheet.

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The arena was opened in 1999 and seats 3,200.

When looking through the programme I noticed one member of staff in the Administration/Operations team had a perfect name to suit the job…..Valerie Hoops !

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Mexico v Senegal

International Friendly

Wednesday 10th February 2016

Kick off 20.00 Actual 20.36

Mexico 2 Senegal 0,  attendance 15,588

73′ 1-0 J. Duenas

87′ 2-0 R. Pizarro

@ Marlins Park

501, Marlins Way

Miami, FL 33126

$30 admission  + $9.50 fees, print at home ticket *

No programme.

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My ticket had been acquired the day they went on sale and a reasonable flight was booked at $106 return. On entering the stadium it became apparent that the top tier, where my seat was located, would not be opening, so a ‘new’ ticket was issued from a booth on the bottom level concourse, where it was total chaos. I was told I had been reallocated an excellent seat near the front, which yes, had it been for the Miami Marlins and a MLB game, this was correct as it was right behind the home plate. Certainly not the case for football however. With the crowd so sparse it was never going to be a problem as I just moved and sat wherever I wanted, trying out all the stands at some point.

Mexico, playing without their European based players, just about edged it although Senegal were worth a goal for their efforts.

As mentioned, this is a baseball stadium that has been home to Miami Marlins since 2012. It has a capacity of 37,442, making it the third smallest stadium in MLB.

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