Ratings unfair in Sports Illustrated poll
A recent issue of Sports Illustrated has TCU in its rankings of Division I athletic programs, and how the rankings are determined is not very applicable to the Frogs.
COMMENTARY
Danny Gillham

Nothing can start a heated discussion like a good list.

Whenever lists with rankings are released, it seems to spark controversy about reasons behind certain rank. In hindsight, this is what the publisher wants. It draws interest to the topic.

So allow me to explain how the ranking of “America’s Best Sports Colleges” in the Oct. 7 issue of Sports Illustrated are not balanced.

The article rates the top 324 programs in Division I athletics, with the Horned Frogs coming in at No. 64. The University of Texas tops the list at No. 1. In the issue, the compilers of the poll said credentials for the list included the following:

• Performance in 2001-02 year in the big five sports (baseball, football, hockey and men’s and women’s basketball)
• Position in ‘01-02 Sears Cup NCAA all-sports standings
• Number of varsity, club and intramural sports
• Range of recreational facilities
  
• Spirit boosting events

It seems like a well enough basis, but there are flaws in the reasoning.

TCU is a private school with a relatively small enrollment. The approximate 8,000 students that go here can’t compare to schools like Texas and Ohio State, which have enormous enrollments. It is not logical for our university to have an overload of sports programs, because with a limited number of students, just being competitive would be an enviable task. That’s a possible reason for not having sports like hockey, lacrosse or gymnastics.

Also, the story does not take into account the progress being made at the university. While it mentions plans for an upgrade of recreational facilities for conference mate Cincinnati (No. 52), it makes no mention of TCU’s building plans.

Renovation of the University Recreational Center is in the downhill process with the end result being a state-of-the-art 202,000 square foot facility. Also near completion is the new Lupton Baseball Stadium and the approval of a softball program.

Athletic Director Eric Hyman said he did not agree with the criteria the article was based on, but that it’s always nice to have TCU shown nationally, positively.

“Overall with our objective, having the name out there in a positive way, whether its football, women’s basketball, golf or any other sports, its nice to have a national known magazine like Sports Illustrated mention us,” Hyman said. “With how we fit in on the national scale, I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

One thing to take notice of is the graduation rates. In the article, a graduate cap icon is put next to a school if it has a graduation rate of 67 percent or higher for its varsity athletes. TCU doesn’t have a cap by their name.

So while this list is fun to read, the standards simply don’t apply to everyone, making it hard to justify placement. All the same, I’ll be curious where TCU is next year.

Danny Gillham is a sophomore broadcast journalism major from Weatherford.