Poor Baylor

[docabel]

Makes me a bit sick to see Baylor whining that a&m leaving will dissolve all the years of competition that Baylor has enjoyed with it's sister schools.... Don't remember them being upset at dissolving the years of competition with SMU, tcu, rice, uh

http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=98171

Aug. 14, 2011
The Waco Tribune-Herald featured a guest column today by Baylor University President Ken Starr regarding the future of the Big 12. Below is the full text of Judge Starr's column, published with permission of The Waco Tribune-Herald:

GUEST COLUMNIST KEN STARR: Keep the Big 12 together
A&M University, other schools should talk out differences


The Waco Tribune-Herald
Sunday August 14, 2011

When I assumed the presidency of Baylor University 14 months ago, I would never have guessed that one of the most significant challenges we would face as an institution would be the future health and unity of the Big 12 athletic conference.

Of course we celebrated with all Texans when the agreements were signed last year assuring a vigorous future for the Big 12, including even stronger ties between Texas A&M University, the University of Texas, Texas Tech University and Baylor. As a result of our decision to stay united, there will be additional television revenue to undergird all of the athletic and academic programs of the Big 12 institutions.

Yet, this week we learned of plans that would tear Texas A&M from the fiber of the Big 12 and place it within the Southeastern Conference where it would no longer face its sister institutions from the Lone Star state. The Aggies would compete against the University of Florida and the University of Alabama, to name a couple.

Let me be perfectly clear, Baylor continues to fully support the Big 12.

We especially appreciate our fellow Texas institutions in the conference and the special rivalries that entertain and energize our respective alumni. Now, in a formation that includes an incredibly strong regional association of 10 schools -- four of whom represent the state of Texas -- we believe that the Big 12 is one of the nation's foremost athletic conferences.

For Texas, strong connections between rival Big 12 institutions produce income and jobs. It helps student recruitment. And, of course, there is the great pride that we feel as Texans when our teams dominate the national collegiate athletics landscape, as they did during this past year.

As we saw last summer, there are many in the Texas Legislature who understand the economics associated with a strong and unified Texas presence in a dominant athletic conference. Our elected officials are again taking notice of a flurry of activity relative to the Big 12 and have called for a hearing on Tuesday of the Texas House Committee on Higher Education to discuss college athletics. We believe such conversations are certain to conclude that it is in the best interest of our state that the four Texas schools of the Big 12 stay together.

Texas A&M and other Big 12 institutions have expressed concerns about the launch of UT's cable television network, the Longhorn Network. But that concern calls for conversation, not calls to other conferences.

On Thursday, the NCAA ruled that it would not allow broadcasts of high school games on conference television networks. Good. Let's take that off the table and return to the conversations that are needed to ensure a strong Big 12 conference.

As leading Texas universities, we have an obligation to sit down and speak openly as we strengthen the bonds that have benefited us all for so many years.

In the spirit of the venerable biblical tradition, if we have issues to resolve, let us resolve them together. Decisions that impact our state's largest higher education institutions and their many constituents, as well as our economy and quality of life, ought to be reviewed thoughtfully and informed by input from all those with a vested interest, including alumni, citizens and lawmakers.

Baylor, Texas and Texas A&M have been competing against one another for more than a century, while Texas Tech has been facing these foes for more than 80 years.

Quite frankly, I can't imagine having a Baylor football season without a game against A&M with the Midnight Yell and the pageantry of the Fighting Texas Aggie Band marching at halftime.

Any change that disrupts our current athletic affiliations will create aftershocks throughout our conference and others. I shudder to consider a future gathering of my fellow university presidents in which conversations about the disappearance of our historic rivalries lead us to consider what we were thinking back in 2011 when we let something so valuable slip away.

Fortunately, it is still 2011 now. There is no need for a rush to judgment. Cooler heads can prevail when we take the time to listen to one another.

[RednBlue11]

When I assumed the presidency of Baylor University 14 months ago, I would never have guessed that one of the most significant challenges we would face as an institution would be the future health and unity of the Big 12 athletic conference.

this is why he doesn't belong running a university in Texas

[RednBlue11]

Quite frankly, I can't imagine having a Baylor football season without a game against A&M with the Midnight Yell and the pageantry of the Fighting Texas Aggie Band marching at halftime.

and this is why Baylor fans should hate Starr....seriously, wtf?

[HB Pony Dad]

Obviously he is anticipating Baylor being Left Behind when the Big 12minus2 (err 3) disintegrates.

Maybe he can channel Ann Richards from her Liberal Paradise to help avert this foreseeable future.

[RednBlue11]

Fortunately, it is still 2011 now. There is no need for a rush to judgment. Cooler heads can prevail when we take the time to listen to one another.

and this is what i would put money on baylor getting left behind

[Ponyx2]

Might as well dig up Bob Bullock, too. He was as much (if not more) responsible for Baylor getting in than Ann.

[Alaric]

Left Behind

nice

[NavyCrimson]

"Maybe he can channel Ann Richards from her Liberal Paradise to help avert this foreseeable future."

Love it - HB!!!

[EastStang]

Doesn't feel so good when the shoe is kicking your butt does it? The rest of the Big 8 (and UT and ATM) did not want Baylor, or SMU, or TCU, or UH or Rice or TT, but Ann R and Bob B made them swallow those Baylor and the Sand Aggies.

[PerunaPunch]

I agree 100% with Mr. Starr.

Leaving the Big XII may or may not be beneficial for TV revenue, but it sucks for Texas football fans. Fans should be able to get into their cars and DRIVE to every conference game. It's just not practical for a family of 4 or 6 Aggie fans to get on a plane and fly to Florida or Alabama to watch a game. Plus, this move further waters down the dominance of Texas football.

Lastly, to me TAMU leaving the Big XII is a "if you can't beat 'em, leave 'em" wussie move because they can't seem to beat UT. At least Baylor ponies up and takes their annual beating like men. Not to mention schools like OU who have found a way to be consistently competitive.

[smuuth]

I agree with you Peruna Punch although these alignments seem to be less about the fans and more about tv and revenue. I miss the old days. I wish Texas schools would take care of themselves and their fans instead of playing the revenue wars nationally. By the way, does any team consider Baylor a rival?

[Topper]

[quote="PerunaPunch"]I agree 100% with Mr. Starr.
[i]
Leaving the Big XII may or may not be beneficial for TV revenue, but it sucks for Texas football fans. Fans should be able to get into their cars and DRIVE to every conference game. It's just not practical for a family of 4 or 6 Aggie fans to get on a plane and fly to Florida or Alabama to watch a game. Plus, this move further waters down the dominance of Texas football.

No less practical than it is for them to fly to Lubbock, Lawrence, Ames, or Lincoln. But I agree with the posters who hated to see the SWC break up. I made all of the conference away games back in those days. Now, I go to Rice, U of H and maybe Tulsa by car and New Orleans by plane (only because it is New Orleans). I don't fly to UTEP, Hattiesburg, Orlando, etc. So it isnt a big stretch for the Aggies to lose one easily driveable game a year.

[giacfsp]

When I assumed the presidency of Baylor University 14 months ago, I would never have guessed that one of the most significant challenges we would face as an institution would be the future health and unity of the Big 12 athletic conference.

this is why he doesn't belong running a university in Texas

Actually, this is just one of a VERY long list of reasons why he shouldn't be running a university ... in Texas or anywhere else.

Quite frankly, I can't imagine having a Baylor football season without a game against A&M with the Midnight Yell and the pageantry of the Fighting Texas Aggie Band marching at halftime.

and this is why Baylor fans should hate Starr....seriously, wtf?

Which team does he support? Next thing you know, he'll be honoring the Aggies by having Baylor wear maroon and white uniforms.

[ponyboy]

Of course we celebrated with all Texans when the agreements were signed last year assuring a vigorous future for the Big 12....

I was not celebrating.

[leopold]

Watch out. Baylor alums will be hitting the bottle again soon.