9 replies to this topic

[TopFrog]

FWST: Eventually, a pristine TCU Frog will get a little muddy

By Mac Engel
tengel@star-telegram.com

While news vans have been driving around TCU's campus in wake of the Great Drug Scandal of 2012, the vast majority of people around University Drive carry on as if nothing happened.

The coaches of the other teams at TCU have met with their respective kids to remind them, basically, "Don't be stupid."

A lot of my media brethren have described a football culture that exists at TCU of "entitled" players. Because before this "scandal," the last word I ever associated with a wealthy private school such as TCU is "entitled," "enabled" or "indulged."

I am sincerely honored to teach a class at TCU, and the reaction from one student was, "I just always figured this goes on at every Division I football team." ...

http://www.star-tele...live-up-to.html

[Atomic Frawg]

Actually not a bad piece from Mac. He's maturing.

[Limey Frog]

Atomic Frawg, on 18 February 2012 - 07:43 AM, said:

Actually not a bad piece from Mac. He's maturing.

I don't think the piece was terrible, but it is partly making a very obvious point. Sooner or later some college football player is going to do something stupid even if his own mother were standing behind him saying, "don't do that." Not really a revelation is it?

What I didn't much care for was Mac's implication that GP has done nothing but welcome and cultivate the image of TCU's program as squeaky clean [the way JoPa always did]. I don't get that impression. In fact my brother-in-law reminded me the day this story broke that GP had side-stepped praise after last year's Sports Illustrated article by implying that we had been as much lucky as anything, and even implying that he wasn't as sure about the class of leaders he had in his 2011 team than with the 2010 Frogs.

I looked for a story including his comments but Google is clogged with stories about our supposed drug problem. The best I got was this from the Idaho Statesman:

Quote

Even this week, the Frogs are rewarding the Mountain West. In a cover story in "Sports Illustrated," TCU was lauded for being the only school among last season's football top 25 to have no players with a criminal record. Patterson's picture and a quote about recruiting a "high-character kid" can be found on Page 34.

Patterson shrugged off the mention, noting that he's recruited "a knucklehead or two," his pet name for what he considers a high-maintenance recruit.

Link

EDIT: Here's the quote mentioned above [emphasis added].

Quote

"We are not perfect," says TCU coach Gary Patterson. "In the past we have had kids who've made mistakes. But we have tried to recruit the type of high-character kid who gets here and buys into what we are doing and doesn't want to do anything to embarrass himself or the school."

Link

[Atomic Frawg]

I don't know how CGP promoted TCU privately and to recruits, or if the perception was strictly media created. Fact is, the school benefited from the purported image, and I can't recall anyone shouting from the rooftops that we have problems like everyone else - not that I would expect them to anyway. There were two points in particular that Mac brought out that I agree with: 1. To many, smoking weed is like speeding - you know you're not supposed to do it, but you see folk doing 80 all day. In fact, it's being pushed in the legislature to make possession under an ounce a ticket. 2. There's smoking...then there's dealing. Dealing you can't tolerate.

[Frog DJ]

I agree with Limey's assessment, otherwise Mac hit the nail on the head for me.

Just as none of us as individuals are perfect, neither is any football program.

Certainly, TCU has enjoyed several rosters of good citizens, but the law of averages was bound to catch up.

As I've said before: Let's learn from our mistakes, take our lumps graciously and move on.

Go Frogs!  Can't Wait For Next year!

[WIN]

This could have happened at TCU at any point in time since the 60's.

[Screaming Flea]

Atomic Frawg, on 18 February 2012 - 07:43 AM, said:

Actually not a bad piece from Mac. He's maturing.

Mac, known in our parts as Native Frog, just loves to stir the pot b/c he knows full well he can get some of you  emotionally involved in seconds.  I'd bet a $100.00 dollar bill, every-time Mac is banging away on his KFC post, he's  got a smile from ear to ear.  I can almost hear him now, ...hehehe.. this is going to fun, fun, fun. Sure enough, w/n minutes he's stirred the pot again. That is his sense of humor and unfortunately for some,  it has a cutting edge.


My two cents?  Unless he moves on, he's the heir apparent to Randy when Mr. Galloway hangs them up for good. No doubt Native is talented. Most likely Native,  has a book or two up his sleeve somewhere in the future.. But until Mr. Galloway says, "adios", I'm going to respect and admire Randy even more.  He's been awfully kind to TCU for some time now, and I for one, appreciate that very much!



BTW Native, nice article,

[Big Frog II]

I also thought this article had the same writing style as Native.

[Frogson]

Randy Galloway IS the man and my only wish was that his recent "cover-up" column could have been printed in every major newspaper coast-to-coast !!!  He is a class act and always portrays TCU in the best light possible--which we deserve !!!!!

[Deep Purple]

Quote

To think that TCU was going to avoid this type of scenario forever is  almost as likely as going to consecutive BCS games, winning the Rose  Bowl and being invited to the Big 12.

Is it just me, or does this statement not make exactly the opposite point that Mac was trying to get across?  Think about it...

• It's very unlikely for any team, including TCU, to maintain a squeaky-clean image indefinitely.
• In fact, it's just as unlikely as a team like TCU going to consecutive BCS games, winning the Rose  Bowl, and being invited to the Big 12, all in the short space of two years.
• Therefore, since TCU did actually go to consecutive BCS games, win the Rose  Bowl, and get invited to the Big 12, it follows that TCU's squeaky-clean image had to...  er... wait...  LOGICAL IMPASSE!