Mem'ries Sweet: Bears For Frogs!

This story was written and shared by Bill Thompson, a Baylor alum, who along with his college roommate traveled to represent the Big 12 and support TCU at the National Championship Game.

January 9, 2023

Bears For Frogs!

I graduated from Baylor in 1980.

Being a football fan, I always savored the "private school" rivalry with TCU.

The rivalry escalated during the Briles/Patterson Era. We all behaved badly during those games. And the rivalry continues.

But this year, TCU enjoyed a dream season that propelled the Frogs to the National Championship game against Georgia. It was the Big 12 against the SEC.

Then a crazy idea struck me. My freshman year roommate and I decided to travel to LA and support the Frogs, acting as Big 12 Goodwill Ambassadors!

For the big game, we sported TCU jerseys and Baylor caps, not sure of the reaction this would arouse from Horned Frog fans.

This could be a risky social experiment.

As we walked towards the stadium, passing thousands of TCU fans, I kept hearing them say, "Those guys are confused!" And then, "Why are they here?"

A Frog party consisting of three couples stopped us. One of the alpha men became combative. "You guys just need to leave!" "This is wrong!" I pointed at my TCU jersey and shot him a Frog finger high sign. He seemed to thaw. His wife said, "Can't you see what they're doing?" "These Baylor guys are here to support us!" This led to a friendly chat and respectful handshakes.

The next encounter featured an outgoing Frog who thought our experiment was hilarious. "Hey dude, let me get a picture with you." "My TCU friends will love this!"

As we entered the stadium, throngs of TCU fans high-fived and fist-bumped us, always finishing with the Frog finger salute. We were starting to feel acceptance from our Big 12 brothers and sisters. We were having fun!

While the game was a disappointment, our seats in the TCU section were friendly and welcoming. We felt their pain, as our Bears had experienced plenty of big losses over the years.

The football rivalry continues, but this day gave us hope for a future of mutual gridiron respect. We were proud to support the Frogs. And we're proud to be a part of Big 12 Nation!

Bill Thompson

Round Rock, TX

Baylor University

Class of 1980

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