This week in message board delusions

In the middle of rampant conference realignment rumors relative to various Big 12 teams, we get this gem from a Baylor message board:


Just had a strange message from a friend of mine. He's a Longhorn fan, but not like most Longhorn fans. He's dating a BU girl. He's friends with a member of the rugby team and fb trainer. He says BU is looking to go to the Ivy League and has torn down a parking garage to meet the green requirements. Now, I don't know where to start seeing has so many things about that just don't seem realistic, or logical. However, if that's what's going around the athletic department, possibly something to it? I respect Ivy academics, but their sports just don't get me excited.

Another one bites the dust!

That's not promising. I'm just about done with UNC.

GONNA PUKE

HT is such a pansy sucker. His first instinct would be to throw BD under the bus.

This is disgusting. I just don't understand UNC's administration.

If they were going to fire Butch, they should have done so a year ago when all of this started. To fire him now is a cowardly act that will set the football program back 5 years.

the BOT are idiots. They build the blue zone, asking for more money, then drop this on the fans right before the season. We should all ask for a refund. Unreal

Just saved some money in 2012. My Ram's Club membership is done

Really? Really? And I thought the timing of the NCAA investigation was bad. It better be due to some new information that was just discovered. If they are just deciding they have to pull their support due to the media pressure then they will learn that "support" cuts both ways.

Keep BD at the helm a little longer...giving the appearance that MAYBE the NCAA won't be coming down too hard.
Why? To keep those $'s rolling into the Kenan renovation project, seat/suite sales, and all the other big $ programs with football.
If this is true, its painfully apparent the administration simply wanted to fool donors into continuing to pour in money in the hopes that all would be well in 2-3 years.
Congrats UNC Athletic Dept. Heck of a plan.

Why would they do this now? Must have found out something bad.


Our Defense is now out the window. Who would want to come coach a team when everyone is behind a great coach and then turned on him, and that's not counting the NCAA.


goodbye any dreams of ever having a good football program.
He has not been implicated in ANYthing.
Most of the "infractions" are lame and the result of poor choices by INDIVIDUALS.
He turned Miami into a powerhouse while rebuilding their image after serious sanctions.
He steered the team through unreal adversity last year.
Truly, my support of the football program and athletics department will be greatly diminished if he were fired without some NEW smoking gun.


Holy ****. If true I'm done with this football program...for a few years.


Has to be new information that ties him directly to the infractions. No way this could happen otherwise at THIS LATE A DATE.


I can categorically say this is the stupidest thing, timing-wise, UNC athletics has done in a long, LONG time.


I've witnessed 32 years of UNC BS on the football side of things. More bush league garbage. No wonder this program never gets over the hump. Dick Crum out, Mack Brown in. Mack can't win a big game to save his life unless the talent advantage is so overwhelming it's almost comical. Torbush = bad hire. Bunting = ridiculous hire. Now firing Butch(apparently) this close to the start of the season. Bush league. Program is dead. I'm waiting for tipoff in November


I quess they decided that after we recruit 2-3 star players for the next 3-5 yrs, that we will not need a 2 million dollar coach to coach them.


I mean, the timing is simply baffling.


Arrrrrrrrrr, this means we could get Mike Leach!


This has to be about new information. If not, this shouldn't have been done right before the season. They should have given players time to transfer. Really poor timing on this decision.


Holy ****. No eff ing way.


Dickie and Holden should be the next out the door. what a cluster-f this entire situation has been.


This is sounding a lot like a new BOT coup d'etat. No new info is what several sources are saying. Thorp forced into action by BOT.


This is just totally unbelievable...what a sick feeling in the pit of my gut.


a) we are truly a cursed football program
b) we are set back at least 5 years
c) Baddour should have been fired pre-Doherty
d) Maybe beyond expansion, it's time to consider rallying other schools to leave the worthless NCAA.


We have been dragged through the ringer for a player sleeping on a friend's couch, a girl voluntarily helping with a bibliography, and maybe some free drinks at a party. None of that is abnormal for college students. Meanwhile, the entire SEC laughs and prepares to run through another year as the undisputed champions, and we get to be laughed at. This will be viewed as nothing but an admission of more guilt. The NCAA is beyond repair. We can run our own playoff systems for football and basketball. This is garbage.


Does anyone honestly want to stand up and "thank" Butch for all he has done for the Carolina program? Does anyone here think he didn't know about the agents, trips, cash, tutor etc.....???????? Come on people. He cheated. He had idiots for football players that bought into the "we won't get caught" philosophy. Bad thing about it is Butch will be working in the NFL next year and we probably will be on a two season bowl ban. If he was just in Pinehurst the last two days talking about the season and the first day back he gets canned do you think he knew it was coming? NO. He got caught with no one to blame it on.


Yep, the essence of incompetence. Worse than all of state's idiocy, be it chuck the chest or hoops or debbie yow's crazy *****-fest with Sweaty Gary. At least a 5 yr gutting of the football program, probably more like 8 to 10. Unreal mismanagement...


I've been in the Rams Club for 35 years and this is it for me. I have been watching UNC rebuild every 5 years since Tatum died. It's ridiculous! F UNC and F Baddour and Thorpe. You will get no more of my money and I hope the program just crumbles completely.


Now I know why Carolina basketball gives me so much more pride and comfort. This is an embrassment.



And with that...I am finished.

The only way to save the Big 12

I am going to skip over a lot of key issues which have already been run into the ground. The Longhorn Network, the hurt feelings of the Aggies and the Sooners.......no matter what side of the debate you are on, we're all tired of talking about it.


Since state politics seem to have A&M and Texas tied to Baylor and Texas Tech and Oklahoma tied to Oklahoma State, the odds of any of these entities splintering off to join the SEC are remote. The most likely of the unlikely scenarios is Tim Brando's A&M/OU/OSU/Mizzou exodus to the SEC and even that will require the Aggies to work a miracle of state politics. But how long can the Big 12 survive with every off-season consumed with talks of secession? SOMETHING needs to change. SOMETHING needs to happen that is dynamic and is such a game-changer in terms of money so that the disgruntled of the Big 12 are pacified regardless of individual networks and 3rd tier rights.


Everyone, and I mean everyone, on every side of every issue seems to acknowledge that the days of 16 team super-conferences are coming. While everyone believes this, most conference leaders seem to be taking a wait and see, counter-punching approach to this issue, which is ridiculous. There are only a finite amount of elite, huge $ programs in the country.....and very few of those which will even consider a move. Larry Scott, the commissioner of the PAC 12 is a freakin' genius for several reasons, not the least of which is that he realized that whoever moves first will get the biggest prize. He was VERY close to a PAC 16 that would have been the standard in terms of eyeballs watching TVs. Cali and Texas TVs would have been locked up. No other conference, not even the Big 10 adding Notre Dame and a couple of nice ACC schools, could have made as big a splash in going to 16 teams. And it was all because the PAC was willing to act first.


Larry Scott admitted that a "tsunami of political pressure" from state politicians in Texas kept the PAC 16 from happening. Just like when the SWC collapsed, somehow, Baylor is able to flex insane political muscle to keep it from being split up from Texas and A&M. This is the only reason Dan Beebe, the Big 12 commissioner, has a job today. Now, Beebe can passively stand by, waiting for the political tables to turn in Texas and for Baylor to finally become vulnerable, OR he can learn a lesson from Larry Scott, be proactive, and grab up the best expansion candidates first by being the first league to go to 16 teams. Unlike what you may read on college football message boards, while Beebe isn't a genius, he is also not a fucking idiot. He is smart enough to copy Larry Scott's blueprint for success and this blueprint has two genius elements. Obviously, Beebe needs to act first. And secondly, and most importantly, is the concept of the "geographic pod."


Larry Scott's PAC 16 plan was fucking awesome because it pretty much brought over the geographically convenient Big 12 South. While a trip from Austin to Corvallis seems like a nightmare, most conference contests in all sports would have been held within the "geographic pod" and the 2 Arizona schools - all manageable commutes. For the sake of football.....when you factor in home games, former Big 12 South opponents and in-state out of conference games, a team like Texas A&M in the PAC 16 would have had only 1 or 2 West Coast trips a year. It was a brilliant structure. Beebe needs to steal this idea. Any expansion to 16 for the Big 12-2 needs to target on schools in one geographically convenient area. The spoils of going first means you get your pick of the best the nation has to offer and it reveals an opportunity for a geographic pod in a very populous state (with lots of eyeballs watching TVs) that can rival the state of Texas in terms of recruiting. It is a goldmine waiting for Beebe to pounce on it.


It is the State of Florida.


It goes without saying that UF is firmly entrenched in the SEC. Fine. However, FSU, Miami, USF and UCF are all prime for the plucking. Miami has been in the ACC for less than a decade and FSU is a frequent team which pops in SEC expansion rumors. It is hard to imagine that the Canes would want to be in an ACC without FSU. USF is in the bottom of the current barrel of BCS conferences and would love to be conference partners with FSU and Miami. UCF would have a 7 week orgasm at the opportunity of joining this league. The move would be brilliant. The Florida schools would be playing most of their conference games in all sports against each other. One conference would have a stranglehold on recruiting and TV presence in Texas and Florida. This is almost too good to be true. Miami and FSU would get better exposure to Texas recruits while OU, Texas and A&M would get a new window in to Florida recruits. The TV money would be unparalleled for conference 1st and 2nd tier rights. It would be THE Goliath in college football.


Of course, this just gets you to 14 teams. Ideally, a couple of other schools would need to be plucked away and the closer they are to the Florida pod the better. How about Georgia Tech? Great academics, the Atlanta TV market, and wouldn't the Yellow Jackets love this unprecedented avenue to recruiting Texas and Florida high school players? After Georgia Tech, the Big 12 could turn its attention to a Clemson or a Maryland (DC market?).....or maybe, just maybe, Notre Dame. This isn't as silly as it sounds. We know that the Big 10 has been unsuccessfully seducing the Irish since Jesus wore short pants. Whatever the Big 10 has, it isn't what Notre Dame wants. What Notre Dame wants is the recruiting opportunities and the money making bonanza of a Big 16 which owns the states of Texas and Florida and has a big toe in the waters of the Atlanta market.


How would this break down to divisions, it would be weird....here is a stab at it:


West:
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
Baylor
OU
Okie State
Kansas
Kansas State


East:
Notre Dame
Missouri
Ga Tech
Iowa State
UCF
USF
FSU
Miami


It seems weird because it is weird. Nothing like it has ever been tried. But the potential positives far outweigh the negatives. There would be more than enough money for everyone. The recruiting profile of all schools involved would go through the roof. The Big 12/16 would become inherently stable and Beebe would look like a genius and a pioneer......all because he was smart enough to mimic Larry Scott. Or he can stand by, be passive, and counter-punch his way out of a job.

Have you heard the good news? The NFL.....it is risen!!!!!

Cam, Cam, Cam, Cam, Cam, Cam, Cam.......Today on Twitter

https://twitter.com/#!/finebaum

Danny Sheridan w/PF,'NCAA 's investigation into AU has been revved up since Chizik's encounter in Destin.'

Sheridan on Cam Newton investigation,'As I understand it, the NCAA is trying to get an alleged 3rd person or bag man to come forward.'

Sheridan,'The investigation on Cam Newton is centered on his recruitment to AU. MSU is not a factor at all.'

Sheridan,'If the dots get connected, major sanctions will follow- vacation of Heisman & national champiosnhip.'

Sheridan about NCAA investigation at AU,'They think they know the third party & who put up the money.'

SEC fans respond:

tick, tick, tick, tick

:HUGEFUCKINGPOPCORN:

They think. Not saying they are not following a lead, but will wait for a specific name, etc. 

Move along; nothing to see here.

DEFLECT! DEFLECT! What about the TREEESSSS!!!!????

He's a prognosticator on politics and college football. He is pretty good at it. He knows a lot of people. Having said all of that, I'm sticking my head in the sand until the NCAA digs it up. 

While it might provide some measure of personal comfort, I wonder how effective it really is to call Sheridan a Bammer.

Also mentioned 15 other schools getting looked.... Mentioned secondary violations will get punished...no more hand slaps. Auburn fans probably shitting right about now.

NOW LETS ALL REJOICE!!!

the idea that anyone could believe Auburn is going to get off clean is absolutely baffling. Even if they can never prove the Cam stuff they will be all over Auburn's program looking into everything and they will find something. No major SEC school could get off clean with that kind of scrutiny.

Intersting he said that Cams church got 20 grand of repairs and the NCAA pretty much knows it

Get it right, bruh. It's the "Three D's of NCAA Investigation"
Deflect
Deny
Distort

Danny Sheridan doesn't usually spew bullcrap...not from things I have heard from him in the past anyways...

Do I think the NCAA will get the money-man to talk? No
Do I think Yahoo Sports will get the money-man to talk? Yes
I have every confidence that Auburn will go down, the title will be vacated and Cam's Heisman will be Reggied.

I bet Chiz is glad he renegotiated his contract so they couldn't freeze his salary while AU is on investigation. The bagman may be testifying in the bingo trial.

Auburn killed the bagman in Ohio.

While I agree that Auburn fans are probably right to be a bit more thick-skinned and skeptical about NCAA doomsaying, would you not agree that it's more than a little fallacious to completely discredit someone simply because he's a Bama alum?
If the guy has sources or connections, they can't count, obviously, because he's a Bammer, right?
If he knows something, it has to be blown out of proportion or, even worse, just a plain lie because he's a Bammer... right?
It's almost like as though you expect everyone with a 'Bama affiliation to be exactly like the homers you meet on Internet message boards... 

ALL IN BITCHES

So, apparently, it isn't news to anyone on this board that the NCAA is looking for a 3rd party/bagman between the Newton's and a buyer? Because that's news to me.

Auburn fans remain defiant:

...the NCAA believes that an AU alumnus paid Cam and they think they know who it is?
Am I right on this?

Yep, that's what you heard... Sheridan claims the NCAA is just waiting for the bagman to come forward and sign a statement

He said that the NCAA believes that a 3rd party paid Cecil between $180,000 and $200,000, with about $20,000 of that going to his church. He said the NCAA believes they know who the 3rd party is. He said neither AU or the coaches were involved, and that it wasn't an AU booster that made the payment, but a 3rd party that was working for an AU booster.  He said the investigation "ratcheted up" after Chizik questioned the NCAA rep back in May. He said the NCAA is currently trying to get the 3rd party to sign a statement admitting it, but that without subpoena power they can't force the 3rd party to do anything.

It was me. I apologize.

So basically, there's nothing "new" here. The NCAA is still waiting for some evidence?

Let me guess....the 3rd party is just a person on the REC payroll paid to lie to the NCAA.

Come on folks.....the NCAA has the Newton's personal and church bank records.  Unless, the NCAA gets a search warrant (which they can't do) and finds the money in Cecil's mattress or in a jar buried in the back yard, the money simply does not exist except in Sheridan's bammerland.

Are we talking about Danny Sheridan? He is actually has some credibility. The hole in story is why would Chizik pester the NCAA about the case if he knew we did something fishy?

Does Sheridan work for the NCAA?

also remember that the FBI has already been involved trying to find a money trail......that would have led to a tax issue for the Newtons' if it had turned up anything. The IRS would have gotten involved then and any paper in the world could have gotten those records and published them.

That's actually a good point.  So...they're saying Cecil accepted 200K in CASH!?!?!  Because it didn't go into the bank.  Then...Cecil repaired parts of his church, PAID CASH for it, and no contractors have come forward on this?   And 20K was not enough to fix the church?  Because we know that last fall the church wasn't close to fixed.

You missed the part where he said the AU coaching staff wasn't involved and wasn't aware of this.

They need to get more creative with their stories.  The $200,000 and $180,000 they lifted straight from the Kenny Rogers story.  They have reached the depths of despair and desperation, and if anyone from the NCAA falls for this crap, there is no hope for college football. 

But supposedly the FBI hasnt investigated Auburn. Theyve investigated Kenny Rogers and John Bond but not Auburn....supposedly.

Let's bring some common sense to the panic surrounding the Longhorn Network

Texas A&M wants everyone to be upset about the Longhorn Network. Held hostage in the Big 12-2 by state politics, the Aggies are trying to make the best of a bad situation not by being proactive, but by limiting others. You see, Bill Byrne, the AD of A&M is on the record as saying that a single school having its own network is not viable (“If you think about it, a separate school network does not work unless it's public television, and they need all kinds of institutional and federal government funding. Last time I checked, the college athletic departments are not eligible" “(Texas) could have had their own network for the last 14 years of the Big 12 and so could we or any member of the conference. Our friends have been bringing their Longhorn Sports Network television mic flags around for years. Their stand alone network has still not happened yet.” “Even ESPN does not have enough live programming to fill its' schedule each day.”)......and then Texas landed a 20 year/$300 million deal with ESPN. There are countless internet conspiracy theories running wild which will tell you that ESPN grossly overpaid Texas to prevent super-conferences from forming. Personally, I think it is comical that a bunch of waiters and backhoe operators posting on college football message boards claim to know more about making money in sports broadcasting than the most profitable entity in the Disney empire. This issue is awash in misinformation and hysteria. It is time for a common sense look at the situation, especially the issue of the LHN broadcasting high school football games.


People on the internet are very upset that "the University of Texas will be broadcasting high school football games." Let's make this clear, UT will never broadcast a single high school football game. ESPN completely owns the LHN. Various ESPN networks have been broadcasting high school football games for years and the NCAA is fine with this. ESPN employees will be choosing which high school games to broadcast and UT employees will have nothing to do with these decisions. Hyperbolic message board posters have been claiming that broadcasting high school football games is the pinnacle of Longhorn greed when, truth be told, the University of Texas makes the same amount of money whether the LHN broadcasts high school football 24 hours a day, the Jeffersons 24 hours a day or dead air 24 hours a day. This is purely an ESPN decision about an ESPN network. 


Of course, the maroon masses will exclaim to you, this is all about recruiting. They want you to believe this is a perfectly crafted scheme to put a stranglehold on recruiting Texas high school football players. Because, what the University of Texas will do, is televise the best players and then they will all come to Austin, right? Let's all take a deep breath and look at the facts. The state of Texas cranks out roughly 400 FBS level football players a year. In any given season, the University of Texas can sign about 20. Now, Texas has a solid track record of getting top shelf recruiting classes pre-LHN. Take the current recruiting class for example, coming off an abortion of a season, Texas already has 18 commits (a low # compared to previous recruiting years). Is ESPN's massive investment really a conspiracy to broadcast particular high school games so that the Longhorns can nail down another 2 or 3 kids once the season starts? Really? Couldn't kids feign interest in Texas just to get televised and then commit somewhere else? You can play reindeer games with hypothetical recruiting based scenarios all day but this is really about money. ESPN wants to get the most out of their investment and people in Texas will watch televised high school football.


The funniest aspect of this argument is the Aggie fear of games being picked up on the LHN and those games not being able to be viewed by non-subscribers. This is hilarious on many fronts. First off, no major college football program had fewer of its own games televised last season than Texas A&M. Bill Byrne's quest for sellouts and stadium related revenue has infuriated the Aggie faithful for years. Since most residents in the state of Texas will probably get the LHN as part of their basic package, had it been around last season, Aggie fans would have seen almost as many LHN games as regionally televised Aggie games during 2010. But what about out-of-state fans? The examples I could give to you of out-of-state fans being unable to see particular games because of network related shenanigans are too numerous to mention here. The LHN will be breaking no new ground in this area. 


The Longhorn network does not allow Texas to recruit more football players than anyone else. The Longhorn Network does not pay the University of Texas more money if it broadcasts high school football. The Longhorn Network will not have a single University of Texas employee on staff. These are the salient points to reflect on as you read doom and gloom LHN diatribes all over the net. The Aggies real fear is about the money coming from the LHN, and that money is coming no matter what. There is nothing they can do about it except complain. I hope Bill Byrne hears Matthew Mcconaughey's voice every time he writes a personal check to his cable company and fattens the coffers of the University of Texas.

What are the NCAA rules regarding a school and/or conference network and televising high school games

NCAA rule 13.10.3 states:

A member institution shall not permit a prospective student-athlete or a high school, college preparatory school or two-year college coach to appear, be interviewed or otherwise be involved (in person or via film, audio tape or videotape) on:
(a) A radio or television program conducted by the institution’s coach;
(b) A program in which the institution’s coach is participating; or
(c) A program for which a member of the institution’s athletics staff has been instrumental in arranging for the appearance of the prospective student-athlete or coach or related program material.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

As it has been explained to me, if the Longhorn Network has no coaches involved in the broadcast and the games are selected by ESPN employees, the LHN can display high school football without violating NCAA rules.

Aggies threaten to run away, again, because their feelings are hurt, again.

Last summer's conference realignment sexplosion, which resulted in a 12 team Big 10, a ten team Big 12 and a new network for Texas, has left the Aggies simmering in jealousy. Did the Aggies know about the upcoming Longhorn Network when they decided to stay in the revamped Big 12? Of course. Is anyone surprised that they are still outraged and blaming the University of Texas for their own decision to stay put? Of course not. 

In 2 days, a Texas A&M Board of Regents meeting has a listed item of discussion entitled "Big 12 Conference" and the Houston Chronicle reports that this will be a bitch session about the Longhorn Network. This has sparked yet another frenzy of  "Texas A&M to the SEC" chatter and the expected message board meltdowns this generated are entertaining to say the least. Facts be damned, let's look at the reactions of the fanbases.....

I am thinking the odds are about 85% we start SEC play by 2013? What ya all think? Kyle gets a major renovation and we are off and fightin' in true Aggie style. The BOR seems ready to act with conviction soon. Can't wait much longer for our destiny in the SEC to begin. Should be fanatastic!

If the rumor was true that a donor was offering 9 figure donation contingent on our going to the SEC, I might actually think our chances of going there are pretty good.

The official odds are 99% by august 1, 2011. After that, they fall to 5%

The next BCS cycle starts in 2014 and with it likely a new round of re-negotiated TV deals. Sometime between next week's SEC meetings and season's end Slive will announce SEC is "considering" expansion. A&M and the SEC will announce the news after the championship game effective 2014.

Why do we need to announce this summer? I hear July 1st is the date the SEC would likely use as the cutoff to start for the next year. So we are likelt to late to start in 2012 but have through next June for 2013. I would be giddy if we did announce this summer for a 2013 start just to have a little more prep time, but why would the odds go down that much after this August? I would hope the BOR could just make it official but to me they are just as likely to wait til next spring.

it's really 200 million. Dont sell the rumor short

The BOR should vote for the SEC when it is least convenient for the State Legislature to race back to Austin for a special hearing.

Make no mistake about it the donor wants to go to the SEC! The donation is being made contingent upon Aggie brass making the SEC happen!
That has been stated by donor and BL can confirm this

I cannot tell if our brass is being willfully ignorant, naive, or just plain stupid if they are worried about the dirt of the SEC when the 800lb gorilla of the conference has a multi-billion dollar media empire protecting its interests now.

Eventually EsipN will become the defacto B12 channel except it will be run specifically for tu.

Every school in the b12 and state of Texas not named tu is going to be permanently marginalized by the lhn and EsipN's attempts to ensure the success of its $300 million dollar investment.

What the Longhorns are doing is an udder embarrassment to us!!

No one is saying that we would instantly win the SEC. I think we may even have a rough first year or two in football. But, we will gain a huge recruiting advantage if we are the only SEC team in Texas.

The people on this board that think we will not win in the SEC are just ignorant to the facts. Not only will we win but thrive in time!

Based partially on Luicci's article and just what is clearly the best choice for A&M. I think we will do well in the SEC. If LSU or Auburn or (pick your 2 teams) go on sanctions that will allow us an easier introduction. I think we would be in the mix for the SEC West title fairly quickly and could even win one with a fortunate bounce or two within our first 3-4 years. We will enter right around the level of Tenessee or Arkansas or Georgia and ahead of programs like the Mississippi teams, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. We bring certain recruiting advantages that will end up shortening the gap between us and the elite SEC teams. After a decade of play we will be an elite SEC program and will likely stay that way.

Not a chance in the world that ou and tu will retain their games with A&M (unless tu goes indy and ou goes to the SEC). They already have beefed up their non-conference schedules and scheduling A&M would not be high on either's agenda. OU has a relationship/rivalry with Nebraska that is as strong as their relationship with the sips. A thousand times greater than their rivalry with A&M.

tu will always play us. That game is worth too much $$ to not play. As for OU if they don't come along, who cares? They are not a long standing rival with us they way they are with tu.

Hopefully the BOR comes through in the clutch

Just do it BOR.

Perhaps the LHN will offer coverage of this BOR meeting to soothe any hard feelings? ESPN can do some flashy backstory pieces on those BOR members that have yet to make up their mind on SECession?

Maybe the carrot for us to stay with this suck of a conference was that the other schools would let us have the law school we have wanted since the late 90s.

Didn't A&M try to make South Texas College of Law its law school a while back? Hell, it might as well be. Place is packed with Aggies. I wish we had a law school.

are the SEC schools going to somehow meet to discuss even wanting aggy around? or is this one more aggy "we hate the Texas Longhorn Network" meeting that goes nowhere?

Same shit different day, no one wants them

God.....I hope they go and just end this.

They mention contract negotiations regarding the big 12, so this translates to contract negotiations with the SEC?

Interesting that a law school is on the table... iirc they tried to buy South Texas in Houston a few years ago, and it got blocked from somewhere

They think they'd be giving us the finger by leaving. I'll help them fucking pack. They're Texas Tech with a God complex and matching haircuts. Go, with our blessing, be the SEC's doormat. 

Would anyone really miss seeing aggy on the schedule? I mean, it's a fun rivalry but it ain't exactly Ohio State/Michigan or Texas/ou. Not that many people outside of our state give much of a shit. It's run its course. Let them establish a new rivalry with Arkansas for fourth place in the SEC West every year.

Please just leave already idiots. Let's call your pouting over the LHN the last time we have to deal with you and go our separate ways. It would be a glorious day, but I seriously doubt we'd be so lucky.

Plz god let those fucking fuck ass fake army bitches leave...

So they are going to discuss something that UT is doing that they don't like but are not going to do anything about it? Isn't this what aggies normally do or am I missing something?

True enough, but there might still be a bit of a state legislature issue at play. And one would have to wonder where this alleged 9 figure donor was when the team had to borrow 8 figures from the university.

This feels like a reporter using a Texags wet-dream/jerkoff session as his source.

They'll go to the SEC when Deloss Dodds decides they will. He already fucked them into the Big 12-2 and landed us $300 million from ESPN in the process. Bitches... the whole lot of 'em.

Goddammit. Just yesterday I set up a meeting with myself on Friday to discuss leaving my wife for Scarlett Johansson. Fucking Aggies, always stealing my thunder.

They can't afford on-campus toilet paper but they are going to whip-up a law school?

Where did the A&M arrogance come from recently? I've really never seen anything like it. No, we don't like each other. That's natural. We've had a lot of good games with them in the last decade across all sports. It seems that A&M has suddenly turned into that emo middle schooler that won't stop pouting, even though they are making a boatload more money now than they were a year ago.

aggy cant do sh1t. texas politics will get in the way of any move bc the state of texas pays aggys light bill.

Ok, lets say A&M bolts, first question is who is the other team the SEC covets? Secondly, even with A&M gone what are the advantages of UT going independent...I would argue none and all A&M will have done is isolated itself politically and recruiting from the rest of Texas. UT already has the TV deal it covets, the revenue it covets, and the clout of the big dog in the conference/nation that it covets. Frankly I have to agree with other posters that say ok A&M go ahead and hurry up so we can drop BYU right in.

All that being said I really don't think A&M is going anywhere because again what is the impetus for the SEC to even offer...and remember when it doesn't happen the standard aggy answer was because they never offered.

I certainly hope this proves to be true. In a conference with UT and their Bevo Network and unequal revenue sharing the playing field will never be level. Let ATM and UT leave and replace them with BYU and Boise State and keep on rollin'!

I do not blame A&M for wanting to turn its back on UT. At this point, I would love to get as far away from UT as possible. Their arrogance is doing nothing but harming college sports. It's own network . . . airing HS games . . . are you kidding me? The Big 12 is worthless. The NCAA is worthless. Above all, UT is worthless and a drag on college football. It's a matter of time before amateurism is out the window and the once "pure" arena of sports is just another pro league in which the game itself is secondary to revenue. Just one more American institution destroyed by greed and excess in the modern day fall of Rome.

I'm so sick of hearing the Aggies are going to bolt for the SEC already. You know who is motivating and advertising this rumor?: Aggies. Not once, repeat NOT ONCE, have I seen the SEC come out and say we will take TAMU. Not during the realignment discussions, not now. Sure TAMU would be their number target for expansions should they choose to expand. Key Words:Would and Should. Why would the SEC expand now and change a system that has worked flawlessly for them? Why now and not when Aggy was begging to go last june? Their was never any offer on the table. Maybe talks, but nothing in writing. The SEC has had no rumors of expansion from their party (kind of an important factor don't you think). I can't imagine the aggies bolting without having an offer on the table. Do they want to move, sure, will they/can they NO. 

In regards to A&M and the SEC... the timing is odd to say the least. The deadline I believe to announce a move was the first of this month. That means the aggys would have to stay in the Big 12 for two years before getting the chance to bolt. Another point to consider is if they will be allowed to make such a move. They're not an independent, private university. They answer to politicians in Austin just like UT. Will they be allowed to break away from UT? Maybe. Maybe not. I think UT and their politicians have plenty at stake in this situation, and I don't think they let them go without a fight.

IF A&M were to leave, the league would replace them with likely BYU. It would not be ideal for the conference, but we'd still be fine so long as UT is around.

dear lord please let this be true.

Love it. I still believe the PAC will do anything to get a tie into the Texas market. That should leave Tech in a good position.

While I realize it likely will have to do with the Big12 Network, PLEASE make the aggies' dream come true and let them go to the SEC.  It would be hilarious to watch aggies arrogantly explain to LSU Tigers how aTm has class and Tigers lack it.  LSU would knock the sh*t out of them b/c LSU doesn't take sh*t from anyone.

They (A&M BOR) are saying all of the politically correct things but EVERYONE is furious in college station and there is too much smoke around this right now......

Wonder if the ags have the balls this time.

All of us in the b12 should be outraged and embarrased!!! How can one school dictate the fate of the other nine? Lets all get together and start our own network.. Refuse to participate in the longhorn network..... No games! Zero! Grow sum damn ballz!!! Texas is better than most. But they arent better than all of us together!!

Aggie would do best to stay put, unify with OU, Tech, OSU and create a core network for FB/BB.  These four schools have an intensive following in their football programs as well as basketball programs that are gaining intensity.  Let's not forget KU's BB power either.

I would add that if the conference is over we were royally screwed...having both Oklahoma and Texas away and not getting benefit of getting both at home. I think this played somewhat...if not a huge part with my enthusiasm for 2012 along with talent returning.

IF aggie were to go SEC, I think that league offers an invite to an east coast school - say VaTech or Miami or FSU. 

Can we get TCU to bolt the Big E? I say BYU, Air Force, Tech, OU, OSU, KU, KSU, Mizzou, ISU, BU....that's ten teams. Do you offer to others? I don't think you can pull the AZs out of the Pac12. Would we extend offers to Tulsa? Houston? Getting TCU would help, but doubt it would happen. Now with BYU, you have a program that has it's own TV network, does that create uncomfort amongst the natives?

This again...... talk about over inflating yourself

If they really have an offer the SEC must really think they can get OU and/or Texas with them.

Well that was a short-lived peace.....

have that flight tracker handy this week

I think there was another thread about this saying that Clemson could be the other team.

blow it up A&M

There is a rumor on Texags that some billionaire A&M booster will give $100 million plus for stadium improvements if the BOR pull the trigger to go to the SEC.

We're fine no matter what because of who we are. OSU, Tech, Baylor, Kansas State, ISU they are worried.

Where does it leave us though, only logical answer is PAC-12, then what do they do move to 14?16? Who do they bring in? 

We can still move to the SEC or the Big 10 even. Least popular option would be stay in the Big 12 and add programs like SMU, Houston etc.

I wish we had a time machine to go back and give Texas an ultimatum during the second weekend of June 2010 - Pac with you or SEC without you. There was no ESPN-UT deal in place. Texas was willing to give up their network plans at that time.

We wont be left out in the cold. We are a very attractive product to other conferences and arent looking to be selfish about what we do. If youre in a conference, you need to work together for the good of the conference. bevo doesnt appear to be doing this.

Texas is not going to back down. 
They will keep pushing the issue and backing A&M in to a corner in regards to caring high school games on its network,,,,, something A&M said they would not stand for.

SEC or independence. Those are the only options. Big Ten will not come after OU. It's not a demographic play for their network, it's not a regional fit (as with Neb), they have their 12 members to stage a championship game and Big Ten members are unlikely to accept a non AAU member. Nebraska lost its status but after the invitation was accepted. Pac has their TV deal. Texas isn't going. The Pac deal was contingent on Texas and a division in the SW region. Doesn't make sense anymore. 

the ESPNut channel was the nail in the coffin for the Bug 12

The longhorn network could be a real albatross for Texas if the league blows up, they can't go to the big 10 or PAC 12 w/ their own network, and they want no part of the SEC...as far as an independent the big difference w/ them and ND is NBC vs some cable network that doesn't have distribution outside of Texas

I know the Pac 16 was all a play for Texas TVs and there is no standing invitation to OU without Texas. I just think they will make a play for both again.

I think the A&M regents are playing this correctly and they may wind up in the SEC. I wouldn't be surprised if the SEC finds aTm very attractive. A&M brings some TV sets from the state of Texas and the SEC would love to recruit more out of Texas.

I thought the Big 12 as it existed in prior years was very good for OU and hated it when the Huskers left since conference prestige has slipped. Personally, I hope we never schedule Nebraska again. Screw them.

Holy crap. Who else would move with them though? We're not going to have 7 and 6 divison

Boo. I mean "Hisssssss".

If this is true, I hope its not OU or OSU. I like being up here all alone. I don't want to have to deal with OU fans in the SEC. There's too many of them around here. 

That squishing sound you hear is furious masturbation in College Station. More furious than usual. 

The SEC would be too powerful for it's own good in football. We need a North Carolina or someone who will help in basketball as well.

If this actually happens, I will shite a brick.

this is complete bull chit 

Maybe they are betting on the Big whatever sucks and getting our asses handed to us by Arkansas again this fall, will make an SEC move more likely. They would be the MSU or Ole Miss of the SEC and Oklahoma would be set back 10 years until they could get with the SEC speed. Not a match for either of those schools. 

I wouldn't mind seeing A&M in the SEC.. however I would hate to see Clemson in. Don't want them in on the share of the giant SEC pie.

Oklahoma would be able to adapt pretty quick. They would be up to speed in about 4 years. They would still win at least 8-9 games a year.

cmon on over aggies!

You are kidding I hope.... OU would be 10-2 11-1 this year in the SEC depending on its schedule. Only possible better teams are LSU and Bama. And they could win either of those games.

Seriously though why must the SEC go so far to the west. UF-College station is far as shit, the thought of going further to Norman is just stupid. Personally my vote would be for a North Carolina (though they will never leave the ACC due to basketball). If it is a team from Florida I would prefer Miami to FSU. Locks up the S Fla market though the thought of them getting a piece of the SEC pie would suck.

so you think that a&m's bor has the power to just "join" the sec? or you think they have an "open invitation"? the first is absolutely and unequivacably (sp) wrong and the second is so wild that i have lots of difficulty believing it. maybe, just maybe the sec invited a&m conditionally and gave them a window to accept. otherwise, i don't see it. i think a bunch of folks are grasping at straws.

here is a synopsis of the meeting. Who wants to remain with the Longhorns and be their second hand bitch for 10 more years? all 12 members say "Aye" motion passed we remain in the Big1 with the little 11 --- carry on. 

I'm against adding teams to the SEC because 14 is a lot more awkward than 12 to manage schedule wise... but if the SEC were to expand for the purpose of making more money? You couldn't do much better than adding OU and A&M

I think OU would lose a lot of its talent if they ever left Texas. They'd still be a solid program, though

too bad texas doesnt have legit athletes.....they would not be fine... 

If you're ever gonna join the SEC, do it now A&M. I'm hoping their addition will make it possible for LSU to not play Florida every year.

If A&M comes, they'd do best if they could block OU from coming. OU is like a third major Texas program. They're probably more popular in north Texas than A&M.

Agreed, the addition of the SEC only makes it a better recruit selling point. I'm not saying they'll out recruit Texas because then again USC still brings in great classes. But Any Football Program that joins the conference would see vast improvements. 

I was guessing more of the state's top talent would choose OU over UT because they would want to play SEC ball.

Sounds like A&M would be wise to move, then. As an independent, Texas would likely still schedule A&M every year, keeping their fight song and all of the rest of their traditions intact.

A&M and Va Tech/UNC
Send Auburn to the east and take away opposite division game. This I can see happening. 

aTm is not going anywhere. ESPN has sunk a ton of money into the Texas network, they will send some suits down to appease the board. They stand to loose to much money if the Big 12 fails.

AM fans and the students want too but they will not be allowed to by the powers that be. 

It makes little sense for the SEC to invite Texas A&M unless they can get Texas or Oklahoma to go along with them in a package deal. 

I say everyone should keep their ass in their own conf. and stay the hell out of the SEC. Its tough enough as it is. Adding more teams will just hurt us