TCU to the Big East

[SoCal_Pony]

How does this possibly help SMU?

You are a top Texas HS player.

You have the choice of playing Georgetown, Syracuse, 'Nova, Connecticut and Notre Dame each year in front of enthusiastic crowds, or Portland State, Central Arkansas, Wayland Baptist and McMurray in front of 800 grey-beards.

A Big Thank-You Dr Turner and Steve Orsini for your foresight.

This was the one sport SMU could have dominated, it has now been reduced to a complete joke of a program. TCU will have 1st dibs on any players we are interested in.

Anxiously awaiting a post about how 'the light has finally turned on player (fill in the blank)' as he gets his 1st double-double of the season...while not mentioning the fact that our opponent is Alabama State.

[ponyscott]

Baby steps first...will get there..starting NEXT year.......lol

[PonyDoh]

We'll see about the Big East move. Feels like a long-term debacle and they're gonna get housed in hoops for a minute. More than I care about that move, cause it seems iffy, I want to know why I never hear about SMU in any expansion discussions.

[ponyscott]

We'll see about the Big East move. Feels like a long-term debacle and they're gonna get housed in hoops for a minute. More than I care about that move, cause it seems iffy, I want to know why I never hear about SMU in any expansion discussions.

What?...its announced and will happen...what's iffy? SMU isn't ever mentioned because we haven't made it happen quite yet...its about relevence.

[SoCal_Pony]

Pony Doh,

I have been around this block a few times.

Regardless of what some people think, the only way SMU will fill the stands in either FB or BB is with opponents that are relevant.

Look at the only times in the past decade that SMU has filled their stadiums. Outside of the Kansas novelty of opening Ford, it has been Texas Tech and TCU in FB and Texas Tech and Memphis in BB. Go back to the Pony Express days and it was the same thing.

TCU had a similar dilemma. They just solved it in BB by going BE.

With the BB talent inside Texas, locals will now think twice about going to UT. I think this is that big of a deal for the Frogs.

They will absolutely now LEAP FROG us in BB.

I remember those exciting SWC days when Moody was packed and the lower bowl was SRO for students.

Our friends in Fort Worth are in for a real treat. Congrats to them, they deserved it.

And shame on us. We ABSOLUTEY deserve the fate we are given.

[PonyDoh]

Pony Doh,

I have been around this block a few times.

Regardless of what some people think, the only way SMU will fill the stands in either FB or BB is with opponents that are relevant.

Look at the only times in the past decade that SMU has filled their stadiums. Outside of the Kansas novelty of opening Ford, it has been Texas Tech and TCU in FB and Texas Tech and Memphis in BB. Go back to the Pony Express days and it was the same thing.

TCU had a similar dilemma. They just solved it in BB by going BE.

With the BB talent inside Texas, locals will now think twice about going to UT. I think this is that big of a deal for the Frogs.

They will absolutely now LEAP FROG us in BB.

I remember those exciting SWC days when Moody was packed and the lower bowl was SRO for students.

Our friends in Fort Worth are in for a real treat. Congrats to them, they deserved it.

And shame on us. We ABSOLUTEY deserve the fate we are given.

Being relevant in hoops doesn't work like that. They haven't recruited to the level of their competition in basketball, in any league, since roughly the WAC 16 & Nailon garbage. I'm not sour grapes or anything of the sort, it's just a very meh move, IMO. It's a completely unstable league, divided between football irrelevance and being too large for a functional hoops conference.

Kudos to them for doing what they think is best, I'm just don't think it guarantees much. Basically, they get to play in a BCS game by getting less wins. Cool. Any program can push the envelope in hoops. You just have to be committed to do so. Conference affiliation couldn't be more overrated. Heck, who is to say the Big East hoops schools don't band together etc.

[SoCal_Pony]

SMU isn't ever mentioned because we haven't made it happen quite yet...its about relevence.

Not Quite...

Sagarin Rankings
Presbyterian College #233
SMU #235

[PonyDoh]

We'll see about the Big East move. Feels like a long-term debacle and they're gonna get housed in hoops for a minute. More than I care about that move, cause it seems iffy, I want to know why I never hear about SMU in any expansion discussions.

What?...its announced and will happen...what's iffy? SMU isn't ever mentioned because we haven't made it happen quite yet...its about relevence.

the big east is iffy long-term as a viable conference, not TCU joining it in 2012.

[SoCal_Pony]

Pony Doh,

Its their opponents now that will generate interest.

SMU could be a Top 20 team and still not draw if our opponent was UAB, Tulane or Marshall. That is true in either sport.

However, in BB, you can have a sub-par team and still draw good fan support if the opponent is a big name. I witnessed this first-hand at Moody during the 70's and 80's when most of our teams were so-so.

TCU does not have that problem now in BB. They will draw good crowds which will help in recruiting. This is one of the few things I agree with Coach Doh about. Lack of fan support kills our chances.

[PonyDoh]

Pony Doh,

Its their opponents now that will generate interest.

SMU could be a Top 20 team and still not draw if our opponent was UAB, Tulane or Marshall. That is true in either sport.

However, in BB, you can have a sub-par team and still draw good fan support if the opponent is a big name. I witnessed this first-hand at Moody during the 70's and 80's when most of our teams were so-so.

TCU does not have that problem now in BB. They will draw good crowds which will help in recruiting. This is one of the few things I agree with Coach Doh about. Lack of fan support kills our chances.

Basketball recruiting isn't about crowds. It's about relationships, leverage, and scratching backs. Who TCU plays in hoops doesn't make them good in hoops. They have to do that part on their own, and they've never shown the ability to get that done. They can't handle average hoops conferences, what leads me to believe they are hoops gold now?

I agree w/everyone that we need to schedule up in hoops, even as early as next year. You can't become a hoops power, especially as a mid, if you aren't getting after it. OTOH, thank God we didn't schedule anyone this year

[SoCal_Pony]

Pony Doh,

You saying a local kid who is considering SMU and attends some of their games this year with the other 1,200 fans won't be influenced by the lack of support?

I hope you are right, but find that hard to believe.

Either way, TCU BB fans are the big winners.

Games like SMU had with Memphis a couple of years ago (our last big attendance game, and one we almost won btw) will occur in Fort Worth on a weekly/bi-weekly basis.

[papawasamustang]

The kids want to play against top flight competition & the fans want to watch top programs.
Both the players & the fans are being cheated by this AD & HC. Love the Gonzaga model for scheduling. The big advantage SMU has over Gonzaga is location. Travel is a lot easier to come to Big D. Again, just too bad the players & fans can't experience what D1 Hoops is all about.

BTW, TCU hosted the USC Trojans tonight. TCU won.

[HB Pony Dad]

BTW, TCU hosted the USC Trojans tonight. TCU won.

Thanks I needed that to complete my Holiday experience!

[papawasamustang]

Its such a competitive market for the basketball entertainment $$$.
The Mavs are always going to get the majority of fans. The NBDL team is going to attract some fans.
College hoops fans options are SMU, TCU, NTSU, and UTA.

Who would you prefer to see in person? I think there are going to be a lot of people heading over to Ft. Worth.

SMU vs. Tulane
NTSU vs. Troy St.
UTA vs. McNeese State
TCU vs. Georgetown, Louisville, Pitt, UConn, Orange, etc.

SoCal Pony is right on the money !

[ponyscott]

SMU isn't ever mentioned because we haven't made it happen quite yet...its about relevence.

Not Quite...

Sagarin Rankings
Presbyterian College #233
SMU #235

OUCH....THATS funny!!!! Damn....we that bad huh?.....