Actually the SEC is happy to add A&M. They increase their footprint into the huge Texas TV market and expand into a fertile recruiting base without the threat of making the league tougher since A&M has not been competitive. It's a win-win.
Not happening, they're assured 9/12 SEC votes. And word is/was they'd go to the Pac-12, and they'd be taking a chunk of the Big 12 with them. In other words, TAMU to the Pac-12 would likely end the Big 12, in which case I think UT fans' heads would be exploding. I'd have loved the Pac-16. LOVED it.
Rampant Teabagging of Robert E. Lee is a cute ball gag...but again, a bit early, no? SEC football happens/has been happening in places like Baton Rouge, Gainesville, and other assorted bungholes for years, and it has made me no more likely to go to those places anymore than I'm going to want to cruise around Norman or Lubbock or Lawrence or Bryan. This is probably because they all look much better from my couch or from a bar in the EV than they would live - though I did enjoy Athens GA when I was there once.
A tougher schedule would have gotten Texas into the national championship in 2008. And a 1-loss Texas in 2009 would not have made it into the national championship over other 1-loss teams due to the crappy OOC schedule. No one is comparing 0-loss Texas to a 1-loss SEC or Pac10 team - that's just silly. The proper comparison is a 1-loss Texas to a 1-loss SEC/Pac10 or a 0-loss Texas to a 0-loss SEC/Pac10 team. In those scenarios, especially in the new Big12, the Big12 team almost certainly is left out without a strong OOC schedule. That's a pretty terrible analysis. It could just be that the Big12 had better teams than the ACC or Pac10, rather than being a better route. Besides which, given that the SEC teams seem to actually win the games when they get there, it seems playing the tough schedule and being ready to play the best teams from around the country might actually be the best road to winning a national title.
To each his own. NFL-wise I'd agree. But tailgating and partying with the alums... lots of fun. SEC Football hasn't made you venture out on any road trips? Fair enough. But I know it has for others. A Bama vs LSU night game in Baton Rouge - that sounds like a blast to me man.
True, their S.O.S. was negatively impacted by having to play the Big 12's true doormats that year....like 4-8 Texas A&M, 85th in the computer polls. Maybe had the Aggies lit out for the territories before....
OU also had to play 4-8 A&M. The two schools had similar conference schedules, though OU's was just a tiny bit tougher as a result of the north schools, if I remember right. The real difference was in the non-conference schedules of the two teams, where OU had both TCU and Big East champ Cinci. That won them the tiebreaker and got them into the title game.
Spoiler WAVES!!11! A very good point though. Texas deserved to go to the title game in 08 over OU. The bottom-line is that the road to the title game usually does go through the SEC and the Big 12. This notion might come true once again when OU potentially plays in the title game this season. And I will be rooting for them like never before.
right? i've always hated OU...i'll be rooting for them to win the national championship this season, if they find themselves in the championship game.
Just to clarify, didn't UT miss out on the 08 title game because of a BS tiebreaker rule that was later changed (going off memory)? If so, then isn't that, and not the SOS to blame? If it weren't for the bogus rule the SOS would not have mattered. I also think comparing a undefeated Big 12 team to a 1 win SEC team is a proper comparison only because the odds are in your favor to go undefeated in the Big 12. It is an easier path to the NC game and there isn't anything wrong with that.
What's up with this: http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...n-denies-school-sent-withdrawal-letter-big-12 COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M said Tuesday it has not sent a letter of withdrawal to the Big 12 Conference. The brief statement by school spokesman Jason Cook comes a day after The New York Times said in a story posted on its Web site Monday night that university president R. Bowen Loftin sent a letter to Missouri chancellor and Big 12 board chairman Brady Deaton to inform the league it was leaving. The report cited two unidentified college officials with direct knowledge of the decision. Cook declined to comment further on the newspaper report. The Big 12 board announced the conference has formed a committee to discuss schools that could replace Texas A&M if the Aggies leave the league. Deaton said Tuesday that the committee could also address the possibility of expanding the conference even if Texas A&M stays put. Deaton said the committee is looking at expansion in the "broadest context" and will make a recommendation to the board concerning whether expanding the conference "by one or more members" is beneficial. Texas A&M said Monday it had received a letter from Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe outlining the withdrawal procedure should the Aggies decide to leave the league. Cook said on Monday that the letter "outlines the withdrawal procedures according to the financial provisions of the Big 12 bylaws and mutual waivers of legal claims." He wouldn't provide any other details of the letter or comment on what A&M's next step might be. The Aggies are interested in joining the Southeastern Conference. Loftin sent a letter to the Big 12 last week formally telling Beebe they are exploring their options and asked for the conference to outline the process if they decide to leave. The league's board of directors addressed the possible departure of the Aggies last weekend. "I certainly appreciate the discussion among the Big 12 presidents/chancellors and the expression of their desire for Texas A&M to remain in the conference," Loftin said in a statement Monday afternoon before The New York Times report. "We all agree that Texas A&M is an extremely valuable institution; thus, it is incumbent upon me, as the president of the university, to ensure that we are in a position to enhance our national visibility and future financial opportunity." Loftin added this is a "complex and long-term decision," but "it is not our intent to prolong our conference exploration for an extended period of time." The SEC said earlier this month it was happy with its current 12-school membership but left the door open to expansion. Loftin then received authority from the board of regents to take any action he deems necessary in terms of realignment. There is concern that a departure by the Aggies could jeopardize the future of the Big 12, which is down to 10 teams after Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) left the league in July 2010. Loftin has said the Aggies would consider how their departure would impact the future of the Big 12 before any decision is made. The Big 12 would need to find a team to replace the Aggies if they exit the conference and there has been a lot of speculation about possible schools. So far, the only school to publicly express interest in moving to the Big 12 is SMU. Athletic director Steve Orsini said he's had informal talks with Big 12 officials for some time to inform them of the school's improvements and growth. In the letter Loftin sent to the Big 12 last week, he said if the Aggies leave, they would want to do it in a manner that complies with league bylaws. He also has said financial concerns will factor into any decision to leave. The school likely would face an exit fee. The Big 12, including Texas A&M, agreed to a 13-year television deal with Fox Sports in April worth more than $1 billion. There is a chance the contract could be voided if the Aggies leave the conference, which could lead to legal issues for Texas A&M and its new league. "The Big 12 remains a strong conference with a very effective media contract in place," Deaton said in the statement Tuesday. The Big 12 declined to comment on Monday's letter outlining the procedures the Aggies would need to follow if they decide to leave the league.
That has been on Click2Houston since yesterday. BTW- Does ANYONE even carry the LHN? It's becoming a freaking joke. "Let's put the first game of the year on our network that NOBODY carries!" Great job idiots.
