Sorry I just had to post this and get some frusteration out.
Now folks..Lets not forget that Tyler Lee is now the God of East Texas Football and! just the State of Texas in general...
They could never lose to Longview or Lufkin
And those three games they lost to Longview, Lufkin, and Euless Trinity last year..oo yes they were just screwed by the refs 
(Please credit this story to the Tyler Morning Telegraph-Chris Parry, KTBB Radio, and Smoaky.com)
Robert E. Lee head football coach Mike Owens was approached during Saturday's 7-on-7 tournament by a representative from Fox Sports Net in an effort to begin discussions about televising the Longview at Tyler Lee football game on national television.
Owens confirmed the meeting with me late Saturday night. I also heard about the meeting from Chris Parry of the Tyler Morning Telegraph, and his article will appear in Sunday's paper. I promised Chris I wouldn't post anything until after midnight on Saturday.
I also received email confirmation from both Coach Owens and Dave Stephenson of Titus Sports Marketing earlier this evening.
FSN wants to televise the Longview @ Lee game live on a Thursday night at TMF Rose Stadium, and that game would be one of a handful of high school games nationally televised on the network. A Thursday night game would avoid any conflict with the UIL's rule on live broadcasts on Friday nights (we've been over that a few times in the last couple of months...couldn't resist).
The discussions are in the preliminary stages with many hurdles to be cleared.
Owens told me if all hurdles were crossed, he would move the game from Friday to Thursday to secure the live broadcast, but would not move the kickoff time from 7:30pm, and/or site.
Stephenson made it very clear the discussions are very preliminary at this time, and no sides are near the contract stage.
My calls to both Longview athletic director Pat Collins and head football coach John King were not returned at the time of this post.
This is just another example of how Titus Sports Marketing is changing the face of high school football at Tyler I.S.D..
Stephenson, in his email to me on Saturday night said..."There are very few coaches outside of Mike Owens (and an AD like Danny Long) that would undergo an exciting season like this with so many opportunities for exposure".
If the Longview at Lee game is finalized on Fox Sports Net, it could become the second nationally-televised game for the defending Class 5-A Division One-A champions, with the other broadcast, Lee vs. Cincinnati Colerain in Columbus, Ohio in the negotiating stages between Fahlgren Sports Marketing and ESPN-U. On Friday, it was announced that Fahlgren Sports Marketing would meet with the UIL on August 3rd in an effort to clear the broadcast, whether live or tape-delayed.
Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
Smoaky
FSN LOOKING TO BROADCAST LEE-LONGVIEW
By CHRIS PARRY, Staff Writer July 16, 2005
COLLEGE STATION - Robert E. Lee and Longview could be playing this year's District 12-5A clash in front of a live national television audience.
Fox Sports Net is in talks to showcase Lee-Longview as its "National Game of the Week."
John Heidtke, general manager of FSN Southwest, wants to showcase East Texas football and believes the Red Raiders and Lobos are the best way to do that.
"We are optimistic (in getting it done)," Heidtke said. "If we can get everything worked out, we'd like to announce the game at (THSCA) Coaching School (July 24-26).
Heidtke said FSN is putting together a package of five national high school games. Two of those games will feature teams from Texas.
If both schools approve this, the Lee-Longview game will be moved ahead one day and be played on October 6 at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. By playing on Thursday, the game can be shown on national television without violating any UIL regulations.
Lee and Longview went to overtime last season with the Lobos prevailing 34-31 at Lobo Stadium. The teams split meetings in 2003, each winning on the other's home field.
If approved, this could give Lee two national televised games.
The Red Raiders' Sept. 9 clash against Cincinnati Colerain at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio has been approved for a national television broadcast on ESPNU by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
It is still yet to be seconded by the UIL because the game would take place on Friday, in conflict with a UIL regulation of not televising Friday high school games. A UIL vote could be held on Aug. 2-3 to decide the issue.
Chris Parry covers sports. He can be reached at 903.596.6335. e-mail: [email protected]
©Tyler Morning Telegraph 2005
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