TCU now all too familiar with bug of entitlement that follows success

FORT WORTH, Texas — Shortly after winning the 2011 Rose Bowl, Gary Patterson had a vision of his program’s future. It wasn’t one he particularly liked. What is it they say about payback being a witch?

“In Kansas, if you get an 80-degree day during the winter, what do you know is coming?” said TCU’s coach, a Rozel, Kan. native.

“Snow,” Patterson said, answering himself, “bad snow, blizzard.”

A blizzard of bad news hit on Feb. 15 when the Camelot that was TCU football looked it like had been razed. A six-month investigation revealed that four of Patterson’s players were among 15 TCU students arrested for selling a wide variety of illegal drugs to undercover cops. Marijuana — the only substance tied to the players — is one thing. Allegedly dealing it is another.

Read more from CBSSports.com

2.29.12

TCU rejected easy way out of drug mess

You want a TCU “cover-up,” I can give you that this morning.

In fact, let it also be known that TCU could have saved itself a tsunami of image disaster and embarrassment this week, if it had simply implemented business-as-usual standards in big-time college football.

A cover-up would have been the easy and painless way out of the drug-dealing mess on campus.

Instead, university administration has been widely praised, including nationally, for its handling of the situation, particularly in the area of transparency.

Some others, however, in the TCU loop, alums or fans, also were adamant Thursday that the school overreacted to a situation that could have been handled in-house by simply throwing out students and football players who were involved. The point here is no media attention was needed.

TCU players describe widespread drug use, according to arrest documents

TCU football players told undercover officers that drug use was widespread among the team, according to affidavits released Wednesday after the arrest of 18 people, including four players, on drug charges.

The details disclosed in their arrest warrant affidavits are a blow to one of the most respected programs in college football and one that was expected to contend for the Big 12 title in its first season in the league. Spring practice begins Feb. 25.

Police say that four players — linebacker Tanner Brock, defensive lineman D.J. Yendrey, offensive tackle Ty Horn and safety Devin Johnson — sold marijuana to students and football players. They have been kicked off the team.

2.16.12

TCU’s blue chips stack up pretty well against Big 12 brethren

Two seasons ago, Gary Patterson put the college football world on notice by leading his team to its first appearance in a BCS bowl.

Now he has stamped his mark on the recruiting landscape by going toe-to-toe with the nation’s heavyweights.

On Wednesday, Patterson signed the best recruiting class during his tenure, stocking his squad with players who were among the nation’s best.

TCU signed 23 players, including Under Armour All-America defensive end Devonte Fields, U.S. Army All-America quarterback Tyler Matthews and Sports Illustrated All-America tight end Griffin Gilbert.

“As far as guys that other schools were after, they definitely won more battles than in years before,” said Brian Perroni, aRivals.com recruiting analyst.

2.2.12

“If you want to go to Dallas, go to Atlanta,” Del Conte said. “If you want to go to Texas, come to Fort Worth.”

Fort Worth and Dallas are the west and east bookends, respectively, of the Metroplex. Dallas had a TV show named for it, a prime-time soap opera that celebrated greed and venality. Dallas has an international reputation, the care and feeding of which is constant. Fort Worth’s outlook to its sister city to the east oscillates between insecurity and bemusement.

Fort Worth views Dallas as self-important, ostentatious, boastful, snotty and humorless. Dallas views Fort Worth as somewhere west of town.

TCU has bet its future on the difference.

Read more of “TCU succeeds as Fort Worth’s team” on ESPN.com
6.22.11

Holy cash cow! Bevo on TiVo 24/7

If money indeed talks, the University of Texas has the most loquacious athletic department in all the land.

Wednesday, UT delivered a stirring soliloquy, establishing itself as a solo power in collegiate sports when it and ESPN announced a 20-year, $300 million agreement to establish a Longhorns television network. There is not an athletic department in the country that is run better than UT’s sports corporation. The money Texas stands to take home yearly from the deal is a significant amount, but then again, Texas tops all schools with an athletic budget of $137 million, in the neighborhood of $100 million more than the University of Houston‘s annual athletic budget.

chron.com
1/19/11

After weathering Wisconsin’s best punch, TCU erupted onto the field in a purple swarm.

Frenzied Horned Frogs sprinted into their end zone and pounded their chests, celebrating with fans as confetti rained on the stadium.

TCU had just struck a blow for every team not guaranteed a spot in the BCS, holding off the Badgers 21-19 Saturday in a watershed college football game, the 2011 Rose Bowl.

Read more on “TCU  takes it to another level” on rivals.com

1.2.2011

TCU takes it to another level

Ohio State president needs history lesson

‘Tis the season … for Dr. E. Gordon Gee to jam his scarlet and gray presidential foot securely into his mouth. There is nothing wrong with protecting the shield, I get it, but doing so by throwing rocks at glass houses when your house is very breakable, that’s a head scratcher. In an interview with the AP, the Ohio State president took a swipe at Boise State and TCU, saying, ”I do know, having been both a Southeastern Conference president and a Big Ten president, that it’s like murderer’s row every week for these schools. We do not play the Little Sisters of the Poor.

suntimes.com
11/26/10

TCU athletic director accuses Ohio State of being jealous; would play Buckeyes ‘anytime, anyplace, anywhere’

TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte doesn’t agree with Ohio State President Gorden Gee’s comments that were critical of TCU and Boise State, and he’s willing to let his team’s play do the talking.

“I sat back and just thought about our football program and our coach and realized that to start throwing stones at your house, they must be jealous,” Del Conte said on KESN-103.3 in Dallas. “We have a phenomenal football program. … And someone now starts taking shots at TCU? That means we’ve arrived.” He’d like to prove that the Horned Frogs have arrived, too. Del Conte said he’d love to see the Buckeyes on future schedules.

“Anytime. Anyplace. Anywhere,” he told the radio station. “Buckeyes against the Horned Frogs. Tee it up. Let’s go.”

dallasnews.com
11/24/10