ESPN Has Our Back

I live and work in College Station. For a solid week now, I’ve had Agroids coming into my office asking me what I thought about aTm to the SEC.

Every single time, I’ve said. “Good cultural fit. Have fun.”

Not once did they understand I didn’t mean it as a complement. Not once did they understand that I really don’t care. I don’t know what the odds are of this actually happening (looks like TV money may not be upped by adding schools, so the SEC might actually balk at all of this, making it moot), but assuming aTm does actually head to Dixie…. so? Every option available in a world without Aggies looks like a beautiful burnt orange world.

And that’s BEFORE we get to see Harsinwhite and Diaz’s shiny new toy on the field this fall.

I’m just pissed all this stupid Aggie talk has taken away the possibility of anybody reporting on the scrimmage today, because that’s the real news.

So put yourself in an aggie’s shoes (wear double socks) if this move doesn’t happen. This will pretty much validate every conspiracy theory they believe. Where do they go next? Is Conference USA expanding? Do they just secede from the state entirely?

If you want to call them butt hurt poosies and cult members that’s more than ok. I figure somewhere down in Texas an Aggie and his jar are getting biblical familiar over this SEC stuff.

But you can’t really be upset A&M wants more money can you?

Media backlash is ruining this for aggy. Might be stuck with these sheep bangers.

If they leave, I will enjoy it. If they stay, I will enjoy it. Either way, its going to be entertaining. Take away the aggie drama, and this is still going to be one of the most exciting seasons in recent history. New coaches, new schemes, and new attitudes. Rice can’t get here fast enough.

Sorry ponderer that you have to live AND work in that pit.

Aggy envy knows no limits. From the ESPN article…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Texas’ multimillion-dollar Longhorn Network deal with ESPN rekindled the belief in Texas A&M people that it will never be able to command equal footing with their rivals from Austin. And equal footing with Texas is everything for the Aggies.

I remember being in College Station in 2006 and listening to A&M officials chafe at Texas for building its new “Godzillatron” video board to be bigger than the Aggies’ new one. A&M went huge, at 53 by 73 feet. Texas went huger, at 55 by 134 feet.

That’s the way it’s always been for the passionate fans of A&M. And Texas fans delight in that fact.

“We are the Joneses,” is a favorite saying of Longhorns athletic director DeLoss Dodds, meaning that it’s up to everyone else to try to keep up.

The advent of the Longhorn Network seems to have helped crystallize the realization for Texas A&M that the only chance of ever beating Texas over the long haul is by leaving the Horns’ side. Change conferences, chart a different path and get out of Bevo’s shadow once and for all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Secession is an option for Aggies. See newest entry into presidential field.

It’s actually not that bad here, usually. Especially when the students are gone. And the local media is funny as hell. Plus the rivalry between Bryan and College Station… when they finally get a Hooters, for example, it will be in Bryan. Because College Station won’t allow restaurants with orange on their signage. Seriously. (Snort!) And these clowns expect us to care what they do?

And there’s more. Check this out:

http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2011/08/13/texas-ams-move-to-sec-evidence-of-ncaas-lost-mission

godzillatron said: August 13th, 2011 at 9:18 pm

If they leave, I will enjoy it. If they stay, I will enjoy it. Either way, its going to be entertaining.

Well said. Pretty well sums up how I’ve been feeling about this as well

Honestly, this is all very entertaining but I wish it would have happened a month ago.

I would much rather read articles on Texas practice reports, position analysis, and anything Longhorn Scott writes to get ready for the season. I hope it all gets resolved soon because all I want going on Sept-Dec is Longhorn football making a comeback of the likes has never been seen.

Andy Katz’s piece is horrible. Apparently it is ok for Nebraska to move to the Big 10 and TCU to move to the Big East – the reason he gives is the financial benefit. TCU to the Big East – probably the most mercenary conference move of all time!

The claims that A+M moving to the SEC will fly in the face of the events of the NCAA conference in Indianapolis is likewise horse shit – apparently it was a communal love fest. A+M wants to leave a conference where the biggest team decided that it didn’t like the conference TV package, went out and got its own. There is nothing community spirited about a college setting up its own TV network.

Pat Forde’s text is also horrible. Not least as Problem No 1. leads the reader to believe that the average fan is making the decision to move to the SEC. Average fans are doing this. The board of regents, the athletic director and the TV networks are to blame / thank (depending upon which side of the fence you stand.

When all of the talk about conference realignment came about last year, my initial thought was that I didn’t want my degree to be associated with the schools in the SEC. A year on, I am not really that arsed. I watch A+M when they are on ESPN 360 and I fill out a March Madness bracket. College Station isn’t going to change because A+M is in the SEC and my exchange year probably wouldn’t have been any different had the move happened 10 years ago.

My hope is this is a win-win situation for us.

If A&M leaves, we won’t have so many trolls like “Genius” attempting to destroy the threads.
If they get rejected and have to stay, the trolls should be so embarrased that they disappear, at least for awhile. Maybe this is just wishful thinking on my part, but a man can dream, can’t he?

I hope Kilgore Trout will continue to stop by. I, for one, would miss him. Probably not as much as he would miss us, though. I looked at a post on the LSU site, just to see what they had to say. Until then, I thought the general disdain for the academic standards in the SEC was just hyperbole. Now I realize that there really are no academic standards at LSU. (Don’t know about all the other schools, but I’m not willing to risk any more brain cells by reading their blogs.) I would expect a better grasp of logic from a 6th grader in Texas. The typical Aggie fan will fit right in.

Aggy crawled to the sec 3 weeks ago and the sec is still thinking about it? Sounds like they have the same feelings about aggy as most of us.

Just listened to Sportscenter for the first time today. They’re still reporting that it’s virtually a done deal to be announced as early as Monday.

Is there some new development or are they that far behind and oblivious to the reports that have come out today indicating significant holdups and problems? I know Sportscenter was recorded earlier today, but surely not before the problems became widely reported this afternoon.

Good news posters… head aggy, gov. Perry has shown Texas, THE university that is, some love…. check out pics in New Hampshire today…. burnt orange necktie ….. bet he gets some grief from the Brazos for it.

The Hooters was not allowed in CS b/c the town is too conservative for that. Same reason the topless joint (if you can call it that, heard it was horrible) was in Bryan. Nothing to do with signage and everything to do bible thumping small town politicians.

I love this quote from the article linked by Lonergan above:

“I’m not quite as sure why the SEC wants A&M, because other than getting its toes into the state of Texas — assuming College Station counts — this is like a high-end mall expanding to add a Walgreens.”

I also agree with Godzillatron’s statement. But if a merger where to happen for UT, I hope it is the PAC-12; it would increase the chances of catching the Horns on TV here in Vancouver. But, I doubt it will come to pass, at least in the current merry-go-round.

The AGgys are a wonderful team. They are better than tEXas. Shuttlesworth is not real. HE is bad.

I got into an argument with a bunch of Aggies at a bar tonight. They got upset, pouted, then went to another table. This is true.

I’ve said all along that this move is stupid for A&M. IT’s even more hilarious now having read about Bowen contacting Silve to tell him that it was a mistake not joining the SEC last year. It really is “I bake you a cake.” So a series of bad decisions by A&M, and now a desire to make a final one. The funniest part of this whole spectacle will be when the deal falls apart. It’s like a married man who falls in love with 21-year old stripper, leaves his wife for her, and then is devastated to learn that she has no interest in moving in and playing house with him. Only this time the married man is saying he fell in love with the stripper because his wife at home got a massive boob job and won the lottery as separate property (LHN). It’s all petty and stupid and greedy, on both sides.

I’m not really enamored of the LHN either. It seems stupid and short-sighted. Pissing off everyone else is not worth the immediate slug of cash. I do not want independence either. I want traditional rivalry games, against schools attended by people that I know – to me, that is the very heart of college sports and what makes them so damn enjoyable. Maybe this makes me an outsider in this debate, but I don’t give two shits about the extra TV revenue from playing a bunch of schools who we’ve never played before and with which we have no historical rivalry. UT is defined by it’s games against OU (and, to a slightly lesser extent, A&M), just as those schools are defined by their games against us. You cannot casually throw those things aside or make foolish decisions that put them at risk.

So this whole thing is making me grumpy. I know things are going to change, but I’m not at all convinced they are going to change for the better, for Texas or college football.

I wish someone from the A&M side would explain to me how they intend on being more competitive in the SEC than they were in the Big 12. After all, isn’t that the reason their fans are so excited? Move to the SEC and they will suddenly emerge from our shadow and bask in the sunshine glory of BCS bowls and national titles?

Except there is almost zero chance that will happen. If they think Texas Tech is a pesky team that gets under their skin wait until they replace them with Auburn.

Which division would they be in? The East or West? I would assume for geographical reasons in an expansion they would play in the West.

That means games every year against LSU, Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

Have they thought this through? If A&M played this year in the SEC they would be a 6-7 win football team. Is the money really worth it?

I wish someone from the A&M side would explain to me how they intend on being more competitive in the SEC than they were in the Big 12. After all, isn’t that the reason their fans are so excited? Move to the SEC and they will suddenly emerge from our shadow and bask in the sunshine glory of BCS bowls and national titles?

How is it that we beat you last year in your house?

You must be new around here. Tolle et lege.

GODDAMMIT WE WANT YOU TO GO. GO!

I think this captures A&Ms perspective—

“Tommy Tuberville, of all people, warned us of the inevitable discord.

The Big 12’s days were numbered, the Texas Tech coach told Rivals Radio back in June of 2010, because there was “too much disparity between all the teams.”

For his candor, Tuberville was publicly reprimanded by Beebe. But he had spent 14 seasons coaching in the SEC, where network revenues are distributed equally, and Tuberville knew.

When Tuberville coached at Auburn, he knew that if hated rival Alabama received $1 more from the league office, Auburn fans would revolt.

Imagine a league where one school is about to receive $300 million more.

Yet, as the Aggies prepare to march into the SEC, it won’t only be because of the money, substantial as the ‘Horns’ impending pile is. The exodus is about the Aggies having their fill of a league that’s being bullied and run by its bitter rival.

Of course Texas wants A&M to remain with it in the Big 12. With a $15 million-per-year head start and a weak commissioner to satisfy their every whim, the Longhorns feel they could maintain their advantage over the Aggies in perpetuity. Just ask them.

To regain their identity, the Aggies have to split from the rival they most closely identify with. While Texas was in a fast lane, A&M was on a treadmill."

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/08/14/3289150/texas-am-to-stop-off-treadmill.html

I’m high and I don’t have much time.
I’m from the future and I have been sent back to tell what some of you already know, and what some of you will soon come to learn.

The Aggies:
- Have not won a bowl game since 2001, which was the prestigious
        Galleryfurniture.com Bowl.
- The last bowl game won before that was in 1995.
- Haven’t won a conference championship since 1998, that’s 12 years.
- In that same 12 years, they have only finished the seasons ranked in the top 25 a total
        of 3 times (1998 – 11th ranked, 1999 – 23rd Ranked, 2010 – 19th Ranked)
- Haven’t finished in the top 10 of an AP since 1994

Of course, they do have that 1939 national championship to hang their Corps caps on.

Living in Texas and going to UT, I think many of us lose focus of just how irrelevant this program is on the national scene. Most casual fans think of A&M as a hand job away from a directional school in Florida. Diehard college fans have trouble naming even one player on their current roster. "Does Dat Nguyen still play there?" So how is it that this po dunk agricultural school is at the helm of one of the biggest thematic changes in college football: the rise of the SuperConference?

Well I guess it’s pretty obvious. It’s the same reason this blog exists. Everyone is feigning for the chance to suckle at the teat to taste that sweet texas tea… the black gold that is Texas high school football players.

A&M, in a desperate attempt to get out from under the ever-expanding shadow cast by Bevo’s mighty horns, is quick to listen to any fool who will promise salvation. The SEC – in all its Tartuffian glory and Schwarzeneggerian might – has come for the distinctly cow shit fragranced Sarah Connor. The only problem… Aggies don’t realize it’s still Terminator 1.

Outstanding post, Todavine.

I take this out of the context of the larger point you make about the LHN, but this I completely identify with:

“I do not want independence either. I want traditional rivalry games, against schools attended by people that I know – to me, that is the very heart of college sports and what makes them so damn enjoyable. Maybe this makes me an outsider in this debate, but I don’t give two shits about the extra TV revenue from playing a bunch of schools who we’ve never played before and with which we have no historical rivalry. UT is defined by it’s games against OU (and, to a slightly lesser extent, A&M), just as those schools are defined by their games against us. You cannot casually throw those things aside or make foolish decisions that put them at risk.”

If A&M is the sole school in the SEC West of the Big Thicket, fans will be on the outside looking in compared to what they have enjoyed for generations in Texas and the Southwest. This is something difficult to quantify in dollars, but the effect will be felt and it will be a loss for Aggie fans throughout our region. If the SEC took 2 teams from TX/OK, I think that dynamic could shift the regional currents, but A&M going alone is severing its nose to spite its face.

With the NCAA’s ruling on HS games, aggie’s only remaining reasons to leave are a bigger paycheck from the SEC and the high incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome among their student body. And yet they want to pretend that they’re leaving on some kind of principle. If it’s the money, fine: it’s the money. But don’t pretend you’re a higher class of whore.

As much as I want them to shut up and leave, I’m agog at aggie’s capacity for embarrassing themselves on the national stage. Most of America didn’t know they existed, and those who are learning about them this weekend are probably wondering why they should give a shit. Who are these whining inbreds? Your fifteen minutes are ticking away.

Ok.

Bye.

Roma losa, you’re the most rational poster for the Ags that I’ve read so far (esp. in contrast to the Gay/Genius troll), so credits to you for that. I understand the logic you’ve laid out and it all sounds great on paper, but clearly there are a TON of rosy assumptions baked into your projections (e.g. A&M beating OU to win the Big XII-2 championship, cherrypicking top recruits from SEC country, rising like LSU to the top of the SEC West, etc.). Sherm has certainly improved the Aggie football program to a respectable level despite fair/mediocre recruiting classes, so good for him. It definitely remains to be seen if the Aggies can remain in the Top 10 after this year. The timing of last year and this year’s rankings boost for A&M coincides perfectly with UT’s falling off the bar stool (i.e. it’s not really a coincidence at all). When Mack rights the ship and Texas football stands tall again (which, by most reports, is well underway), it will be a lot tougher for A&M to contend for the B12 championship.

Question for you… are you 100% certain A&M will be in the SEC by 2012? What if it doesn’t happen (at least right away), will Aggieland be disappointed? Like many Longhorn fans, I hope the Aggies go since that’s what they want so badly, but I’m skeptical that will actually take place on A&M’s desired timetable (to switch conferences for the 2012 season).

the worrisome thing for me about the aggie soap opera is that there are people in far-flung parts of the us who don’t know that there is more than one school in texas. anything those people hear about us or the ags or tech, for that matter, goes into the same heap. i remember being out on long island when that bonfire fell, and people dropped by to offer condolences and seemed surprised when i told them that wasn’t a ut event.

also, it is ironic, to say the least, that people are saying that a&m wants a place where everyone is equal, given that it was the ags who insisted on receiving their larger share of the neb and colo exit monies. the ags don’t want equal sharing. the ags want to be somewhere where it is considered ok to cheat. plain and simple.

I couldn’t care less about aggy’s hurt feelings or whether they even exist. We had a scrimmage Friday night and there is not one word in any outlet about how it went? Did GG throw more INT’s than completions, as expected? Is our new star rb still injured? Are the DT’s still fat?

So A&M plays LSU and gets raped in the Cotton Bowl. Then by proxy we can assume Auburn and Alabama would have beaten A&M last year as well.

That leaves A&M with a minimum of 3 losses. Oh wait, Arkansas beat them too. That’s 4. You would have to expect one more one loss if they played a consistently harder schedule as well.

So the best team A&M has had in over a decade would have projected to lose at minimum of 4 games but more realistically 5 games last year in the SEC. And what would happen if A&M had a down year? 3-9?

I see why financially they would do this. I just do not see how in terms of football competitiveness it benefits A&M in any way. If their rational fans stopped for one minute to think about the actual implications of on the field performance I think they would feel very differently about going.

So I say, fuck it. Go. Enjoy 8-4 as your upside in football with 4-8 a realistic possibility in a reloading year.

Meaningless opinion from someone who went to school nowhere near Texas:

The Big 12 is essentially set up as Texas + everyone else. All the other schools are Texas going indie away from CUSA oblivion. And they know it.

Most schools don’t have options and just have to deal with this reality. KState, Tech, etc.

The ones that do (Nebraska, A&M, Colorado) are going to do whatever it takes to secure their future.

For A&M it’s the choice between a Texas indie bid away from oblivion or lifetime security in the SEC. Easy choice.

“For A&M it’s the choice between a Texas indie bid away from oblivion or lifetime security in the SEC. Easy choice.”

You do realize A&M was going to join Texas last year in the PAC-16, right? Whatever Texas was going to do in joining another conference A&M was going to be invited to go with us. Independence is our last option.

But again, don’t let facts get in the way of your circle jerk SEC parade.

Assuming 12-game sched, A&M’s potential 2-yr rotating schedule with assumption UT still plays them.

YEAR 1
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Miss
Miss State
Florida
Kentucky
Tennessee
Texas
tbd
tbd

YEAR 2
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Miss
Miss State
Georgia
South Carolina
Vandy
Texas
tbd
tbd

I am not seeing a lot of win in that schedule.

Tony Barnhart nailed it. A&M would’ve likely finished behind Mississippi State last year who finished the year 9-4 and KILLED Michigan in their bowl game. And Mississippi State was 5th of 6 teams in the SEC west.

I repeat. 9-4 was 5th IN THE SEC WEST.

“I repeat. 9-4 was 5th IN THE SEC WEST.”

And 9-4 was the best season A&M has had in quite some time. So I bet they drop the game against us to make sure their 3 non conference games are directional schools to ensure bowl eligibility.

ransomstoddard said: August 14th, 2011 at 9:09 am
“I couldn’t care less about aggy’s hurt feelings or whether they even exist.”

THANK YOU for getting this right! I am so sick if people using the phrase “I could care less.” If you COULD care less, then wait until you COULDN’T. Using the phrase “I could care less” is the equivalent of saying “I’m NOT at my wits end.”

Move along. Nothing to see here…

Actually, I realized that A&M won’t have two TBD non-conference games, just one because there will be a new SEC East team to balance the addition of A&M.

An SEC contract could give A&M more money, but if Aggies think that scenario has a better chance than the current one of getting a conference title or to a national championship, they’re EXTREMELY delusional.

If they do bolt, they better take advantage of their potential for this year because it will likely be their last, best chance to ever get to a title game.

Texas A&M hasn’t announced its move to the Southeastern Conference yet and Texas already is negotiating for the rights to rebroadcast every football game A&M loses in the SEC.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/08/13/3289149/aggies-move-to-the-sec-may-only.html#ixzz1V1VpnYsm

Big Al-

Do you get your stock tips from TMZ too? That was supposed to be read in jest. But yet somehow I bet you took it seriously.

ransom, the only things i can find are a few open comments in a sea of secret stuff on 247. of course, the orangebloods thread is locked.

couple of interesting recruitocosm tweets:

The 2011 class continues to prove to be silly good with the emergence of onyegbule. Great haul by the horns top to bottom.

Ash clearly had the best day including a couple designed runs for good yardage. The definitive practice report should be up this afternoon.

Reading some of these practice reports saying mccoy had the best day. That’s not the case. He threw a couple up for grabs that should have been picks.

says a report may be available here later today.

i don’t think we should be surprised to be hearing good things about onyegbule.

Newy – I just posted the paragraph. Didn’t opine on its veracity. I got the joke and passed it on. Lighten up, you are starting to sound like one of them.

not sure where to put this, but all threads seem to devolve into general commentary after a little while, so in that spirit:

good article from berry trammel on the oklahoma opinion of the sec. among other good observations, he says “I know, OU has a checkered past with the NCAA. But under Boren, the university has worked hard to redeem its image. Recovering alcoholics shouldn’t spend all night in a bar, and recovering NCAA rule-breakers shouldn’t join a league where rules not broken are severely bent.”

http://newsok.com/berry-tramel-ou-wants-no-part-of-the-sec/article/3594510

you know, i never thought i would live to see the day that ou would be more concerned about their academic standing than the ags, but that day is here and now.

Thoughts on some of the comments here…

agricultural probably is headed to the SEC, but it ain’t a done deal yet. The legislature wants to talk to you aggy, and depending on what happens today at that secret meeting of SEC types, your invite over there may not be engraved in stone. That would be a hoot if agricultural was all dressed up with no place to go.

Anyone of the agricultural persuasion who thinks De Loss Dodds is going to let UT become a second-rate athletic power has been drinking way too much maroon Kool-Aid. He’s been two to three steps ahead in planning for years, and there’s no reason to think Dodds doesn’t have several viable options available for the Horns, whether aggy stays or goes.

Miss the rivalry? What rivalry? agricultural would have to win a lot more games before this series becomes reasonably interesting, much less a real rivalry. I suppose it’s a rivalry from agricultural’s side, because of the whole penis envy thing, but seriously, about the only thing I’d miss about the cult is the unintentional humor they provide on a daily basis.

agricultural is butt-hurt over the LHN? Really? Like it was a very big surprise…after all, Dodds offered our agriculturally-inclined friends a fifty-fifty participation in the network, and they said no, it would never fly, except it has. Besides, if they think they’re butt-hurt now, wait till LSU, ’Bama, Auburn, Arkie, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, ’Ol Miss, ’Ol Miss State, and probably even Vandy get through with them.

Yeah, smart move farmers…ranks right up there with your best decisions ever.

another thing. i can now see why an aggie governor and his running buddies would want to strip the state schools of research capabilities. we could only go to the sec that way (assuming pac is out of it for network reasons).

cool, if the sec things goes ‘poof’, the ags need to petition the big east immediately. they are toast in the big 12 after this incredible black eye.

also, cool. the lhn was pitched to them by the ag talkers as a non-starter. byrne, himself, pitched that line. said it was the central reason for his not going in with us on it. the existence of the lhn is a huge embarrassment to collie station.

Let’s get something perfectly clear (especially for a couple of the Horn respondents).

We wil NOT continue to play A&M if/when they move. The sentiment is to let them go and let the series drop — at least for the near future.

yes, at this point i think we have to kneel down next to the ags and pray the sec nods and smiles and says, ‘come on, big boy.’

agree with srr. i can’t see how we would continue that series. those guys are ‘out of the sandbox’ or so they say.

word of possible warning to readers. the srr50 comment was by someone — possibly srr — who is not logged in. may not be the real guy, though i bet the real guy would agree with tat post.

@Bobestes:

“Most schools don’t have options and just have to deal with this reality. KState, Tech, etc.

The ones that do (Nebraska, A&M, Colorado) are going to do whatever it takes to secure their future."

So you believe that the SEC wouldn’t take Oklahoma and OSU over Aggy if they called and asked?

srr50 said: August 14th, 2011 at 10:37 am
Let’s get something perfectly clear (especially for a couple of the Horn respondents).

We wil NOT continue to play A&M if/when they move. The sentiment is to let them go and let the series drop — at least for the near future.

Good. Is that info from Belmont sources and/or big cigars?

Bottom line is that the Big 12 is still a viable conference without Aggy and only slightly diminished if at all. Without either Texas or OU, it is not. That’s why the two of us, along with OSU, and Tech, will bide our time until all the smoke clears and a 10th school, like BYU, comes in, bringing in more TV’s and a better program than Aggy.

I love the Walgreens comment……in the world of retail glamour……aggy is equal to a Walgreens….hilarious

If the other schools are serious about keeping the Big 12-2 afloat, then this is gonna turn into a BYU for agricultural swap. That’s a win for the Big 12-2 any day of the week, and twice on Sunday. (Oh, I forgot, BYU isn’t big on playing on Sunday, but what the heck, nobody’s perfect…)

It isn’t a threat, just good business sense if the Aggies do leave.

italians off

Ransom, GG threw two picks and led his team to one first down. Ash took snaps with the first unit.

For all the level playing field/revenue sharing bs of the SEC.

Of course, many Florida State fans are also irked that Sun Sports has become the “Gator Network.” The network pays UF $10 million a year to be the Gators’ exclusive multi-media rights holder. What that means is this: The Gators get the $10 million and Sun Sports gets all of Florida’s radio and Internet rights, advertising, signage at games, etc. As a result, there will naturally be more Florida programming on Sun Sports than Florida State.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-05-26/sports/os-bianchi-florida-state-sun-sports-020110526_1_sun-sports-florida-state-college-sports

That is the objective, sound journalism we’ve come to expect from ESPN.

Neat.

Bye.

Votes were 11-0 with Florida unable to attend. So long gayboys.

But we we’re never offered, right?

Good luck — and don’t let the screen door hit you on your way out.

Offered? More like begged. Enjoy 4-8.

Aggy was 7 percentage points from .500 during their big 12 days, and they think they can compete in the SEC……optimism abound…..hell, maybe my horns will win the NC this year too.

Right. Fran had nothing to do with it.

OU sucked in the late nineties. Alabama sucked early in this millennium.

Shit changes. How on earth can we compete with Miss State, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Vandy, Tennessee, South Carolina, etc? No need to play the games.

Yeah, it’s a good conference. Stop sucking its cock

“But we we’re never offered, right?”

Not to quibble over semantics since I believe (and am fine with the idea) of A&M bailing for the SEC, but everything I’ve read indicates that A&M (and not the SEC) is the one clamoring for and initiating the conference switch. The fact that the SEC commissioner and Presidents needed to meet to vote indicates that this is NEW business for them (and not a standing offer from the past), else why would they need to meet secretly to rehash old business?

Seems the New York Times has your back as well – http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/sports/ncaafootball/texas-ams-expected-defection-to-sec-is-a-sign-of-ncaa-anarchy.html?_r=2

Gay is a deranged depressed troll and just trying to f*ck with everyone. Do not listen to this man. He has an illness.

No vote has been held. The meeting was originally scheduled for this evening, not this morning, and latest word says it’s been put off indefinitely.

If there’s rumors of breaking news, confirm it. Go to Mr. SEC (mrsec(dot)com) who’s been on top of this story from minute one, or hell, try Google News.

From the NY Times article (thanks kuoirad)…

“But the relative calm of the past nine months ended on Friday, with Texas A&M finally finding national relevance by preparing to sprint out of the Big 12 like a kindergartner whose lunch money was taken.”

Gold.

I figured FanTake readers knew better than to get college football analysis from the Times. Guess I was wrong.

No need to play the games…..wow.

Shit changes……the only shit that changes is you guys have a couple good years and then 8 bad ones, but then again I guess things stay the same. I love how aggy has a good year and completely ignores black and white history in terms of football records. Seriously, why even comment on a longhorn board if your not going to at least attempt to be somewhat objective. I’m just looking at black and white and trying to understand aggy repeated attempt to label themselves as college football powerhouses with legitimate football tradition (not the yelling and fondling stuff). I’m talking about wins and losses.

You’re right. We’re irrelevant. This is a non-story.

ColoradoAg-

Do you believe your football team will more competitive after this move? No snide comments anymore. I want to hear your opinion on how A&M will fair in wins/losses in the SEC.

Then why are you here?

“I wish someone from the A&M side would explain to me how they intend on being more competitive in the SEC than they were in the Big 12. After all, isn’t that the reason their fans are so excited? Move to the SEC and they will suddenly emerge from our shadow and bask in the sunshine glory of BCS bowls and national titles?”

It is about years of being UT’s little brother – God help us if we go to war and aggy officers start surrendering!

How about some stories/info/comments on the scrimmage yesterday? I would like that. ATM will/won’t do what it wants/needs to do if/when it gets the offer its been given/begging for. I understand that this affects us greatly, etc., and will cause more realignment issues, but from this Horn’s perspective, who gives a F. The only talking we need to be worried about is that on the field. Winning cures all. And if we have another shit season like last year, then it won’t matter what conference ATM is playing in. Our problems will be much bigger.

GD it, Rice is less than a month out and I need some sunshine pumpers to start pumping so I can go ahead and book my trip to New Orleans.

Who cares if they are going to lose more in the SEC… it’s going to be good football and fun to watch. I would rather have my team in a conference with strong competition and a worse record than see my team kick the shit out of 9 weak opponents each year. Looking back on 2005, that season felt pretty amazing but there were only four games that season that were truly fun to watch (tOSU, Oklahoma, come back win over Ok St., and the Rose Bowl).

A&M probably won’t become a better team for playing there but they will have better football to watch, and of that I am jealous.

Aggy just got kicked in the junk.

SEC just released statement. Staying at 12.

Poor aggy

But, but we have an offer.

Whooooooops!

that doesn’t sound at all like an open invite. maybe i have a misunderstanding as to what an ‘open invite’ is. don’t know about that.

anyway, enjoy the big east, fellas. tcu awaits with open arms or something.

Votes were 11-0 with Florida unable to attend. So long gayboys.

Problem is it was 11 “NO” votes.

What an incredibly entertaining weekend this has been.

The MWC was turned down by SMU so they may have a spot for aggy.

Statement from Dr. Bernie Machen, Chair, Southeastern Conference Presidents and Chancellors:
 
 "The SEC Presidents and Chancellors met today and reaffirmed our satisfaction with the present 12 institutional alignment. We recognize, however, that future conditions may make it advantageous to expand the number of institutions in the league. We discussed criteria and process associated with expansion. No action was taken with respect to any institution including Texas A&M."

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&&note_id=243663039001576&id=118092611546917

that’s good to know, savage. big east might pass too. good to have somewhere to go.

f’ing hilarious…..where is roma visa or whatever the hell his name is now…..

Awww. Looks like poor aggy got left standing out in the rain…again! One of these years they’ll let you in, I just know it. You just keep sucking up to em. In the meantime, better start wiping all that egg off your face!

New aggie fight song is “Under the Bridge”

I couldn’t care less about aggy’s hurt feelings or whether they even exist. We had a scrimmage Friday night and there is not one word in any outlet about how it went? Did GG throw more INT’s than completions, as expected? Is our new star rb still injured? Are the DT’s still fat?

Be fair, Ransom. It’s not JUST the agy pussy-rubbing and shrieking that’s to blame – we also have the Knights of the Big Cigar off to the land of the Cirque du Jerque in pursue… whatever. And apparently a group of untrained interns who have either sloped off to their own Jerque-offs or fallen prey to the siren song of agy celebrating in full chorus, but celebrating their own impending doom.

Meanwhile, back at the Practice… crickets…

What a bunch of asses…..at least the ag commentary in this article. How does it feel having to crawl back to big brother. Maybe you guys should give the sun belt a call.

Please, God, please, let us get rid of that smelly dogshit called A$M.

Dammit.

To be honest I am glad A&M is staying, at least for the foreseeable future. I hope that whatever complaints they have can be addressed in a reasonable manner. It just makes too much sense for Texas, OU, and A&M to all be in the same conference.

Still, I think laughing in the face of every Aggie who has chimed in here at BC in the last 3 days is a great idea… and well deserved.

Hey, Pansy Mensa! I mean Puffer Intellectual! No no… Gay Genius get over here and take your medicine boy!

Well, as far as aggy sees it, all their embarassment was well worth it because they got to feel all important and relevant, if only for a few days. That’s something they don’t get to experience much. Hope you enjoyed it, gomers!

no, mona. they aren’t staying. they’ve burned their britches on this.

actually, they may still be sec bound. this may just be the sec forcing the ags to shoulder the whole interference thing. anyway, i hope so. they’ve got to go right away. this place is poison to them, now.

it’s the old ‘you don’t have to go home; you just have to leave here’ thing.

NOPE, SEC PASSES ON A&M FOR NOW!!!!

http://www.burntorangenation.com/2011/8/14/2362858/sec-passes-on-a-m-for-now#comments

Agree, yeh. No reason to stay in a marriage when one party is miserable.

cant wait to start reading the aggie troll posts about this…. suckerssssss

Full on Aggy meltdown now.

How long before they blame us for the vote?

I’m not really enamored of the LHN either. It seems stupid and short-sighted. Pissing off everyone else is not worth the immediate slug of cash. I do not want independence either. I want traditional rivalry games, against schools attended by people that I know – to me, that is the very heart of college sports and what makes them so damn enjoyable. Maybe this makes me an outsider in this debate, but I don’t give two shits about the extra TV revenue from playing a bunch of schools who we’ve never played before and with which we have no historical rivalry. UT is defined by it’s games against OU (and, to a slightly lesser extent, A&M), just as those schools are defined by their games against us. You cannot casually throw those things aside or make foolish decisions that put them at risk.

I agree. The LHN is a great source of pride, knowing that UT has the ability & draw to pull it off, but it makes UT look very selfish. Yeah, there aren’t any innocent parties in either the Big 12 (as formerly or presently constituted) or the rest of collegiate athletics, but I’m not convinced that should the Big 12-2 collapse, the LHN wouldn’t be a major obstacle to UT finding a home. Remember, our other teams are good too. I don’t want them having to compete in C-USA or worse, the Sun Belt Conference.

they’ve burned their britches on this.

They set their pants on fire?

I’m sure they’ll say we paid them off or espn did instead of dealing with the rejection themselves. Something tells me we won’t be hearing much from aggy……after all, little brother just crapped his pants and big brother and friends are laughing their asses off. Not just laughing, but making him sit in it.

Remember last year when BYU didn’t get an invite to the Pac-10? Out of jealousy to Utah getting a Pac-10 invite, they had to do something to distinguish themselves, so they went independent.

Along a similar vein, wouldn’t it be hilarious if EatmE went independent? After making claims that all UT wanted to do was go independent, it looks like independence is their only option. Now that they got turned down, they can’t come crawling back to the Big 12-2.

All in favor of voting the Ags out of the Big 8+4-2 Conference say, “Poooor Aggies!”

GaggieLand can always drown their sorrows at that decrepit barn they call the Dixie Chicken. They can cry into the pitchers of beer and dunk their class rings, all while basking in their delusions of grandeur that could have been for them had the SEC not been so scared and jealous of the national powerhouse that is Gaggie.

Where is the other Roma, now?

I sort of see Jack Nicholson in The Shining telling Wendy, “You’re not going anywhere.” Of course, it didn’t work out too well for Jack in that movie.

All the stuff about the standing invitation and how bad the SEC wanted A&M is, at last, a joke that even the Aggies can’t deny now. I wonder if they’ll tee this ball up again next summer.

Well you could read the SEC statement as a directive to A&M to settle their shit with the Big XII first before applying for membership. And A&M may very well get in the SEC, but only after going full retard and flashing their collective asses to the nation first.

I sure hope the Big XII has a come to Jesus meeting with A&M this week and ask them point blank if they want in the conference or not. If that answer is unequivocally yes then hopefully they can work through all the issues and go forward as an unified conference. If that answer is not unequivocally yes then the other members should ask A&M to leave and offer to facilitate their exit, and then wish them good bye, good luck and good riddance.

Espn will lose a shitload of money from this. Of course they are going to slander A&m and fo all they can to stop it. …and contradict themselves in the process, but who’s counting?

This is a win/win situation. A&M goes to the SEC and everybody is happy. A&M gets shut out by the SEC (again) and everybody but A&M is happy. Life is good.

nicely said

I think Average Fan has the right of it. This is not a “no” from the SEC, it’s a “not yet”, and “not yet” could last as a few days for A&M to get approval from the legislature and the SEC to get someone else lined up.

My guess: Mizzou.

“I sure hope the Big XII has a come to Jesus meeting with A&M this week and ask them point blank if they want in the conference or not. If that answer is unequivocally yes then hopefully they can work through all the issues and go forward as an unified conference. If that answer is not unequivocally yes then the other members should ask A&M to leave and offer to facilitate their exit, and then wish them good bye, good luck and good riddance.”

No need to hold ask the aggies if they want to stay unequivocally in the Big 12, the answer is clearly “no”. The Big 12 should also not ask the aggies to leave since that would let the aggies avoid paying the hefty severance charge for leaving the Big 12.

I wonder if the rest of the Big 12-2 is aware of our favorite serenade to the aggys – “Pooooooooorrrrr aggggiieeesss.”

I propose the rest of our conference brethren greet the aggys that way when they appear, at least for this upcoming academic year.

They set their pants on fire?

Dot depents up on how far out zey was schtanding vhen dot feuer vass schtarting on dot britch – or perhaps dere vass multipull britches, ja?

As several predicted, this is about $$$ – at least, on the $EC side of things.

It seems to have been made clear to $EC that (1) the renegotiation of TV $$$ is not a slam dunk, and (2) there is a distinct possibility of an expensive, resource-depleting lawsuit – both of which clearly indicate a large – let me repeat that: LARGE – cost to $EC that (today, at least) is associated with pulling agy away from The XII. The currently-apparent cost looks to be not just a little, but a whole hell of a lot, more than $EC was thinking of paying for agy.

Things could change, but right now it looks like everybody in The XII is heartily sick of agy bullshit, and would be perfectly happy to see agy departing. So now it’s done as far as the emotional crap, and it’s just a matter of $$$.

Or is it? The many blood-sucking insects have yet to be heard from in earnest. It may come down to “Yes, you can leave, but you gotta take Baylor with you.” Of course, Baylor will whine and bitch about it, since they wanna stay with their sugar daddy rather than go traipsing off with maroon-shirted Jack to seek investment opportunities in Magic Beanstalks. What ho? Is that a Candidate, baying in the distance?

NOTE: The term “The XII” is NOT pronouced “The Twelve”, it is pronounced “The ZEE” (try not to squeal).

“They set their pants on fire?”

soda speak.

CrazyJoe: My guess for the 14th member would be either NC State or VA Tech. That’s fits with the SEC’s desire to expand into states without a current SEC school. And that’s assuming Mizzou officials aren’t lying through their teeth about staying with the Big XII…

The combo of hefty exit penalties ($30 m according to Chip Brown) and no desirable 14th member could keep the Aggies around, much to our chagrin.

kafka, i agree. i now understand all the public gesturing on how much we want them to stay.

how long would it take to pay off a $30mm exit penalty if they end up in the big east?

ColoradoAg said: August 14th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
“You’re right. We’re irrelevant. This is a non-story.”

Your irrelevance is the story.

The mouse that roared and changed the landscape of the NCAA for no benefit to yourself except to placate your wittle bruised ego.

I’m all for the horns using the Texas Legislature to thwart (for the time being) the aggies’ SEC maneuvering. The consequent aggie tears of rage and frustration will be like drops of comedy honey. It might also make the aggies think twice the next time they want to complain about the Longhorn Network.

“The mouse that roared and changed the landscape of the NCAA for no benefit to yourself except to placate your wittle bruised ego.”

Excellent reference, though in the movie, the mouse actually pulled it off. We’ll see if it works for the Ags, it may yet.

If I’m the Big 12, I tell the Ags you’re welcome to leave … just cut us a $30 million check and you’re out, no questions asked.

I’m sure A&M would then tell the SEC “We can come, but could you front us a little of that renegotiated TV contract money?” And the SEC would be all “Sorry, we just went into a tunnel, you’re breaking up.”

English Ag,

FUCK YOU. Our move to the Big East was about a place in a BCS conference and not a money grab. If you are still pissed off about the fact Byrne had a chance to be part of the network and opted out because he lacked he vision that is your problem.

BYU and Utah bolted from the MWC and with the landscape of college football changing at the pace it is going if you don’t move fast you die. Funny thing is that A&M and not TCU is the athletic department that has money problems. TCU has rebuilt its campus, added new dorms, built a new baseball stadium, built a new track facility, built an indoor practice facility, new locker rooms, and now rebuilding the stadium without carrying a level of debt that would make an Irish bank look solvent. Not too bad for a school with less than 100,000 living alumni and in the process happened to win a BCS Bowl game.

I don’t like what is happening this week. a$m is making a move to a better conference and they will be better off in every respect regardless of their success on the fields of play.

Most worrisome of all, is they are moving to something better, whereas all our options are step downs. Sadly, it is more than Texas that is hurt. Every other remaining Big 12 team will likely have to take step downs also.

yeh -

It’s called a “Shift” key. You should check it out.

/soapbox