BigRedFrog
KMA
Up until now I have tried to keep an open mind with respect to our conference situation, as I truly am torn and see strong arguments both ways. But, as Will Rogers said, he who walks in the middle of the road gets hit by cars going both ways. It's time to make a decision as to which course to advocate. Understanding that there are still many complexities to be resolved, I have reluctantly concluded that we have to take a BE all-sports invitation when/if offered.
I say reluctantly because I truly love the MWC. I enjoy the other teams, their fans, their locations, and the outlaw image we project. Fort Worth is where the West begins, and our conference should reflect it.
In my primary fantasy world, the BCS would crumble and the MWC, WAC and CUSA, at the very least, would have the same type of rights and bowl scheduling arrangements as the AQ conferences have now. In my secondary fantasy world, the MWC would receive immediate AQ status with resulting rearrangements in bowl alignments. Dropping down into more obscure fantasies, we receive an invitation to join the big 12-2.
But, as I tell myself sadly every morning, it's the real world I have to face every day. And in that world I do not believe any of those fantasies is going to come true in the near future. In that case, I see no realistic advantage to TCU in staying in the MWC if we are offered by the BE.
I suppose there is a certain moral purity in turning down entry into the system we all hate. If we did so I would feel very righteous and dignified. But the bottom line for me is, whatever my personal feelings, such a move would be bad for TCU.
We have successfully battled the system, overcome obstacles and defied the odds for a dozen years now, to the point where some seem to believe our current success is a birthright and our herculean efforts will continue to keep us a nationally dominant team in perpetuity. They will not. NO TEAM, regardless of merit, coaching, or spiritual purity can stay on top year in, year out. See: Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Ohio State, USC, et. al., ad infinitum.
We have gotten to where we are in a system rigged strongly against us, and this is an astonishing fact and an outstanding tribute to our administration, coaches and players. But every team is subject to the immutable laws of probability at some level, and entropy and regression toward the mean cannot be overcome in perpetuity.
So TCU must contemplate a future in which there will inevitably be years of 8-4, 7-5, God help us even 6-6 or worse. This will happen no matter what conference we are in. What will sustain us through those (mercifully few) periods? How can we remain a nationally prominent team when we are not dominant? And how can we maximize the odds of a quick and periodic return to dominance?
We can best maintain our stature by strong recruiting, continuing fan support and financial stability that allows us to stay competitive in the areas of coaching salaries and facilities. And I believe we can best accomplish these goals through membership in an AQ conference ASAP. Doing so allows us to refute the greatest obstacle to recruiting that we face, to gain access to media and recruiting markets outside Texas, to schedule name-brand opponents and to achieve a significantly higher level of financial stability than we currently enjoy.
I believe we need to seek out AQ membership ASAP precisely because of a fact that some posit as a reason to delay -- the mercurial nature of the college football landscape. The longer we continue to wear the yellow triangle that spells m-i-d-m-a-j-o-r, the longer national commentary can get away with discounting our wins and magnifying our shortcomings, then the more difficult it will be to ensure a seat at the big boy table during the next round of chaos. First choice will go to those already at the table at that time. TCU needs to be at the table. Now.
I'm not overjoyed about the Big East. It is a weak conference and has, at best, a diluted cachet. It will be hard at first to get people excited about home games against many, maybe any, of the teams. We will be slow to build rivalries. They may never happen, especially if the next turn of the cards sends us somewhere else.
But for all its shortcomings, and maybe even the geographical or historical distaste some of us may experience with this association, it simply offers us the best chance to achieve the ONE goal that will legitimize the last dozen years of effort, sacrifice and genius -- AQ status in the current BCS system.
Many good people have given much of themselves and their treasure for many years for TCU to reach the pinnacle we now occupy. For us to be true to these sacrifices, we must make this pinnacle the vaulting-point to the next plateau of success. Only by allowing ourselves to achieve AQ status now, by main force or circumstance, can we fulfill the dream of all Horned Frogs everywhere to compete at the very highest level of college athletics.
My Frogs. In their intercourse with other schools may they always be in the right. But my Frogs, right or wrong!
I say reluctantly because I truly love the MWC. I enjoy the other teams, their fans, their locations, and the outlaw image we project. Fort Worth is where the West begins, and our conference should reflect it.
In my primary fantasy world, the BCS would crumble and the MWC, WAC and CUSA, at the very least, would have the same type of rights and bowl scheduling arrangements as the AQ conferences have now. In my secondary fantasy world, the MWC would receive immediate AQ status with resulting rearrangements in bowl alignments. Dropping down into more obscure fantasies, we receive an invitation to join the big 12-2.
But, as I tell myself sadly every morning, it's the real world I have to face every day. And in that world I do not believe any of those fantasies is going to come true in the near future. In that case, I see no realistic advantage to TCU in staying in the MWC if we are offered by the BE.
I suppose there is a certain moral purity in turning down entry into the system we all hate. If we did so I would feel very righteous and dignified. But the bottom line for me is, whatever my personal feelings, such a move would be bad for TCU.
We have successfully battled the system, overcome obstacles and defied the odds for a dozen years now, to the point where some seem to believe our current success is a birthright and our herculean efforts will continue to keep us a nationally dominant team in perpetuity. They will not. NO TEAM, regardless of merit, coaching, or spiritual purity can stay on top year in, year out. See: Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Ohio State, USC, et. al., ad infinitum.
We have gotten to where we are in a system rigged strongly against us, and this is an astonishing fact and an outstanding tribute to our administration, coaches and players. But every team is subject to the immutable laws of probability at some level, and entropy and regression toward the mean cannot be overcome in perpetuity.
So TCU must contemplate a future in which there will inevitably be years of 8-4, 7-5, God help us even 6-6 or worse. This will happen no matter what conference we are in. What will sustain us through those (mercifully few) periods? How can we remain a nationally prominent team when we are not dominant? And how can we maximize the odds of a quick and periodic return to dominance?
We can best maintain our stature by strong recruiting, continuing fan support and financial stability that allows us to stay competitive in the areas of coaching salaries and facilities. And I believe we can best accomplish these goals through membership in an AQ conference ASAP. Doing so allows us to refute the greatest obstacle to recruiting that we face, to gain access to media and recruiting markets outside Texas, to schedule name-brand opponents and to achieve a significantly higher level of financial stability than we currently enjoy.
I believe we need to seek out AQ membership ASAP precisely because of a fact that some posit as a reason to delay -- the mercurial nature of the college football landscape. The longer we continue to wear the yellow triangle that spells m-i-d-m-a-j-o-r, the longer national commentary can get away with discounting our wins and magnifying our shortcomings, then the more difficult it will be to ensure a seat at the big boy table during the next round of chaos. First choice will go to those already at the table at that time. TCU needs to be at the table. Now.
I'm not overjoyed about the Big East. It is a weak conference and has, at best, a diluted cachet. It will be hard at first to get people excited about home games against many, maybe any, of the teams. We will be slow to build rivalries. They may never happen, especially if the next turn of the cards sends us somewhere else.
But for all its shortcomings, and maybe even the geographical or historical distaste some of us may experience with this association, it simply offers us the best chance to achieve the ONE goal that will legitimize the last dozen years of effort, sacrifice and genius -- AQ status in the current BCS system.
Many good people have given much of themselves and their treasure for many years for TCU to reach the pinnacle we now occupy. For us to be true to these sacrifices, we must make this pinnacle the vaulting-point to the next plateau of success. Only by allowing ourselves to achieve AQ status now, by main force or circumstance, can we fulfill the dream of all Horned Frogs everywhere to compete at the very highest level of college athletics.
My Frogs. In their intercourse with other schools may they always be in the right. But my Frogs, right or wrong!
