What's the future of the Iron Skillet?

[TCUdirtbag]

I've always been a big supporter of the iron skillet game. I'm over it from a rivalry standpoint. Most of our fans don't care, and the players and students don't care at all.

But I think some of the "it's SMU's super bowl" talk is silly. Maybe it is, but I f we replace them with University of North Texas, Houston, Texas State, or any other G5 school, those teams are going to get up just as much to try and beat a P5 school that didn't recruit them the same way SMU does. The good thing about just playing SMU every year is we get to know their personnel and the staff isn't having to prep for an unfamiliar opponent and staff every year. That time can go to more important things.

 

[froginmn]

Since the Iron Skillet is made of iron, I would suspect that it could last several thousand years, as long as it isn't left out in the rain....

95% of those years will be spent in Fort Worth.

 

[froginmn]

I like having a 7th DFW game every other year but our fans have become increasingly apothecary towards going to Dallas.

If that's the case, perhaps we should pursue a sponsorship from Walgreens or CVS.

 

[Deep Purple]

But I think some of the "it's SMU's super bowl" talk is silly. Maybe it is, but I f we replace them with University of North Texas, Houston, Texas State, or any other G5 school, those teams are going to get up just as much to try and beat a P5 school that didn't recruit them the same way SMU does.

Disagree. With University of North Texas, Houston, Texas State, there is no Metroplex rivalry element, and none of them look down on Fort Worth or TCU the way Dallas/SMU does. There's a whole other dynamic involved that University of North Texas, Houston, and Texas State do not know of.

 

[HeidelFrog]

Sorry, but playing academies is never a good idea. They almost always beat you up with the triple option, and sometimes they just beat you. In the MWC days, CGP had to set aside time in spring ball and fall camp to prep for it. Playing academies is cool for fans but not great for the team and the goal of winning a championship.

Loving the idea of playing Air Force is probably just a selfish wish. I would love to head out to Colorado Springs on a road trip at the Academy. Could understand why the program wouldn't want to do it. They did go undefeated and win the Rose Bowl one of the last years they played.... a MWC schedule then vs a Big 12 schedule now though

 

[ShreveFrog]

Keep the game and The Skillet tradition. SMU is one hire away from building a respectable program, as we did with Fran / GP.

On that subject, I'm wondering why everyone thinks Morris is some hot coach on the move. Get back to me when they can play some defense.

No reason SMU should not at least be decent in football.

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as PhormerPhrog]

If that's the case, perhaps we should pursue a sponsorship from Walgreens or CVS.

This latest Android update is the worst!

 

[froginaustin]

Of course he's gonna want the series...he's 14-2 against, what, 4 different coaches?

Speaking of which, has anyone heard any suggestions on the SMU side that the series should be limited or dropped?

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as PhormerPhrog]

Speaking of which, has anyone heard any suggestions on the SMU side that the series should be limited or dropped?

FWIW, their series with University of North Texas goes on for another 8-10 years or so. That's their true rival for now.

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as PhormerPhrog]

No reason SMU should not at least be decent in football.

But we could list a million reasons why they're not. Until they are, we shouldn't be playing them on an annual basis.

 

[Purp]

I would say WVA. The game has always close (except last year). We both came into the conference at the same time and Morgantown has a great gameday atmosphere.

This wouldn't work bc there's no hate. I hate Baylor and hate Tech and hate SMU. Hate is what fuels a rivalry. There's a mutual respect between TCU and WVU that will make it hard to form a rivalry.

 

[Purp]

I'm fairly certain all this is immaterial. I'm undecided on the SMU series - I see compelling arguments on both sides - but as I understand it GP wants the game and his may be the only vote that counts

CDC also wants it. This game is much better for the program financially than any other option. As long as that remains true we'll be playing SMU each year.

 

[SuperTFrog]

They beat us 15 times in a row in the 70's and 80's. They undoubtedly were thinking the same thing during those years. The series ebbs and flows. This seems like a knee jerk reaction when you look at a 100 yr rivalry.

 

[Lone Frog]

They beat us 15 times in a row in the 70's and 80's. They undoubtedly were thinking the same thing during those years. The series ebbs and flows. This seems like a knee jerk reaction when you look at a 100 yr rivalry.

Except we were in the same conference then. That's a whole different matter.

 

[Riff Ram]

The home and home is a beating, and it's not worth fighting the traffic to play in their high school stadium, giving them the chance take advantage by up charging those tickets every year we go to Dallas.

Let's play them at ACS, every other year or so is plenty. We shouldn't feel obligated to do home and homes indefinitely with non P5 teams.

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as PhormerPhrog]

They beat us 15 times in a row in the 70's and 80's. They undoubtedly were thinking the same thing during those years. The series ebbs and flows. This seems like a knee jerk reaction when you look at a 100 yr rivalry.

CFB was a whole different animal then and they were conference mates.

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as PhormerPhrog]

The home and home is a beating, and it's not worth fighting the traffic to play in their high school stadium, giving them the chance take advantage by up charging those tickets every year we go to Dallas.

Let's play them at ACS, every other year or so is plenty. We shouldn't feel obligated to do home and homes indefinitely with non P5 teams.

I bought tickets on Stubhub at the 30 for $15 last time.

 

[TCUdirtbag]

Disagree. With University of North Texas, Houston, Texas State, there is no Metroplex rivalry element, and none of them look down on Fort Worth or TCU the way Dallas/SMU does. There's a whole other dynamic involved that University of North Texas, Houston, and Texas State do not know of.

IMO you're confusing emotions/attitudes of people 35+ with those of college football players who were born after the SWC broke up, who have never seen SMU ever being good, and who have never not seen TCU be good. It's not 1995, 2000 or even 2010. Today's players have a very different perspective of TCU and SMU than existed pre-2000. The "dynamic" you speak of doesn't exist as it once did.

 

[TCUdirtbag]

No reason SMU should not at least be decent in football.

There are many reasons SMU is not decent in football:
- Inadequate facilities
- No fan support
- 30 years of being awful

This doesn't touch many other issues that hold them back, from (supposedly) higher academic standards limiting who they'll recruit, to the challenges TCU has faced being a small private school in a pro sports city in a state with huge public school fan bases.

 

[rifram09]

It is what it is. We play one good (or okay) OOC game, our "rivalry" against SMew, and one game complete body bag game against an FCS school.

If you believe the OOC should be improved, dropping the FCS game makes the most sense. Changing SMew with a rotation of other G5 teams doesn't improve the schedule, and only served to end a century-long, regional rivalry. I guess I'd be okay with dropping SMew if we replaced them with another P5 game. But I'd still rather keep SMew, and schedule two P5 games.