Wall Street Journal: Schools That Could End Up Nowhere

[TopFrog]

Wall Street Journal: Schools That Could End Up Nowhere

By JARED DIAMOND

The college-football realignment carousel continued Monday as the boards of regents from both Texas and Oklahoma gave their presidents the authority to move the schools out of the Big 12 Conference and into whatever shiny, new and financially prolific conference they might deem worthy.
...

So which schools' fans should be the most nervous? According to six former coaches, athletic directors and TV media and marketing experts contacted by the Journal, the six most vulnerable programs are Baylor, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Louisville, South Florida and TCU. These schools, said former Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer, "are in a really tough spot right now."

Louisville officials declined to comment. A South Florida spokesman said the school has a large enrollment and plays in a major media market. Iowa State and Baylor did not respond to requests for comment Monday. In a statement, Cincinnati president Gregory Williams said he is "optimistic the University of Cincinnati will not only remain relevant in the major college football landscape but will also be a strong and committed partner to whatever grouping of schools with which we align." He added that the school's preference is to stay in the Big East, but he wants to assure fans he is not "sitting on the sidelines" as realignment takes place. Chris Del Conte,

TCU's athletic director, said in a statement that after a Rose Bowl win and with a new football stadium in place, the school has great momentum. "We are actively engaged in conversations with colleagues across the country to protect TCU's best interests," he said.

Experts say each of these schools faces some combination of the five factors that can limit a program's ability to jump conferences. One problem with South Florida and TCU, they say, is that they lack tradition. USF didn't join major college football until 2001. And while TCU has played football for more than a century, it hasn't played as a BCS conference member. ...

 

[FROGDADDY]

Wall Street Journal: Schools That Could End Up Nowhere

By JARED DIAMOND

The college-football realignment carousel continued Monday as the boards of regents from both Texas and Oklahoma gave their presidents the authority to move the schools out of the Big 12 Conference and into whatever shiny, new and financially prolific conference they might deem worthy.
...

So which schools' fans should be the most nervous? According to six former coaches, athletic directors and TV media and marketing experts contacted by the Journal, the six most vulnerable programs are Baylor, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Louisville, South Florida and TCU. These schools, said former Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer, "are in a really tough spot right now."

Louisville officials declined to comment. A South Florida spokesman said the school has a large enrollment and plays in a major media market. Iowa State and Baylor did not respond to requests for comment Monday. In a statement, Cincinnati president Gregory Williams said he is "optimistic the University of Cincinnati will not only remain relevant in the major college football landscape but will also be a strong and committed partner to whatever grouping of schools with which we align." He added that the school's preference is to stay in the Big East, but he wants to assure fans he is not "sitting on the sidelines" as realignment takes place. Chris Del Conte,

TCU's athletic director, said in a statement that after a Rose Bowl win and with a new football stadium in place, the school has great momentum. "We are actively engaged in conversations with colleagues across the country to protect TCU's best interests," he said.

Experts say each of these schools faces some combination of the five factors that can limit a program's ability to jump conferences. One problem with South Florida and TCU, they say, is that they lack tradition. USF didn't join major college football until 2001. And while TCU has played football for more than a century, it hasn't played as a BCS conference member. ...

What a useless article. When did Phil Fulmer become relevant??? They couldn't find Howard Schnellenberger for an interview? Is he alive still?

 

[jack the frog]

Quick search reveals DIamond is a cuse grad.

 

[HG73]

TCU lacks tradition?

 

[dweller]

TCU lacks tradition?

Didn't you know that tradition only started after the forming of the BCS? Anything that happened before the BCS is irrelevant. :angry:

 

[frogtwang]

Didn't you know that tradition only started after the forming of the BCS? Anything that happened before the BCS is irrelevant. :angry:

TCU has more BCS tradition than most all the other schools in the AQ conferences.

 

[FROGDADDY]

Quick search reveals DIamond is a cuse grad.

Isn't this the guy that played Screetch?

 

[Marathonman1025]

TCU lacks tradition?

That was a real head scratcher. While there are issues he could mention, that one makes no sense.

 

[tcudoc]

So little tradition that some of the best players in college football history have played at TCU (Rags Matthews, Sammy Baugh, Davey Obrien, Ki Aldrich, Jim Swink, Bob Lilly, LaDainian Tomlinson).
How many NCAA records will stand for a very long time? LT's 406? Baugh leading the nation in passing, interceptions, and punting average all in the same year? Baugh's career punting avg?
I bet that the authors of entire books about TCU's rich history in football would disagree (Dan Jenkins, Whit Canning etc)

 

[sous vide]

"One problem with South Florida and TCU, they say, is that they lack tradition"

Good Lord what a fool.

 

[SeniorFrog]

How many other teams out there can say they have played in every Major Bowl regardless of BCS era? Sugar, Orange, Fiesta, Rose. Tradition my [Craig James].

 

[michaelperrytcu]

1996: "Sorry, TCU. We're not allowing you into a BCS conference."

2011: "Sorry, TCU. Because you haven't played in a BCS conference, you do not have enough tradition. Therefore, we are not allowing you in a BCS conference."

 

[HFrog1999]

Y'all should at least comment on his article and correct his mistakes.

 

[Benny]

Are you sure this article came from the Wall Street Journal? Sounds like an article that would be posted on Bleacher Report. I nearly puked when I read the "lack of tradition" tag placed on TCU. Usually the WSJ has great stories written by journalists that are well-informed and educated on the subject they are writing about. This guy is obviously flying by the seat of his pants.

 

[gohornedfrogs]

Y'all should at least comment on his article and correct his mistakes.

You can't comment unless you are a paid subscriber. I tried. If someone wants to use some of this, go ahead:

TCU lacks tradition? TCU is one of only 10 schools to have played in the Rose, Sugar, Orange and Fiesta Bowls. We have a Heisman Trophy winner, two national championships, and two major college awards named after TCU alums (Davey O'Brien and Sammy Baugh). We've been playing football since 1896, and played in a major conference (the Southwest Conference) for 82 years, where we won 9 conference titles. I think the author needs a history lesson...one that extends beyond the last 15 years.

 

[HFrog1999]

You can't comment unless you are a paid subscriber. I tried. If someone wants to use some of this, go ahead:

TCU lacks tradition? TCU is one of only 10 schools to have played in the Rose, Sugar, Orange and Fiesta Bowls. We have a Heisman Trophy winner, two national championships, and two major college awards named after TCU alums (Davey O'Brien and Sammy Baugh). We've been playing football since 1896, and played in a major conference (the Southwest Conference) for 82 years, where we won 9 conference titles. I think the author needs a history lesson...one that extends beyond the last 15 years.

You can log in using facebook for free.

 

[Moe Iba]

It is inaccurate to say that we have no tradition or history. However, the unfortunate reality is that virtually no one cares about non modern era college football history or tradition.

 

[rifram09]

You are all offended by this article, and rightfully so, but think about this idea: If "lack of tradition" is the only reason TCU might not be included in the 4x16 conferences, then there is no reason we will be left out!

I am freakin' pumped, this [Rod Gilmore] couldn't think of anything better to say about us!

 

[rifram09]

It is inaccurate to say that we have no tradition or history. However, the unfortunate reality is that virtually no one cares about non modern era college football history or tradition.

I'm fine with that assumption, but we also just went to back-to-back BCS bowls! Also we had the number 1 defense the last three years! I mean, whether you are talking about long-term tradition (which is what tradition means by the way) or the last decade, TCU has tradition. Saying we don't have tradition only refers to the 60-90s.

Those years were bad, but why should those years be the only era that counts?

 

[Lone Frog]

The WSJ has been on the decline since it fell into the liver-spotted grasp of Rupert Murdoch.