Chip Brown...not a fan of Texas AD Steve Patterson

[smusportspage]

This is UT at Austin's problem, not A&Ms.

[Topper]

There is nothing sacred about the Big 12. A&M is in the better conference. UT would have been more than welcome to join. And sure it has to do with recruiting. Over time UT would probably continue to win most of those games. It is chicken(*&^ because now they NEVER lost to A&M and can continue to spew about how they are the state's flagship team.

1) UT didn't and doesn't need TAMU's help to join any conference it wants. In terms of desireabilty, Texas is a Supermodel and TAMU is a Soccer Mom.
2) Before it left the B12, TAMU took steps in an attempt to @@@@ Texas over with respect to revenue sharing, power, and the LHN. Although UT and the other B12 teams made compromises to placate the Aggies, the Aggies @@@@ everyone over and acted like douchers.
3) if you haven't noticed, the other B12 teams aren't lining up to schedule the Aggies.

There is a bitterness that goes well beyond recruiting, money, or bragging rights.

You quoted me but your points dont really respond to anything I said. Games like Texas vs. A&M are important to the fans and to football. Why not play? UT has nothing to gain by playing the Aggies other than keeping an interesting and very popular tradition (with their fans and the public alike) alive.

[skyscraper]

Screw both schools IMO, but A&M's move has only been beneficial for them and they certainly don't seem to miss Texas.

[gostangs]

Diggety you have those orange glasses on very firmly. A&M had to leave. IUT was flirting with the PAC, and had already screwed over the conference with the LHN. All that aside, why would they not pick the better conference if they had the chance? They made the right choice for sure, and UT not playing them looks either childish, petty or scared - but definitely one of the three.

UT won't go anywhere where they can't control the conversation, which means they won't go anywhere. They're just pissed A&M proved they didn't need UT.

[smupony94]

You do realize A&M was offered to be a part of the LHN and be an equal partner

[Digetydog]

Diggety you have those orange glasses on very firmly. A&M had to leave. IUT was flirting with the PAC, and had already screwed over the conference with the LHN. All that aside, why would they not pick the better conference if they had the chance? They made the right choice for sure, and UT not playing them looks either childish, petty or scared - but definitely one of the three.

UT won't go anywhere where they can't control the conversation, which means they won't go anywhere. They're just [deleted] A&M proved they didn't need UT.

As a Texas alum who grew up an Aggie fan (and a Longhorn hater), I want to see them play. There are a lot of good reasons why they should play.

But, they burned their bridges with the entire B12. There is a reason no Big12 team has scheduled them for football (thru 2018).

[WordUpBU]

Diggety you have those orange glasses on very firmly. A&M had to leave. IUT was flirting with the PAC, and had already screwed over the conference with the LHN. All that aside, why would they not pick the better conference if they had the chance? They made the right choice for sure, and UT not playing them looks either childish, petty or scared - but definitely one of the three.

UT won't go anywhere where they can't control the conversation, which means they won't go anywhere. They're just [deleted] A&M proved they didn't need UT.

When A&M left Ut wasn't flirting at all except as a contingency. So many facts are backwards here. A&Ms objections to LHN had been answered and dealt with. It was nothing more than a pr move to blame it for any negative outcomes should the big 12 fail.

[dr rc]

1) UT didn't and doesn't need TAMU's help to join any conference it wants. In terms of desireabilty, Texas is a Supermodel and TAMU is a Soccer Mom.
2) Before it left the B12, TAMU took steps in an attempt to @@@@ Texas over with respect to revenue sharing, power, and the LHN. Although UT and the other B12 teams made compromises to placate the Aggies, the Aggies @@@@ everyone over and acted like douchers.
3) if you haven't noticed, the other B12 teams aren't lining up to schedule the Aggies.

There is a bitterness that goes well beyond recruiting, money, or bragging rights.

(1) Texas has zero chance of joining the SEC. The SEC is not going to take a second school from a footprint it is already in. (and yes, I know there are states w/two schools but those are all charter members that joined in the 30s, things are different now) As for other conferences, Texas has to deal with the very real Texas Tech issue. The school is too big and important in the state of Texas at this point to get left behind to wither and die. If Texas wants to move, they very likely have to get the Pac 12 to take them which might prove difficult.

(2) That's not true at all. The source of the Aggy ire w/the LHN was that they were lied to multiple times by Texas on the true intentions. Things like being told no high school games until they wanted to air HS games, then it was no conferences games, then it turns to only one conference game, then it's suddenly get as many conference games on the net as possible. Once the constant lies started to add up the Aggy leadership got fed up. Regardless, the even greater anger on the A&M side was created when Texas unilaterally started talking with the Pac 12 about bringing multiple schools including A&M along with them. That really pissed off a lot of people that Dodds had the arrogance to think he could just negotiate whatever he wanted and that everyone would be happy to follow him.

(3) Schedules can't magically be made overnight and w/the Big 12 at 9 conference games its that much more difficult to set them up. Thinking purely from a cost benefit motive, what schools other than Texas, OU, and to a lesser degree Tech would it even be worth A&M's time to schedule with in the first place? Baylor embarrassingly bought less than 800 tickets last time they played at Kyle and that was w/RG3 at QB. They don't need a DFW game w/the Arky game at JerryWorld and if they want another they can always do cheaper home and homes with SMU. I can't think of any Aggies that are clamoring for games against the likes of Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, or Okie Lite. The ones that might want to play Tech that I know would only want to do that if it replaced the Arky game at Jerryworld so that the game with the pigs went back to home and home. Nobody wants to go to Lubbock if they don't have to. The majority of the Big 12 teams simply don't move the needle enough for anyone on the A&M side to want to run out and set the games up.

You do realize A&M was offered to be a part of the LHN and be an equal partner

False. They were never offered to be an equal partner in anything. A possible net with A&M along for the ride was discussed but it was not 50/50 nor was ESPN even involved at the time. It was a few years later that ESPN came in willing to pay for the needed LHN infrastructure and A&M was never offered to be part of that.

[Digetydog]

1) UT didn't and doesn't need TAMU's help to join any conference it wants. In terms of desireabilty, Texas is a Supermodel and TAMU is a Soccer Mom.
2) Before it left the B12, TAMU took steps in an attempt to @@@@ Texas over with respect to revenue sharing, power, and the LHN. Although UT and the other B12 teams made compromises to placate the Aggies, the Aggies @@@@ everyone over and acted like douchers.
3) if you haven't noticed, the other B12 teams aren't lining up to schedule the Aggies.

There is a bitterness that goes well beyond recruiting, money, or bragging rights.

(1) Texas has zero chance of joining the SEC. The SEC is not going to take a second school from a footprint it is already in. (and yes, I know there are states w/two schools but those are all charter members that joined in the 30s, things are different now) As for other conferences, Texas has to deal with the very real Texas Tech issue. The school is too big and important in the state of Texas at this point to get left behind to wither and die. If Texas wants to move, they very likely have to get the Pac 12 to take them which might prove difficult.

(2) That's not true at all. The source of the Aggy ire w/the LHN was that they were lied to multiple times by Texas on the true intentions. Things like being told no high school games until they wanted to air HS games, then it was no conferences games, then it turns to only one conference game, then it's suddenly get as many conference games on the net as possible. Once the constant lies started to add up the Aggy leadership got fed up. Regardless, the even greater anger on the A&M side was created when Texas unilaterally started talking with the Pac 12 about bringing multiple schools including A&M along with them. That really [deleted] off a lot of people that Dodds had the arrogance to think he could just negotiate whatever he wanted and that everyone would be happy to follow him.

(3) Schedules can't magically be made overnight and w/the Big 12 at 9 conference games its that much more difficult to set them up. Thinking purely from a cost benefit motive, what schools other than Texas, OU, and to a lesser degree Tech would it even be worth A&M's time to schedule with in the first place? Baylor embarrassingly bought less than 800 tickets last time they played at Kyle and that was w/RG3 at QB. They don't need a DFW game w/the Arky game at JerryWorld and if they want another they can always do cheaper home and homes with SMU. I can't think of any Aggies that are clamoring for games against the likes of Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, or Okie Lite. The ones that might want to play Tech that I know would only want to do that if it replaced the Arky game at Jerryworld so that the game with the pigs went back to home and home. Nobody wants to go to Lubbock if they don't have to. The majority of the Big 12 teams simply don't move the needle enough for anyone on the A&M side to want to run out and set the games up.

I know someone who participated in the B12 negotiations before the Aggies bolted. (He was/is NOT a Texas fan) your facts are wrong.

Although they knew UT would always find a home, the Aggies nearly f'd TT, Kansas, K State, OSU, Baylor, and Iowa St. Those schools didn't have a chance at life in the P12 or B10.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Although they knew UT would always find a home, the Aggies nearly f'd TT, Kansas, K State, OSU, Baylor, and Iowa St. Those schools didn't have a chance at life in the P12 or B10.

Although truthfully, who really cares about TT, Kansas, K State, OSU, Baylor, and Iowa St.?

[Digetydog]

Although they knew UT would always find a home, the Aggies nearly f'd TT, Kansas, K State, OSU, Baylor, and Iowa St. Those schools didn't have a chance at life in the P12 or B10.

Although truthfully, who really cares about TT, Kansas, K State, OSU, Baylor, and Iowa St.?

They do and they know who went out of their way to screw them over.

[mrydel]

I don't feel sorry for any of them. They all left us behind.

[East Coast Mustang]

Some revisionist historians in this thread drinking the burnt orange Kool-Aid.

Texas is a terrible conference partner and no one wants to be with them....WVU, KU, KSU, ISU, OU, and OSU would bolt for the Big Ten tomorrow if they got an invite. Meanwhile, not one P5 school would leave their current conference for the Big 12 today. Not one.

If being in the Big 12 with Texas and the LHN was all biscuits and gravy, then why did Nebraska, Colorado, and Mizzou also jump ship? Because, like A&M, they had a better option.

Texas destroyed the Big 12 with the LHN and the fact they're now a middle-of-the-road program in the conference they destroyed is sweet karma (although I'd still love for us to be in it with them- pipe dream).

[Pony81]

ECM is right. It is fitting justice that UT's avarice and bullying has led to their place in a middle tier conference. And the good Lord has a sense of humor to have them struggle mightily to boot.

But - they are a huge program, have tons of alumni, and have the money to get whatever they need. So they are attractive to other conferences and my bet is they are sitting in theP12 in 3-4 years.
They don't have to take TTU with them. TTU doesn't have enough stroke to keep Texas from leaving without them.

OU and UT will leave the B12 and SMU and UH will replace them.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

I don't feel sorry for any of them. They all left us behind.

Bingo.