TCU has been invited to the Big 12

[stoops4pres]

If you put TCU in the Big 12 in 1996 they might not have won a game in the first couple years. They were going 4-7 and 1-10 in the WAC. So they never would have been the program they became if they were in the Big 12. They would have been about like Baylor, maybe a little worse.

I know this is all about football with this move but this is a bad move for just about all sports outside of Baseball. TCU has a really solid baseball program. They add nothing to football. They'll be middle of the pack at best.

What's really disappointing is that this sounds like about it as far as moves go. Maybe they replace Missouri if they leave but it sounds like they want to stick with 10 teams. This conference is dead if they can't get to 12 teams.

Although its conjecture, I too think it is plausible TCU would've been unable to reach the amount of recent success should they have been a Big 12 affiliate in the mid-90's. They were so bad then with limited resources that they may never have been able to build an extremely impressive program over the last few seasons.

With that being said, this isn't the same TCU program that was a doormat in the mid-90's. They are a much better program with more stability that indicates they may not be this terrible football team for the Big 12 looking forward. In terms of recent success, this is a good addition for the conference from a performance standpoint.

 

[thebigabd]

Their recruiting is already good by comparison to anyone not named OU or Texas, and I still think it will improve dramatically once they are in the Big 12.

TCU
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 5
3 Stars: 9
2 Stars: 2 (both kickers)

Oklahoma State
5 Stars: 0
4 stars: 4
3 stars: 11

Baylor
5 stars: 0
4 stars: 1
3 stars: 16

Texas Tech
5 stars: 0
4 stars: 3
3 stars: 13

Missouri
5 stars: 0
4 stars: 2
3 stars: 13

Kansas State
5 stars: 0
4 stars: 0
3 stars: 6
2 stars: 2

Kansas
5 stars: 0
4 stars: 0
3 stars: 7
2 stars: 1

Iowa State
5 stars: 0
4 stars: 0
3 stars: 9
2 stars: 2

Nebraska
5 stars: 0
4 stars: 2
3 stars: 4
2 stars: 1

 

[p230]

Right now I think it is a race to see who can survive between the Big East and Big 12. Football is king and we all know it. Hopefully something good comes out of this but I don't have too much faith in that. TCU is the big winner not the Big-12, it is a killer for the Big East I think. For the other sports this needs to get worked out so that we can provide a stable recruiting atmosphere. Probably is not hurting us much but as bad as we have been hurt recently anything positive would be nice.

 

[WTSooner]

I am a little concerned about Big 12 expansion if we can't lure anymore Big East teams away. They are trying to save a conference too, and I'm sure those schools would rather stay put if they can.

ESPN Insider mentioned the Big 12 should go after South Florida and Central Florida, like big has been suggesting. I still like that idea. Gives us two schools in the best SEC recruiting state, and puts our image out in an area it currently isn't thought of.

 

[campbest]

TCU Horned Frogs picked 7th out of 8 teams in the pre-season Mountain West poll...they've got a lot of work to do to compete in the Big XII.

Lobos and Rebels tied for first, OSU and maybe OU will have their hands full with New Mexico.

 

[Sawyer]

Rutgers appears to be exploring a move. They voted today to give their president (or a similar figure; I don't remember his exact title) authority to explore conference options. Either the ACC is moving to 16 or the Big 10 is back in the expansion picture.

I'm ready for this to be done. I will never understand why it needed to be as complex and messy as it's been.

 

[sperry]

TCU does not add TV sets. They have a puny alumni base (they graduate in a decade what UT graduates in a year). They have had great success in football of late, but they're not going to compete with OU and Texas. That basically means they're just Texas A&M, minus the financial and fan support.

 

[tycat947]

TCU does not add TV sets. They have a puny alumni base (they graduate in a decade what UT graduates in a year). They have had great success in football of late, but they're not going to compete with OU and Texas. That basically means they're just Texas A&M, minus the financial and fan support.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. It didn't sound like anyone in the Big 12 wanted a school located in the Big 12 footprint at one time. I'm guessing that at this point they wanted to stabilize as much as possible. TCU was a school that would do anything to join the Big 12 and wouldn't be a concern for demands or to leave in the future. I realize they've had a pretty good football program for a few years but I'll be surprised if they can consistently rise above the middle of the Big 12. There may be some years that are exceptions (probably the first few years in the conference) but within 5 years they will be a middle of the pack team. Baseball may perform a little better but basketball and other sports they will be near the bottom consistently IMO. It was a survivor move by the Big 12.

 

[WTSooner]

I don't think I've seen this mentioned, but with Mizzou leaving after this year, we really needed to find a replacement school that could come in next year. I think that takes all of the current Big East members out of play, as they'd need two years to get here. So the options were to either have a 9 team league next year (not even sure that would be allowed), or find the best school that could come in a year. TCU is probably that school.

 

[WTSooner]

I don't think I've seen this mentioned, but with Mizzou leaving after this year, we really needed to find a replacement school that could come in next year. I think that takes all of the current Big East members out of play, as they'd need two years to get here. So the options were to either have a 9 team league next year (not even sure that would be allowed), or find the best school that could come in a year. TCU is probably that school.

And actually, I know we couldn't play with 9 teams next year. I think it would have voided our tv deal, if I remember right. So finding a team that could play next year, that we wanted, was tough. That is probably the biggest reason TCU is here.

 

[thebigabd]

TCU does not add TV sets. They have a puny alumni base (they graduate in a decade what UT graduates in a year). They have had great success in football of late, but they're not going to compete with OU and Texas. That basically means they're just Texas A&M, minus the financial and fan support.

Good product = TV ratings, prestige, exposure, recruiting, etc.

A&M sucked on all fronts.