The cost of hiring a team for a home win.

[lwjr]

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com ... r-hou.html

Pac 10 commissioner Larry Scott attended the TCU/Oregon State game on Saturday night and he was asked about the direction of college sports, the impending expansion of the Pac 10, the imminent explosion of the Big 12, blah blah blah.

But he did hit on one area that is becoming of growing concern to college athletic directors, big time boosters, and TV execs, which is the need for a better product on the field, especially early in the season. College schedules are loaded with "guarantee games" which usually ensure a boring game, even at a high ticket price.

"I think there is an increase in sensitivity about that," Scott said. "I think you'll see a trend toward tougher, better scheduling and not so many lopsided games out of conference."

Sounds great, but it's an almost impossible equation.

If you are a Texas, there is no reason to schedule more than one "legit" non-conference game per season. If that.

If you are a North Texas, there is no way to operate a football team and athletic department without these games.

"That is the only way for these schools to keep up and try to keep up with the Jones's. I don't think you'll ever get away from it," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "My advice to them, and I said this five or six years ago to our conference, you shouldn't play anybody for anything less than $1 million. Don't give them the benefit of the doubt. If they are getting X amount of dollars from their stadium and what they are doing, come play you at your place."

A TCU administrator told me this week that the school will pay this week's opponent, Tennessee Tech , $400,000 to come to Fort Worth to most likely lose. That's a deal. San Jose State received more than $1 million to play at Alabama in Week 1. A large chunk of an athletic department's athletic budget is covered by these games.

Playing TCU apparently is a good deal for a team. Teams are treated well, and there is an unwritten rule that TCU won't try to embarass the opponent. So an opponent can come to Fort Worth, get a decent check, and know its team won't physically be derailed for the remainder of the season. It's almost a selling point to "buy" a team.

Jax For fans, though, the game is usually a dog and over by halftime. Then there is the rare game when the little team comes in, gets the big check, and a massive win (see Jacksonville St. at Ole Miss and North Dakota State at Kansas last week). Last season, TCU received $1.1 million from Clemson for playing at Death Valley.

Boosters at TCU, and other schools, are leaning on the suits to quit scheduling these games. It sounds great in theory, but it's doubtful it will ever actually occur.

[West Coast Johnny]

What Patterson didn't say is that Coaches love these games. The second half of the Tenn Tech game is going to be like a glorified practice, as the 2nd and 3rd teamers are going to get pleanty of playting time. If TCU wins out they will go to another BCS game. Why should they schedule a top opponent? These piss-poor games are a symptom of the BCS and the fact that there is no punishment for a weak SOS. Patterson schedules a d2 game every year.

[Terry Webster]

How much did we bring in from the trip to Lubbock?

[lwjr]

I was curious what SMU made for the trip out to Lubbock

[West Coast Johnny]

I was curious what SMU made for the trip out to Lubbock

You only get the pay day if it is a one and done. There typically isn't a payday for a home and home.

[lwjr]

Thanks. I thought the visitor still recieved some cut.

[PonyTime]

I wonder, how much did we have to pay SFA last year?

[PonyTime]

I think we should schedule Eastern Washington for next year . . .

[sbsmith]

Isn't the non-conf schedule for 2011 filled already?

[smupony94]

Isn't the non-conf schedule for 2011 filled already?

we can boot someone to get EWU on the schedule

[smu diamond m]

Bo Levi's post from last week after EWU's loss:

No excuse for last night, all I can say is the offense has to excel fast and I know we will, because it starts and ends with ME and Im not going to stop until were on top. We took the L but no more, sorry opponents. Lets go Eags

[smuuth]

If you aspire to be great and a top program you have to raise the bar and your thinking. Our attitude should be we will play anyone anywhere! When Florida State resurrected their program with Bowden, as they got better nobody would come to Doak Campbel so they went on the road to the big boys. Sure, you will lose many of these games compared to home but kids want to play the big boys as do the fans and every now and then you are going to beat these guys. It is a win, win situation. An SMU team who goes 8-4 and wins CUSA goes to the same bowl as an 10-2 or 11-1 SMU team. Which made you feel better....a poorly played win against SFA or a close loss to a good TT team on the road which we could have won with better play and fewer turnovers? People were saying we wouldn't win again after the first game last year and now they are saying we have a chance to win every game....yes, even TCU.

[Terry Webster]

The Omaha paper reported that Nebraska has been working to get Boise on the schedule but BSU wanted $1 Million for a one time payout. Wow. Needless to say, they won't be playing anytime soon.

[lwjr]

Bo Levi's post from last week after EWU's loss:

No excuse for last night, all I can say is the offense has to excel fast and I know we will, because it starts and ends with ME and Im not going to stop until were on top. We took the L but no more, sorry opponents. Lets go Eags

"Don't stop Bo-lieving"

[PonyKai]

The Omaha paper reported that Nebraska has been working to get Boise on the schedule but BSU wanted $1 Million for a one time payout. Wow. Needless to say, they won't be playing anytime soon.

If Navy gets 1.4 million to go play the Buckeyes, and SJSU gets almost a million to go play 'Bama, if I were BSU, I would demand at least one million. You're bringing a respectable contingent of fans, a top-10 team, almost assured national TV exposure, and ESPN performing fellatio on your game for days if not weeks. They have no reason not to want that much.