• The KillerFrogs

Is SMU really a rival?

dawg

Active Member
And I might add there was indeed a trophy between TCU and Tech but it has since been lost to history. There is talk of restarting it again, however.

They have; The Saddle.

DO-EFvvX4AAhqvu


www.sbnation.com/platform/amp/college-football/2017/11/14/16653626/tcu-texas-tech-battle-for-saddle-trophy-rivalry
 

Dutch

T C U Froooogs
Yes 74-78
SMU is the rival
Texas is our most important relationship.
We laugh when we say Baylor ie "Baylor(giggle)"

For my 11th birthday in 1967 my father (TCU '49) drove us from Shreveport to the Cotton Bowl for the last game of the season at SMU because they were our rival. The Frogs were on a 4 game winning streak after starting the season 0-5. I met Davey O/Brien. before the game. P.D. Shabay and Ross (the Hoss) Montgomery couldn't make it 5 in a row as Jerry LeVias and SMU won 28-14. I saw us beat Hayden Fry and Chuck Hixon in 1970,
Soon began an SMU 15 year winning streak. We had our hearts broken year after year in much anticipated games, After the Death Penalty days it has been all us with just a handful of painful exceptions. If this series were win one, lose one it would develop into a huge game, with a big upside for everybody. SMU has not held up their end, but they are the Rival. If SMU would become a top Group of 5 team and we keep it going, TCU SMU would be a hot game,The fact that we have been on a long run does not mean they are not the rival.

Baylor's (giggle) is not worthy of being our rival. Their greatest accomplishment in history is 61-58 and keeping us out of the Playoff. We were indignant and they became paranoid when they got into Big 12 and languished at the bottom for 15 years as TCU became a national power.Before that we did not give Baylor a second thought,

I did hate Art Briles though
 
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I don't normally get into attendance talk but if SMU was truly a rival, then I would think that the game would have generated a little more interest than a stadium that was generously 60% full. I get that we've played them a long time but when you have that level of interest on TCU fans' part and only a few hundred of their fans that drive over for the game, it kind speaks volumes.
 

HFrog12

Full Member
With all due respect your reply reminds me of Baylor, T.Tech, U.T., A&M fans when we were dispatched to the nether regions of NCAA football.
I understand your thoughts on no real return value for our playing certain teams but that arrogance does not serve well for our University or our community. Playing SMU serves a purpose for tradition and showing respect and class to all NCAA programs. Yes TCU fought through all the unfair treatment but don't doubt for a second it was because they thought it was an unfair value. They respected us enough to play us! We should not be snobbish and refuse to play any team.

I am not trying to be arrogant I am just stating facts with the current landscape. I have as much respect of the history of SMU’s program as the next guy, especially after they handed it to us on Saturday. That being said, my reasoning to quit the every year series is less about how much of a detriment it is to the program and more of a hindrance of the opportunities for our program.

Do you really think the NCAA and other programs respect us for keeping this series? No, it’s a joke that we give up a home game every other year to go play in their high school stadium. I realize how that sounds but it’s the truth. NO ONE else does this but us. If it’s all about moral high ground then I understand standing behind that. But there is legitimately no benefit.

And I don’t really follow that “they respected us enough to play us”. They had to play us because they were in the same conference or they chose to because we were in similar circumstances in lesser conferences. Roles reversed - SMU has a beautiful 50k seat stadium, is in the big 12, has baseball teams that go to college World Series, and TCU is this small school that manages to muster up an ncaa basketball appearance occasionally then I would be pissed also if smu cancelled our yearly football “Super Bowl”. But at least they would be trying to better their program. I realize how arrogant that may sound but the truth hurts.

Lastly, I am by no means saying we should refuse to play them all together. It should just be restructured to our benefit bc as it stands now it’s entirely to smu’s benefit. Heck maybe by taking a few years off, or cancelling the auto home and home, it may spark the rivalry even more and there might actually be excitement to the game when it’s been a few years off.
 

Paint It Purple

Active Member
Please answer with yes or no, and also the years you attended TCU (or would have if you attended).

I suspect that the dividing line between the yes and no crowds will be whether they attended TCU before 2000 or after.

My answer: no and 2005-2009. Cant think of anyone my age off hand who thinks of SMU as a rival in the same way they see Baylor.

Just curious to see the replies.
This is the problem with most people. We think history began when we were born. A particular problem while we are young. It's only as we age that we really begin to understand the history that we have been taught and yearn to learn more and more from history.

You play a team down the block from your's for 99 years ...you're rivals.
 

ShreveFrog

Full Member
In the late 60's or early 70's when SMU had a baseball team TCU had the national leader in home runs who was just one short of the then national record, a double header at SMU's small, home run prone park...SMU intentionally walked him for both games, preventing his getting the record.

We were there sitting behind the plate. I remember seeing the exasperation in Tom Crain's face (was that his name?) with each deliberate ball thrown outside. Seems like that same day, Phil Turner stole second (maybe on his own, or the ball got away from the catcher) and he immediately put his hands on his head like "What was I thinking?" amid howls from our dugout as it opened up first base for them to put Crane on. I was just a little kid so some of these details may be off.
 
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Dutch

T C U Froooogs
I am not trying to be arrogant I am just stating facts with the current landscape. I have as much respect of the history of SMU’s program as the next guy, especially after they handed it to us on Saturday. That being said, my reasoning to quit the every year series is less about how much of a detriment it is to the program and more of a hindrance of the opportunities for our program.

Do you really think the NCAA and other programs respect us for keeping this series? No, it’s a joke that we give up a home game every other year to go play in their high school stadium. I realize how that sounds but it’s the truth. NO ONE else does this but us. If it’s all about moral high ground then I understand standing behind that. But there is legitimately no benefit.

And I don’t really follow that “they respected us enough to play us”. They had to play us because they were in the same conference or they chose to because we were in similar circumstances in lesser conferences. Roles reversed - SMU has a beautiful 50k seat stadium, is in the big 12, has baseball teams that go to college World Series, and TCU is this small school that manages to muster up an ncaa basketball appearance occasionally then I would be pissed also if smu cancelled our yearly football “Super Bowl”. But at least they would be trying to better their program. I realize how arrogant that may sound but the truth hurts.

Lastly, I am by no means saying we should refuse to play them all together. It should just be restructured to our benefit bc as it stands now it’s entirely to smu’s benefit. Heck maybe by taking a few years off, or cancelling the auto home and home, it may spark the rivalry even more and there might actually be excitement to the game when it’s been a few years off.
It has been a benefit to go 26-4 or so in these years. SMU is in a great position to move to the top end of their conference with this coach. Our series will be great when both teams are rolling. I like that they are reaching out to Dallas with the uni’s. Dart comes right to their stadium. I say stick with them a little longer. We will anyway because GP likes playing SMU.
 

ShreveFrog

Full Member
Frog fan since birth in 60's. Yes, SMU is a rival. I appreciate the history. Unfortunately, it appears our team does not feel that way. If Dykes can build them into a G5 power, this could get interesting again. Keep the series. (That was the best SMU team I've seen since they went pro in the early 80's.)
 

Klaw

Active Member
Why continue the series? SMU needs this game more than TCU plus TCU gets no credit for beating SMU but all the negativity that comes with losing to it.

Currently, this is one sided arrangement and it either needs to change (7 home-3 away) or cease.

I prefer ending the series and schedule another power 5 series to have 2 power 5 non-conference games annually
 

HFrog12

Full Member
This is the problem with most people. We think history began when we were born. A particular problem while we are young. It's only as we age that we really begin to understand the history that we have been taught and yearn to learn more and more from history.

You play a team down the block from your's for 99 years ...you're rivals.

There is also a world where someone can fully recognize and appreciate history but not continue to repeat history because its been the status quo. Just because something has been done for 99 years doesn't mean it should continue. LSU and Tulane have played 98 times. Why doesn't LSU go to Yulamn stadium every other year? Same capacity stadium, team down the block, and in the American conference. TCU football wants to be respected like one of the big boys in college football but sometimes we don't show ourselves enough respect. Bring teams into hallowed Amon G. Carter Stadium instead of going there. Keep the same respect that SMU is a rival, but let them flourish on their own. Maybe Dykes will stay there and turn them into a top G5 team which, to many posters comments, could turn into something interesting. AGCS was 60% full this past weekend and SMU brought a couple hundred. It did not feel at all like a rivalry to me.
 

Wexahu

Full Member
There is also a world where someone can fully recognize and appreciate history but not continue to repeat history because its been the status quo. Just because something has been done for 99 years doesn't mean it should continue. LSU and Tulane have played 98 times. Why doesn't LSU go to Yulamn stadium every other year? Same capacity stadium, team down the block, and in the American conference. TCU football wants to be respected like one of the big boys in college football but sometimes we don't show ourselves enough respect. Bring teams into hallowed Amon G. Carter Stadium instead of going there. Keep the same respect that SMU is a rival, but let them flourish on their own. Maybe Dykes will stay there and turn them into a top G5 team which, to many posters comments, could turn into something interesting. AGCS was 60% full this past weekend and SMU brought a couple hundred. It did not feel at all like a rivalry to me.

Based on recent history our chances of beating SMU improve if we play them in Dallas.
 

Dutch

T C U Froooogs
No. Beating your rival has to mean something. Only downside for TCU in this matchup.

The DMN headline that called it a monumental win for SMU says it all. There is never going to be a time again where TCU beating them is considered monumental.
A Texas booster told me in 1987 that TCU would never beat Texas again. Never say never.
 

Rose Bowl

Active Member
If we stop playing SMU and start playing Rice, UTEP, UTSA, ULaMon then I think that is ridiculous. What makes those teams better than SMU, which they aren’t, and would get the fans excited? We are not going to get a one off game with any school that the fans will be excited to see and then we will not get the seven home games that everyone seems to want.
 

Limey Frog

Full Member
Yes; '07-'13 (grad school). I am a historian, though, so..

If we ever stop playing SMU we're nothing but a bunch of cowardly desecrators of Texas football history and identity, no better than the b@$!@%#s who destroyed the SWC. So there.
 

Limp Lizard

Full Member
I say stick with them a little longer. We will anyway because GP likes playing SMU.
And yet GP said in his presser that the SMU game is the most stressful game for him every year. Certainly for this Frog fan, due to the possibility of what happened Saturday.
 
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