HOUSTON – With the Sweet 16 around the corner, 97-year-old John Toomey will be in Cougar red and ready to watch the University of Houston take on Illinois.
KPRC 2 sat down with Toomey at his restaurant, J Bar M BBQ in EaDo, to hear why the longtime Houston fan still lives and breathes Cougar basketball.
Toomey graduated from the University of Houston in 1951 with a law degree and says his loyalties have never wavered.
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He opened J Bar M BBQ four years ago and runs the East Downtown restaurant as part of his daily routine.
Toomey starts most mornings the same way: a quick walkthrough with staff, coffee, and the newspaper—often while wearing Cougar red.
He has cheered on the university through highs and lows, including the heartbreak of the 1983 national title loss to North Carolina State. He remembers watching every game and even driving to Albuquerque to see the final.
“Yeah, that was a real bad one. I didn’t miss any games that year—in fact, for quite a few years—but particularly that year I watched every game. And then I decided I’d get in the car and load up and go to Albuquerque,” said Toomey.
Toomey added it’s a game he’ll never get over.
“Guy Lewis was the coach, and we went out there, and then at the last second the guy threw that damn basketball from midcourt and it went in—and that just killed me.”
Toomey eventually moved on and held several different job titles, including stints in real estate, hotels, restaurants, and car dealerships. His passion for barbecue ultimately led him to open J Bar M BBQ.
“It was always kind of a hobby of mine,” Toomey said.
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The restaurant has become a hub for Cougar fans on game days. Coach Kelvin Sampson even records his podcast there.
“It was very impressive. He’s a great gentleman and knows what the heck he’s doing. He handles it well, and the players are very respectful and recognize his genius and work well with him.”
Toomey is hopeful this is the year the Cougars bring home a national title.
“I really would love to see that happen. They deserve it,” Toomey said.
He says he’ll be praying for the Cougars and watching the Sweet 16 action at J Bar M. Anyone who couldn’t snag tickets is welcome to watch the game at the restaurant.