Lone All-Star State: National college football showcase coming to Allen

Two teams, one stadium and 110 graduating seniors from across the country vying for a chance at the NFL - this is what Texas vs. The Nation is all about.

For six years, the all-star exhibition game has gained a reputation for making many young athletes dreams come true at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso and the Alamodome in San Antonio.

This year, the game - which was born from an idea to bring a sense of rivalry and teamwork back to the all-star arena - will be held on Feb. 2 at Eagle Stadium in Allen, an announcement that had many local residents asking, "Why Allen?"

"They have great leadership in that community and the word 'no' doesn't seem to come up in any conversations there," said Kenny Hansmire, CEO of Texas vs. The Nation. "I know I'm in the right area and I know [the city of Allen] is excited about it. The NFL looked at those facilities and said they looked at it as one of the top 10 facilities for both college and NFL in the country, and that's very special."

In 2006, Hansmire said he came up with the concept for the all-star game after having a conversation with sports and communications luminary Red McCombs. According to Hansmire, the sports team mogel asked Hansmire - who, at the time was owner and chairman of the Hula Bowl - why all-star bowl games seemed to be struggling across the country, to which Hansmire said he felt it was due, in part, to regional indifference.

"You can't get behind an east-west or a north-south game, no one knows who to root for," Hansmire said. "Everyone that day - except the parents of the nation side - will be rooting for Texas."

Last season, the game was renamed the NFLPA Game in San Antonio, but was shifted back to the original format this year. The exhibition serves as a stage for professional scouts to evaluate prospects for the NFL, CFL and other pro football leagues, and is similar to college all-star games like the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Game.

The showcase attracted roughly 28,000 fans in its first year and boasts roughly 225 scouts and general managers each season, Hansmire said. More than 500 college players who participated in the Texas vs. the Nation game have been signed to NFL contracts since its inception, and more than 100 players have been selected in the NFL Draft.

With a five-year contract to keep the bowl in Allen, Hansmire said he hopes both the national and local communities can draw enough numbers to make it a staple of North Texas football.

"We're very excited. We want Allen to be our hometown for a very long time," he said. "This is the largest contingent of future millionaires that will be in Allen that day. If you didn't have tickets to the Super Bowl, you need to be in Allen."

With potential for celebrity sightings at the game and simply being associated with the level of recognition that the NFL carries, the staff at Eagle Stadium has been proud of the national attention the third largest high school football stadium in Texas has received since opening on Aug. 31 last year, Allen ISD spokesman Tim Carroll said.

While staffing strategies will certainly be formulated between Carroll and stadium manager Jeff Chaney between now and Feb. 2, Carroll said the 18,000-seat facility was made for games like this and is already prepared to handle big crowds.

"We're very privileged to host the event, we're going full guns trying to accommodate them in any way we can," Carroll said. "This is a big deal for Allen because of the exposure Allen gets. (The) NFL's name has recognition all over the world."

Since its first game, which attracted 22,000 people, Eagle Stadium has been highlighted in numerous TV shows and publications nationwide. Serving a student body of 5,300 - the second largest in Texas - the stadium's size and $59.6 cost attracted the initial attention. But it is the comfort and amenities that has carried that attention, which has led it to attract playoff games and bowls like Texas vs. The Nation, Carroll said.

An avid football fan, Carroll said while he enjoys seeing people drive by like tourists to feast their eyes on the facility for the first time, perhaps what has been even more exciting for him has been running into athletes like former Dallas Cowboys Randy White and Bill Bates touring the facility and "kicking the tires."

"I think at first, there was a lot of anxiety from people saying we were never going to fill [Eagle Stadium], but in reality it's full almost every single game," Carroll said. "The stadium is certainly serving its purpose and was made the appropriate size. The buzz brought the people here but the quality is something I feel will bring some longevity to it."

Allen head football coach Tom Westerberg was selected to assist Bates, who will serve as head coach for the Texas team, which leads 3-2 in the series. While his Eagles' recent Class 5A Division I State Championship and longstanding status as a state powerhouse certainly sweetened the deal, Hansmire said Westerberg was selected more for his reputation of creating leaders.

"[Westerberg] wins championships, but what I hear more [about him is that] he builds character with his team, and that's a leader," he said. "When you're building young men to be greater young men, that's what coaching is all about. I've never heard an ill word about him, all I've heard are words like 'honor,' 'integrity,' 'leadership,' and 'humble.'"

Head coach at Allen since 2004, Westerberg said he is looking forward to two things when it comes to fulfilling his role as assistant head coach for the Texas team - seeing a few familiar faces from Allen's alumni and stepping out of his high school-level position to see what they've learned.

"It's just going to be quite an honor and a lot of fun with some of our students coming back," he said. "I'm trying to learn as much as I can from all these guys. Anytime you get around these guys and with the experience they have, you're bound to learn something, as well as learn something from these kids. I'm using this for more of a learning experience than anything."

The Texas vs. The Nation game starts at 1:30 p.m. and will be televised by FOX Sports. For tickets and information, visit texasvsthenation.com.

Source: http://www.allenamerican.com/articles/2013/01/10/allen_american/news/791.txt

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