If you are a fan of Amon Carter Stadium, the first two chapters of a book I began last year are available to read in my other blog, Legend of the Hogcaller http://gdaddy719.blogspot.com/ . This blog can also be accessed via my Blogger profile page.
Story blends the origin of Amon Carter Stadium with its demolition, while weaving a story throughout. The first 17 pages are available in this blog. I hope to get back to this project and eventually get it published someday.
Characters and most of the old stories about Hog Caller Myers, Slim Kinsey, Dutch Meyer and Francis Schmidt are stories shared with me by my late uncle, Wallace "Hog Caller" Myers. Hog ( as he was known back at TCU in the early 30's) is a memeber of the TCU Letterman's Hall of Fame and a 1934 All-American in basketball.
Let me know your thoughts about this project. I appreciate your input.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Mascot Appraisal 101... SDSU
This is the first of a regular bit I plan to explore on this blog. There are some great and really original mascots in college sports... our Horned Frog, Longhorn, Sooner, Jayhawk, Volunteers, etc. Some mascots just don't do it for me. San Diego State University's Aztec is one of the worst mascots going (not to mention those stupid fade to black helmets the football team wore a couple of years ago - but that's another bit I'll address later).
It really appears that SDSU chose this character as kind of an Oak Lawn version of the USC Trojan. What kind of warrior would wear his feathers bunched-up on top of his head like that? Looks like something Paul Abdul would do with her hair. As far as Mascot Appraisal goes, the SDSU Aztec is definitely in the 110 to 120 range of Division I-A schools. No top 25 here.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Spit Blood... Big 12... Bigger Stadium?
http://www.spitbloodtcu.com/
First... let me send out a special "Thank You" to our friends at Spit Blood for their well wishes on the new Horned Frogs, Hangovers and Hackers Blog. I've been a loyal reader of Spit Blood for years. It's the best place to realize your true feelings as a Horned Frog for Baylor, SMU, etc. Great Blog!!!
Tomorrow will be the day TCU takes it's place among our new Big 12 breatheren. This is an opportunity TCU can't refuse. The Big East gig was looking good until Syracuse and Pitt bolted for the ACC. And if you'd asked me before they left about taking a Big 12 offer over the Big East, I'd probably said "No". Not anymore. We need this Big 12 opportunity for survival with the bigger athletic programs. The extra TV $$ will also be a welcomed addition to the TCU bank account. Think about this... these past 13 years of success have been done with severely limited TV revenue. Sheesh... our MWC TV income was something like $1.5 million yearly. Come next June, TCU can expect something like $20 million deposited in their account from the new Big 12 participation. It will be nice operating with the same kind of TV money that Baylor and TTech receive. Let's see what TCU can do with all that new revenue.
One of my first vivid memories of TCU as a kid was seeing that old upper deck of Amon Carter Stadium with the old "cTu" embroidered in the armchair seats. It was during the early 1970's and I was hooked on TCU, stadiums and especially ACS from that time on. TCU added that upper deck during the mid-50's when my mom was attending college (and ogling Jim Swink in her math class). The 50's were also a great time for Horned Frog Football, and TCU realized the need for a larger venue to host their football games. That old upper deck really made a statement back in those days.
I've really been inpressed with the architect's renderings of the new stadium..The new east side plans were released a couple of months ago. But now... I am wondering if 50,000 capacity is enough to accommodate hosting half of UT, OU, OSU, TTech, BU, KU, Mizzou (maybe),etc.? In the past couple of years, I have finally seen TCU fill the stadium with mostly our own fans. Will the new east side be altered to accommodate more fans because of the Big 12 announcement?
I realize cost would come into play about this matter. There is also the idea that limiting the size also limits the number of visiting fans that can attend the games. Ensuring a TCU based crowd would be a pretty cool thing to think about, especially when I've got to believe that UT and Tech will still be thinking about invading the new ACS in the same fashion they did back in the SWC days. It ain't gonna happen!!!
First... let me send out a special "Thank You" to our friends at Spit Blood for their well wishes on the new Horned Frogs, Hangovers and Hackers Blog. I've been a loyal reader of Spit Blood for years. It's the best place to realize your true feelings as a Horned Frog for Baylor, SMU, etc. Great Blog!!!
Make Room for TCU
Tomorrow will be the day TCU takes it's place among our new Big 12 breatheren. This is an opportunity TCU can't refuse. The Big East gig was looking good until Syracuse and Pitt bolted for the ACC. And if you'd asked me before they left about taking a Big 12 offer over the Big East, I'd probably said "No". Not anymore. We need this Big 12 opportunity for survival with the bigger athletic programs. The extra TV $$ will also be a welcomed addition to the TCU bank account. Think about this... these past 13 years of success have been done with severely limited TV revenue. Sheesh... our MWC TV income was something like $1.5 million yearly. Come next June, TCU can expect something like $20 million deposited in their account from the new Big 12 participation. It will be nice operating with the same kind of TV money that Baylor and TTech receive. Let's see what TCU can do with all that new revenue.
Does joining the Big 12 change current stadium plans?
One of my first vivid memories of TCU as a kid was seeing that old upper deck of Amon Carter Stadium with the old "cTu" embroidered in the armchair seats. It was during the early 1970's and I was hooked on TCU, stadiums and especially ACS from that time on. TCU added that upper deck during the mid-50's when my mom was attending college (and ogling Jim Swink in her math class). The 50's were also a great time for Horned Frog Football, and TCU realized the need for a larger venue to host their football games. That old upper deck really made a statement back in those days.
Why Gary Patterson's Blood Pressure Spiked
The Dallas Traveling Luau just cruised through Cowtown. Range Rovers, Lexus and Mercedes dominated the visitor's portion of the parking lot. June Jones shows up wearing a shirt that looks like he inherited it from his uncle. The SMU coaching staff was sporting their new relaxed look with shirts untucked. I didn't notice, but was the band wearing grass skirts? What ever happened to the SMU preppy rich kid look? Crank up the Don Ho.
Losing to SMOO is just as bad as losing to Baylor. Not sure which is worse.
Baylor's congregation washes away their sinful football past and believes one win over TCU equalizes their football program to the Horned Frogs acheivments over the past decade. This is the same mentality that believes that Baylor is the... um... cough... gag... "Duke of the Big 12" when it comes to basketball. Come on... really? Just as one decent NCAA Tournament showing does not equal Duke's numerous national championships and final fours... (barely) beating TCU in football (in a rebuilding year) doesn't mean your football team is a top 10 program.
Now the Frogs lose to SMU. Nobody can act superior to you like the Ponies. June Jones can act like he is completely unaware of his little backhanded compliment of TCU. But with an ego almost as grand as former TTech Coach Mike Leach, he has his own way of smugging himself into an attitude much like Baylor folks. "Uh... gosh... did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to. I was complimenting you. Good (cough) job, Gary (cough... cough)."
We've all been there. At school or at the office. There's that guy. The one what betters you one time, then acts like he's owned you his entire life in front of the boss, in the conference room and at the water cooler. June Jones is that guy, just like Mike Leach is that guy.
However... this is not the basis of GP's frustration.
Gary Patterson is going into the red zone with his anger because he gets no respect. GP knows that even though he has built TCU to a good solid football program, Horned Frog football roots are always suspect to anyone who will diss the program. Gary Patterson realizes just how easy it is for all of this to go away and be forgotten and discounted. It's just as easily discounted as all those plush, new purple prime seats behind his shoulder going unused for the first three home games. If your own people (the rich ones) won't show up, who will? If you ask me... that is was the first spark in Gary Patterson's purple inferno. Hey folks... yeah... you rich ones with the good seats. If you're not going to go to the game, please make sure someone else uses your seats.
Frankly, I'm glad Gary Patterson has such a passion for TCU. I've been a TCU fan since the early '70's and I believe TCU needs more Gary Pattersons. I like having a football coach that gets up when he's been knocked down and smashes somebody back in the teeth, and doesn't apologize for it.
This temper tantrum is not as much about losing to Baylor and SMU in a rebuilding year as it is getting support and respect from some of your own fan base. GP sees what is going on behind him and he doesn't like it.
Some of you soutwest side big cigars and socialites might want to take note before you make him really mad and he takes one of these offers from larger colleges that come around ever other season.
I'm proud Gary Patterson is my coach and I like the idea that he is mad.
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