TCU refused to let itself become irrelevant

[Harry]

For TCU, this wonderful moment comes after 17 years of hard work, smart decisions and doing things right. We salute you, Horned Frogs.

Rather than accept a ticket to obscurity, TCU fought and clawed its way back to respectability with the basics: raising money, building buildings, winning games and graduating athletes.

In the end, it's not that complicated. From the ashes of the breakup of the Southwest Conference, TCU built a program that could serve as a model for every other in the country.

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[LongJim]

Not a huge Justice fan, but he's on the money in this article.

[NCMeanGreen]

NT sure could learn a lot here...we have a long, long way to go. Too little, too late??

[DeepGreen]

NT sure could learn a lot here...we have a long, long way to go. Too little, too late??

Too little, too late. At least in my view.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

[Green Mean]

NT sure could learn a lot here...we have a long, long way to go. Too little, too late??

I don't think its ever too late if you put in the time, work, money etc. Even if the super conferences form before our program rediculously takes off...it doesn't mean we cant go on this ultimate winning period and become what maybe TCU or Boise has done. If we're that good conferences will want to include us because in the end we are still a huge university in a top 5 media market. Who knows how all this stuff will play out. Right now I am sensing a little bleakness from the board on ECU and UCF but rather than dwell on what could be or could have been we need to bits and pieces of schools like BSU, UCF, USF etc and get our own formula on how to get to where we ultimately want to be.

[UNT90]

Too little, too late. At least in my view.

Tend to agree. If we could have built on the conference championships in the early 00s and got the student fee approved on the first vote, things could be different for UNT. As it is, we are probably the fifth or sixth team that will be considered from the Belt. Have I mentioned lately my disdain for the Dodge regime?

Like it or not, facilities and location don't make a hill of beans when you have consistently been one of the worst 10 teams in the nation the past 7 years. This program faces a HUGE perception problem that will only be solved by winning against competition that matters (read: not the Belt), and that is still 2 years away.

By then, it will be too late.

Edited October 7, 2011 by UNT90

[northtexasfrog]

Too little, too late??

Definitely not too late. TCU started on their stadium renovations just a few years ago, so as to appeal to the bigger markets and crowds. UNT decided to try starting with a new stadium, now a new coach too.

I think that UNT is on pace to move in the same direction as TCU and other new-rising powers in collegiate athletics. We need to nail down on recruiting solid 2-star recruits and maturing them into 4-star players. I have faith that UNT is moving forward and a decade down the road will be a much more solid program.

[GTWT]

First, congratulations to TCU. This was well deserved.

As it is, we are probably the fifth or sixth team that will be considered from the Belt.

Totally disagree. But if this is true - if NT is indeed at the bottom of the worst conference in the US - then I think we should quit fooling ourselves that we belong in the FBS.

Like it or not, facilities and location don't make a hill of beans when you have consistently been one of the worst 10 teams in the nation the past 7 years.

Our strengths are 1) our location in the metroplex, 2) our size, 3) the academic reputation of some of our programs, & 4) our recent investment in athletics. All of those are huge positives and they are obvious to anyone objectively appraising our university. Our recent dismal record in football isn't irrelevant, but it pales in comparison with our positives. An objective comparison with Tech or Houston gives NT the edge for most important factors. Our only short-coming is our athletic history, and that's something we can't do anything immediately about. But that is changing in basketball and the non-revenue sports and I'm confident that the right people are in place for it to change in football.

Trust that the same prople who have brought us a new stadium, new atheltic complex, new coaches, & success in basketball & other sports know what they're doing and have a plan that will get us out of the hell-hole that is the Sunbelt and into an association with our institutional peers. We do face a perception problem but the reality is that The University of North Texas is a great institution. Reality trumps perception every time (at least in a just world).

God bless Texas!