Basketball teams host ‘Frog Madness’ activities
By Danny Gillham
Sports Editor

You wouldn’t mistake Friday’s event for Kentucky or Indiana basketball, but it’s a start.

The TCU basketball teams held the first ever Frog Madness Basketball Tip-off Event Friday and women’s head coach Jeff Mittie was pleased with those who showed up despite the inclement weather outside.

“I thought it was a good turnout,” Mittie said. “I was worried with the weather that some might decide not to get out. But you know this is an event that’s new, you don’t know what to expect and I was pleased with the enthusiasm of the crowd.”

The first 500 in attendance received a free T-shirt, hot dog and a drink, while the first 1,000 had the opportunity to participate in a paper airplane contest where the winner received $10,000.

The crowd got the chance to see the players in a different light than the basketball court.

Freshman post Brian Carter pondered questions with his TCU rendition of Jack Handey’s “Deep Thoughts,” while junior forward Tiffany Evans and senior guard Candace Baldwin posed as sports anchors in their version of “Sportscenter.”

There was dancing from the Showgirls, cheerleaders and the players, a student and team slam dunk contest and a serenade of the head coaches’ wives by the men’s basketball team.

Men’s first year men’s head coach Neil Dougherty said that for the crowd to see the players out of uniform was the main focus of the event.

“The most important (thing) to me is that the community, university and the people in Fort Worth get a chance to see another side of (the players),” Dougherty said. “They don’t see them competing for a rebound, interacting with a coach or with that intense look on their face. You get to see their personalities, which I believe brings you closer to them.”

Senior forward Bingo Merriex agreed with his coaches sentiments.

“They see a fun side of the basketball players,” Merriex said. “I think they’ll want to come out more, and will enjoy the games more.”

Tim George, director of marketing for TCU athletics, said an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people were in attendance for the event. The department hoped that the event could have been held in the traditional Midnight Madness style that major basketball programs have, but the Fall Break that fell on a Friday prevented that from happening.

Mittie said events like this can be nothing but beneficial for the TCU basketball program.

“Anything you do reflects on your university and basketball programs,” Mittie said. “I think with the enthusiasm of the students that showed up, that they’ll go out and talk about it.”

The event may have sparked another career for Merriex, who jokingly spoke of a future record deal after his singing performance.

“Yeah just a little something, I’m going to try to get something going if basketball don’t work out,” he said. “Go out there to RCA records or something like that and try get on.”

Danny Gillham