TCU News: Could Lodolo be staying close for his MLB career?

Football:

Ex-TCU WR Kolby Listenbee reaches settlement with university over lawsuit alleging mistreatment | Sports Day

It seems this saga, which has been quiet for a while, is over.

Listenbee, who played at TCU from 2012-15, filed a lawsuit in Dallas County against the university in January 2018, alleging that he and other former TCU players had faced “pressure to return to play despite serious injuries.” Head coach Gary Patterson, ex-offensive coordinator Doug Meacham and ex-athletic director Chris Del Conte were among 11 defendants in Listenbee’s suit.

Listenbee, who was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2016, sought more than $1 million in damages, alleging that mistreatment to a pelvic injury derailed his professional career.

TCU filed a countersuit in Tarrant County the same day Listenbee filed the aforementioned lawsuit, claiming the university should be removed from Listenbee’s suit since team doctors were independent contractors.

Baseball:

TCU lefthander Nick Lodolo is about to be drafted in the first round (again). Could he land with the Rangers | The Athletic

Lodolo is gone after this season, but could potentially stay close to the Frogs.

But the Rangers won’t avoid calling a college pitcher’s name when their turn comes up eighth overall a month from now, if that’s who sits atop their board. Many published mock drafts project TCU lefthander Nick Lodolo to be the first pitcher to be selected; at least one has the Rangers taking the 21-year-old.

It wouldn’t be the first time for Lodolo to weigh a first-round opportunity. The Pirates drafted him 41st overall in 2016, but failed to sign him. He was the only first-round selection that year who chose school over pro ball. “The Pirates made it a very difficult decision for me coming out of high school,” says the 6’6 southpaw, who has a 2.15 ERA as the Horned Frogs’ Friday night starter this season, scattering 55 hits and 14 walks in 71 innings while fanning 80. “I really liked everyone I met from the Pirates organization. But at the end of the day, my goal is to have a career in baseball, whether on or off the field. I thought it was best for me to go to school and get an education while also playing baseball.”

Basketball:

Had Jamie Dixon approached TCU first it would have worked with him to land UCLA job | The Star-Telegram

I just want this to go away...

Sources said that had Dixon approached TCU officials first about his desire to potentially accept the same position at UCLA that the school would have likely worked with the coach to make that deal happen. That because Dixon, or his agent, did not approach them first, irritated the decision makers, including influential boosters.

At that point, Dixon leaving became, “You can go, but you owe us.”

Now that Dixon is “secure” as the head coach at TCU, and UCLA hired Mick Cronin from Cincinnati, more details about the UCLA interview process have, predictably, leaked. None of them make TCU, or Dixon, look great.

The Los Angeles Times reported that UCLA had gone so far as to prepare a nameplate for an office, and to gather information to prepare a press release to announce Dixon as its coach. That was to happen shortly after TCU lost its NIT semifinal game on April 2 against Texas.