Baylor is not alone

[redpony]

I don't recall ever reading that the ags were not going to pay the penalty for leaving. I do believe that they were discussing a 'negotiation' about it ala Nebraska and Colorado.

GO PONIES!!!

[EastStang]

I found this nugget in an Associated Press article

"Loftin said he believes Texas A&M is “replaceable” when it comes to the TV contract.

“It was clearly stated to me by leadership of Fox that they felt like a school could be found and put in our place to satisfy their interests and therefore their contractual agreement would not be changed in any way,” he said. “So we feel that was a good way to say that we would not be destabilizing the conference by leaving.”

So, what school was Fox thinking of to replace the Aggies in the Big XII? Fox could look like a savior here by saying that SMU was acceptable to them. The problem is of course that OU wants to leave now, too. And OU can't be replaced unless its Notre Dame (with its own TV deal) or BYU (with its own TV deal). The problem for Baylor and others is not A&M, as much as its OU. I think if the BCS was smart they would do the following: come out directly and say that any conference with a current BCS member in it will be a BCS autobid conference, that will save Baylor's KSU's and ISU's tails to some degree. That would allow CUSA and the MWC to woo Baylor, KSU and ISU to join them. They would still take a hit on some TV money, but it would not be completely tragic.

[goldenstang]

Just think about the bidding war for Baylor, Kansas State, and Iowa State if this happened.

[redpony]

GS- are you implying that they would be offering CUSA a lot of money to join? If that were the case Baylor would only have to pay for all of the lost money SMU has experienced since the baptist politicos screwed us.

GO PONIES!!!

[Mexmustang]

It's funny a number of us have misspelled Dan Beebe's name several times (including myself)--but no matter how you spell it, it comes out BOZO.

A&M would also be in breach of contract. The biggest difference from prior school departures, this was a new contract with stiff financial penalities (some have speculated up to $30,000,000) meant to bind the Big 12 together. Why should the Ags expect a break or discount? Wonder how the State Legislature would view a waiste of money of that magnitude? Wait until they do an evaluation of the financial loss to the State of Texas--similar to Orsini's study.

They can do all the finger pointing they wish, but A&M needs to look in the mirror to find fault.

Only the Aggies could find a way to screw this up--and they did!

[redpony]

Mex- not sure the ags would be in breach of contract if they paid the penalty. Also, why shouldn't htey negotiate? The b12-3 let Neb. and Co. out of their contracts with a reduced penalty.
IMO the bu et al action is one of desperation. I have to laugh at the whorens not giving their consent as well especially since they are the major cause of most of the dissent in the conf.

GO PONIES!!!

[Mexmustang]

You are right, I was just assuming that they refused to pay the majority of the penalties. But $30,000,000 in penalties for a state university may open alot of eyes. We have high schools cutting back on extra curricular activities while two state universities rake in well over $100,000,000 in football revenues, with increases to come. Mac Brown the highest paid public employee! Let's call for an audit of the football revenues at both schools. How can SMU carry almost the same number of sports teams as UT on a budget $110,000,000 less that Texas? Deloss forgets it is not his athletic department but the people of the State of Texas. Let's find out how taxpayers money is being spent and why the state can't reduce their subsidies to the two schools by applying some of these revenues to run the school instead of building more and more athletic facilities and help makeup for the cutbacks at the public school level!

On the way, these two might answer another of my stupid questions, given the size of the population of this state and the TV viewing numbers, why do we have the lowest ratio of BSC schools to population of almost any other state in Union? Think about it, OK, KS, TN, MS, AR, AL, UT, etc. think about the lockout of other Texas schools that the two school have in their cartel. Feel sorry for A&M, UT? -They owe the rest of the schools in this state, "big time" in terms of their BCS cartel--now that is a lawsuit I would like to see filed.