My new partner here at the Port Arthur News, sports editor I.C. Murrell, has always had positive things to say about Southeast Texas.

He came here in August, and talk about being thrown to the wolves with high school football starting up right when the guy walked in the doors. (And, no, not the Red Wolves of Arkansas State.)

Murrell took off like he was a part of the Port Arthur Memorial track team and has not looked back. The words just stated set up the words that come next. There is one thing Murrell and I agree on, and it is a little negative.

There are not enough fans attending Lamar University sporting events. Period.

Do not blame the losses and do not say the Cardinals cannot play their respective sport. That is not the correct answer and not even close.

The obvious lack of support is most evident in the basketball arena, the Montagne Center.

Folks, we have a beautiful basketball court right there in Beaumont, and not enough of you take the two hours away from television sets and iPhones to support the Cardinals. The problem starts right there on campus. Students, where are you?

Students get in without the hassle of having to buy a ticket, so being a broke college student is no excuse.

Going to a game is part of the student life at a lot of Division I schools. Students go to a sporting event and then hit a local drinking establishment or even sometimes go to the pub first, then the game and then the watering hole again. It happens, parents, sorry.

This is what makes college so great, and so many of the Lamar students are painfully missing it.

Students do realize those Lamar athletes are also their classmates, right? We are bred in Southeast Texas to take in high school football games and then the other sports that follow. It is what we do.

So why do so many students just stop once they are on campus?

These same words go for students at Lamar State College-Port Arthur. Heck, the losing excuse really cannot be used for the Seahawks basketball team because those guys are leading their region.

Now, do not take this next part the wrong way, senior citizens, but the average age of fans in the stands at both colleges has to hover around 50. Am I lying?

It is time to change the culture at these two colleges. It is time for as many people as possible to get up off their butts and go support the Cardinals and Seahawks.

None of the sporting events last but a few hours.

So I implore you to ask yourself this question. What is more enjoyable, sitting at home or going to a local game?

If you are reading this column, you are already an assumed sports fan so take the next step and take in a ball game. I will likely be there and would really like to see more fans in the stands.

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Gabriel Pruett can be reached at 721-2436 or gabe.pruett@panews.com. On Twitter: @PaNewsGabe.