Yeah, I think the average graduation time is 7-8 years, because the majority of our students work full time. Most have to leave for HCC, Kingwood, San Jac, North Harris, or another college due to money problems, etc. Something you don't see at a rich private school.. like.. oh, say, Baylor.
ok...that's fine. i'm not knocking UH at all. but whatever the reason, it is what it is. again...at the time this change was made, baylor was just a couple of years removed from being a top 10 football program. in 91 they were as high as 4 in the nation. their basketball team qualified for the NCAA tourney in 93. baylor's problems occurred after the move to the Big XII. i make fun of baylor constantly...i graduated from there, and i poke at it all the time. but people act as if some grave injustice was committed by its admittance into the Big XII, and that's just not the case.
UA left because of the allure of the SEC. the SWC broke up in the aftermath of that. consolidating with the Big 8 made a ton of sense.
As somebody who grew up in Waco and have spent a lot of time on Baylor's campus, I can think of no more conservative place on this earth. I really mean that. The city of Waco has got to be the most conservative city over 100k people in Texas, and Baylor is even more right wing than the city. Whether it's more liberal than Tech or A&M, that's a fair question, but that's like asking if Dick Cheney is more liberal than John Ashcroft. It's a Baptist University in Waco, TX. That's as conservative as it gets, buddy. To argue that Baylor is even remotely liberal is HIGH COMEDY indeed. Hilarious in fact.
certainly the school isn't liberal. but i certainly met my fair share of liberals there. nothing like UT or Rice...but certainly no more conservative than A&M, which is remarkable when you consider A&M is a public school.
Yes, UH is a commuter school. It has some superb individual professors, and some excellent programs, but it has always gotten short-changed by the state when it comes to funding. UH-Clear Lake is really top notch. The school of Science and Computer Engineering there is first rate. I miss the SWC. I'll never forget how UH, after years and years of being shut out of the Conference, finally got in and kicked ass. It was a sublime period for those of us who went to UH, and had other involvement with the University.
UA left because of the allure of the SEC. So what, the SWC lost it's luster in the eyes of UA? That's it? the SWC broke up in the aftermath of that. consolidating with the Big 8 made a ton of sense. So UA caused the demise of the SWC? I thought they played several more years after UA left? I guess it did make a lot of sense since all the teams are in the same region, Tornado Alley.
1. they were on TV more with the SEC, as i understood it. better financially, as well. they just felt the SEC was a better conference. 2. partly, yes. they were a catalyst for the breakup. the whole super-conference trend followed. the swc schools felt they needed that, particuarly in the wake of losing arkansas. and texas was talking PAC-10...so everyone freaked out. anyone remember differently? that's my recollection of it.
When you put it that way, it does seem like a timing thing. Both for UH and Baylor. UH had just come down off a two decade tear in basketball and football that was pretty impressive, and Baylor at that time was heating up something fierce. Still, my gut tells me that UH belonged in the Big XII, but Texas and A&M kept us out because they had nothing to gain, and a lot to lose from our inclusion. Baylor just happened to be the beneficiary of all this, and I don't resent them for taking our place as much as I resent those who kept us out in the first place. *cue mad rush of UT and A&M folk blasting me* I have no problem with people pointing out how poorly UH has done over the past decade, but pointing that out as a reason for our exclusion is invalid. How do you think our recruiting and image would have faired over the 90s had we been in the Big XII? A lot better I can assure you. But we're playing with the cards we've been dealt, and we're climbing our way out of this hole. CUSA is taking a huge step back next year in realignment, but after several years of dominating a lesser conference (*cue bigtexxx to talk smack*) maybe we can springboard into the SEC, or perhaps another conference should it form.
What year was that? 76? I've seen highlights from it on the bigscreen at Robertson. Wish I could have been alive for that, heh.
Don't forget that the Gov. of Texas at the time, Ann Richards, was a Baylor grad, and that several big $ boosters, like Drayton McLane, did their best to aid Baylor's quest to join the BigXII. But Max is right, among the available schools at the time, Baylor made the most sense.
I've seen it all in this thread. First somebody tries to make the case for Baylor being a liberal school, then COOG FAN mentions the word SEC and UH in the same sentence. *cue hearty belly laugh* Maybe once every single sport at UH isn't owned by the cross town private university of 2800 undergrads you can think about "springboarding" to a better conference. Until then, you should be thrilled that a program with a better athletic department is joining your conference.
I'm still waiting for you to post the all-time records. As a person with ties to both Universities I'm honestly curious. Oh, and haven't half of Rice's Bayou Bucket wins come in the past 10-12 years? Strange correlation with another event we're talking about.
Baylor was put in the Big 12 because of these reasons, and also since they had strong pull through their athletic director Tom Stanton...who I think just left. TCU should replace Baylor...that way you get a decent football program...a private school that is much better than Baylor...plus, DFW can support some big crowds if good teams are visiting. Also, someone mentions mediocre public schools compared to Baylor...but don't most of the "mediocre" public schools rank higher than Baylor in almost every academic category in the Big 12?
I disagree about TCU. Baylor's football program was better when they were admitted to the Big XII than TCU's is now. TCU would quickly become the doormat of the conference, just like Baylor is now.
Yes. I was in my mid-'20's. Here's something from a quick google: 1976 -- UH joins the Southwest Conference. Football takes the conference crown. Texas, Texas A&M and the rest have nowhere to hide anymore. http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol68/139/sports/sports1.html
