Tech, Baylor explore option of Metroplex game
BY DON WILLIAMS
AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Texas Tech and Oklahoma State won’t be playing a football game in the Metroplex next season or anytime soon. Those talks have fallen through, but now Tech is exploring a similar option with another Big 12 Conference opponent.
“We’ve been talking to Baylor, and they’re interested in moving the game starting in ’09,’’ Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said Friday. “We’re talking about maybe playing a couple of games (in the Metroplex) with the option to play more, but nothing’s official on that yet.’’
Myers said he would be willing to have the Tech-Baylor games played at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington that opens this year or the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
“We’ve talked to both about playing Baylor down there next year,’’ Myers said.
Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw could not immediately be reached for comment.
Myers said any chance of moving upcoming Tech-Oklahoma State games to the Metroplex has fallen through, just as discussions in recent years about Tech and Texas A&M moving games never materialized.
In an e-mail on Friday, Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder said, “We have certainly been interested in playing a game in the metroplex, especially in the new Dallas Cowboy stadium, and Texas Tech would have been an ideal opponent. We fully understand that Texas Tech may have had more variables to consider and this caused several delays in the decision making process.”
If Tech and Baylor are going to play elsewhere next fall, an agreement must be reached soon. The 2009 Tech-Baylor contest is the Bears’ home game, so Baylor officials will have to know what their home schedule is to plan their upcoming season-ticket campaign.
Also to be determined is whether Tech and Baylor would keep the game on Thanksgiving weekend. The 2009 game is scheduled for Nov. 28 and the 2010 game on Nov. 27. The Bears and the Raiders play each other in regular-season finales every year through 2015.
Next season, Baylor is open on Sept. 12 and Tech on Sept. 19. State Fair of Texas officials have tried to attract games to the Cotton Bowl during fair weekends, though Baylor’s and Tech’s open dates fall outside the 2009 State Fair time frame of Sept. 25 through Oct. 18.
Myers said he would readily agree to move the Baylor games if Baylor officials are willing, but said it could be difficult to move them off Thanksgiving weekend.
“That may be the only option,’’ he said. “I don’t know whether we could move it up to an earlier-season game. We’ve looked at the possibility of moving games around so we can play it earlier. Unless we can get approval from some of our opponents — both of us — we probably won’t be able to move it.’’
And then there’s the matter of which stadium. As was the case when Tech and Oklahoma State were discussing a move, Myers has not committed to either the Cowboys’ stadium or the Cotton Bowl. He said the Cotton Bowl would provide a travel allowance of $125,000 that would cover the team’s expenses.
That’s a perk the Cowboys don’t offer.
“You wouldn’t get any travel (to play at the Cowboys’ stadium),’’ Myers said. “The financial arrangement’s different. You have suites and club seats and things like that at the Cowboys’ stadium. At the Cotton Bowl, you don’t have that, but they would give you a travel allowance.’’
Myers said it became apparent around the end of the regular season that nothing was going to happen with the Tech-Oklahoma State talks. He said that the two schools had trouble arranging a date. He also said Oklahoma State was reluctant to give up its 2009 home game, which is scheduled for Nov. 14.
“There comes a point where you have to move on and just concede that perhaps the timing just isn’t right,’’ Holder said. “We reached that point several months ago.’’
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Instead of Myers talking about playing a game in Dallas why isn’t he talking about the Leach situation? Or, is Leach still the Tech coach? Maybe we should send out a search party.
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After asking for funds in refurbish the Tech stadium, why is Myers so dead set on moving Tech games to Dallas. Texas Tech is in Lubbock! Not Dallas. I sugest Myers get a job at SMU since he does not like Lubbock.
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if played in the new cowboys stadium, Thanksgiving weekend is perfect. Cowboys play Thursday, no Sunday game, if bad weather, close the roof. I could live with this idea. Cotton Bowl stinks. Rather have home and home.
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I think its a bad idea to move a conference game, but if you must, for goodness sake play it at the brand new stadium! That should be a no-brainer. It will attract more people, and its more centrally located.
Wreck ‘em
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Meyer’s: Cotton Bowl is bad, we loose there.
This idea would in effect give Baylor a home and home series. Waco is 1 1/2 hours away from DFW. How far is Lubbock?
Again where is Leach?
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to me this is kinda dumb. yeah there are recruiting reasons involved in a move like this but the season finale at a neutral ground? i understand why it would be nice not to have to go down to waco but what happens when our season finale, senoir day, and our last game of the season home crowd has to be moved up acouple weeks? im fine with playing on neutral ground but the last game of the season is to special to do it that weekend
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Unfortunately they continue to come up with less attractive game opponents for the metroplex game to work.
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Whoever says it would give Baylor a home and home obviously has never been to Dallas… I’ve lived here most of my life and nowhere else in the world are there more Texas Tech fans/alumnus. It would be more of a home game for Tech, even if it is 4 hours farther away than Waco. I just wish it was moving the game to play a quality opponent, rather than the perennial Big XII doormat.
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This opponent (Baylor) might make the most sense out of the others that have been discussed. You’d hope that all the students from DFW on TG break would show up, while allowing alumni (from both schools) in the area to see their alma matter play without traveling to Lubbock/Waco. I’ve always thought fans in Lubbock have too quickly dismissed the abundance of alumni in central/eastern parts of the state who would love to see Tech play, not to mention the recruiting benefits (both athletic and academic) of playing in the metroplex. Baylor in Lubbock on Thanksgiving weekend is light without the students. Moving it to DFW on the same weekend makes sense to me.
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I have thought about this type of game for a while and have decided that I do not like it. If given a chance I would stop the game between the whorns and the land grabbers. IMHO, it is not right for the rest of the conference for them to be able to do that, it is an advantage to both teams at the expense of every other Big12 team. They never have a road game vs the strongest opponent that they will meet in the Big12 year in year out. (Unless it is TTU, but you know what I mean ;-) )
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Gerald, seriously, we dont want a game in Dallas. Get a clue. Good luck getting people to show for the Baylor game in Dallas!!! Baylor should be in the WAC or Conference USA, definitely not the Big 12. Imagine, losing to Baylor in Dallas. Imagine how AWESOME that would be for recruiting.
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I agree with Mike above. Texas vs OU in Dallas every year is great for both schools, but not anyone else in the conference. Great for publicity and great for recruiting. And the two schools never playing at the others house is another advantage. Get rid of it!
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or how ’bout we give you the Tech game in Wacco three yrs in a row and Mike Leach for Art Briles – straight up! Geeze – this coaching mess is just makes me want to PUKE!!!
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Yes I lived in Dallas! BTW how was the ol mis crowd compared to tech? And they were how far? Sure first year may draw them out, but year after year? On holiday? I don’t think it’s a wise move. esp. if we happen to loose one. Our luck in playing in Dallas isn’t too great. Hell we almost lost to smu!
I am starting to think GM needs to retire. If he’s thinking of ways to pay Leach there are other better ways! He may be loosing his marbles.
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lets play tech-baylor in san angelo. makes about as much sense and the good people in san angelo would love it.
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It will never be as big a game as UT/OK. Why not try a different city like Houston. There are plenty of players that don’t get to see Tech down there.
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Tech grad 1965 and live in metroplex area. I love to go to Tech games in Lubbock and in other cities where Tech is playing Big 12 schools. I like the college atmosphere. I think playing in Dallas is big mistake. If the contract with Leach is not finalized it won’t matter because Tech won’t be able to recuit worth a hoot.
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Lets do the oklahome game in dallas. That way if we lose we can whine like texas or ou and use the excuse that it was a “neutral field”. Let me translate that in their way of thinking. That means that the loss really doesnt count as much because it isnt home & home series.
So if we play our toughest games on a “neutral field” they they shouldnt count against us. It sure would have been nice to play oklahoma on the neutral field this year. Of course Tech would have to show up and not roll over and play dead like they did.
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TTU vs. Baylor in Dallas…..I am personally a “maybe” on playing at “Jerry World” and definitely a “NO” on playing at the Cotton Bowl. The Cotton Bowl officials aren’t offering to cover team travel costs because it’s a state of the art facility. The Cotton Bowl needs a major remodel and I don’t see that happening in the near future.
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I’m glad Myers is talking to Baylor a lot.
Hope it’s a cover for a discussion of getting Art Briles contract bought out, & getting him moved back to Lubbock where he belongs.
After 8 years we need a coach who actually likes Lubbock & Tech.
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Agreed melvin. If Leach doesnt want to be in lubbock then Briles is the man. Briles is so well tapped into the high school coaches and players in texas.
What the hell is the holdup on leach contract extension?
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Agree … fire Gerald Myers and trade Leach for Art Briles.
NO NO NO conference games in the D-FW Uglyplex.
Schedule TCU at the Billion dollar ripoff stadium or LSU, Arkansas, Utah, Boise State, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Houston, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Auburn, Clemson, North Carolina, North Carolina State.
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Forfeit home field for half-bleep crowd at neutral site on holiday weekend against up-and-coming Baylor and lose money at the same time? No brainer. No thank you.
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More proof Myers is an idiot! The reason ok/ut is in Dallas is money and not having to face a hostile away stadium. Us playing Baylor in Dallas does neither of these.
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I disagree with watchdog113 ‘s comment about moving the game is in essence a home and home for Baylor. There are far more Tech alumni in Dallas than Baylor fans. Also, a good portion of the Tech students are not in Lubbock on Thanksgiving week-end any way, so moving the game from Lubbock does not drastically effect the home field advantage as far as the students go. Also, I believe that a sizable portion of the season ticket holders are within 1 1/2 hours to Dallas. Good move to increase TTU’s exposure in the Dallas area.
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Uhhh, Tech had plenty of exposure in the Metroplex over the Cotton Bowl.
Who needs that? We’d better quit exposing ourselves in that manner.
Why extend the contract of a guy that is on a never-ending job-shopping trip?
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I’d rather not play Baylor in Dallas. You get no respect for beating Baylor, but with Griffin and Briles there, we could easily lose. Baylor is better than Texas A&M, but you don’t get as much credit for beating them. I don’t think we should make a spectacle out of a no-win situation.
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how many times is Baylor a sellout in Lubbock? It was this year because they guilted the fans into showing up, but I don’t remember the last time before that. Senior Day, Homecoming, Student Day, Family Day? There are all kinds of gimmicks. If it makes money, do it. For years we didn’t have a Thanksgiving weekend game at all. If it’s a relevant game people will show up.
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TTU HAS NOTHING TO GAIN BY PLAYING BAYLOR IN A METROPLEX GAME. HELL IT PROBABLY WOULDNT EVEN BE TELEVISED. PLAY A BIG TIME GAME AND PLAY UP. FLORIDA, ALABAMA. OHIO STATE, PENN STATE. ETC. NOT DOWN. WANT TO GET BIGTIME RECRUITS AND WIN NATIONAL TITLES. DO IT RIGHT. NOT BAYLOR…….. WANT ANY RECRUITS AND YOU WANT PLAYERS LIKE BRANDON WILLIAMS TO STAY. SIGN LEACH OR SHOW HIM THE DOOR. NO ONE LIKES UNCERTAINTY. iF LEACH DOESNT SIGN SOON GO TO BAYLOR AND HIRE BRILES BACK.
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Leach and the contract. You would think this is the 16th century and we’re waiting for a ship to arrive with news about what he’s going to do. I thought this was the age of instant communication. Personally, I think what Leach is doing is a slap in the face for everyone interested in Tech and the program’s future. I have lost a lot of respect for the man because this looks like nothing but an ego game. If it isn’t, why doesn’t he publicly say so. And, I can’t imagine what potential recruits are thinking about this MESS! Just how long does it take to get a contract signed? I don’t remember ever hearing about this lind of thing with other schools. If I’m wrong about this I will admit it, but this stinks!
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Correction for my misspelled word. Kind instead of lind.
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eric, i totally agree. leach came here as a stepping stone to the next job, and there is nothing wrong with that. no one else would have hired him, which is a credit to gerald myers(we got lucky). leach has done a great job and still no one is calling and he is not happy about it. this was the year for him to play the ace he has been holding for a while. he played the “going back home” card and it didn’t work. then he played the “going to auburn” card and it also failed. auburn was never interested. washington probably would have been a great fit, but they couldn’t give him the big raise he wanted. national powers like auburn are still reluctant to accept his style. as far as wins and losses, the offer he got is dead on. i could name a hundred reasons why lubbock is the perfect fit for leach. at this point he either needs to accept that or move on. i hate to say that because i really like leach and i think he has done a very good job. i really hope he comes to the conclusion that lubbock is perfect for him, but everyone is replaceable.
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Eric, Bruce, Watchdog.. Great points all !
I think we ALL agree GM needs to GO AWAY ! But let’s not forget ALL the $$$ raised by HANCE to build more suites on the East Side !! Now we are going to Steal a game from those people and move to Big D ? GM ?? Are you going to get a suite with big whiskey and steaks upstairs at the new stadium ? While the other suite holders sit in the END ZONE ? Move to Big D, then give the people their $$$ BACK !
TECH IS IN LUBBOCK !!
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Dumb idea!!!!!!!
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If Gerald is dead-set on playing a game in the Metroplex, then get a decent nonconference opponent that people will actually want to see.
It’ll take one year for the novelty to wear off and you’ll be stuck with a game against Baylor 5 1/2 hours away from your primary fan base.
It won’t be good.
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If in the new Cowboy Stadium – I’m all for it. If at the Cotton Bowl – I wouldn’t spend one dime to go! This year’s Cotton Bowl visit was absolutely the WORST football experience of my 50 year life – and not because of anything that happened on the field.
If the folks associated with the Cotton Bowl knew how to “put on” an event with class and expertise, they certainly didn’t show it. Getting to the game is a nightmare. Parking is a joke. Security was non-existant: if terrorist had wanted to, they could have brought in absolutely anything that they wanted to since there was NO effort to check people going in for ANYTHING! Only two gates were open to enter. Cotton Bowl officals, welcomers, ambassadors were NO WHERE to be seen. The one guy who tried to help us get to the right gate and get inside was 100% WRONG with his info. After leaving 3 1/2 hours early from Dallas to get there, we missed 1/2 of the 1st quarter! Inside, things went from bad to worse. “Security” consisted of Moms and kids out to make a buck as a temp. In the late stages of the 4th quarter, “Dallas’ finest” (not) Police men and women had lively conversations or just looked on while 18 year old girls were tasked with breaking up fights between drunks. Then, after the game, a nice 2 mile walk to our parking space and another 2 hour drive to Dallas. This is what we could expect with the “Stinkin’ Cotton Bowl.” I’ll never spend another dime to attend a game where my safety and comfort are totally disregarded.
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I live in Dallas, and I say:
Don’t do it Gerald!!!… playing Baylor in Dallas makes it seem as though we rival them enough to worry about playing in Waco. We don’t care.. Tech has won how many straight against Baylor???
Schedule an opponent that gives Tech an advantage to play on a neutral site… say like an SEC team or something. We will win wether or not we play Baylor in Dallas.. so its a nonsensical move.
If you want to play in Dallas, just keep scheduling SMU and TCU
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Baylor is not a rival of Texas Tech. Therefore, trying to force a “special engagement” with one of the two doormats of the Big 12 South Division is a waste of time, effort, and money. Why bother? Either compromise with OK State on whatever the hang-ups preventing a deal are, or forget the whole thing. The new Jones AT&T facelift begs asking “why are we giving up a home stand every other year to play Baylor in Dallas?”
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Well, it looks as tho Chance Hance is doing a terrific job on Leach. No news is good news as far as Tech getting it in the rear anyway. Maybe he doesn’t sign a contract extension and we can bluff recruits this yr and then get a better coach in here next yr. That is a coach who genuinely wants to be here and doesn’t trophy job shop every yr. Leach and his last three bowl fiascos need to go! He made me puke the first year!!! It got a little better and I tolerated it for awhile, but after this yrs Cotton Bowl I realize HE REALLY DOES NOT GET IT!!! Let him go back to Valdosta or maybe do card tricks in Laughlin (not Vegas since that IS big time), but please get the hell out of Lubbock cause you only get us to the big dance just to spit in our face cause you really don’t understand that the game is won by blocking and tackling. The pirate doesn’t get it and probably NEVER WILL!!!!!!!!
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“”"Mike on January 16th, 2009 10:22 pm I have thought about this type of game for a while and have decided that I do not like it. If given a chance I would stop the game between the whorns and the land grabbers. IMHO, it is not right for the rest of the conference for them to be able to do that, it is an advantage to both teams at the expense of every other Big12 team. They never have a road game vs the strongest opponent that they will meet in the Big12 year in year out. (Unless it is TTU, but you know what I mean ;-) )”"”
THANK YOU…… i cant believe this isnt talked about more…
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I can see why he wants to move a game there. Dallas has the biggest alum fan base. I don’t think it is necessary as long as we keep TCU or SMU on the non-conference schedule every year. Baylor is not a big rivalry and moving them to Dallas won’t make it that way. It will just take away from the fans in Lubbock.
If he is going to insist on a game then Meyers needs to try and work something with A&M or OSU. I know he has tried but just because the talks are dead does not mean they can’t be rekindled. Baylor doesn’t bring the excitement that those games do and never will. What are the advantages to Baylor, A&M or OSU to play in Dallas?
A&M and OSU will draw a TV crowd while Baylor will not.
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Uh I’m not really for Tech or Baylor, but everybody here is talking about how Baylor’s not exciting and they never will be or how they’re the doormat of the Big 12 conference. They almost beat Tech this year and really should’ve except they fell apart at the end. And they will be exciting cause they have Robert Griffin at quarterback and Art Briles as coach. They may have had a 4-8 record, but that is in no way an indication of the amount of how far they’ve come this year.
Now I could be wrong and Baylor may not add to the improvements they made this season, but improvement looks to be in their favor.
With that said, I do agree that the Tech vs OSU game would be more exciting, but I don’t think a Tech Baylor game is as bad as some people are making it out to be.
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