TCU set to join Mountain West Conference

[SoCal_Pony]

Before we get all high and mighty let’s not forget that we were arguably the worst college football team in America last season, we have habitual attendance problems, and that new NCAA attendance requirements will not be a slam dunk to fulfill.

We need TCU, its rivalry and its fans, just as they need us, unfortunately we have not held up our side of the bargain for the past 17 years.

If we tell them to pound sand, NTSU would gladly offer them an easy non-conference travel game.

I say keep the TCU game for our own selfish reasons so that one day we can prove to them and us what both of us know to be true.

With proper commitment, SMU > TCU.

[ponyboy]

Just goes to show you what the decision not to prostitute onself will do for you.

And, for the non liberal arts folks out there, Diamond M used the term "hubris." It a Greek term which means outrageous arrogance.

[Greenwich Pony]

I can say that I'm modestly surprised that TCU's administration's decision. But I'm not disappointed. This should help us considerably and hurt TCU. There is no way that the MWC is going BCS and without the MWC in the BCS, this was a dumb move all the way 'round. The CUSA contract isn't going to be nearly as lucrative, but the MWC contract isn't going to be phenominally better either.

Wouldn't it be funny if the WAC gets the BCS card? (It won't- there won't be anymore "guaranteed" BCS seats. What may happen if the Big East is dropped from automatic status is to let the highest ranked non-BCS fill the slot.)

[EastStang]

NTSU/UNT would play us in a heartbeat. And TCU would not want to schedule UNT because they might lose. And if they were dumb enough to play them and lose, think what that would do to their prestigious mystique with their new MWC cohorts. If UTEP doesn't go to CUSA, UTEP would play us in a heartbeat, too, and they bring as many fans as TCU does. Check last season's attendance. Heck, replace them with Grambling. Bigger crowd, better band. Don't let the door hit them on the way out, Froggies.

[Stallion]

reality chack: TCU brought more fans last year than UTEP would bring in 5-7 years.

[NavyCrimson]

what's really wild is if the bcs-bs caves due to the courts or whatever & this move by the purple-goo then really backfires!!!!!!!!!

EXPENSES THROUGHT THE ROOF FOR SURE!!!!!!!!! :w00t:

LOL LOL LOL LOL

i wonder if they have a plan B????????????

:whistling:

<small>[ 01-23-2004, 08:04 AM: Message edited by: Navy&Crimson ]</small>

[SoCal_Pony]

Originally posted by EastStang:
And TCU would not want to schedule UNT because they might lose.

To TCU's credit, they are striving to be the very best. I do not think they would be afraid of NTSU. If they learned anything last year, it is the importance of playing tougher opponents.

Fact is, it would be a more entertaining game than SMU and could get more pub.

On the other hand, playing and losing to SMU would be more of an embarrassment.

[Sam I Am]

Give the devils their due. MWC is a stronger conference than C-USA regarding attendance. And folks, private school attendance was the cause of the SWC breakup. Even when SMU begins to win again, we are still going to have an attendacne problem. Having said all of that, SMU is much better off in the C-USA than we would be in the MWC. If the C-USA is to attain respect, then we will have to beat MWC teams like TCU. Keep them on the schedule. It gives us even more reason to play them. :shifty:

[GoRedGoBlue]

I understand their reasoning, but, the long term prospects (i.e., 4-5 years) will show that TCU is an average team in the MWC and due to that, their home attendance will persish with 5-6 seasons, and their recruiting will ultimately tail off.

[gostangs]

Stallion - is it true that their recruting has already trailed off in recnt years compared to a few yers ago? - that is what it seems to me as a non expert. - Perhaps not their net results, but their high school recruiting seems off since Fran left, and they are filling the considerable holes with JUCOs, and are running out of fingers to fill in the cracks to sustain their present performance level. I say they have one more good year ahead of them, and then their schedule gets tougher exactly when their team drops off a bit. Prediction - their 15 minutes is about up.

[EastStang]

I read somewhere that Patterson was not thrilled with the prospect of moving to the MWC. Any odds on how long before he jumps ship? As we know, one bad hire can put a program in the crapper. And then it snowballs after that.

[MeanGreenGem]

EastStang, you left out NTSTC in your listing of our most recent names we've had since 1890! :confused:

BTW, is it the Safeway or Tom Thumb/Page parking lot?!?!? :laugh:

Originally posted by EastStang:
NTSU/UNT would play us in a heartbeat. And TCU would not want to schedule UNT because they might lose. And if they were dumb enough to play them and lose, think what that would do to their prestigious mystique with their new MWC cohorts. If UTEP doesn't go to CUSA, UTEP would play us in a heartbeat, too, and they bring as many fans as TCU does. Check last season's attendance. Heck, replace them with Grambling. Bigger crowd, better band. Don't let the door hit them on the way out, Froggies.

[Stallion]

Well TCU has hit big on some young big-time recruits who are difference-makers like Battle, Lonta Hobbs, Tye Gunn, Merrill, Newby and others so they aren't going to just fade away-not sure if SMU has young recruits that have proven to be of that caliber yet but I think it is fair to say that TCU's HS recruiting is roughly equal to SMU's during the last two recruiting classes. BUT TCU has signed and/or commited some big time JUCO recruits that definitely give them an edge at least during the next two years. But that relative competitiveness-assuming each class performs to expectations-would not really be fully evident until at least 2005-2006 in my opinion.

<small>[ 01-23-2004, 12:49 PM: Message edited by: Stallion ]</small>

[Mustangs35SMU]

FINALLYYYYY!! THEY MAKE A DECISION!!!! Took only 2 or 3 months Good Job TCU you're getting smarter!! :thumbupcool:

[Charleston Pony]

seems to me a lot of SMU fans have lost their objectivity in all of this. The FACTS are that the MWC currently enjoys the stongest average attendance of the non-BCS conferences, due in large part to BYU's ability to draw 60,000 crowds. They have larger capacities in their stadiums so those attendance figures are likely to remain what they are. TCU's ACS and it's 44k capacity was undoubtedly viewed as a plus over Boise's 30k. Look for Hawaii and Fresno to get future consideration if the MWC looks to expand to 12 someday.

The BCS is all about $$$ and if you can't sell tickets and attract large crowds, the TV networks will take notice. What's so dificult to grasp in all of this? SMU, as hard as this is to admit, is among the doormats of Division I athletics and not even our alumni support our athletic programs. The fact that we are situated in Dallas SHOULD give us an advantage, but until we put a decent product on the field/court, nothing is likely to change.

Give TCU their due. They've worked hard and are being rewarded. There is already talk of tweaking the BCS to be more inclusive, but you can bet that means only the "best of the rest" will have a shot. I'm sure TCU, assuming they accept this invitation, is assuming the MWC will produce the strongest team from among the non-BCS group. The big question is whether the Big East will retain their seat at that table. That will be interesting to watch.

Bottom line in all of this is that we should not let emotion get in the way of logic. SMU/TCU is the most natural rivalry we have and it should ALWAYS be maintained. Being in different conferences could make the rivalry even better. In case you haven't noticed, SMU athletics is dirt poor because of our lack of support by comparison with others. Don't think for one minute that our CUSA brethren are excited about our coming in while TCU departs. SMU needs to step up and prove we belong "competing at the highest levels" as the "Commitment" says. We shall see.