Let’s forgot about the OLD metrics of what a Flagship school is. AS I stated earlier, Ohio University was the original ‘Flagship’ Public University in Ohio, Ohio State was added later.
So…the question is…does the University of Houston fit the current definition of a flagship school?
-Large student enrollment
-Part of Complete System
-Significance presence in their state
-Support in State Politics
-Notable financial boosters (in both academics and athletics)
-large Endowment
-Reputable Colleges/Degree Programs and Reputable University as a whole
-Fan Support
I think there are FOUR public Universities in Texas that are "Flagship " level Universities. None of theme are perfect but they are far superiors to the others…Sam Houston, Texas State, North Texas, SFA, TSU, etc. of the state
I was pleased to see the State legislature approve our funding for these projects. WE may not have PUF money but they know we are important.
Honestly, we beat out many of the ‘so called’ Flagship Universities. LSU has great fan support and a great athletic program but honestly, we beat them out in everything else.
Yeah we best out a lot of the SEC. But I mean 4 of those states in general are 4 of crappiest states in the union by almost any metric in just about anything.
Looking at you Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama.
I have been to all four of them, more than once in fact. Family in LA. and James Andrews in Birmingham put my knee back together. Gambled in Mississippi, etc. And while they are not all bad, there are redeeming qualities to just about all of them.
I’ve visited them all for one reason or another and I will again, and I will never ever move my family there at least not voluntarily.
As I said, Nebraska’s President has openly admitted that had Nebraska not been an AAU member at the time, then they probably wouldn’t have received a B1G invite.
Good thing they had it at the time!
But we don’t. And until we do, it’s a pipe dream to think that the B1G is going to come our way.
The term “Flagship” usually refers to either a) a State’s top funded public university, AND/OR b) a State’s top land-grant university.
In the State of Texas, that would be a) the University of Texas at Austin, and b) Texas A&M University, respectively.
In some states, there is only one flagship and a/b are one and the same, as in the case of the state of Illinois and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
If we need a sponsor to help us get into the AAU, then we should probably look to Rice. Rice can convince the powers that be that our research budget is ALREADY LARGER THAN THEIRS.
There is a Roku channel that has silent clips of old games from the 30’s and 40’s. Rice/Princeton looked like 60,000 people were there. Tulane/Army had like 80,000. Looked like the rose bowl but not positive of the old design. Things sure are different.