Gary Patterson's post-game rant last Saturday opened a few eyes and and may have rubbed a few people the wrong way. It's his comment about respect after the 12-3 win over Texas Tech that was scrutinized most. He complained of football fans' focus on the Big 12 at the expense of TCU.
Hard to disagree there. TCU went through last season 11-1, beating two Big 12 teams, and beat Baylor to open the 2006 season. But the Frogs still found themselves slight underdogs against Tech. And it's a good bet that no matter what happens the rest of this year, if they face a Big 12 team in a bowl, the Frogs will be looking up at a more respected foe once again.
Then, there was the bit about Patterson's players not getting respect from "this city," which rattled a few media-types and probably a couple of fans. One could argue that Patterson went a little far with this one, but he's right. Attendance has been pathetic since the breakup of the Southwest Conference, proving that, even in some corners of Fort Worth, TCU still lacks respect. The coach wasn't calling out the loyal fan base that suffered through years of mediocrity before the resurgence that began in 1998. No, he was talking about the college football fans who, week after week, complain that TCU doesn't play anyone or can't draw any fans. When they do play big conference foes, these critics still find room to complain -- and it's too hard for them to get off the couch and actually come to the game.
The Big 12 has some very good teams, three of which TCU has beaten in the past 15 games. (Sorry, Baylor fans. Your team's not there yet.)Yet, it still sits outside the top 10 and will probably be kept out for a few more weeks, even if they beat BYU and Utah to open conference play.
The bottom line is, Patterson was frustrated and upset about how his team is perceived, and he told people about it. With Tech in town, there were just more people listening.
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