Jump to content

russell360

Members
  • Posts

    74
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Points

    0 [ Donate ]

Posts posted by russell360

  1. So are Tech, UH, and UTD. Two of those three pay a lot more attention to revenue athletics than we do, plus they have huge endowment advantages over us. UTD has the research and engineering advantages because they don't have DIvision 1 athletics.

    I just ask this simple question of four similar universities as ours in Texas. Texas Tech, Houston, UTSA, and UTEP--which one of these schools would drop athletic spending as much as we did? None is the correct answer, but if you want to argue that one of them would, then ask yourself if that is smart for funding. Texas freaking Tech has gotten to where they are SOLELY because of the emphasis they have placed on athletics, specifically on the relationship they cultivated with their alums and with the big player in this state (i.e. Texas). Their academic record is very poor as compared to most other AQ schools, yet they will have a place at the AQ table, almost certainly, due to their fan following. UH is a better academic school--by far, actually--than Tech, but even they had to overcome the stigma of being a "commuter school" in a big city. Yet, even with getting bitch-slapped out of the AQ big time all those years ago with SMU, TCU, and Rice, they have continued to fund their program at a high non-AQ level. Why? I mean, if its gonna keep you from Tier 1 status, who would do this? NO, the correct answer is that when its been done right, even here in Denton in the Fry years and in this past season, fans come out in droves to show their support. UH is moving out of Robertson Stadium because of their successes under Briles and Sumlin. UTSA is moving upward FAST, all because they looked at the obvious advantages of their situation in San Antonio and started funding FBS football. Now look at them, getting big crowds, a nice media following, and the full attention of other conferences and AQ teams who want to play them, both home and away.

    Here's a crazy reality to the athletic-haters in Denton: in other college towns, when they win big time at a revenue sport that people want to watch, funding goes up for everything!! So does enrollment, if you want it to go up (see TCU in 2011 and Baylor now). Athletics is a true window to the university--it deserves as much attention and funding as you can feasibly feed it. Billboards and ads proclaiming you as a great value doesn't do it, in case anyone hasn't figured out why our endowment is still woefully small for a school our size that has only been around for almost 125 years. Obviously, if this is wrong, I am not getting it, which may say more about me than I care to admit, but I really don't get why we would cut athletics that much in 2015. Its almost begging Dan McCarney to leave at the first opportunity that he gets. And, believe me, if we have another bowl season here this season, a school like Kansas would be foolish not to go hard after him as their next head coach. It is as close to a no-brainer as you can get in this situation, for both parties. And just like we did in 1978 after Hayden Fry left, we will again have no one else to blame for our ineptness at understanding college athletics at the FBS level. Its just disgusting.

    UTD and UTA don't even have football teams. Their success has little to do with sports. I don't see how lack of football has kept them from building respectable endowments academic success

    Tech got to where they are because "SOLELY" athletics? All those Cotton bowl victories? BCS bowls? Fired best coach, hired a dud. During that time raised system endowment to over $1 billion, had a $1 billion dollar fund raising campaign, gained NRUF and Texas research initiative funding...

    Athletics are important, but they are not the driving force behind most universities

    • Upvote 2
  2. LJ agree that they have nothing in common (which is my point).

    You earlier you said that UT/AM keep good "favor" with Tech football program because of Tech's medical and law "colleges", in your mind explaining why UT football would affiliate or have a special relationship with Tech. My point is that that is not a valid contention.

    A&M and UT athletic programs couldn't care less about Tech's professional programs. If A&M wanted to keep Tech's football program in their "favor", and coveted Tech's med/law so much "to give kids an option" and "take strain" off their systems, why did they leave the conference?

    If Tech goes to PAC or any other conference with UT it is more likely to be because the football team has 58k attendance, sells merchandise, wins bowl games and has good TV ratings rather than anything else.

    Why is Tech's HSC so big? Tech's medical school in El Paso exists (and is not a part of UT) because Tech had the initiative, political support and most importantly was able to raise the money to pull it off. It wasn't given to them by UT . UT wanted it at UTEP

    • Upvote 1
  3. In 1958, the population of Texas was 9,579,677. In 2013, the estimated population of Texas was 26,448,193.

    Yes, Tech has "favor" politically with UT (and aTm) somewhat because of their professional schools. Is it the only reason? I'm sure it isn't, but there is no denying that both schools need Tech to give kids options in those parts of the Southwest that would otherwise put more strain on the UT and aTm systems. aTm has already purchased TWU law school--because there is a demand for it. Tech fills a demand in their neck of the woods.

    It didn't keep A&M from leaving did it?.... And Tech has a much larger HSC than A&M with 2 med schools and more students.... Do you think UNT's having a med school affects UT-UNT football?

    • Upvote 1
  4. Tech will never catch UT academically. They may reach an endowment of 1 billion this year. Texas has an endowment of over 18 billion as of 2012. Texas will out recruit TT for faculty. I am not plugging for UT, but after 45 years in higher ed., I am just stating the facts as they are.

    Of course. that is why I said "start to close the gap"

    • Upvote 1
  5. nobody else in the state has stepped up to be a major player, so it goes to the barren plains..

    UT is #1 in EVERYTHING and there is a big gap after them, but Tech is not small-time. Who else??

    Tech averages 58k home attendance with >13k students/game

    #17 school all-time number of bowl games played, won 9 of last 10

    Wall street Journal ranks Tech #22 most valuable football program

    # 26 rank collegiate licensing ranking

    Academically; Tech/UH just received National Research university funding,and Tech and will start to close the gap with UT. Tech raises > $100 million/yr, completed a 1 billion dollar fund-raising campaign, tech system endowment should pass 1 billion this year, and has $220 million/yr research budget.. Tech will make a good target for PAC or other major conference if B12 ever dissolves

    What other state school in Texas is as solid overall with football/academic programs? UH ? NT? UTEP?

  6. Obviously not the easiest thing to do. Tech was tired of the mature politician coach and a different direction with youth/excitement and an up-and-comer. Clearly took a big risk. The easiest would be to have hired a seasoned coordinator at a major conference or head coach from a smaller conference. Tech manned-up and threw the dice. Time will tell... Dan McCarney would have fallen all over himself to get out the door had Tech offered!

    • Upvote 1
    • Downvote 1
  7. UNTs research numbers and endowment lag behind the other tier one candidates. Rearranging names sure is a lot easier than raising hundreds of millions of dollars and attracting well-funded researchers, which was the intended purpose of the NRUF. If it is only about trying to qualify for NRUF without making any real improvements, that does seem to be kinda chicken@#$%.

    What would the combined research $ and endowment be?

    • Upvote 2
  8. I have to think that there HAS to be more pressing needs for the state than more law schools.

    There is no true shortage of lawyers holding back the State of Texas.

    This seems to boil down to NT prestige.. If UT, UH, TTU have schools, NT has to have one!... I don't think opening another school is the best stewardship of state money.

    You can't tell me that there is a shortage of such magnitude that it would justify such on expense in this economy and in the face of higher ed. cuts.

    The State has voiced what it wants; research universities, however,UNT is lagging behind in meeting those criteria forfunding which the state is offering, and it seems is focused on spending $$ and political capital on a law school( which is not needed). I bet that the state won't fund it.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/business/09law.html?_r=1

    • Upvote 2
  9. Tech draws well in Lubbock and away and alsohas a pretty good TV draw.

    Of course Tech doesn't draw as well as UT but certainly is light years ahead of Baylor. Note there is no BU-UT or BU-OU games listed. Tech has a bigger fan base in the DFW area and I would suspect they have higher viewer ratings for that area.

    • Upvote 1
  10. I would have prefered to see TCU go, but the TCU of the 80-early nighties is not the TCU we see today. BU certainly had clout, but they also had a stronger program overall( Attendance...) TCU was a sad-sck that didn't get it's act together until it was left behind. TCU had a 0.37 winning % between 1980-1994 and more importantly had poor attendance. There would be a lot more clamor that it was unfair if a weaker TCU had been taken over BU.

    I find it hard to believe that the B8 was "forced " to take anyone. They were in position of control and they ultimately decided (not BU Tech UT or A&M..) who would join. All the big leagues were going to 12 members.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Please review our full Privacy Policy before using our site.