(05-22-2015 09:44 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:28 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:01 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:22 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:15 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  Go away jml... This isn't Lubbock

Big, I honestly don't know what you are talking about in terms of jml. That said, this is a conversation about UH and the SWC and I can provide valuable insight in regards to this conversation that isn't biased.

Lubbock has nothing to do with UH and their current conference situation.

Stay on topic.

Just so that we are clear now, I, like many many many many here in Houston have NO INTEREST at all whatsoever or ever will for what tech at Lubbock does yesterday today tomorrow.

Why you for Houston, I don't know why, jml

Once again who is jml? Regardless, I could care less. Texas Tech and Lubbock didn't put UH in their current conference situation and your nonsense is childish. The state of Texas has 5 P5 Cities and Lubbock, College Station and Waco are included. I know for a fact that Dr Khator and UH care about Lubbock, Waco and the rest of the Big 12.

For the rest, I hope I provided a non-biased view as to what happened to UH in the SWC.

Childish is you popping up every time Houston is front page.

Go away now, door is that way, jml -----> -----> ----->

Oh well

Good luck Coogs. I hope Dr. Khator gets her wish for a P5 conference. She has done everything in her power to make it happen.

(05-22-2015 04:30 PM)Bull Wrote:  I'm more interested in what will happen to UofH moving forward. UofH, like Cincinnatti and several others in the AAC are hugely building up facilities. Even though its probably largely being driven to become attractive as an expansion candidate, it has other obvious benefits. This will put the AAC, at least in terms of facilities, much closer to P5 level than G4. I see two possible outcomes, and only two: A. This (individually for a school or two) eventually leads to a P5 invite, or 2. This (collectively) results in a fantastic American conference.

Don't believe that's the main reason at all....as even at this level of Div I-A, one always has to be renovating old facilities and/or building new ones...just to keep up with others at your level. Heck, the new arms race is even in play at the Div I-AA level too.

Remember, UH announced their plans to get out of their 60 plus year old, small 30,000 seat stadium well before their Big East invite came...and it was well known (heck Tom Penders and some of his players use to talk about it all the time) on how bad Hoffeinz was and how badly it needed to be renovated but football stadium was always the priority.

Similar to what UCF and others have done over the past 10 years (heck, UCF started planning their new on-campus stadium when they were still playing in the MAC, and plans for their new arena started when they were just moving out of the ASUN), as if you are not improving your facilities at almost ANY level in NCAA, you will be passed up by others.

(05-22-2015 08:15 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:06 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:00 PM)AirRaid Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 07:52 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 01:23 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Good info thanks to all for sharing.

When you were in the SWC did Texas and Texas A&M look down on you or were you or were you accepted/respected?

A&M looked down on everyone in the SWC. Texas wanted Texas Tech when the SWC broke up but A&M wanted nothing to do with anyone in the SWC because they were flirting with the SEC. They had a small problem-- they needed a new arena to replace G.Rolly. Bob Bullock made sure A&M got funding for Reed Arena in exchange for joining the Big 12.

That said, the SWC broke up because the regional conference was dying. No TV market and fan interest was dwindling across the state.

1976, when UH won their first SWC championship, they averaged 36K.
1984, when UH won their last SWC championship, they averaged 27K.
1976, Tech averaged 40K.
1984, Tech averaged 37K.

Texans and Texas HS recruits simply lost interest--- even in Lubbock. It was easier to go to Norman, Lincoln, Baton Rouge etc and be on a national stage.

Texas politicians made sure Baylor got the final spot in the Big 12.

Yeah, keep spouting stats from 80's while ignoring the fact we averaged 28k against third rate competition last year after having a mediocre ass season FIFY

UH averaged 28K in a brand new 40K seat on campus stadium. The topic was what happened to UH while they were members of the SWC.

Stay on topic.

Go away jml... This isn't Lubbock

I don't think this guy is JML. I have no proof. But JML and I got along like oil and water and if it was JML he would have found a way to take a potshot at UC by now. It drove JML insane that Tubs left Tech to go to UC.

Red Raider: it's cool

I appreciate your weigh in on the original question regarding UH athletics. Nice to have different viewpoints/angles.

(05-22-2015 09:44 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:28 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:01 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:22 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:15 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  Go away jml... This isn't Lubbock

Big, I honestly don't know what you are talking about in terms of jml. That said, this is a conversation about UH and the SWC and I can provide valuable insight in regards to this conversation that isn't biased.

Lubbock has nothing to do with UH and their current conference situation.

Stay on topic.

Just so that we are clear now, I, like many many many many here in Houston have NO INTEREST at all whatsoever or ever will for what tech at Lubbock does yesterday today tomorrow.

Why you for Houston, I don't know why, jml

Once again who is jml? Regardless, I could care less. Texas Tech and Lubbock didn't put UH in their current conference situation and your nonsense is childish. The state of Texas has 5 P5 Cities and Lubbock, College Station and Waco are included. I know for a fact that Dr Khator and UH care about Lubbock, Waco and the rest of the Big 12.

For the rest, I hope I provided a non-biased view as to what happened to UH in the SWC.

Childish is you popping up every time Houston is front page.

Go away now, door is that way, jml -----> -----> ----->

Chill dude. This guy is clearly not JML and his perspective is valid.

(05-23-2015 08:09 AM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:44 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:28 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:01 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:22 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  Big, I honestly don't know what you are talking about in terms of jml. That said, this is a conversation about UH and the SWC and I can provide valuable insight in regards to this conversation that isn't biased.

Lubbock has nothing to do with UH and their current conference situation.

Stay on topic.

Just so that we are clear now, I, like many many many many here in Houston have NO INTEREST at all whatsoever or ever will for what tech at Lubbock does yesterday today tomorrow.

Why you for Houston, I don't know why, jml

Once again who is jml? Regardless, I could care less. Texas Tech and Lubbock didn't put UH in their current conference situation and your nonsense is childish. The state of Texas has 5 P5 Cities and Lubbock, College Station and Waco are included. I know for a fact that Dr Khator and UH care about Lubbock, Waco and the rest of the Big 12.

For the rest, I hope I provided a non-biased view as to what happened to UH in the SWC.

Childish is you popping up every time Houston is front page.

Go away now, door is that way, jml -----> -----> ----->

Chill dude. This guy is clearly not JML and his perspective is valid.

Very well, I'll tone it down then... It just weird that every time Houston hits the front page ONE lubbock fan has to interrupt in the same manner as the previous ONE other lubbock fan.

Weird just weird

Well, I've been wrong once, the one time I THOUGHT I was wrong.

(05-22-2015 08:28 AM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  However, no one capitalized on this. UH made no effort to build its own on-campus football stadium, even as we knew the Astrodome was fading into obscurity, nor did they put much effort into keeping its historic basketball arena modernized despite having one of the most successful programs in NCAA history. Outside of athletics, UH was slow to rid itself of its commuter culture (which has all but vanished now!).

The fall from SWC to CUSA was nearly a program killer. I tip my hat to TCU for bouncing back like they did. Many of our own left us for dead, but after bottoming out in 2001, there's been a remarkable renaissance the last 15 years.

UH did consider moving back to Robertson and renovating it in the mid-1980's.

(05-22-2015 01:23 PM)Ghis Wrote:  Cedric Dempsey
Tom Ford
Rudy Davalos
Bill Carr
Chet Gladchuk

Our list of "distinguished" ADs between Harry Fouke and Dave Maggard. Add those numbnuts to our prior administrations' indifference to athletics, and you see recipe for disaster after breakup of SWC.

Chet Gladchuk wasn't so bad, he had Robertson renovations plans in the works. He moved to Navy around the turn of the century where he hasn't left yet. Even Bill Carr, for all his faults, steered UH toward C-USA instead of the ticking timebomb WAC-16 as the SWC imploded. If UH had any kind of basketball mojo left, C-USA would have been an even better home.

(05-23-2015 06:16 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  Don't believe that's the main reason at all....as even at this level of Div I-A, one always has to be renovating old facilities and/or building new ones...just to keep up with others at your level. Heck, the new arms race is even in play at the Div I-AA level too.

Remember, UH announced their plans to get out of their 60 plus year old, small 30,000 seat stadium well before their Big East invite came...and it was well known (heck Tom Penders and some of his players use to talk about it all the time) on how bad Hoffeinz was and how badly it needed to be renovated but football stadium was always the priority.

Similar to what UCF and others have done over the past 10 years (heck, UCF started planning their new on-campus stadium when they were still playing in the MAC, and plans for their new arena started when they were just moving out of the ASUN), as if you are not improving your facilities at almost ANY level in NCAA, you will be passed up by others.

Please, look at what Butler has built playing in a historic but none the less ancient facility.

I will say this:

UH was able to compete at a national level athletically but never had a full and complete program and the perfect storm of circumstances that led to the collapse of the SWC and UH's demotion helped expose many of the school and program's flaws. Something similar will happen to Miami imo, they don't have a solid foundation but that's neither here nor there.

UH never consistently drew 50,000+ and usually did so when one of the regional powers came in. The football program began it's run on the back of playing in the then-glamorous and spectacular Astrodome, easily the best facility in college football in the mid-1960's and it wasn't even close (heck, it was better than the best NFL facility by a mile). As the lore of the Astrodome faded, so too did it's power of luring recruits and fans into the stadium. The basketball program slowly and gradually stepped then just totally jumped off a cliff after Olajuwon and then Lewis left the program.

Also, UH was primarily a commuter school in a pro sports market and thus had trouble drawing and keeping fans because of it. Joe Houston Sports Fan is behind UH but only casually. Add in that as college sports has peaked in its popularity, UH has been mostly irrelevant in a minor league and you get what you have today.

(05-23-2015 07:43 AM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:15 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:06 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:00 PM)AirRaid Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 07:52 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  A&M looked down on everyone in the SWC. Texas wanted Texas Tech when the SWC broke up but A&M wanted nothing to do with anyone in the SWC because they were flirting with the SEC. They had a small problem-- they needed a new arena to replace G.Rolly. Bob Bullock made sure A&M got funding for Reed Arena in exchange for joining the Big 12.

That said, the SWC broke up because the regional conference was dying. No TV market and fan interest was dwindling across the state.

1976, when UH won their first SWC championship, they averaged 36K.
1984, when UH won their last SWC championship, they averaged 27K.
1976, Tech averaged 40K.
1984, Tech averaged 37K.

Texans and Texas HS recruits simply lost interest--- even in Lubbock. It was easier to go to Norman, Lincoln, Baton Rouge etc and be on a national stage.

Texas politicians made sure Baylor got the final spot in the Big 12.

Yeah, keep spouting stats from 80's while ignoring the fact we averaged 28k against third rate competition last year after having a mediocre ass season FIFY

UH averaged 28K in a brand new 40K seat on campus stadium. The topic was what happened to UH while they were members of the SWC.

Stay on topic.

Go away jml... This isn't Lubbock

I don't think this guy is JML. I have no proof. But JML and I got along like oil and water and if it was JML he would have found a way to take a potshot at UC by now. It drove JML insane that Tubs left Tech to go to UC.

JML and his other identities always start out as fairly rational although negative when first posting. Then as the conversations continue, the negativity ramps up and it gets over the top. I reserve judgement for now, but any time a Raider fan jumps in on a positive UH thread that has no relation to TT, I'm going to assume jml.

(05-23-2015 11:12 AM)NTXCoog Wrote:  

(05-23-2015 07:43 AM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:15 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:06 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:00 PM)AirRaid Wrote:  Yeah, keep spouting stats from 80's while ignoring the fact we averaged 28k against third rate competition last year after having a mediocre ass season FIFY

UH averaged 28K in a brand new 40K seat on campus stadium. The topic was what happened to UH while they were members of the SWC.

Stay on topic.

Go away jml... This isn't Lubbock

I don't think this guy is JML. I have no proof. But JML and I got along like oil and water and if it was JML he would have found a way to take a potshot at UC by now. It drove JML insane that Tubs left Tech to go to UC.

JML and his other identities always start out as fairly rational although negative when first posting. Then as the conversations continue, the negativity ramps up and it gets over the top. I reserve judgement for now, but any time a Raider fan jumps in on a positive UH thread that has no relation to TT, I'm going to assume jml.

My man

(05-23-2015 10:32 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 08:28 AM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  However, no one capitalized on this. UH made no effort to build its own on-campus football stadium, even as we knew the Astrodome was fading into obscurity, nor did they put much effort into keeping its historic basketball arena modernized despite having one of the most successful programs in NCAA history. Outside of athletics, UH was slow to rid itself of its commuter culture (which has all but vanished now!).

The fall from SWC to CUSA was nearly a program killer. I tip my hat to TCU for bouncing back like they did. Many of our own left us for dead, but after bottoming out in 2001, there's been a remarkable renaissance the last 15 years.

UH did consider moving back to Robertson and renovating it in the mid-1980's.

(05-22-2015 01:23 PM)Ghis Wrote:  Cedric Dempsey
Tom Ford
Rudy Davalos
Bill Carr
Chet Gladchuk

Our list of "distinguished" ADs between Harry Fouke and Dave Maggard. Add those numbnuts to our prior administrations' indifference to athletics, and you see recipe for disaster after breakup of SWC.

Chet Gladchuk wasn't so bad, he had Robertson renovations plans in the works. He moved to Navy around the turn of the century where he hasn't left yet. Even Bill Carr, for all his faults, steered UH toward C-USA instead of the ticking timebomb WAC-16 as the SWC imploded. If UH had any kind of basketball mojo left, C-USA would have been an even better home.

(05-23-2015 06:16 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  Don't believe that's the main reason at all....as even at this level of Div I-A, one always has to be renovating old facilities and/or building new ones...just to keep up with others at your level. Heck, the new arms race is even in play at the Div I-AA level too.

Remember, UH announced their plans to get out of their 60 plus year old, small 30,000 seat stadium well before their Big East invite came...and it was well known (heck Tom Penders and some of his players use to talk about it all the time) on how bad Hoffeinz was and how badly it needed to be renovated but football stadium was always the priority.

Similar to what UCF and others have done over the past 10 years (heck, UCF started planning their new on-campus stadium when they were still playing in the MAC, and plans for their new arena started when they were just moving out of the ASUN), as if you are not improving your facilities at almost ANY level in NCAA, you will be passed up by others.

Please, look at what Butler has built playing in a historic but none the less ancient facility.

You are right...Hinkle Fieldhouse is historic...Hoffeinz was just old/run down.

Fortunately, Hinkle has kept its historic charm after their recent $40 Million renovation:





You almost sound like the guys from pawn stars that have customers think just because something is old, its valuable...Hoffeinz is proof that is not the case.

(05-22-2015 07:52 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 01:23 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Good info thanks to all for sharing.

When you were in the SWC did Texas and Texas A&M look down on you or were you or were you accepted/respected?

A&M looked down on everyone in the SWC. Texas wanted Texas Tech when the SWC broke up but A&M wanted nothing to do with anyone in the SWC because they were flirting with the SEC. They had a small problem-- they needed a new arena to replace G.Rolly. Bob Bullock made sure A&M got funding for Reed Arena in exchange for joining the Big 12.

That said, the SWC broke up because the regional conference was dying. No TV market and fan interest was dwindling across the state.

1976, when UH won their first SWC championship, they averaged 36K.
1984, when UH won their last SWC championship, they averaged 27K.
1976, Tech averaged 40K.
1984, Tech averaged 37K.

Texans and Texas HS recruits simply lost interest--- even in Lubbock. It was easier to go to Norman, Lincoln, Baton Rouge etc and be on a national stage.

Texas politicians made sure Baylor got the final spot in the Big 12.

See you conveniently left out 1977 year attendance where we averaged 44k per game.

Texas Tech. Fans have a real problem with UH. They go on other Big 12 message boards and denigrate UH when it has not been mentioned. Other old SWC members do not. They may on their own boards, but they don't do so on others. TT Fans go to UH's message board and deny UH has made achievements when they are clearly documented.

The reasons for this practice is clear. TT and Baylor got into the Big 12 due to politics. Neither was wanted. TT is like the guy that lies on his resume. He may get the job, but keeping it can be difficult. If UT leaves the Big 12, Baylor and TT will meet their karma.

TT has never and is not currently achieving at UH's level in either academics or athletics. Don't believe. Tell us about TT's conference and national championships. Tell us about TT's standing with "The Top American Research Universities" and Carnegie.

Primarily, UH was responsible for its own decline in athletics as the SWC dissolved. Administrations prior to this century never ever supported athletics beyond a meager amount. That has changed "big time".

(05-22-2015 03:21 PM)NTXCoog Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 01:28 PM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 01:23 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Good info thanks to all for sharing.

When you were in the SWC did Texas and Texas A&M look down on you or were you or were you accepted/respected?

After joining the SWC, and promptly kicking everyone's teeth in (winning the conference 3 times in the first 4 years), we had their respect athletically... but it always manifested itself in ridicule and mockery academically. Very much red headed step-child syndrome.

Throw in an unhealthy dose of racism. Our school had and continues to have a much more racially diverse campus than the SWC schools. Our athletes were frequently called cougroes, short for cougar negroes. Even current AAC member SMU had a sign at a basketball game in the mid 80s stating "Cage the Cougroes" which showed up in our school paper.

Even when we were going to Cotton Bowls, the Cotton Bowl committee headed by TCU's Hoss Brock said they didn't like UH coming because half our fans were shopping at 7-11 and the other half were robbing it.

The "Cougar High" moniker also has a racial element. At the time of its origin, it was a subtle reference to the fact that high schools in Texas were integrated where many colleges still were not. (I am not saying that people who say it today mean it in the same way.)

(05-23-2015 01:06 PM)BIgCatonProwl Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 07:52 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 01:23 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Good info thanks to all for sharing.

When you were in the SWC did Texas and Texas A&M look down on you or were you or were you accepted/respected?

A&M looked down on everyone in the SWC. Texas wanted Texas Tech when the SWC broke up but A&M wanted nothing to do with anyone in the SWC because they were flirting with the SEC. They had a small problem-- they needed a new arena to replace G.Rolly. Bob Bullock made sure A&M got funding for Reed Arena in exchange for joining the Big 12.

That said, the SWC broke up because the regional conference was dying. No TV market and fan interest was dwindling across the state.

1976, when UH won their first SWC championship, they averaged 36K.
1984, when UH won their last SWC championship, they averaged 27K.
1976, Tech averaged 40K.
1984, Tech averaged 37K.

Texans and Texas HS recruits simply lost interest--- even in Lubbock. It was easier to go to Norman, Lincoln, Baton Rouge etc and be on a national stage.

Texas politicians made sure Baylor got the final spot in the Big 12.

See you conveniently left out 1977 year attendance where we averaged 44k per game.

It wasn't intentional. I used the 1st year UH joined the SWC and won the SWC as the benchmark. I used 1984 as the benchmark when UH won the last their SWC.

You are correct--- UH averaged 44K in 1977.
38K for UCLA
37K for Baylor
30K for SMU
72K for UT at Rice Stadium
44K for Texas Tech

(05-23-2015 02:27 PM)HoustonRocks Wrote:  TT has never and is not currently achieving at UH's level in either academics or athletics. Don't believe. Tell us about TT's conference and national championships. Tell us about TT's standing with "The Top American Research Universities" and Carnegie.

Primarily, UH was responsible for its own decline in athletics as the SWC dissolved. Administrations prior to this century never ever supported athletics beyond a meager amount. That has changed "big time".

No need for this. Texas Tech was definitely safe because Texas wanted Texas Tech. Politicians made sure Baylor got the final spot. You guys can debate their worthiness but I don't care.

FWIW from 1976-1996
--Tech had 2 shared SWC Football titles.
--UH shared 3 SWC championships and 1 outright SWC championship
--Tech basketball had 2 SWC conference championships and 5 SWC tourney championships
--UH had 3 SWC championships and 5 SWC tourney championships
--Tech Baseball had 1 SWC Conference championship and 1 SWC Tourney championship.
--UH had none

That said--- UH won a ton of T&F and Golf SWC Championships.

Academics mean very little in realignment. Meaningful TV markets do.

The Big 12 was put together in a very Machiavellian way. What you are seeing now with UH football recruiting (HTown Takeover i.e. stay home and play) is one big reason why UH, Rice, SMU and TCU had no chance at Big 12 membership in the early 1990s.

The Big 12 schools wanted to take that recruiting tactic away from schools like Houston and force the big time recruits in Houston and DFW to leave home in order to play major college football.

(05-23-2015 10:35 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-23-2015 01:06 PM)BIgCatonProwl Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 07:52 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 01:23 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Good info thanks to all for sharing.

When you were in the SWC did Texas and Texas A&M look down on you or were you or were you accepted/respected?

A&M looked down on everyone in the SWC. Texas wanted Texas Tech when the SWC broke up but A&M wanted nothing to do with anyone in the SWC because they were flirting with the SEC. They had a small problem-- they needed a new arena to replace G.Rolly. Bob Bullock made sure A&M got funding for Reed Arena in exchange for joining the Big 12.

That said, the SWC broke up because the regional conference was dying. No TV market and fan interest was dwindling across the state.

1976, when UH won their first SWC championship, they averaged 36K.
1984, when UH won their last SWC championship, they averaged 27K.
1976, Tech averaged 40K.
1984, Tech averaged 37K.

Texans and Texas HS recruits simply lost interest--- even in Lubbock. It was easier to go to Norman, Lincoln, Baton Rouge etc and be on a national stage.

Texas politicians made sure Baylor got the final spot in the Big 12.

See you conveniently left out 1977 year attendance where we averaged 44k per game.

It wasn't intentional. I used the 1st year UH joined the SWC and won the SWC as the benchmark. I used 1984 as the benchmark when UH won the last their SWC.

You are correct--- UH averaged 44K in 1977.
38K for UCLA
37K for Baylor
30K for SMU
72K for UT at Rice Stadium
44K for Texas Tech

UH amazing turnaround is what I find so extremely fascinating and UH is accomplishing this all on it's own.

That said, with our awesome beautiful football stadium in place, I say Houston will have no problem producing over 35k regularly.

(05-23-2015 10:48 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  No need for this. Texas Tech was definitely safe because Texas wanted Texas Tech. Politicians made sure Baylor got the final spot.

Not so. TT got it's spot in the lifeboat due to the same sort of political influence that saved Baylor.

http://ourtribune.com/article.php?id=10308

After Arkansas bolted from the Southwest Conference for the Southeast, athletic directors from the Southwest Conference and the Big 8 began discussions about their own superconference. The talks centered on Texas and Texas A&M joining the Big 8, leaving TCU, Houston, Rice, Baylor, Texas Tech and SMU to fend for themselves in a much weakened Southwest Conference.

The athletic directors overlooked a few critical factors. (Lt. Gov.) Bob Bullock and Gov. Richards were Baylor grads. Bullock and Sen. John Montford, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, were Texas Tech grads, as was House Speaker Laney and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rob Junell. Stiff-arming them would not be easy. (Note: Bob Bullock got his undergrad degree from TT, and then went on to get his law degree at Baylor-coogrfan).

Bullock, invigorated by the triumph and praise of the previous legislative session, summoned Bill Cunningham of UT and Herb Richardson of A&M to his office early in 1994, when the conference shuffle – converting the Big 8 to the Big 10 -- was on the verge of being a done deal. Glaring at the two men he said, “You’re taking Tech and Baylor or you’re not taking anything. I’ll cut your money off and you can join privately if you want, but you won’t get another nickel of state money.”

The university representatives apparently believed the subject was open for discussion, that they had a negotiating position. When they expressed hesitation, Bullock cut them off. “If you want to try me, go ahead,” he said.

“Governor, we understand,” Cunningham said.

At that moment, for all practical purposes, the Big 8 became the Big 12.

TT's AD at the time, Bob Bockrath, said as much in an interview:

"As luck and fate would have it, Texas Tech had some very powerful members of the legislature," said former Tech AD Bob Bockrath. "Candidly, if not for the influence, it'd be the Big 10 — that's taken, so some other name. I don't think Texas and A&M saw Tech and Baylor as equal partners."

(05-23-2015 10:48 PM)RaiderRed Wrote:  

(05-23-2015 02:27 PM)HoustonRocks Wrote:  TT has never and is not currently achieving at UH's level in either academics or athletics. Don't believe. Tell us about TT's conference and national championships. Tell us about TT's standing with "The Top American Research Universities" and Carnegie.

Primarily, UH was responsible for its own decline in athletics as the SWC dissolved. Administrations prior to this century never ever supported athletics beyond a meager amount. That has changed "big time".

No need for this. Texas Tech was definitely safe because Texas wanted Texas Tech. Politicians made sure Baylor got the final spot. You guys can debate their worthiness but I don't care.

FWIW from 1976-1996
--Tech had 2 shared SWC Football titles.
--UH shared 3 SWC championships and 1 outright SWC championship
--Tech basketball had 2 SWC conference championships and 5 SWC tourney championships
--UH had 3 SWC championships and 5 SWC tourney championships
--Tech Baseball had 1 SWC Conference championship and 1 SWC Tourney championship.
--UH had none

That said--- UH won a ton of T&F and Golf SWC Championships.

Academics mean very little in realignment. Meaningful TV markets do.

Texas Tech: In 40 years in the SWC (56-96) they made 1 Cotton Bowl appearance.
Houston: 20 years (76-96), 4 Cotton Bowls.

Final Fours as a member of the SWC: TT none, UH 3. Note that UH made two additional FF appearances prior to joining the SWC, while TT has never advanced past the Elite 8.