Some 30 years faraway from the location of their best triumphs as NFL teammates, former Houston Oilers defensive backs Cris Dishman (Texas Southern) and Bubba McDowell (Prairie View) will write a brand new chapter of their long-time friendship as SWAC head coaches within the annual Labor Day Traditional on Saturday evening.
Each males are excited in regards to the new season, and at Monday’s SWAC coaches’ press convention, they promised little would change of their friendship – or method to soccer – main as much as and after the sport.
“Bubba and I are all the time going to stay buddies, it doesn’t matter what the result of this recreation is,” mentioned Dishman, who was named the Tigers’ head coach in January after an extended search by the Texas Southern Board of Regents. “Coach McDowell has been very instrumental in me having this job, so I might by no means see us not being buddies.”
“We’ve acquired two brothers who love one another, however this recreation just isn’t about Cris Dishman or Bubba McDowell; it’s about Texas Southern and Prairie View and the product we have to put on the market on the sector come Saturday evening,” added McDowell, who comes into his third season at PVAMU with a 12-11 general document and the 2023 Western Division championship to his credit score.
Associates shortly grow to be rivals in SWAC opener
Dishman and McDowell had been integral elements of the Oilers’ notorious “Home of Ache” protection that helped win 51 video games and two AFC Central titles between 1989 and 1993. Dishman, a cornerback, and McDowell, a security, had been each All-Professionals in 1991. These days have since handed and now these former teammates are wanting ahead to competing in opposition to one another, and the method has already begun.
“The one factor I’m mad at Bubba about at the moment is he promised to select me up and he by no means confirmed up,” Dishman mentioned with a slight smile. “I get right here to the press convention, and I see he’s sitting right here ready on me.”
Even when commuting to press conferences collectively isn’t taking place simply but, McDowell remains to be keen to assist Dishman get used to the SWAC.
“It’s enjoyable to have him within the SWAC proper now. We speak each different week simply to remain involved and meet up with one another,” he says. “If he’s acquired any questions on how issues are run within the SWAC, I’m all the time keen to share with my brother. I do know he’s going to have these guys going, put his stamp on this system and have these guys working free and enjoying good soccer fairly quickly.”
